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An unappetizing shrub became different vegetables

I already knew about this phylogenetic tree (although I have always heard the common ancestor be called the "wild mustard", not wild cabbage), but the article was quite interesting.

I only wish that as a PSA, they had included the reminder to people over 30 years old who hate Brussels sprouts, that the delicious ones you can eat today are not the ones they hated in their youth, and if you haven't had sprouts in years you might want to give them a second try (salted, oiled and baked, not boiled or steamed of course!)

2 hours agosebastiennight

I think the sprouts trauma is the result of picking the wrong cooking method.

I was so surprised when I tried baked sprouts for the first time (use a really host cast iron skilet for even better results) that I started to believe that every vegetable can be delicious as long as you bake it!

2 hours agocpard

The modern cultivars literally taste different, it's not just cooking method. The bitter compounds were identified and bred out.

an hour ago0_____0

How long ago did this happen?

an hour agocpard

1990s research at Novartis, not sure how quickly the new cultivars were adopted,.maybe someone else can chime in

an hour ago0_____0

When I read the title, I immediately though, I think this is going to be about Brussel sprouts etc. as I just saw a video [0] that mentions the same lineage. The video is part of the series about the evolution of the flagellum, which is really well made.

[0]: https://youtu.be/Frioffo53wo?t=1205

an hour agoAzrael3000

Ah, yes. You can't throw a rock at produce without hitting a brassica oleracia.

an hour agoestebank

The roots of the young Brachychiton acuminatus can be cooked in ashes and eaten like a sweet potato .. but despite the vast number of rocks in its native habitat .. not a single brassica oleracia will be found by throwing them.

40 minutes agodefrost

I love these vegetables. Especially Broccolini and Brussel Sprouts. YUM

an hour agolocusofself

Fun fact, peppers, petunias, datura, and tobacco are all in the same family: Solanaceae.

4 days agogoodmythical

Sure, but cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, etc, are all the same species.

40 minutes agohollerith

you have done potatoes a profound insult by not including them in this list

an hour ago0_____0

As well as to eggplant and belladonna.

an hour agoinkyoto

And tomatoes.

an hour agomasklinn

you are both right of course

but for some reason my fealty to potato does not extend to tomatoes and eggplant quite the same way. i feel toward potatoes sort of how gary Larson feels about cows

40 minutes ago0_____0

What I appreciate most about these vegetables is that they're much lower in that pesky oxalic acid than most vegetables in the human diet.