The Imperial Sprout: a brief history
Christmas is peak sprout time. Traditionally this is because it was the only green vegetable available at this time year before refrigeration and air freight became features.
It appears that thanks to a warm summer and very cold recent days this year’s Christmas sprouts will be smaller but sweeter than usual and obviously more expensive although there is no shortage.
The Murdoch Times (17th December 2022) provided a brief history of the sprout.
It appears to be an imperial vegetable. It originates in Asia but was to be found in Northern Europe by the early thirteenth century. The suggestion is that it was brought back by Crusaders who had been fighting Islamophobic wars in the Holy Lands. By the sixteenth century sprouts were particularly popular in Brussels, hence the name, but have long been a staple of the Christmas dinner. They are usually served over cooked and mushy for those wondering how the traditional British delicacy is served….
Update
In one of her Christmas programmes Nigella Lawson has launched a Culture War on sprout-phobes declaring them ideologically wrong. However Jakob (an Ambridge vet) has remained resolute in his sprout-phobia this week and we’ve been reminded that Rylan is not sure what a sprout is
We fry them with sweet chestnuts