HEIRLOOM CABBAGES LEAVES ARE BEAUTIFUL NOW
HEIRLOOM CABBAGE
As leaf peeping gets underway, and tender summer veggies give way to the more robust, hearty crops of autumn, cabbage comes into its glory.
Heirloom cabbages deliver cold weather hardiness and heartiness with unique beauty. Their leaves are thicker and sturdier than more tender late summer varieties, with gorgeous textures, shapes, and colors. They offer more flavor too.
In 1903, 544 varieties of cabbage were listed by seed houses across the US. By 1983, many varieties had disappeared, leaving just 28 of represented in our national seed bank at the National Seed Storage Laboratory (now the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation). It is important to plant heirloom varieties.
Debby Hatch, of Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens, developed a passion for heirloom cabbages, and grows several varieties.
January King Cabbage, an heirloom variety, available at Adaptive Seeds, is one that Hatch grows right on through the winter. It survives snow cover and temperatures as low as 5 ̊F.
January King is a beautiful Savoy-type cabbage, with soft green crinkled outer leaves that are tinged with purple. Hatch plants the seeds indoors in early June, sets them out in mid-July, and by early autumn, is rewarded with gorgeous rosettes.
As the temperatures continue to drop, heading into winter, frost only adds to the aesthetic. Their leaves turn darker green with even stronger purple accents.
Ruby Perfection is an heirloom red that is worth noting. Hatch also appreciates the smooth green Gonzales and the crinkly-leaved Melissa and Alcosa Savoys.
Hatch shares a beautiful recipe for Sautéed Collards and Cabbage with Gremolata that she adapted from Carla Hall. You can find the recipe here.
Dog Island Farm, a small urban farm in the San Francisco Bay Area, grows and sells heirloom cabbages, and offers workshops on growing them, among others.
Nitin Budhiraja, of Nomaste developed a magnificent recipe for “Pan Fried Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Spiced Lamb.”
Made with ground lamb, with toasted fragrant Indian spices, including cardamom, cinnamon, fennel seed, garam masala & chili flakes, along with fresh grated ginger, garlic, these cabbage leaf bundles are caramelized on the outside, rich & velvety on the inside.
You can find the recipe here.
Read more about Beautiful Leaf Peeping in Leaves, Light, & Land Are Beautiful Now and Dogs Find Beauty In Autumn Leaves Now.
And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact Daily Fix posts.
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IMAGE CREDITS:
- Image: by Debby Hatch, of Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens. “January King Cabbage.”
- Image: by Debby Hatch, of Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens. “Sweeter After Frost.”
- Image: by Debby Hatch, of Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens. “Alcosa Savoy Cabbage.”
- Image: by Debby Hatch, of Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens. “Alcosa Savoy Cabbage.”
- Image: by Debby Hatch, of Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens. “January King Cabbage.”
- Image: by Debby Hatch, of Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens. “January King Cabbage.”
- Image: by Stephen Melkisethian. “Steve's Garden Savoy Cabbage.”
- Image: by Debby Hatch, of Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens. “Red Cabbage, Ruby Ball.”
- Image: by Dog Island Farm. “January King Cabbage.”
- Image: by Nitin Budhiraja, of Nomaste. “Pan Fried Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Spiced Lamb.”
- Image: by Nitin Budhiraja, of Nomaste. “Steaming the Cabbage Sheets.”
- Image: by Suzie's Farm. “Peek.” Red Cabbage and Alyssum, KikiTown.
- Image: by Suzie's Farm. “Silver Lining.” Red Cabbage, KikiTown.
- Image: by BN App - Download now!
- Image: by Suzie's Farm. “Sun-Kissed Cabbage.” Red Cabbage, KikiTown.
