17 February is National Cabbage Day, and is observed annually.
With St Patrick’s Day exactly one month away, today is the perfect opportunity to test out some recipes with cabbage, a staple ingredient for Celtic holidays.
Cabbage comes in a variety of forms and the French word caboche means head. The cabbage family includes Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, kohlrabi and kale. Cabbage is an ancient food with origins in Asia Minor (known as Turkey today) and the eastern Mediterranean.
Cabbage was first introduced to the Americas by the French explorer, Jacques Cartier.
There are some factors to keep in mind when selecting the perfect cabbage. The head should be firm and dense and the fibrous leaves should be shiny and crisp with no signs of bruising or browning.
This vegetable is very versatile and can be eaten raw, steamed or sautéed. It is a culturally diverse food, and is a popular ingredient in Asian, German, Irish and Latin recipes.
With only six calories per leaf, no fat, no cholesterol, low sodium, no carbohydrates and a good source of vitamin C, cabbage is a popular diet food as well.
To celebrate today, page through some recipe books, or search online for a recipe to make slow cooked garlic pepper cabbage, corned beef and cabbage stir fry or healing cabbage soup.
Use #NationalCabbageDay to post on social media.
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