Know Your Brassicas

Whether you know it or not, you’ve eaten a brassica. And enjoyed it! Try one during PA Produce Month.

Whether you know it or not, you’ve eaten a brassica. And you’ve enjoyed it. All of us have. The genus of plants, called a “regular player” in the vocabulary of Pennsylvania farmers, covers all things cruciferous: kohlrabi, cauliflower, turnip, wasabi, kale, mustard greens, and much, much more.

Known for their agricultural and horticultural importance -- members of the brassica family rule over the field plans at many farms -- the brassica genus covers about 30 species, both wild and cultivated hybrids. This brings us, perhaps unexpectedly, to the word domestication.

Domestication doesn’t generally evoke images of broccoli and cabbage. Instead, it spins pictures of the grey-toned reels from 1950s sitcoms, where happy homemakers strive for the picture-perfect family life, crafting Jell-O salads and tuna noodle casseroles in pastel-pink kitchens.

Drop the sitcom references, however, because, in the case of brassica olerica, domestication does refer to broccoli and cabbage. This makes brassica olerica one of the most fascinating species: over the years -- 10,000, to be exact -- farmers domesticated, or selectively separated, the valuable parts of the wild, weedy mustard plant, brassica olerica, into individual crops.

Think about it: kohlrabi and collards have plenty of similarities. Brussels sprouts are pint-sized cabbages; there's a clear connection between broccoli and cauliflower. It makes sense, now – these vegetables were all once part of the same plant.

Because brassicas love temperate weather, they are a perfect fit for Pennsylvania's growing season. And, seeing as it's both peak brassica season and PA Produce Month, get out and grab some of your favorite, leafy greens from a farm stand or local market! Who knows, maybe brassicas were what tuna noodle casserole was missing all along.

If creamy casseroles aren’t where you'd like to put your farm-fresh brassicas this season, we've got a few other recipes up our sleeve: