Brussels sprouts

Author
Discussion

rlw

Original Poster:

3,347 posts

238 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
Question. Do these exist in USA just out of interest?

calibrax

4,788 posts

212 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
rlw said:
Question. Do these exist in USA just out of interest?
Yes, but not sure if they are a Christmas thing or not. Wikipedia has the following info...

Wikipedia said:
Production of Brussels sprouts in the United States began around 1800, when French settlers brought them to Louisiana.The first plantings in California's Central Coast began in the 1920s, with significant production beginning in the 1940s. Currently there are several thousand acres planted in coastal areas of San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties of California, which offer an ideal combination of coastal fog and cool temperatures year-round. The harvest season lasts from June through January. They are also grown in Baja California, Mexico, where the harvest season is from December through June.

Much of the United States production is in California, with a smaller percentage of the crop grown in Skagit Valley, Washington, where cool springs, mild summers and rich soil abounds and to a lesser degree on Long Island, New York. Total United States production is approximately 32,000 tons, with a value of $27 million. Ontario, Canada produces approximately 1,000 tons per year.

80% to 85% of US production is for the frozen food market, with the remainder for fresh consumption. Once harvested, sprouts last 3-5 weeks under ideal near-freezing conditions before wilting and discoloring, and about half as long at refrigerator temperature. American varieties are generally 2.5–5 cm (0.98–2.0 in) in diameter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussels_sprout

texasjohn

3,687 posts

232 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
Its not uncommon to find them as sandwich fillings in deli type places.

silverthorn2151

6,298 posts

180 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
Sprouts are the devils testicles.

Nasty nasty things.

CommanderJameson

22,096 posts

227 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
silverthorn2151 said:
Sprouts are the devils testicles.

Nasty nasty things.
Burn the witch!

They are tiny bundles of deliciousness!

working class

8,860 posts

188 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
silverthorn2151 said:
Sprouts are the devils testicles.

Nasty nasty things.
I thought this until i did the river cottage christmas ones..... turns out they are lovely!

GTIR

24,741 posts

267 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
Yum Yum

taldo

1,357 posts

195 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
im a big fan of them, but having peeled 3 fifteen kilo sacks of them this weekend im sick of the sight of them now TBH!

kiteless

11,729 posts

205 months

Sunday 13th December 2009
quotequote all
CommanderJameson said:
silverthorn2151 said:
Sprouts are the devils testicles.

Nasty nasty things.
Burn the witch!

They are tiny bundles of deliciousness!
^

That.

rlw

Original Poster:

3,347 posts

238 months

Monday 14th December 2009
quotequote all
Thanks chaps - it came up over dinner on Saturday night and somehow I couldn't imagine your average US family sitting down to plate of sprouts. Nice to be shown to be wrong, even though I struggle with the idea of them as a sandwich filling.

bazking69

8,620 posts

191 months

Monday 14th December 2009
quotequote all
PITA to prepare, stink the house out, not very tasty and give your nan terrible wind for the rest of the day. Hence why we don't do them on XMAS day...

Don

28,377 posts

285 months

Monday 14th December 2009
quotequote all
Going to have to cook some this week, now. Sprouts: cooked properly they are sublime. Overcooked and they turn bitter and nasty and smell bad.

For Christmas I like mine steamed for around six minutes then tossed into a frying pan in which bacon lardons have been fried until crisp. Mmmm. 30 seconds of stirring later they're ready.


silverthorn2151

6,298 posts

180 months

Monday 14th December 2009
quotequote all
You lot are weird!

nono

Pints

18,444 posts

195 months

Monday 14th December 2009
quotequote all
silverthorn2151 said:
You lot are weird!

nono
It's the only reason I keep coming back. This lot make me feel normal. smile

soad

32,923 posts

177 months

Monday 14th December 2009
quotequote all
Brussels sprouts are lovely. Do not overcook them though.

Cotty

39,626 posts

285 months

Monday 14th December 2009
quotequote all
Can't beat a good sprout

A911DOM

4,084 posts

236 months

Monday 14th December 2009
quotequote all
bazking69 said:
PITA to prepare, stink the house out, not very tasty and give your nan terrible wind for the rest of the day. Hence why we don't do them on XMAS day...
PITA to prepare - agreed
Stink the house out - Before and after, yes!
Not very tasty - Dont know that I could agree with this...
Give your nan terrible wind - Well, grandpa seems to manage similar on fresh air, so we stick with them wink

Cant wait to get some chestnuts in with them on Christmas Day!

Pixel-Snapper

5,321 posts

193 months

Monday 14th December 2009
quotequote all
I had Sprout mash last night and it was really good.


obob

4,193 posts

195 months

Bill

52,909 posts

256 months

Monday 14th December 2009
quotequote all
bazking69 said:
PITA to prepare, stink the house out, not very tasty and give your nan terrible wind for the rest of the day. Hence why we don't do them on XMAS day...
You're doing it wrong.

HTHbiggrin