Importance of Broccoli in European cuisine (2024)

FAQs

Importance of Broccoli in European cuisine? ›

Broccoli has been established as a basic product in the European cuisine, not as a seasonal product. For this reason, it is offered the whole year. Its growing popularity and the increase in consumption of this vegetable encourages farmers from many areas of Spain to bet on this healthy and complete crop.

Broccoli has its origins in primitive cultivars grown in the Roman Empire and was most likely improved via artificial selection in the southern Italian Peninsula or in Sicily.

Broccoli - Origin and production. The broccoli is original from Italy, from where it spreaded to other parts of the world. It is mainly produced in the United States, where it is very appreciated, like in some European countries such as France, Italy, England and The Netherlands.

The major cauliflower and broccoli growers in Europe are Poland, Italy, France, and Spain. The continent is able to produce a large quantity of these vegetable products, much of which is grown on small plots given the limited farming land that these countries often have on hand.

In fact, broccoli is a true panacea for staying healthy, which is why it has spread across the world over time. But not many of us know that broccoli originated in Southern Italy.

In the 18th century, both broccoli and cauliflower were introduced to Northern Europe, particularly England and France. Towards the beginning of the 20th century, due to the large European (and especially Italian) migration, they became more and more popular in the United States.

In Italy, broccoli and many other greens are usually overcooked. The consistency feels more like a purée with soft lumps than the crunchy bites you experience in many other cuisines. Mushy, avoided in so many recipes, is the keyword to “verdure ripassate,” sautéed vegetables.

Consumption by Country

The countries with the highest volumes of cauliflower and broccoli consumption in 2019 were China (11M tonnes), India (9.2M tonnes) and the U.S. (1.2M tonnes), with a combined 78% share of global consumption. These countries were followed by Mexico, which accounted for a further 1.9%.

Broccoli is nutrient dense, boasting large quantities of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, fiber, antioxidants, iron, and potassium. It also has more protein than most other vegetables, plus it can improve blood sugar, boost immunity, and promote heart health.

Broccoli is a descendant of the wild cabbage plant, which is native to the Mediterranean region. Over the years, farmers selectively bred wild cabbage plants to produce various cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli. One of the main reasons broccoli was bred was for its high nutritional value.

Which European country eats the most vegetables? ›

1. Belgium. Topping the list is Belgium, with a total of 84.8% of the population consuming at least one portion of fruit and vegetables per day. Just under three quarters (72.5%) consume between one and four portions, while 12.3% consume five portions or more, in line with WHO recommendations.

Broccoli is a member of the mustard family of plants and is closely related to Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and kohlrabi. The U.S. is the 3^rd largest producer of broccoli in the world, with California leading in U.S. production (90%).

China. Producing approximately 10,707,171 tons of broccoli each year, China is by far the world's biggest broccoli producer. China's large size and diverse range of climates enable it to produce all year round.

As evidenced in the recipes of the gastronome Apicius, Romans would boil them with a mixture of spices, onion, wine and oil or served them with creamy sauces made with aromatic herbs. They also used to eat raw broccoli before banquets, so the body would better absorb the large quantities of alcohol consumed.

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea italic) is a cultivar of wild cabbage, which originated along the northern and western coasts of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Wild cabbage may have been domesticated by the Etruscans, who first settled in the northern and central portion of Italy in about 1100 BC.

Many kinds of vegetables were cultivated and consumed. These included celery, garlic, some flower bulbs, cabbage and other brassicas (such as kale and broccoli), lettuce, endive, onion, leek, asparagus, radishes, turnips, parsnips, carrots, beets, green peas, chard, French beans, cardoons, olives, and cucumber.

broccoli, form of cabbage, of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), grown for its edible flower buds and stalk. Native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, sprouting broccoli was cultivated in Italy in ancient Roman times and was introduced to England and America in the 1700s.

While this is an heirloom variety and isn't quite like modern broccoli, it still is distinct from the other varieties of Brassica oleracea. With this in mind my conclusion to the question is now "Yes, they had a type of broccoli in medieval Europe, but it was a bit primitive looking."

They didn't have pizza, pasta, tomatoes or lemons, and garlic was only used medicinally. Today we gape at some of the foods that the ancient Romans ate, foods that now seem quite bizarre to many of us, including fried dormice, flamingo tongue (and peaco*ck and nightingale tongues) and more.