“Brussels sprouts with peanut butter and mayonnaise” haunted my childhood palette based on a line from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I’m not sure if it was the narrator’s youthful mother who resembled mine or the “mashed potato” sledding hill that served as an illustrated metaphor of my own youthful winters. Let’s just say, Brussels sprouts never crossed my lips until I was well into adulthood.
In reflection, there may have been more behind my aversion than a favorite childhood story. Sprouts contain a chemical, which only tastes bitter to people who have a variation of a certain gene. Around 50% of the world’s population share this mutation. Age coupled with plant cross-pollination have resolved this issue, and I’ll admit Brussels sprouts are now one of my favorite winter vegetables.
Cultivated in Belgium from around the 13th century, Brussels sprouts are a Brassicaceae vegetable, alongside cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. Rich in vitamins and minerals, and even containing anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, Brussels Sprouts are excellent both raw in Shaved Salad with Avocado or roasted on your Crudités platter alongside creamy Fromage Fort.