Cabbage Quintal d'Alsace - Brassica oleracea capitata

The 'Alsace Quintal' Cabbage is a hardy and productive variety producing large, flat, firm heads. It is a beautiful light-coloured cabbage, harvested until early winter, and is well-suited for making sauerkraut. It can be sown from March to June for a harvest from August to December.

The Savoy Cabbage, or Green Cabbage, is a trendy leafy vegetable and a staple in the vegetable garden. We love it not only for its flavour but also for the generous size of its heads.

Commonly known as Green Cabbage or Savoy Cabbage (in Latin Brassica oleracea capitata, capitata meaning "head"), this beautiful vegetable belongs to the large family of Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae). Originating from Europe, it is a biennial plant cultivated annually, producing heads that can be more or less tight, round, slightly flattened, or distinctly conical, depending on the pointed varieties. The leaves of Savoy Cabbage are smooth, and their colour varies depending on the variety: from very light green, almost white, to dark green, sometimes with a slightly bluish tint, or even red-tinged with violet or nearly black.

Cabbage, although emblematic of winter, can be sown and harvested almost all year round. Varieties are generally grouped into three main categories: spring cabbages, harvested from late April to June, summer and autumn cabbages for the period from July, and winter cabbages, which, along with leeks and parsnips, allow us to wait until the first spring harvests.

Savoy Cabbage can be consumed raw or cooked. It can be grated for salads, braised to accompany meat and fish dishes, stuffed, or used in soups and sauerkraut. There are plenty of recipes, both traditional and modern.

From a dietary point of view, it is remarkable: it has low energy value but is very rich in vitamins C, B6, and B9. It also contains a lot of fibre and minerals like calcium.

In the vegetable garden, it is easy to grow as long as its requirements are met: deep soil, excellent manure, and regular moisture. It thrives in sunny locations and generally does well in cool and rainy climates.

Harvest: It is done when the cabbage forms a nice head before the leaves turn yellow. It is harvested with a knife by cutting just below the head.

Storage: Savoy cabbage can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. It can also be frozen after being blanched in salted boiling water. Winter varieties can also be left in the ground. Finally, the preparation of sauerkraut (lacto-fermentation) allows the delicious preservation of white-headed autumn varieties.

A Gardener's Tip: Don't forget the flowers! Even though the vegetable garden is primarily a garden for producing quality vegetables, it is always interesting to plant flowers. Firstly, for the aesthetic pleasure they provide, but also to repel pests and attract valuable pollinators. So, don't hesitate to plant Gaillardias, Marigolds, Zinnias, Cosmos, Nasturtiums, or beautiful herbs like Dill right in the middle of the rows or along the edges of the beds. However, be cautious with some plants, like Borage, which tends to self-seed abundantly in dedicated cultivation areas.