Brussels sprout

Brussels sprout
Species
Brassica oleracea
Cultivar group
Gemmifera Group
Origin
Brussels, year unknown
Cultivar Group members
unknown

Brussels sprout (plural Brussels sprouts) is the common name for a cultivar group, Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group of the wild cabbage (B. oleracea) of the mustard family Brassicaceae (or Cruciferae). The term also is used for the long, edible, cabbagelike buds of these plants, which are popular food items. This plant also is known as brussels sprout (without the capital B) and brussel sprout.

(or brussels or brussel) sprout (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group) of the Brassicaceae family, is a cultivar group of Wild Cabbage cultivated for its small (typically 2.5 - 4cm, 1 - 1.5 inches diameter) leafy green buds, which resemble miniature cabbages.

Overview and history

Brussels sprout (Brassica oleracea, Gemmifera Group) is one of several cultivars of wild cabbage, Brassica oleracea, a species of Brassica native to coastal southern and western Europe. The cultivars of B. oleracea are grouped by developmental form into seven major cultivar groups: *Brassica oleracea Acephala Group - kale and collard greens (borekale)

• Brassica oleracea Alboglabra Group - kai-lan (Chinese broccoli)
• Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group - cauliflower (and Chou Romanesco)
• Brassica oleracea Capitata Group - cabbage
• Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group - Brussels sprouts
• Brassica oleracea Gongylodes Group - kohlrabi
• Brassica oleracea Italica Group - broccoli

Forerunners to modern Brussels sprouts were likely cultivated in Ancient Rome and possibly as early as the 1200s in Belgium (Pfyffer 2004). Brussels sprouts as we now know them were cultivated in 16th century Belgium (Herbst 2001; Pfyffer 2004), with the first written description of Brussels sprouts in 1587 (Folsom 2005). During the sixteenth century they also enjoyed a popularity in the southern Netherlands that eventually spread throughout the cooler parts of Northern Europe.

possibly as early as the 1200s in Belgium. The modern Brussels sprout that we are familiar with was first cultivated in large quantities in Belgium (hence the name "Brussels" sprout

The term Brussels sprout is a countable noun whose plural form is Brussels sprouts. A commonly used alternative form is brussel sprout, whose plural is brussel sprouts. However, linking the name with the Belgian capital of Brussels would argue against dropping the last "s" in the first word (although the Dutch name for the city is "Brussel").

Style consideration
Some house styles (e.g., the Chicago Manual of Style) prefer to lowercase words derived from geographical names when used with a non-literal meaning: brussels sprouts.

Cultivation

Brussels sprouts grow in temperature ranges of 7 to 24°C (45 to 75°F), with highest yields at 15 to 18°C (60 to 65°F). Plants grow from seeds in seed beds or greenhouses, and are transplanted to growing fields.. Fields are ready for harvest 90-180 days after planting. The edible sprouts grow like buds in a spiral array on the side of long thick stalks of approximately 2-4 feet in height, maturing over several weeks from the lower to the upper part of the stalk. Sprouts may be picked by hand into baskets, in which case several harvests are made of 5-15 sprouts at a time, by cutting the entire stalk at once for processing, or by mechanical harvester, depending on variety. Each stalk can produce 1.1 to 1.4 kg (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), although the commercial yield is approximately 0.9kg (2 pounds) per stalk..

Brussels sprouts are among the same family that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi. They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fibre. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, due to their containing sinigrin. Brussels sprouts are cruciferous.

USA cultivation

Production of Brussels sprouts in the United States began around 1800, when French settlers brought them to Louisiana (Mills 2001).

The first plantings in California's Central Coast began in the 1920s, with significant production beginning in the 1940s. Currently there are several thousand acres planted in coastal areas of San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties of California, which offer an ideal combination of coastal fog and cool temperatures year-round. The harvest season lasts from June through January. They are also grown in Baja California, where the harvest season is from December through June.

Much of the United States production is in California, with a smaller percentage of the crop grown in Skagit Valley Washington, where cool springs, mild summers and rich soil abounds and to a lesser degree on Long Island, New York. Total United States production is approximately 32,000 tons, with a value of $27 million. Ontario, Canada produces approximately 1,000 tons per year. In Continental Europe the largest producers are the Netherlands, at 82,000 metric tons, and Germany, at 10,000 tons. England has production comparable to that of the Netherlands, but is not generally exported internationally.

80% to 85% of US production is for the frozen food market, with the remainder for fresh consumption. Once harvested, sprouts last 3-5 weeks under ideal near-freezing conditions before wilting and discoloring, and about half as long at refrigerator temperature.. Europeans prefer smaller varieties with bulbs approximately 1.3cm (1/2 inch) in diameter, while American varieties are 2.5 - 5cm (1-2 inches).

Cooking and preparation

The usual method of preparing a Brussels sprout for cooking is first to cut off the base together with any remaining stem, and then to peel away and discard the surface leaves that are loosened by this cut. When boiling or steaming, some cooks will cut a cross in the stem to aid the penetration of heat to the center of the sprout. In December 2007, Ireland's Food Minister Trevor Sargent described his preferred method of cooking of Brussels sprouts: placing the sprouts in a single layer in a saucepan, covering them in just enough water to cover the stalks and boiling with salt and butter until the water is absorbed. Microwaving, stir frying, roasting and steaming are also options.

Overcooking releases sulfur compounds in the vegetables that give it a distinctive smell commonly found unpleasant. If correctly cooked, the unpleasant smell is avoided and the vegetable possesses a delicate nutty flavor.

In the UK, Brussels sprouts are a traditional winter vegetable, and are often eaten boiled with a roast dinner, particularly at Christmas. They can also be stir-fried, roasted, or made into soup.

Gallery

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  A field of Brussels sprouts after harvest

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  Brussels sprouts on the stalk

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  Brussels sprouts on stalks

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Plant Trivia TimeLine J. Folsom, ed. http://www.huntington.org/BotanicalDiv/Timeline.html The Huntington Library, Art Collection, and Botanical Gardens 2005

External links

• PROTAbase on Brassica oleracea (Brussels sprouts)
• Brassica oleracea gemmifera - Plants For a Future database entry
• Brussels Sprouts Info - history, nutrition, cultivation, varieties
• Brussels Sprouts - recommendations for maintaining postharvest quality (UC Davis)
• Brussels Sprouts Recipes - a long list illustrating the culinary possibilities

Credits

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