brussels sprouts were actually bad

[hitchhiker]

Fascinating piece of food history - apparently brussels sprouts were actually pretty nasty back in the day, rather than people just not cooking them properly. There was actually a long and painstaking effort to research heirloom varieties that had lower levels of the bitter chemicals and crossbreed them into the significantly improved[*] vegetable we eat today.

[*] unless you're a supertaster for those chemicals, unfortunately!

[via this great twitter thread]

Comments

[ororo]

Fascinating. I like most things in the cabbage family, but sprouts are just a big No to my taste buds. I don't care if you roast them with bacon, please eat them over there.

[minoanmiss]

Even now they are particularly heavy in certain compounds. I like their intensity but I know well many others don't, hahah.

[serene]

Interesting! I am a supertaster, and have always hated them (yes, even roasted).

[lcohen]

for me they still seem to have a wide range of flavors--that is, when they are good, they are very good, but even in a batch of ones prepared in a way i like, some will be more bitter and off-putting. fortunately, i know that most will be good and i can soldier through the occasional bad one.

[zahraa]

I may be a supertaster for those chemicals. Looking forward to a time when cjsmith can let me try out their supertasting test strips.

[hitchhiker]

those all tasted like paper to me :) i'm definitely not a supertaster