FROM BRUSSELS WITH LOVE
A few years ago it was suggested that our love or hate of the humble sprout is genetic: it is our genes that determine if we loathe or like the distinctive taste. It is certainly true that they are a ‘Marmite’ veg, but while they remain an integral part of our Christmas lunch, gardeners will grow them.
When my daughter discovered that I was writing about Brussels sprouts she asked: “So is a Brussels sprout a little cabbage or is a cabbage a big Brussels sprout?” It had me thinking! The cabbage family is a fascinating and diverse one.
Of course, they are closely related – both are , but slightly different botanically; group, while cabbages are . Sprouts have been bred to give oversized buds, while you could argue that a cabbage is one massive bud. But whatever the origins, most of us are more concerned with growing and eating them, so what do we need to know to help us get the best from them?
