"The time has come,' the Walrus said, "To talk of many things:Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing wax -- Of cabbages -- and kings --And why the sea is boiling hot -- And whether pigs have wings.'
Lewis Carroll
The deep snow from our early winter storm had finally melted away so I decided to take a walk through the vegetable garden to see what had survived the tempest. Nothing it appeared; everything had turned to slime! A second look proved more fruitful – a few collards, some upland cress and even a few leaves of lettuce and spinach. And then I saw them – cabbages, great heads of cabbages looming in the garden like Victor Hugo’s Quasimodo hanging from the bell tower of the great Notre Dame cathedral. If artichokes and radicchio reign as supreme monarchs of the vegetable patch then cabbages must surely be of stalwart peasant stock – sometimes praised, sometimes maligned.
The deep snow from our early winter storm had finally melted away so I decided to take a walk through the vegetable garden to see what had survived the tempest. Nothing it appeared; everything had turned to slime! A second look proved more fruitful – a few collards, some upland cress and even a few leaves of lettuce and spinach. And then I saw them – cabbages, great heads of cabbages looming in the garden like Victor Hugo’s Quasimodo hanging from the bell tower of the great Notre Dame cathedral. If artichokes and radicchio reign as supreme monarchs of the vegetable patch then cabbages must surely be of stalwart peasant stock – sometimes praised, sometimes maligned.
Cabbage was known to and praised by ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans for its medicinal properties (although this probably wasn’t the head cabbage we know today). European aristocracy, however, from the Middle Ages to the 18th century turned up their noses at the mere mention of this lowly vegetable. In fact, the nobles of that time disdained all vegetables, leafy ones in particular, believing them to be responsible for ill health. Since many of the common vegetables of that day – cabbage, beans, onions and garlic – were attributed to the ability to produce wind, they were of the attitude that vegetables might be acceptable for commoners but certainly not for those in aristocratic circles. Despite being snubbed by blue bloods, cabbage withstood the disparagement and remained a reliable staple of the poor playing a central role in their diets. Cabbage was devoured with great relish, especially during the cold winter months, as it was one of the few fresh staples available when the ground produced little else.
Historians disagree as to the origin of the head cabbage we know today but do agree that heads of cabbage started forming about the 1st century BCE. Some believe it to have originated in the Mediterranean cultivated from the wild mustard plant (wild cabbage, sea cabbage). Others say its evolution began in northern Europe selected from a wild perennial cabbage that still grows along the coast of England today. Some speculate that the cabbage of ancient references was actually a kale similar to the Nero di Toscano (black palm, dinosaur kale) of today. Nevertheless, many varieties of heading cabbage were well known and widely cultivated in both northern and southern Europe by the 13th century taking a place of preference over its cousin kale.
The cabbage family (Brassica oleracea) sports a large family tree of cruciferous vegetables including kale, broccoli, collards, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kohlrabi. Each has its own family branch or Group, heading cabbages belonging to the Capitata Group. Heading cabbages come in various shades of green as well as red and purple. Head shapes range from standard round to flattened to pointed. Most have smooth leaves but Savoy types have crinkly textured leaves.
Being a hardy cool-season crop, cabbage does best under uniform cool moist conditions and grows especially well in fertile soil. They’re easy to grow and in our moderate climate a selection of cabbages is harvestable nearly year round. Just choose varieties that are best suited to each growing season from early spring through winter. Fertility requirements are relatively high and the timing of fertilizer application depends largely as to the time of year that cabbages are planted.
Cabbage can be direct sown or as a transplant. I have more success with transplants, starting the seeds in the greenhouse 6 to 8 weeks prior to transplanting. For the first spring planting I count back 8 to 10 weeks from the last projected frost, seeding the first starts in mid February. Territorial Seed recommends sowing early maturing varieties from March through June and later autumn-maturing varieties from late May to early June, which allows heads to form during the relative cool of fall. When seedlings are 6-8 weeks old with 5-6 true leaves they are ready to harden off and transplant.
Growing cabbage is not without its headaches especially when it comes to those nasty flea beetles and cabbage loopers. A sacrifice patch of arugula or turnips can divert the attention of the flea beetles but one of the best all around prevention methods is the use of floating row cover (I should be their poster boy). When all else fails, I resort to using rotenone/pyrethrum for flea beetles and Bt for loopers, following package directions of course. Harvest early cabbage promptly as they mature fast and burst quickly. Those later types that mature in late summer or autumn when growth rates are slow will often hold for several months. Over-mature heads are subject to splitting, especially if they are exposed to moisture fluctuations. One trick to help hold mature cabbage in the field is to give it a slight twist to sever some of the roots. The best rules of thumb though are to pick it when it’s ready and to choose an appropriate cultivar for the season in which it is being grown. Cut the heads from the stems and include 2 or 3 wrapper leaves to protect against bruising.
From a nutritional standpoint, cabbage is jam packed with vitamin C, fiber, iron, calcium and potassium as well as several B vitamins. It also contains significant amounts of glutamines, an amino acid, which has inflammatory properties. In European folk medicine, cabbage leaves are used to treat acute inflammations. Keep in mind when cooking cabbage, the longer it is cooked the lower the nutritional value.
Cabbage may still be considered a plebian vegetable in some circles today but its culinary versatility goes well beyond the over cooked boiled cabbage that so many have reckoned with. A savory cabbage soup will ward off the chill of the most bone chilling day. Red cabbage tossed with hot bacon dressing just until slightly wilted, garnished with bleu cheese and candied walnuts will evoke awes from even the most ardent of food snobs. Stir fry it lightly lacing it with Szechwan pepper and a splash of rice vinegar. Bake it with pork chops in cream lightly perfumed with fresh thyme and bay leaf. As a filling for tender dumplings, golden yeasty breads, or flaky strudel, cabbage acquires a new dimension. Transformed in any of these manners, the once lowly cabbage becomes a dish fit for a king. Admittedly, some of you may be thinking: “When pigs fly!”
