A cabbage:
In THE BATTLE OF THE POTATO, baked potatoes won, with mashed, roasted and fried potatoes coming next in the poll on potatoes.
Now it's the turn of the cabbage to do battle. Before compiling this poll, I just thought there was green/white cabbage and red cabbage, plus Savoy cabbage. As I'm no cabbage expert, this poll relies on the typology of cabbages laid out on the BBC's Good Food and Samsung Food websites.
I'm taking a very expansive (and some may say too expansive) definition of a cabbage. Because they are part of the brassica family of plants, known as cruciferous vegetables, and are therefore closely related to the humble cabbage, I'm including bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collard greens, cress, horseradish, kale, komatsuna, mustard, radish, rocket/arugula, spring greens, swede/rutabaga, turnip, turnip greens and wasabi in the poll. Because they're not brassicas, beetroot/beet and spinach are excluded from the poll - a line has to be drawn somewhere!
Looking back, I perhaps should have made this a poll about the brassicas but the battle of the brassica doesn't have quite the same ring as the battle of the cabbage.
It's believed that cabbages were first cultivated in Europe by 1,000 BC before bring grown in the Americas, Asia and the rest of the world. China, India, Russia, South Korea and Ukraine are the world's biggest cabbage producers.
My most favourite types of 'cabbage' are broccoli, cauliflower (cauliflower cheese is to die for), horseradish (a roast beef isn't the same without horseradish sauce), mustard ( no self-respecting ham sandwich can be served without mustard sauce, and make it English and not French mustard), red cabbage, Savoy cabbage (my cabbage of choice), watercress and white/green cabbage, with Brussels sprouts being the best 'cabbage' to eat. Brussels sprouts, in my book, are simply the perfect vegetable.
Brussels sprouts on the stalk:
My least favourite type of 'cabbage' is kale. Like celery, I just don't see the point of kale.
What are your most and least favourite types of cabbage?
Have you ever grown or do you grow cabbages?
What are you favourite cabbage-based dishes?
I've never grown a cabbage in my life but I'm now beginning to think that I should start growing cabbages in my garden.
I love cabbage with a roast dinner, but my favourite cabbage dish, if cauliflower counts as a cabbage, is cauliflower cheese served as a main meal with fresh bread and butter. I'm also enjoying eating coleslaw (slaw to my American friends) and sauerkraut far more now older than when younger.
Below is a poll where you can anonymously select your most favourite type of 'cabbage'.
Unfortunately only one pick is allowed in the poll. If you don't like cabbage, please don't vote but please do comment even just to say you don't like cabbage.
Because a poll on this site can only have a maximum of 20 answer options, unfortunately there was no room as poll options for: Charleston Wakefield cabbage (aka Brunswick cabbage or Janus head cabbage), Copenhagen market cabbage, deadon cabbage, earliana cabbage (aka East Jersey Wakefield cabbage), golden acre cabbage, Gonzales cabbage, horseradish, January King cabbage, Japanese spring cabbage (aka haru kyabetsu), komatsuna (aka Japanese mustard spinach), Korean spring cabbage (aka bomdong), late flat Dutch cabbage (aka flat Dutch cabbage), mammoth red rock cabbage, mizuna (including mibuna), Myanmar cabbage (aka Burmese cabbage), Nagasaki Chinese cabbage, parel cabbage, Portuguese cabbage, Pride of India cabbage, pusa mukta, radish, red acre cabbage (aka purple acre cabbage), rubicon cabbage (aka red rubicon cabbage), Sapporo taikyu cabbage (aka giant cabbage), swede (aka rutabaga), tatsoi (aka Chinese flat cabbage, rosette bok choy or tat choy), turnip, turnip greens, wasabi (aka Japanese horseradish) and wild cabbage. Hopefully I've covered all the popular types of cabbage as poll options because I never want 'other' to win a poll.
I think green/white cabbage will win but napa, red and Savoy cabbage may challenge in the poll. And I'm not ruling out brussels sprouts winning the poll as they did win THE BATTLE OF THE VEGETABLES.
I want to thank @JN63JPN for her help in compiling this poll, especially for her advice on Japanese cabbages. Seeking her help was the first time I've ever emailed someone about cabbages! Obviously, any mistakes with the poll are my mistakes unless 'other' wins then it's the fault of my friend from Japan!
Please see the first comment below to see what has won each battle of the food and drinks so far.
PS. The impasse between cream and vanilla ice cream in THE BATTLE OF DESSERT ACCOMPANIMENTS has been broken - cream has won or at least is winning by a single vote.
A cabbage field in North Macedonia:
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22 comments
I'm not at all a fan of any vegetable that stinks when you cook it, and that included most of the ones you mention here.
I quite like the smell of cooked cabbage.
Brussels and red
Sounds like a political consign LOL
You're clearly a socialist Europhile!
Winter is the season hakusai (Chinese cabbage) is used in hot pots. Nowadays, there are several varieties available, orange hakusai and purple hakusai. The orange hakusai adds pretty colors to the pot.
I don't think I've knowingly eaten hakusai though I may have done in a Chinese restaurant.
What are your most and least favourite types of cabbage? Most fav is broccoli. Least is cauliflower.
Have you ever grown or do you grow cabbages? Nope.
What are you favourite cabbage-based dishes? I love cabbage rolls, Asian salad made with cabbage, roasted broccoli, and salads with several of the various cabbages mixed in.
I love cabbage rolls too.
By the time my brussels sprouts are ready, there is nothing healthy about the dish (onions, bacon, cheese, garlic, and some other stuff like butter, and spices).
Another is smoked paprika and brussell sprouts with chili powder missed in. These are roasted in the oven. (coating of oil helps).
And, finally, carmelized fish sauce and fried brussells sprouts. Basically, the sprouts, some onion, fish sauce, and sweetener fried at high temp.
Paprika works well with Brussels sprouts.
I voted for napa cabbage as that's what's used for kimchi which I am literally addicted to.
I've never knowingly eaten napa cabbage.
Bok choy a close second. Neck n neck actually with sprouts
I like bok choy but Brussels sprouts edge it in my book.
This is another great battle here my friend, but I had to go with other. I miss my grandmother's and my moms corned beef and cabbage and I haven't eaten it in years. I wish I had their recipe on how to make it.
So these days I would say my favorite cabbage would have to be coleslaw as it's something that I can make now as I remembered how to make my grandmother's recipe.
I hope your Friday is a fun start to your weekend..
I didn't like coleslaw when I was younger but I like it now.
I like a few here. I voted broccoli, but I also like spicy cauliflower. I've had it at an Indian restaurant and it became a favorite.
The spicy cauliflower dishes in Indian restaurants are called gobhi or gobi.
For the record, Brussels sprouts won THE BATTLE OF THE VEGETABLES, bananas won THE BATTLE OF THE FRUITS, basil won THE BATTLE OF THE HERBS, garlic won THE BATTLE OF THE SPICES, cashew nuts won THE BATTLE OF THE NUTS, sunflower seeds won THE BATTLE OF THE SEEDS, roast beef won THE BATTLE OF THE ROAST DINNERS, cheesecake won THE BATTLE OF THE PUDDINGS, pepperoni won THE BATTLE OF THE PIZZA TOPPINGS, Caesar salad won THE BATTLE OF THE SALADS, green beans won THE BATTLE OF THE BEANS, watermelon won THE BATTLE OF THE MELONS, tomato-based pasta sauce won THE BATTLE OF THE HOT SAUCY DIPS, barbecue sauce won THE BATTLE OF THE COOL SAUCY DIPS, vanilla ice cream won THE BATTLE OF THE ICE CREAMS, capellini (aka angel hair) won THE BATTLE OF THE PASTAS, steak won THE BATTLE OF THE BARBECUE, romaine lettuce won THE BATTLE OF THE LETTUCES, honeycrisp apples won THE BATTLE OF THE APPLES, stout won THE BATTLE OF THE BEERS, whisky won THE BATTLE OF THE SPIRITS, clam chowder won THE BATTLE OF THE SOUPS, sourdough bread won THE BATTLE OF THE BREADS, liver won THE BATTLE OF THE OFFAL, roast turkey won THE BATTLE OF CHRISTMAS FOODS, Old Fashioned won THE BATTLE OF THE COCKTAILS, Americano coffee won THE BATTLE OF THE COFFEES, green tea won THE BATTLE OF THE TEAS, maple syrup won THE BATTLE OF THE PANCAKES, barbecue sauce won THE BATTLE OF THE CONDIMENTS, ribeye steak won THE BATTLE OF THE STEAKS, portobello mushrooms won THE BATTLE OF THE MUSHROOMS, beefsteak tomatoes won THE BATTLE OF THE TOMATOES, barbecue crisps won THE BATTLE OF THE CRISPS, strawberries won THE BATTLE OF THE BERRIES, crab won THE BATTLE OF THE SHELLFISH, vanilla yogurt won THE BATTLE OF THE YOGURTS, jasmine rice won THE BATTLE OF THE RICE, chicken wings won THE BATTLE OF HOT FINGER FOODS, cheeses won THE BATTLE OF COLD FINGER FOODS, dry red wine won THE BATTLE OF THE WINES, tap water won THE BATTLE OF WATER, blueberry muffins won THE BATTLE OF THE MUFFINS, cheese won THE BATTLE OF THE CHARCUTERIE, cow milk hard cheese won THE BATTLE OF THE CHEESE, burgers won THE BATTLE OF FAST FOOD, olive oil won THE BATTLE OF THE OILS, beef stew won THE BATTLE OF THE STEW, cow milk won THE BATTLE OF THE MILK, butter won THE BATTLE OF THE BAKED POTATO, salad won THE BATTLE OF THE SIDE DISH, pizza won THE BATTLE OF THE SAVOURY PIE, apple pie won THE BATTLE OF THE SWEET PIE, coffee won THE BATTLE OF THE HOT BEVERAGE, iced tea won THE BATTLE OF THE COLD BEVERAGE, salmon won THE BATTLE OF THE FISHES, rice won THE BATTLE OF THE GRAINS, cheese won THE BATTLE OF THE OMELETTE, cream won THE BATTLE OF THE DOUGHNUTS, chocolate won THE BATTLE OF THE MILKSHAKES, butter won THE BATTLE OF THE TOAST TOPPINGS, salted peanuts won THE BATTLE OF THE PEANUTS, strawberry jam won THE BATTLE OF THE JAM, flaky pastry won THE BATTLE OF THE PASTRY, bacon sandwich won THE BATTLE OF THE SANDWICH, orange juice won THE BATTLE OF THE JUICES, chocolate won THE BATTLE OF THE COOKIES, American Bourbon whiskey won THE BATTLE OF WHISKY, pumpkin pie won THE BATTLE OF THE PUMPKIN, cherry jelly won THE BATTLE OF JELLY, cream won THE BATTLE OF DESSERT ACCOMPANIMENTS, dark chocolate won THE BATTLE OF CHOCOLATE, and baked potatoes won THE BATTLE OF THE POTATO.