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Cabbage & Greens

The summer months are a great time to enjoy these wonderful Georgia vegetables... Georgia's own... cabbage and greens. Georgia cabbages are primarily grown in Moultrie, Georgia; and are available year round, but the peak times are spring and fall.

Other Georgia greens, grown throughout the state, and available year-round with peak times being December to March. There are several varieties of Georgia greens: Collard greens have wide leaves that have a "cabbage" flavor. Kale has leaves that are curled on the edges and are greenish-blue to green in color. Mustard greens have oval shaped leaves that are curled on the edges. These greens are sharp in taste and add flavor to salads.

BUYERS GUIDE TO CABBAGE & GREENS

Cabbage heads should be hard and heavy.
Look for bright green or red outer leaves (depending on the variety), that are fresh and blemish-free.
Worm-eaten outer leaves often indicate damage to the whole head.
Trim cabbage conservatively, because the outer leaves are extra rich in nutrients like Vitamins A and C.
To cut down on the loss of nutrients, use a knife, not a chopper, to cut cabbage, use cut cabbage as soon as possible and don't over cook.
To freeze cabbage, cut it into medium-to-coarse shreds and blanch (scald in boiling water) for 1 1/2 minutes. Immerse cabbage in cold water for 1 1/2 minutes to stop cooking process. Drain; package in freezer bags or containers, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Seal and freeze.
When selecting greens, look for leaves that are fresh, young, tender and free from blemishes.
Avoid greens whose leaves have course, fibrous stems.
Mustard greens can have a slight bronze tint or light green.
To preserve their color, when cooking turnip greens cover the boiling greens for about a minute, just long enough to wilt and compact them. Then, remove the cover for a minute to let the vapors escape. Repeat several times while cooking.

FUN FACTS ABOUT CABBAGE & GREENS

Cabbage has been grown in the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor for thousands of years.
Jacques Cartier introduced cabbage to North America on his third voyage in 1541.
Cabbage was one of the first vegetables grown by early American colonists.
Cabbage comes from a big family of vegetables, including brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, rutabagas, turnips and cauliflower.
Eating boiled turnip greens, black-eyed peas and hog jowl, on New Year´s day, is a Southern tradition thought to bring good luck for the coming year.
Kale and collards are closely related to cabbage and have been grown for 2,000 years or more.
Collards are one of the most durable greens both in the field and in the kitchen. They´re able to withstand heat, drought and light freezes, and are excellent for cooking.