Label
All
0
Clear all filters

Kale

Brassica oleracea subspecies acephala

Appears in
Uncommon Fruits & Vegetables

By Elizabeth Schneider

Published 1986

  • About

Also Curly Kale, Borecole, Kail

Probably the first of the cabbages to be cultivated, kale in all of today’s principal forms was known two thousand years ago. The Latin caulis, meaning stem or cabbage stem, is the root of a family of cabbage names such as the Dutch kool, German Kohl, or the English cole. The distinctive part about kale’s scientific name is the acephala, meaning headless, which separates it (and its brother collards, a non-curly sibling) from the rest of the brood.

Kale’s ruffly leaves, each of which resembles a mammoth sprig of parsley, are unusual among the Brassica for their opened-out growing shape. It is also unusual for its gamut of beautiful varieties, some of which have been hybridized as ornamental plants. They show up in glamorous hues of variegated lavender and chartreuse, their leaves forming old-fashioned rosette forms on an upright stem. American market varieties are generally spruce green, with frilly leaves, or dusky bluish, with a less pronounced curl.

Become a Premium Member to access this page

  • Unlimited, ad-free access to hundreds of the world’s best cookbooks

  • Over 150,000 recipes with thousands more added every month

  • Recommended by leading chefs and food writers

  • Powerful search filters to match your tastes

  • Create collections and add reviews or private notes to any recipe

  • Swipe to browse each cookbook from cover-to-cover

  • Manage your subscription via the My Membership page

Download on the App Store
Pre-register on Google Play

Monthly plan

Annual plan

In this section

Part of

The licensor does not allow printing of this title