Red cabbage

The red cabbage (Brassica oleracea convar. Capitata var rubra L.), rare blue cabbage, is a Kohlart head of cabbage, which is called as vegetable preparation and red cabbage or red cabbage or in Switzerland or Rotkabis Blaukabis.

The cabbage grows to a round cabbage, in which the individual leaves close to each other. The leaf color is a dark purple. The red cabbage changes color depending on the pH value of the soil. In acid soils, it appears more red in alkaline soils, however bluish. The more vinegar or other acids are added ( by the addition of apples, for example ) while cooking, a more clearer Red has the court. Through these local forms of preparation, the different designations red cabbage or red cabbage explain. The color change is due to the contained in red cabbage anthocyanin forth, which act as acid-base indicator. These anthocyanins are also included in other purple plants and flower petals as Lily or Petunia.

The cabbage needs well fertilized soil and sufficient moisture. He is a typical winter vegetable is planted or sown in spring and harvested in late autumn. Early varieties account for only a fraction of 10 %. Red cabbage can be stored well. Breeding objectives are mainly Place strength while compact, short inner pins, high Anthocyananteil, disease and pest resistance, and elimination of genetically co-determined defects ( internal necrosis, so-called tobacco).

• 3.1 Red or Blue
• 3.2 Identification diversity

Silo / vegetables

Red cabbage, red or blue herb is cultivated for a long time.

Cabbage belongs to the brassica vegetables. His solid heads are distinguished by their red and green exterior and smooth, red inner leaves. Red cabbage is rich in iron, minerals, anthocyanins ( phytochemicals / herbal dye / scavenger / strengthening of the immune system / anti-inflammatories ), sugar and mustard oils. He has few calories but high in fiber.

It is rich in ascorbic acid (vitamin C), but too long cooking destroys vitamins contained in part. Therefore, it is especially good in the winter, prepare red cabbage also from time to time as raw food.

Purchase

The freshness can be recognized by the strong, firm and matt glossy leaves. Red cabbage is almost always fresh in the offer, as it to June, cabbage medium early July-October and late November are varieties of early cabbage from May to December.

Storage

Red cabbage is preserved in the refrigerator crisper for up to 14 days in angeschnittener form it should always be wrapped in cling film. Freed from bracts and the rootstock, it can store well in a cool, airy basement on straw-covered boards. Healthy heads can also be hung with the bracts at the stumps there.

Preparation

Red cabbage is raw (such as salad ) or cooked cooked eaten as a vegetable. Both the salad and cooking apples are often added. Typical spices used in cabbage are cloves, nutmeg and bay leaves.

In the raw state, the plant has a violet color. Chemically, the red cabbage juice acts as an acid - base indicator. Thus, the plant changes color depending on the preparation:

In many North German (but also Baden ) recipes rather acidic ingredients such as vinegar and wine occur. This gives the finished vegetables a red color and the name red cabbage has prevailed.

In some regions of Germany (eg in Swabia, Franconia and Bavaria ) we rather use sugar or even alkaline ingredients such as baking soda, which the purple color also after preparation still remains, or even changed to bluish. There is, the same vegetables red cabbage.

Red cabbage is often served as a side dish with pork, goose, duck or braised beef, as well as wild.

Regional linguistic features

The red cabbage has a color that is just between red and blue. In the Middle Ages still existed no term for this intermediate tone. "Purple " - a word of Arabic origin - knows the German language only since the 18th century, there was only the Volltonadjektive "blue" and "red". In the German regions of the decisions for the red cabbage were mixed. The German language area in the south knew mainly the herb in the north rather the cabbage.

Red or Blue

The basic color of vegetables depends on the ground, on which it thrives: the water-soluble dye anthocyanin changes depending on the pH of the soil. In alkaline soils, the red cabbage gets a particularly bluish color. A more reddish color indicates the red cabbage, however, particularly in acidic agricultural soils.

Furthermore, the color may be affected during the preparation. By adding acidic ingredients such as vinegar, the cabbage turns reddish. By contrast, the vegetable dyed blue by the addition of basic ingredients such as baking soda ( sodium bicarbonate) or household baking soda. For this there are ideological attempts.

Designation diversity

A unified German designation of vegetables does not exist. The following designations are used:

• Red Cabbage: Northern Germany (Schleswig -Holstein, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, northern Saxony -Anhalt, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania, North Rhine- Westphalia), Switzerland
• Red cabbage: Central and West Germany (Saxony, Thuringia, Hesse, Baden, Palatinate ), Eastern Austria (Lower Austria, Vienna, Burgenland, Styria ), Switzerland
• ( Rot-/Blau- ) Kappes: North Rhine -Westphalia, Rhineland
• Red Cabbage: Southern Germany (Württemberg, Franconia, Bavaria ), Austria ( not listed above countries), Switzerland

Considered is the German language area in 1900, which is almost identical in terms of regional variations with today here. However, there are, for example, by the action of the media, mixing in the language regions, in this case, particularly in favor of the " red cabbage " (as in many parts of Hesse ).

Since the obtained cooking or pressing cabbage juice comprises the contained cyanidin glycosides is dependent on the pH of a dye, it may be used as a simple acid-base indicator. As a main component an acylated Sambicyanin -5 -glucoside (or chrysanthemin -5 sambubiosid ) is included.