Kale

Kale (Brassica oleracea var sabellica L.) belongs to the family of cruciferous plants ( Brassicaceae). It is a typical winter vegetables and a cultivated form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea).

Surnames

Regionally, it is also called brown coal ( for example, in Braunschweig, Hannover, Magdeburg and Bremen ), high carbon, winter cabbage, drink cabbage or kale, or even cabbage. In Switzerland, it bears the name kale, but comparatively little known and hardly ever used as food. In OWL it bears the name of his stature circumscribing Lippische palm, further north Oldenburg or Frisian palm.

Particular, the term lignite provides some adventurous explanations of the names origin. Not entirely serious proposals put forth, for example, a reference to the lignite. Brunswick, however, proudly announce the lignite 'm from Braunschweig and therefore bear his name. Is also disputed the statement that the naming lignite might have something to do with the discoloration of the cabbage after several warm-up. False is the explanation of the carbon verfärbe to brown after frost. The following should, however, be correct: There are different varieties of this Kohls, which differ inter alia in the color of their leaves.

So was eaten in Bremen as well as in Oldenburg in the 19th century, the so-called long cabbage. This long carbon clearly has brownish -purple leaves and is therefore also explicitly referred to as brown coal. The lower leaves of the height of a man growing stalk were previously used as cattle feed. The upper florets of Long Kohls but were and are suitable for human consumption. And since there are hardly any cattle in the cities with which one could divide the cabbage, the long carbon disappeared almost completely from the cultivation. However, memories of the long carbon lives on in the name of lignite. In Brunswick since the spring of 2008, there is also a project for the offspring of the "real " brown cabbage.

Origin

All today cultivated Kohlvarietäten, including the brown and green cabbage, descended from the wild cabbage ( Brassica oleracea L.). The ancestral species is still present in the Mediterranean and on the Atlantic coast of the Bay of Biscay to the south of England and on Helgoland. The green kale is grown in the 3rd century BC in Greece and since the Roman period in Italy. In Germany, it can be proved with the help of herbal books of the 16th and 17th centuries. Thus we find, for example, a picture of the frills Kohls at Leonhard Fuchs ( 1543). Typical regions today are Central and Western Europe, North America and East and West Africa. In the north of Germany, the cities of Bremen and Oldenburg compete to "specialty" of kale whose because now is. In Bremen he served since 1545 every year during the traditional meal Schaffer, an event which brings together the commercial in February, respectively 100 and 100 nautical Schaffer and 100 guests. Oldenburg held since 1956 with the " Defftig Ollnborger Gröönkohl - Äten " in the capital, Berlin, by contrast. The evening is primarily intended to promote the interests of the city and the region.

Cultivation

Kale is a fast-growing Blattkohlart. As with all types of coal, except for cauliflower and broccoli, flowers are formed in the second year. This produces large inflorescences with many yellow flowers are expelled. After fertilization occur pods with many seeds. Young plants can be pulled from May in the cold frame. The soil should be well prepared and the neutral pH. Order during its growth to let the carbon enough food to come, prepare the soil with compost in the spring and horn shavings. If the kale in later years show deficiency symptoms (eg by the yellowing of leaves ) a corresponding fertilization is required. The young plants are placed at a distance of 40x80 cm into the bed, taking care to a sufficient depth to reduce the infestation by the cabbage root fly. In the garden of kale can withstand awarded neighboring tomatoes, string beans, spinach, celery, rhubarb, radishes, Pluck and lettuce, leeks, cucumbers and peas. Less good neighboring cultures should be onions, other types of cabbage, garlic or potatoes. As with all types of cabbage is on the same surface, were grown on the carbon species are grown for several years no kale to prevent disease.

Harvest

During the industrially processed kale is harvested from September already, waiting for one's own culture until the first frost. Kale can be harvested throughout the winter, but frosts of -10 ° C or more should be avoided.

Harvest after the first frost

It is often said by the frost would be part of the starch contained in the kale in sugar converted, so the harvested after the first frosts cabbage taste better. In fact, Frost and strength do not matter, but it depends on the late harvest and generally cool temperatures. Ripe Green Cabbage contains hardly any strength that could be converted, formed by photosynthesis but still glucose. Due to the lower temperatures the metabolic processes slow down in general, especially the activity of the enzyme phosphofructokinase is strongly inhibited - the sugar content of cabbage leaves increases. Since this glucose enrichment takes place only in the living plant and the frost itself does not matter, the effect of late harvest can not be imitated by briefly storing the harvested cabbage in the freezer.

In industrial agriculture also varieties are used, which have a high sugar content from the outset and therefore can be harvested earlier.

Pests

Considerable damage can cause the kale both the white fly, the cabbage white butterfly and the cabbage root fly. Dreaded disease is the clubroot, which not only destroys the current crop, but cabbage cultivation impossible on the affected area for years.

Properties

Kale belongs to the cabbage with the highest content of vitamin C, and raw kale is with around 105-150 mg/100 g for vitamin C- rich foods at all; However, kale is rarely eaten raw. It also contains glucosinolates as glucobrassicin and Glucoiberin.

Preparation

Contrary to popular formulation of the longer cooking kale can also be prepared with a shorter cooking time. Stir it tastes quite well in the salad, which may be refined with strong flavors, such as bacon, ham and onions. In the Prignitz district of Brandenburg the kale is also in the knee by using carbon.

In addition, he is at least in the United States as a raw food place. He is part of many "green smoothie " recipes. He is also there indispensable ingredient in Southern cooking.

Dissemination

In the Oldenburg region, in Bremerhaven and Bremen, in the Osnabrück country, in the country Hadeln, in East Friesland, county of Bentheim and in other parts of Lower Saxony and Schleswig -Holstein, a veritable cult is operated to this vegetable. There, go in the fall and winter months, associations, companies and other groups on carbon ride and nominate doing her cabbage king, often combined with the typical regional sports Boßeln and Klootschießen.

A typical dish of North West Germany is " Kohl and Pinkel " ( kale with a smoked black pudding ). In the Osnabrück country, in Hamburg and Schleswig -Holstein to eat kale with smoked traditionally, cabbage sausage or gross sausage, fried potatoes, and often sprinkled with sugar that makes the widespread in the northern German cuisine flavor combination of the Broken Sööt. In Braunschweig and Hildesheim country in the region Hannover and Magdeburg is " lignite " eaten with spicy sausages. In Mecklenburg Vorpommern and kale is traditionally eaten as a winter dish with smoked pork, sausage Lung and / or pig's cheek and boiled potatoes. In Brandenburg and Berlin kale is eaten at Christmas to rabbits, alternatively with crackers or wieners.

In southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland kale is rather unknown. In Baden- Württemberg, he was long regarded as rabbit food, but today it is increasingly being appreciated as a delicious winter dish.

In the Netherlands applies boerenkoolstamppot, a stew of cabbage and potatoes, served with of Gelderland Rookworst ( Geldern smoked sausage ) as a national typical winter dish. In Denmark and southern Sweden ( Halland and Blekinge ) kale is a popular dish at Christmas and is eaten along with the traditional Christmas ham.

Society

The kale meal is a custom in many parts of northern Germany and the Netherlands as well as in parts of Scandinavia. In many communities where the kale food is celebrated, also carbon kings are crowned. While this is mostly is local notables, this honor is awarded to celebrities from business, entertainment, politics or sports in some cities, such as Dresden and Osnabrück. The city of Oldenburg invites once a year senior figures from politics, business and culture to promote the occasion of the " Defftig Ollnborger Gröönkohl - Ätens " politicians in Berlin for themselves and to elect a politician as "Oldenburg cabbage king". The list of officials includes all major name in German politics. Chancellor Angela Merkel and former German President Christian Wulff had the title already. In February 2014, the Ambassador of Turkey in Berlin Hüseyin Avni Karslioglu was appointed as the new title holder, who in his cabaret inaugural speech true to the traditions of his homeland as kale Sultan called himself, in the year before that it was the Federal Environment Minister Peter Altmaier. The organizer hopes that the King or Queen is committed during the " term of office " for the interests of the city. Every king or queen, each has a duty at least once to visit the city of Oldenburg during the regency. This usually happens within the City Festival or the Kramer market.

Biomonitoring

Kale is used in the context of biomonitoring (air pollutant analysis, eg airports ) for the quantitative determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( PAHs).