Brukale 'Petit Posy' - well balanced newcomer
Brussels sprouts – you either love them or hate them! There is no middle ground when it comes to this particular brassica, its appearance on the plate dreaded by generations of children. Their taste may improve after they have experienced a few autumn frosts, but there are still plenty of people for whom the Brussels sprout is a ‘no-go’ area.
But those who have convinced themselves they cannot eat sprouts should take a look at a new alternative which may just change their mind about this much-maligned vegetable.
Though we're calling it ‘new’, work on the project to develop a milder flavoured alternative to the Brussels sprout using traditional breeding techniques began almost 20 years, but it has only recently come to fruition. Plant breeders take some beating when it comes to patience and perseverance!
The result of this British breeding breakthrough is Brukale 'Petit Posy', a blend of three varieties of Flower Sprouts™ (a cross between Brussels sprout and kale). They are similar in size to Brussels sprouts, but look more like very small cabbages. Plants have a habit similar to that of the Brussels sprout.
Brukale produces rather more open rosettes than tight ‘buttons’ and these are edged with attractive frilly green leaves which show flashes of purple, looking most attractive in the vegetable garden. The plants show excellent winter hardiness and are less susceptible to disease than Brussels sprouts.
Brukale 'Petit Posy' manages to combine the rather complex flavour of the Brussels sprout with the milder, sweeter taste of kale, resulting in a new vegetable which is particularly well balanced.
In the kitchen Brukale is easy to prepare and is a particularly versatile vegetable which can be boiled, steamed, stir fried or added to casseroles and other one-pot dishes. And to make us feel virtuous while we are enjoying this delicious new vegetable, we can remember that Brukale has twice as much vitamin E and vitamin B6, which helps to store and use energy from our food, as Brussels sprouts and that 100 g contains two-thirds of the recommended adult daily intake of vitamin C.
All of these varieties are available on the Mr Fothergill's website www.mr-fothergills.co.uk
Mr Fothergill’s Seeds
Mr Fothergill's is one of the best know names in gardening, with a reputation for quality products and remains a wholly family-owned and managed, British business. Its seeds are available from garden centres and other retailers nationwide, while seeds, plants and a host of gardening products are offered by mail order from either catalogues or its website. It is always ready to help and advise gardeners old or new, and is proud of its traditional family values.