Growing up with a Polish mother, I saw a lot of cabbage on the dinner table usually in the form of golabki (cabbage rolls) or sauerkraut. I really didn’t like either but I did like the inside of the cabbage rolls. Luckily for me, my dad would eat the cabbage and let me get away with eating the inside. As an aside, I also didn’t like the pepper part of a stuffed pepper, just the insides. (I know, very strange).

I am still not a big fan of cabbage, although I do like cole slaw a whole lot. However my husband and the kids are way bigger fans of cabbage than I am, which is good for us since we grow the stuff.

About

Cabbage developed from a wild mustard plant that flourished along the Mediterranean Coast as well as in Denmark and England. Some mention of cabbage has been found dating to the early days of Greece.

There are several types of cabbage:

• Green  -  The most popular type available. Used for everything from cabbage rolls to cole slaw.
• Red  -   Has a  nice red color that adds beautiful contrast to salads and stir fries.
• Savoy –  Has a loosely formed head with crinkled leaves, great for cole slaw. Available primarily in October and November. It is very tender and sweet.
• Chinese –  There are two varieties included here: one is an oblong cabbage used primarily for salads and Chinese dumplings and the other is bok choy which does not form a head but leafs in clusters.

Varieties We Grow

• Platinum Dynasty – a main season cabbage
• Ultima Vantage –  a mid to late season green cabbage
• Red Dynasty – a main season red cabbage
• Super Red 80 – an early red cabbage that is highly rated for appearance and taste
• Rona – a deep red late maturing cabbage that is good for storage
• Savoy King – considered by many to be one of the best Savoy varieties

Yields

One and one half pounds of cabbage yields about 4 servings. Ten pounds of shredded cabbage yields about four quarts of sauerkraut.

Freezing

Cabbage becomes limp and loses flavor when frozen. Canning is also a problem with cabbage as it discolors when canned. So don’t can cabbage unless you are making sauerkraut.

Fortunately cabbage will stay crisp for several weeks if you remove any outside leaves that may be wilted before storing in your refrigerator crisper drawer.

Serving Tips

Add shredded cabbage to your salads.

Combine shredded cabbage with other vegetables and stir fry until crisp tender.

To boil cabbage, heat one inch of water in a large pot until boiling. Add wedges or shredded cabbage and cover pot. Cook wedges about ten minutes; shredded cabbage about 5-7 minutes. As always, cook until tender crisp. Salt and serve with seasonings of choice.

Melt two tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, add several cups of shredded cabbage. Pan fry only until wilted, stirring regularly (about 10-15 minutes).

Nutritional Value

• Cabbage is rich in vitamin C, with 1 cup shredded raw green cabbage containing about 1/3 of the daily requirement.
• It is a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acieds.
• Cabbage is also a good source of thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, and protein.
• It is low in calories with 1 cup shredded cabbage containing only 24 calories.

(Once again, it isn’t Friday but at least I am quicker than I was last week!)

A shot of broccoli from our 2009 crop

I don’t ever remember having broccoli as a child; I first encountered broccoli in my college dorm dining room. Every Saturday night was a steak dinner night with different sides every week. One week we had broccoli in a side salad and to my surprise, after surveying this strange vegetable, I found it to be quite tasty.

ABOUT: Originating in the Mediterranean countries especially Italy, broccoli is a member of the cabbage (or cole) family. Broccoli is another cool-weather crop (like peas) that does not like  hot summer weather. This vegetable has been grown in the United States since colonial times, but achieved popularity in the years prior to World War II when grown widely by Italian immigrants.

VARIETIES WE GROW:

Diplomat – a late summer/fall broccoli

Packman – an early broccoli

YIELDS: 1 pound of broccoli yields 6 cups raw, trimmed pieces (florets and stems) which is the equivalent of 4 to 6 servings.

2  to 3 pounds broccoli will yield about 2 pints frozen broccoli.

FREEZING:

Wash broccoli. Remove leaves and woody portions. Split lengthwise so florets are not more than 1 ½ inches across. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water or steam for 5 minutes. Cool promptly in cold water and drain.
Pack into airtight freezer containers (we use freezer bags and squeeze excess air out), leaving no head space. Seal, label, date and freeze. Use frozen broccoli within 8 to 12 months for best quality

HOW TO PREPARE:

Broccoli can be steamed, stir fried or eaten raw. Add a little lemon juice to lightly steamed broccoli. It is delicious in salads or with your favorite cheese sauce.

RECIPES:

Look for a great recipe coming up on Tempting Tuesday – May 11. Think yeast bread!

NUTRITIONAL VALUE:

• Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, and fiber. Broccoli has more Vitamin C than some citrus fruits.
• Need more calcium in your diet? Broccoli is a great source of calcium.
• It is also low in calories with a one cup serving of cooked broccoli having 45 calories.