Germany: Kale is a trendy vegetable

It's kale time! Until March, it will be peak season for the cabbage with the curly leaves, said the Provincial Association of Rhenish fruit and vegetable farmers (Bonn).

Many restaurants currently have kale on their menus. Traditionally the vegetables are consumed, for example, with Kassler or Mettwurst. The cabbage is also popular as a side dish to goose. When eaten this way, the cabbage is seasoned vigorously, with onions or mustard for example

Only since a few years have other uses of kale become popular. A trend from the USA has also reached Europe: "Kale", as it is called in the US, is consumed there as in the form of chips or smoothies in large quantities. This is mainly due to the valuable ingredients. Provitamin A and vitamin C, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron are the most important ingredients, in addition to dietary fiber.

In the Rhineland, kale is freshly harvested throughout the winter. Both loose leaves and the heads of the plants are offered for sale. Consumers have to strip the leaf green from the ribs and cut them after washing. But more and more often kale is offered pre-cut and packaged in foil bags, which minimizes the consumer’s efforts.

Since fresh kale has a large leaf surface, it wilts very fast. For this reason, it should be processed as quickly as possible. If storage is necessary, it is recommended to store the fresh kale in a foil bag at low temperatures to reduce evaporation.

A large part of kale production in the Rhineland is destined for the frozen food industry. So if you are in a hurry, it is also possible to make use of frozen kale from the Rhineland.

Source: Rheinischer Provinzialverband

Publication date: 1/11/2018

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