Cauliflower

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var botrytis L.), also cauliflower, cheese cabbage, flowering cabbage, grapes cabbage, minaret - carbon or called Italian cabbage, is a cultivar of the vegetable cabbage (Brassica oleracea) with fleshy, standing together in a head flower sprouts as vegetables ( flowers are eaten as vegetables): more precisely. Unlike other types of cabbage, the inflorescence is in the first year. If the plants are not harvested, there is a " shooting ", the compressed sprout stretches, and there are yellow flowers and then seeds formed.

• 5.1 Kitchen

Origin and History

Cauliflower comes from the native to Asia Minor archetype Brassica oleracea var silvestris from and has been cultivated since the 16th century in Europe - first in Italy, a short time later in France. One of the oldest pictures found in the book of herbs botanist and physician Joachim Camerarius the Younger, which appeared towards the end of the 16th century. Today, the cauliflower heard throughout Europe the most popular varieties of cabbage; the main exporters are France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The cauliflower was mentioned in the 6th century. The Crusaders brought the seeds of their travels to Italy. Today, the cauliflower is spread all over the world.

Prevalence and significance of

Main suppliers in Europe are France and Italy. The cultivated area in Germany is about 5500 hectares. China produces about 1 million tonnes and India about 0.7 million tons for its own consumption.

Forms and Types

The Romanesco (Brassica oleracea convar. Botrytis var botrytis ) is a variant of cauliflower that was bred in the vicinity of Rome. Since the 16th century it is also grown in Germany. The Romanesco is one of the few plants that simultaneously exhibit in their inflorescence self-similarity and thus a fractal structure, and Fibonacci spirals. It is mostly eaten cooked, has a high content of vitamin C and exceeds in the cauliflower.

Colored Cauliflowers are grown especially in Italy and France. There are also purple and green cultivated forms disseminated, whose inflorescences are not completely enclosed by bracts and purple during growth with exposure to light or colorize other varieties without exposure to light green.

Use

Planting to harvest

It is grown in fields and private gardens. The harvest in the field is possible in Germany from spring to late autumn. In regions with mild winter climate (eg Brittany, Spanish Mediterranean coast ) Cauliflower can also be harvested in the winter. Cauliflower requires good humus rich soil in full warm sunny location. Sow from February in a heated greenhouse, from mid-April in the field. Is planted at a distance of 50 x 50 cm. To protect against frost cauliflower is covered with fleece. Cauliflower is a strong Zehrer ( needs a lot of nutrients) and can withstand fresh organic fertilizer. In the further course of growth may be another three or four times nitrogen are given (eg, horn shavings) as topdressing until the demand is met. Regularly hoeing and in dry casting promotes even growth. In strong sunlight the flower should be covered with a sheet or something similar to prevent yellowing. The knospigen inflorescences that come on the market in Germany, are usually white to ivory, as they wrapped in leaves or covered with foil and were thus protected from light. Unlike the closely related Broccoli they are harvested before the bracts have opened and the flowers are fully developed.

Diseases and Pests

Eggs or caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly can be eliminated by periodically stripping in the house garden, so the caterpillars of the butterfly does not eat up a large portion of the leaf area in a short time. The coal fly lays its eggs in the summer at the root collar of young plants. The maggots feed on the roots and cause wilting up to the death of the whole plant. With a Pappkragen around the root collar oviposition can be prevented. Conveniently located for defense against pests, growing in fine mesh netting vegetables. Clubroot, a fungal disease that leads to thickening and deformation of the root. This leads to lower water absorption, wilting and can even lead to death of the plant. Destroy infested plants, not compost. Since the fungal spores survive in plant debris and soil long, should not be used in the cultivation of cabbages at the affected place for seven years. Even weeds such as shepherd's purse must be removed. Discoloration of the blossom white varieties such as yellow or brown spots on the inflorescence are caused by sun exposure, as bruising or improper storage after harvest and reduce the quality.

Use

Kitchen

Cauliflower can be eaten raw or cooked. It is easy to digest, with mild taste and rich in vitamin C and minerals. To prepare, he is freed from the leaves of steamed stalk cut and cut and cooked the cabbage in the whole twenty minutes in salted water, or cut into florets 10 to 15 minutes. By adding a little milk or lemon juice it remains white. Romanesco retains its fresh green color by briefly quenching in ice water. It is served classically topped with melted butter, with Dutch sauce or bechamel sauce, Polish-style roasted in butter with breadcrumbs or cheese. It is also suitable to be baked in pastry into fat; also breading and deep-frying are conceivable preparation methods.