Brassica oleracea var. sabellica L.

Summer is not the right season to write about Brassica oleracea var. sabellica L., vulgo kale or borecole in English, and Grünkohl (green cabbage) or sometimes Braunkohl in German. We call Grünkohl Wintergemüse (winter vegetable), so on my last two visits to the States, I was astonished to find kale in restaurants as a preferred salad ingredient.

Boerenkool by ©Rasbak (Wikipedia)

Why do I mention it? Today, Alexander Hofmann wrote in the Badische Zeitung about Grünkohl down under. Kale, as a superfood, has now conquered the younger generation in Australia. There are kale smoothies, kale chips, and kale in pancakes. There is intense competition for kale leaves between the young people down under and those Australian rabbits, so prices are soaring.

Why is this kind of cabbage so popular? We read on Wikipedia that Kale is very high in beta-carotene, vitamin K, and vitamin C, and is rich in calcium. Kale is a source of two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. As with broccoli and other brassicas, kale contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties.

The origins of the two English words kale and borecole are quite interesting. Kale comes from the Scandinavian kål and the German Kohl (cabbage), whereas borecole originates from the Dutch boerenkool and the Lower German Burenkohl (farmer's cabbage).

Kale is most prevalent in north-western Germany around Bremen, Oldenburg, and Hannover. Following the first night of freezing temperatures* the kale leaves are harvested, cooked, and stewed. The stew is served with Bratkartoffeln (roasted potatoes), Kassler (smoked pork chop), Mettwurst (sausage), or Pinkel (groats sausage).
*It is said that kale needs some frost to "sweeten" its somewhat bitter taste

Red Baron loves kale, which, unfortunately, is not widely known in southern Germany. I am tempted to take the train north for an authentic, hearty meal of stewed kale every winter.

Not enough kale but too much meat ©Wittkowsky (Wikipedia)

The picture was taken from Wikipedia, although it gives a wrong impression: Red Baron prefers his dish with lots of kale, a few roasted potatoes, and just one sausage.

Is there some hope that, following the example of the Australians, my country fellows living below the Weißwurstäquator (the Main river) will eventually discover the virtues of kale?

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