lardcore

[Victor Steinbok]

Just one other minor point--mustard seed that is used in cooking (and
condiments) does not come form the same species of Brassica as mustard
greens, although the two are very similar. I suppose, most people find
/that/ confusing as hell as well.

     VS-)

On 10/29/2010 9:31 AM, Victor Steinbok wrote:
> Since we are on a culinary kick--you forgot kale, endive and Swiss
> chard (beet greens by any other name). The main difference between
> these three and collards is that they are also favored by different
> European culinary cultures (Dutch, Swiss and Russian, for example,
> although not "respectively").
>
> I also very much doubt that "collard greens and winter cabbage are the
> same thing". It's possible that "winter cabbage" means different
> things to different people, but it largely seems to be an issue of
> variety. For example, some people still divide cabbage into "green
> cabbage" and "white cabbage"--the former predominant in late summer,
> the latter in winter. But most modern "supermarket" cabbage is really
> a hybrid and it's becoming more and more difficult to differentiate
> between the two.
>
> Collard, kale, broccoli and kohlrabi are just different cultivars of
> the same species--in fact, the same species that produces the ordinary
> green/white cabbage, as well as Savoy cabbage, red (actually purple,
> a.k.a. Blue Kraut) cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels (or is it Brussel)
> sprouts and all sorts of similar plants and hybrids (e.g.,
> broccoflower). About the only thing that this species does not cover
> is nappa cabbage and most other assorted Asian cabbages, which are
> closely related and come from a different species of Brassica--which
> actually includes "field mustard", i.e., the plant that produces
> mustard greens, and "rapini" (and thus not directly related to
> broccoli, despite appearance). The latter are actually all varieties
> of turnip.
>
> The fact that these two species account for so many different leafy
> vegetables confuses the hell out of most people and the majority would
> be hard pressed to place each cultivar into the correct species. About
> the only things that these two species don't cover are radishes and
> rutabagas, which are still Brassicas, however. Also left out are
> dandelions and varieties of chicory--which, of course, include endive
> and escarole. Confused enough?
>
>     VS-)
>
> On 10/29/2010 12:44 AM, Wilson Gray wrote:
>> On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 12:43 PM, Ben Zimmer
>> <bgzimmer at babel.ling.upenn.edu>  wrote:
>>> collards
>> Why is it always the case that only collard greens are mentioned? What
>> about mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens, beet greens,
>> spinach? The latter are all delicious, whether merely drizzled with
>> hot bacon grease or fully cooked.
>>
>> Or maybe eating those greens is peculiar to East Texas.
>>
>> An English friend once told me that collard greens and "winter
>> cabbage" are the same thing. I have no idea whether that's true.
>>
>> --
>> -Wilson
>>

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org