Do you know cabbage?
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| Through the ages farmers have created several crops from wild mustard. They are now known as the cole crops. |
Cole crops are all the cabbage crops derived from a single species, wild mustard (Brassica oleracea). (Kohl is the German word for cabbage.)
The cultivars are divided into seven or eight major groups (depending upon the authority) that are grouped according to form.
-Acephala group--kale, collard greens and ornamental cabbages.
-Alboglabra group--Chinese broccoli and obscure pot herbs.
-Botrytis group--cauliflower, broccoli and broccoflower
-Capitata group--cabbages: red, green and Savoy
-Gemmifera group--Brussels sprouts
-Gongylodes group--kohlrabi (German for cabbage turnip)
-Italica group--Italian broccoli, sprouting broccoli, purple cauliflower. This group includes the looser headed varieties.
-Tronchuda group--tronchuda kale and cabbage, Portuguese kale, braganza.
This is probably more than you wanted to know, but there it is and now you know why a cabbage salad is called cole slaw.
