Kale

Kale (/keɪl/), also called leaf cabbage, belongs to a group of cabbage (Brassica oleracea) cultivars primarily grown for their edible leaves. It has also been used as an ornamental plant.

Description

Kale plants have green or purple leaves, and the central leaves do not form a head (as with

The name kale originates from Northern Middle English cale (compare Scots kail and German Kohl) for various cabbages. The ultimate origin is Latin caulis 'cabbage'.^[1][2]

Cultivation

Derived from

Kale is usually a biennial plant grown from seed with a wide range of germination temperatures.^[5] It is hardy and thrives in wintertime,^[5] and can survive in temperatures as low as −15 °C (5 °F).^[6] Kale can become sweeter after a heavy frost.^[7]

History

Kale originated in the eastern Mediterranean and Anatolia, where it was cultivated for food beginning by 2000 BCE at the latest.^[8] Curly-leaved varieties of cabbage already existed along with flat-leaved varieties in Greece in the 4th century BC. These forms, which were referred to by the Romans as Sabellian kale, are considered to be the ancestors of modern kales.

The earliest record of cabbages in western Europe is of hard-heading cabbage in the 13th century.^[8] Records in 14th-century England distinguish between hard-heading cabbage and loose-leaf kale.^[8]

Russian traders introduced Russian kale into Canada and then into the United States in the 19th century.

• Curly-leaf (Scots kale, blue curled kale)
• Bumpy-leaf (black cabbage, better known by its Italian translation 'cavolo nero', and also known as Tuscan Cabbage, Tuscan Kale, lacinato and dinosaur kale)
• Sparkly-leaf (shiny and glossy)
• Plain-leaf (flat-leaf types like red Russian and white Russian kale)
• Leaf and spear, or feathery-type leaf (a cross between curly- and plain-leaf)
• Ornamental (less palatable and tougher leaves)

Because kale can grow well into winter, one variety of rape kale is called "

Boiling kale decreases the level of glucosinate compounds, whereas steaming, microwaving, or stir frying does not cause significant loss.^[21] Kale is high in oxalic acid, the levels of which can be reduced by cooking.^[22]

Kale contains high levels of

Flavored "kale chips" have been produced as a potato chip substitute.^[25]

Regional uses

Europe

In the Netherlands, a traditional winter dish called "boerenkoolstamppot" is a mix of curly kale and mashed potatoes, sometimes with fried bacon, and served with rookworst ("smoked sausage").^[26]

In Northern Germany, there is a winter tradition known as "Kohlfahrt" ("kale trip"), where a group of people will go on a hike through the woods during the day before gathering at an inn or private residence where kale is served, usually with bacon and Kohlwurst ("kale sausage").^[27] Kale is considered a Northern German staple and comfort food.^[28]

In Italy,

A traditional Portuguese soup, caldo verde, combines pureed potatoes, very finely sliced kale, olive oil and salt.^[30] Additional ingredients can include broth and sliced, cooked spicy sausage.

In Scotland, kale provided such a base for a traditional diet that the word in some Scots dialects is synonymous with food. To be "off one's kail" is to feel too ill to eat.^[31]

In Ireland, kale is mixed with mashed potatoes to make the traditional dish colcannon.^[32] It is popular on Halloween,^[33] when it may be served with sausages.

In the United Kingdom, the cultivation of kale (and other vegetables) was encouraged during World War II via the Dig for Victory campaign.^[34] The vegetable was easy to grow and provided important nutrients missing from a diet because of rationing.^[35]

Asia

In Sri Lanka, it is known as kola gova or ela gova. It is cultivated for edible use. A dish called 'kale mallung' is served almost everywhere on the island, along with rice.

United States

For most of the 20th century, kale was primarily used in the U.S. for decorative purposes; it became more popular as an edible vegetable in the 1990s due to its nutritional value.^[10]

In culture

The Kailyard school of Scottish writers, which included J. M. Barrie (creator of Peter Pan), consisted of authors who wrote about traditional rural Scottish life (kailyard = 'kale field').^[36] In Cuthbertson's book Autumn in Kyle and the charm of Cunninghame, he states that Kilmaurs in East Ayrshire was famous for its kale, which was an important foodstuff. A story is told in which a neighbouring village offered to pay a generous price for some kale seeds, an offer too good to turn down. The locals agreed, but a gentle roasting on a shovel over a coal fire ensured the seeds never germinated.^[37]

Gallery

• 
  Curly-leaf kale
• 
  Red Russian kale
• 
  Tuscan kale
• 
  Making

  kale chips

  in Illinois
• 
  A traditional

  Danish dish

  : boiled ham, glazed potatoes and stewed kale
• 
  A kale-based dish with other vegetables and

  sourdough bread

  , served at a restaurant in Australia

See also

• Bowen's Kale
• Crambe maritima – sea kale
• Leaf vegetable
• Kalettes
• Cabbage

References

External links

Look up kale in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brassica oleracea var. viridis and Brassica oleracea var. sabellica.

• Marrow-Stem Kale – Plants for a Future database
• PROTAbase on Brassica oleracea (leaf cabbage)