In case you thought cabbage was a lowly vegetable...

During Captain Cook's first voyage in 1768, a mighty storm came up. The ship rolled and pitched violently, and many sailors were injured. To save the men from gangrene, the ship's doctor made a poultice of mashed cabbage and applied it to their wounds.

While the men's injuries were the result of accidents above and below decks, it was no accident that cabbage was on board. Cook was one of the first ship captains to recognize that a lack of Vitamin C in a sailor's diet caused scurvy. Thus he always sailed with lots of cabbage, mostly pickled, which he insisted the men eat.

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While we might not use cabbage to heal a child's skinned knee, today cabbage remains a loyal friend. It warms us during the winter in steaming soups. It refreshes us in summer in bowls of coleslaw. You have corned beef and cabbage. And no hot dog could call itself a true hot dog if cabbage were not made into sauerkraut.

Cabbage has helped sustain many cultures for thousands of years. It's very nutritious, garden-hardy, and easy to grow. Plus it's one of the most beautiful vegetables you'll ever meet. There is round red and green cabbage, crinkly Savoys, bold Napa cabbage; flattened and pointy ones. Because of all these traits, the National Gardening Association chose cabbage as one of their Plants of the Year for 2007.

I like cabbage. Really I do. It's related to broccoli, collards, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kohlrabi. Been using it for years in many dishes, except maybe chocolate chip cookies. Yet the other day, I learned something extraordinary about cabbage.

You know how cabbage gives off a strong odor when you chop it? Well, when you chop cabbage, say for coleslaw, the tissues release enzymes. The enzymes then kick off chemical reactions that generate the bitter, strong-smelling compounds. Now to remove the strong smells formed by chopping, simply soak the chopped cabbage in cold water.

One hundred years ago though, these potent, chemical reactions inspired a notorious manmade version: the mustard gas of World War One.

Back to Captain Cook. He was an expert seaman, navigator and scientist, though he didn't know why chopped cabbage smelled so strong. He was fully aware however, that the success of his voyages depended on the health of his sailors.

And to think he owes it all to cabbage.


For lots and lots and lots of articles about vegetables, organic gardening, indoor plants, recipes and more, visit my main website at www.plantea.com.

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