Nero di Toscana Cabbage In My Garden
Nero di Toscana Cabbage is known around the world by several different names, including Black Palm Cabbage, Cavalo Nero, Black Kale, Tuscan Kale, Lacinato Kale, and Dinosaur Kale. But it really should be universally called Cat Cabbage because I swear this stuff has nine lives.
Readers of my kitchen garden blog know that I am entwined in a passionate love affair with Nero di Toscana Cabbage. It is easy to start from seed and puts up with heat waves, cold snaps, and long humid summers with nary a complaint. It even tastes better after a frost. But no matter how deep my feelings for it run, year in and year out this delicious, healthy, easy to grow mainstay in my garden suffers through much more than its fair share of distress.
For example, the small patch I direct seeded in one of my raised beds last spring was accidentally fried by me, turned to lace by cabbage worms on two separate occasions, devoured for dinner by the deer and then Cary, and attacked by ravenous blister beetles. And yet look at the photo above. It's not only alive, but is thriving! I purchase packets of 300 seeds for $1.75 from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, a wonderful company right here in Missouri that I have been happily ordering from for years.
I'm telling you, this stuff is resilient. No matter how pitiful it looks after being ravaged, I never, ever pull it up because it always makes a beautiful comeback. Like I said, I think the name should definitely be changed to Cat Cabbage.
The Baker Creek Catalog states that this loose-leafed member of the brassica family "dates back to the early 1800s at least. It has beautiful, deep 'black' green leaves that can be 24 inches long. They are heavily savoyed." But I think the description I found on Dave's Garden sounds much more romantic. Nero di Toscana is depicted as "a stripped-down version of kale shaped like a miniature palm tree about 18 inches high. Very dark-green, wrinkled strap-like leaves appear almost black at a distance, looking minimalist compared with the more common lush, curly-leaved kales."
While I have never gotten around to doing anything with my Cat Cabbage besides tossing the tasty leaves into salads, Baker Creek says that "this Italian heirloom is popular in Tuscany and central Italy for making fabulous soups and stews," adding that it is "one of the most beautiful and flavorful types you can grow." GourmetSleuth.com offers these simple preparation instructions: "Remove center ribs from all but the smallest leaves then blanch leaves for 3-4 minutes. Cool then squeeze out the leaves and saute them with garlic and olive oil. This is a very hearty green and pairs well with rich dishes of pastas, beans or pork."
I think I may have just been convinced to move my beloved Nero di Toscana beyond the salad course.
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Comments: 16
Okay, I just went out in the garden and munched on a few leaves. The first thing that came to mind was "peppery." It does have a fairly strong flavor, which I personally wouldn't call bitter, but then I don't think common head cabbage is bitter.
As I said in the article, I toss the leaves into salads, but always with other greens (some very mild). I think a salad just of nero di toscana would be on the strong side, even for me. Also, I'm sure that the flavor varies depending on where it's grown/who it's grown by. I don't think I've ever seen it for sale in a supermarket.
The leaves are thick and hearty and I can see why they would stand up to being cooked in things like soups and stews. I think it would lend a nice flavor to a dish without overpowering it.
I'd say give it a try. If you can't find any at a farmer's market or other place, go ahead and plant some seeds. This is the kind of plant that won't be kept down by a black thumb! : ) (And if you do grow it and end up not liking it, I'm sure you'll be able to find somebody to happily take it off your hands.)
Hope this helps. I do tend to get carried away talking about food.
I don't think it needs a cold snap. Usually I direct seed mine in the spring after the ground has warmed up enough for the seeds to germinate, and by then we're pretty much past frosts and cold weather. I bet it would grow just fine for you in Hawaii. If you do plant some, I'd love to know how it does.
"Readers of my kitchen garden blog know that I am entwined in a passionate love affair with Nero di Toscana Cabbage. "
And some of them are, no doubt, jealous.
Charming response from Kevin!
kat
hjowever, i cannot imagine anybody cally regular head cabbage bitter UNLESS
-- they buy those vile packages of pre-shredded stuff--that stuff goes bitter from age, not by nature
-- they cut it open and leave in the fridge too long to age
Good fresh cabbage has a lovely peppery note but is never bitter! Only when mishandled or bought by somebody too lazy to do their own shredding!
Great! That's what I need--a gardener. : )
Hi EB,
I am guessing that GourmetSleuth.com says to remove the centers from the leaves because they are a bit tougher. But note I say "guessing." I realized that not only have I never even thought to do that, but I also have never had any leaves get anywhere near the possible 24 inches long that Baker Creek mentions. My plants live for months, but they get ravaged so many times the leaves never have a chance to get more than maybe 6 or 8 inches long at the very most. I'm telling you--it's 9 lives cat cabbage. : )
Hi Kevin,
I was just thinking about you and your situation recently: no luck finding green garlic, no luck finding garlic scapes, no luck getting me to move my garden to Tennessee. I decided that what you need is a plot in a community garden. Then I decided what you really need is a neighbor friend with a plot in a community garden! Problems solved, and you don't even have to get your hands dirty.
As far as the love affair jealousy thing, well, can't help you--oops, I mean 'them'--there.
Hi Kat,
Duh. I can't believe I didn't think about these soups. There's my Use It Or Lose It Lentil & Escarole Soup that I bet would be really good with Nero di Toscana instead of escarole (though it would probably need to cook a little longer since it's much thicker and heartier than the escarole). And I bet my Hearty Lentil Soup With Smoked Sausage wouldn't mind having some nice greens tossed in it. I haven't published the Garlic Lover's White Bean Soup on Gather yet (it's on Farmgirl Fare), but it, too would probably be tasty with some added greens. And it is definitely soup weather here--we had 39 degrees F this morning!
Oh that Kevin is just charm personified. : )
Hi Dorine,
Although this is called Nero di Toscana cabbage, you'll notice that most of the other names call it kale, and that's really more what this plant is like. It puts on separate leaves as opposed to forming a tight head like most cabbages. I think of it (and treat it) more like I do kale--for instance, it doesn't shred like 'regular' cabbage does. Of course they are all in the same family, but all the different names for this one variety do cause a bit of confusion.
Hi again Kat,
I don't know about this being bitter from being cooked too long since I've never cooked it! And again, my leaves never reach full maturity. But I'm definitely going to be cooking some up soon--now that you've reminded me of all the soups I can add it to.
I have the plants you see in the photo here, and I also have some tiny seedlings that are only a few weeks old. I'm looking forward to heading into fall with the two different ages/sizes of plants and seeing how well each takes to the cooler weather. It'll be interesting to see how long they last--and if one outlasts the other.
Hi Jessie,
Hmmm. Someone else with their own personal gardener. I really need to get me one of these. : )
P.S. You're welcome!
"Then I decided what you really need is a neighbor friend with a plot in a community garden!"
Absolutely.
I am new to Gather I work in the agriculture but have very little in the way of a garden just herbs. I love to cook! This sounds like a great alternative to traditional cabbage in my sausage /cabbage/bean soup. Thanks for sharing the source for seeds.