In Season Vegetable for June 2011 – Kohlrabi.
Translated from German, kohlrabi means cabbage-turnip. Kohlrabi it is milder and sweeter both cabbage and turnip. Whilst looking like a root vegetable, it is a stem vegetable which swells to a turnip shape above the ground. It is a member of the brassica family. There are limited quantities of this now in our winter months.
Nutritional value – It is a brassica and contains a range of phytochemicals. It provides an excellent source of vitamin C, and a good source of folate.
Kohlrabi looks something like a cross between a cabbage and a turnip and is often classified as a root vegetable even though it grows above ground. It is a member of the brassica family, but, unlike cabbages, it is the bulbous stalk that is edible, as opposed to the flowering heads.
There are two varieties of kohlrabi: one purple, the other pale green. They have the same mild and fresh-tasting flavour, not unlike water chestnuts. It is neither as peppery as turnip nor as distinctive as cabbage, but it is easy to see why people think it a little like both. It can be served as an alternative to carrots or turnips.
Although kohlrabi is not a very popular vegetable in Britain, it is commonly eaten in other parts of Europe, as well as in China, India and Asia. In Kashmir, where it is grown extensively, there are many recipes – the bulbs are often finely sliced and eaten in salads and the greens are cooked in mustard oil with garlic and chillies.
In Season Fruit for June 2011 – Lemons.
The cultivation of the lemon goes back at least 2,500 years. It originated in the Indus Valley of Northern India. Commercially, the tree is not normally grown from seed but propagated by budding and grafting on to the rootstock of a type of orange tree. Following this method, the tree is ready to bear in five years. Grown from seed, it might take 15 years to reach bearing size and then is likely to produce inferior fruit.
The health-boosting powers of lemons and limes have long been known. In the 18th century British sailors were given a ration of lime juice every day to prevent scurvy (a deficiency disease caused by lack of vitamin C); this earned them their nickname ‘limeys’. Limes also took off in this country as a popular addition to drinks, and in particular, a wedge of fresh lime stuffed in the neck of a Corona beer.
Like all citrus fruit, lemons and limes contain loads of vitamin C, which helps white blood cells fight infection, boosts immunity in general and helps maintain mental alertness and a retentive memory. It is also needed for healing wounds and may help reduce some of the symptoms of arthritis.
Other antioxidants in citrus fruit, bioflavonoids, work with vitamin C to strengthen blood vessel walls, reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. Studies suggest that the citrus oil limonene can reduce the growth of cancerous tumours and possibly lower blood cholesterol.
Glenn Forsyth.