This 26-inch brussel sprout stalk is too tall for the picture. I bought it today for $8 at the Farmer's Market along with these beautiful cranberries. The rosemary is from the local grocer and went into a lunch of pork loin, sweet potatoes, and ... brussel sprouts.
On the way home from the Farmer’s Market today, I turned heads while holding a 26-inch stem that looked more Sci Fi than brussel sprout.
Yes, its true! The green buds, named after the city in Belgium, are picked off tall rubbery stalks before they reach us in grocery stores. Such a shame! If we bought them looking like instruments of impalement rather than little guys with scrunched-up faces, children might find them cool. Perhaps, kids and adults would better appreciate this relative of the cabbage family if we sold sprouts in Mother Nature’s unusual packaging. How neat would it be to pass an upright jug of upright stalks rather than dreaded mini heads wrapped over foam backing?
I bought this beauty today for $8, which seems expensive, but a package of about 15 sprouts can cost up to $3 here in Manhattan. As you can see, there are quite a few more than 15. Plus, I can incorporate the greenery into my holiday decorating.
Brussel sprouts are high in fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and folic acid. Each bud is a colon cancer-fighting machine that can be steamed, boiled, roasted, or sautéd with olive oil and garlic! A good batch of sprouts exhibits firmly closed leaves and a robust green color, sometimes with purple highlights, like this one.
