Not long after I moved here, I discovered that there are many more types of cabbage in Germany than in Israel. For me, cabbage is the most german vegetable, not only because of its rich history but also because cabbage is an important ingredient in German cuisine. In the German language, there are two words for cabbage das Kraut and der Kohl (because one word is not enough).
Historians assume that the cabbage came to Germany around the middle ages, but the first documentation was from the time of Karl the Great (Charlemagne) when he requested to plant 73 cabbage plants in imperial grounds at the end of the 8th century.
The cabbage found perfect growing conditions in Germany. In the north you can find the famous “Deutsche Kohlstraße”, 130km of cabbage farms on all sides. In the area next to Stuttgart grows a special type of cabbage (Spitzkohl or the Fliderkraut named after the region name) and every year since 1979 there is the “Fliderkrautfest”, a cabbage festival, where you can eat all kinds of cabbage dishes including traditional cabbage cake.
Since the Second World War Kraut was used by British and American soldiers to describe the Germans. Although meant as a derogatory term, the Germans do love their cabbage and we must not forget the Sauerkraut that was part of the German cuisine since the 16th century. It was a healthy and cheap vegetable that was used to feed common people and sailors, it is full of fibers, minerals, lactic acid, and vitamins A, B, C, E, and K.
Adi G. is a graphic designer and illustrator, she moved to Berlin 7 years ago from Israel. The thing she missed the most about Israel is her family.
Haha