Cool as a cabbage
Healthy is the house that smells like cabbage.
Humans have been growing cabbage (aka Brassica oleracea) for four millennia for food and medicinal use. Leafy ancestors of modern cabbages preferred the cool damp environments of the northern Mediterranean coast and western European coastline as far north as the British Isles.
Cabbages for dinner were commonplace for Romans and Greeks during their empire days. The spread of empires is how cabbages traveled to Egypt and then farther east into Asia. The farther it went, the further cabbage varieties evolved. During the Middle Ages, some cabbages began to grow heads. Cool! The tightly wrapped balled-up heads lasted for longer periods which was important during European winters. Kale was a leafy cabbage relative that stayed leafy, as did many Asian cultivars.
Sailors from Portugal introduced cabbages to India. French explorers imported cabbages to North America in the 16th century. Apparently, Japan did not have any cabbages until late in the 18th century, but today there are several cultivars distinctive to Japan. The north island of Hokkaido, in particular, has conditions similar to the coastal habitats where cabbage ancestors flourished.
So why is cabbage in all its many forms so popular? In my experience, cabbage varieties are easy to grow, and there are stories from Europe claiming cabbages were almost all poor folks had to eat during difficult times. Even though it has a strong aroma when cooked, culinary author Jane Grigson pointed out, “Cabbage also has a nasty history of being good for you.” Grandmothers ancient and modern have eulogized the nutritional benefits of cabbage without even knowing the chemical compounds therein such as sulforaphane and other stuff.
Also important is heads of cabbage might last one or even two seasons in a cool quiet meditative location such as a well-maintained root cellar. I’ve had them remain viable for longer than I should admit in my refrigerator. Right now, for example.
Plus, folklore recounts the medicinal attributes of cabbage. Mediterranean traditions held that cabbage leaves would not only ease headaches but alleviate the effects of eating poisonous mushrooms. I wonder who was the first person upon seeing a companion suffering from eating a mushroom instinctively think, “Whoa! Why not eat some cabbage? I have some in the root cellar.”
Greeks applied cabbage juice to bruises and Egyptians consumed cooked cabbage to mitigate the effects of Egyptian wine. Baseball hearsay tell us Babe Ruth placed a cabbage leaf under his cap to forestall further baldness, and I wonder if it worked.
Regarding nutrition, cabbage and Brassicas in general have legions of fans. Me, for example, but not everyone likes cabbage. Author Bill Vaughan remarked, “Discipline is like cabbage. We may not care for it ourselves but feel it would be good for somebody else.” Cabbage is packed with minerals and vitamins, Mr. Vaughan– more vitamin C than an orange plus beta carotene and healthy things spelled with 12-19 letters.
And cabbage is versatile in the kitchen. It loses some potency of its nutritional impact the farther from harvest it is used, so hurry up. You can simply steam leaves briefly to enjoy with cornbread and red beans. Talented folks make stuffed cabbage rolls. There are as many sauerkraut recipes as there are sauerkraut-makers. Recipes for cabbage are easy to find, but what I like are the many varieties.
Kalibos is traditional Czech variety that resembles a four-pound purple ukulele. Filderkraut is pointed like a cone and it comes from the Filder Plateau in an area called Swabia in western Germany. It’s not often I get to mention Swabia, so thank you cabbage. Certain cabbages grow to 30 pounds or more. Some Asian varieties called Napa cabbage are oblong and barrel-shaped.
Some bok choy varieties get adorable yellow crinkly leaves as they mature in colder weather.
And if you’re in a hurry, there are even miniature varieties that produce cute four-inch heads at maturity. They mature in less than two months. That’s fine, but don’t hurry. Just be practical, sensible, and do your cabbage best.