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W<\/span>hat do kale, broccolini, and Brussels sprouts have in common? They are all brassicas, which, botanically speaking, are rooted in cabbage leaves native to coastal southwestern Europe. From those wild greens, ancient gardeners and modern scientists alike have bred cultivars that play up various attributes of the species\u2014much to eaters\u2019 delights.<\/p>\n As far back as 400 BC, a preference for brassica leaves in Greece led farmers to save seeds from large-leafed plants and sow them in subsequent years into the crop we now know as kale. In the first century AD, selection for kale plants with tightly bunched leaves resulted in modern day cabbage. About the same time in Germany, a preference for thicker stems gave birth to kohlrabi. In the 1600s, a European preference for eating immature buds led both broccoli and cauliflower. A Belgian desire for bigger buds in the 18th century gave us Brussels sprouts. In the 1990s, a Japanese seed company introduced broccolini, a sweet, tender hybrid of broccoli and Chinese cabbage. And in 2010, a kale and Brussels sprout cross was introduced by British seed company Tozer as kalettes.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is great genetic plasticity in this genus,\u201d says Jim Myers, professor of vegetable breeding and genetics at Oregon State University<\/a> in Corvallis. But Meyers says most breeding dollars are now spent on improving production of mainstream brassica crops, mainly broccoli.<\/p>\n Cornell University<\/a> horticulturalist Thomas Bj\u00f6rkman is the lead researcher for the Eastern Broccoli Project<\/a>, a scientific and agricultural effort looking to create new variants of broccoli that can grow year-round east of the Mississippi River, to reduce the region\u2019s dependency on broccoli from California. But Bj\u00f6rkman is more bullish than Myers on work being done to bring more novel brassicas to diners\u2019 plates. He points to colleague Philip Griffiths\u2019 work in developing interesting new kales and broccoli-kale crosses for both the baby greens and bunched leaves markets. \u201cHe is going for color, texture, flavor and loft. Chefs like some loft in their salads!\u201d says Bj\u00f6rkman.<\/p>\n When pairing a brassica with cheese, these scientists say factoring in the vegetable\u2019s pungent sulfuric odor and sweet taste is key. \u201cFor me, a good cheese match is one that has some complementary compounds but is not bitter at all,\u201d Bj\u00f6rkman. \u201cA fully ripe Camembert<\/a>, for example. The nutty character of a tomme<\/a> or Gruy\u00e8re<\/a> works nicely as well.\u201d We follow Bj\u00f6rkman\u2019s suggestion in this recipe for white pizza with your choice of brassica, red onion and Gruy\u00e8re.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n<\/div>\nBrassica and Gruy\u00e8re Pizza<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\nChristine Burns Rudalevige<\/span>\n<\/div>\nThe grated Gruy\u00e8re is split between a base sauce that anchors your brassica in place and a finishing sprinkle that melts on top before the pie slides into the oven to cook.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n