Landscaping: Plenty of good in every sprout

Brussels sprouts are packed with nutrients.

I start to feel guilty at this time of year because I don't like Brussels sprouts. I know they've become trendy, but they taste like cabbages that have been reduced in size so the disgusting elements of their flavour have been concentrated into something as small as a golf ball.

So, obviously, I've never grown them. In the past I've always grown only vegetables I like to eat, so my winter garden has been necessarily somewhat limited. Now I've figured out that unless I want to eat only spinach in the winter, I'm going to need to educate my palate.

Fortunately, certain food items garlic, sesame oil, bacon, cream, toasted pine nuts, Lurpak butter, Panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan make just about anything palatable, so I'm going to apply these, one at a time, or maybe even all together, to Brussels sprouts.

This is because home-grown vegetables you don't like are still better than sad, out-of-season, imported specimens that you do, and there's another reason for eating them, too. The body has specific nutrient requirements at certain times of the year and vegetables that grow naturally at that time are likely to supply them.

Which brings me, reluctantly, to Brussels sprouts, although not quite as reluctantly as I approached them as a child.

The sad fact is, they're good for you. Our mothers said so and they were right. Even sadder, they're especially good for you if you steam them, providing special cholesterol-lowering benefits. I won't bore you with the details, which have to do with the fibre-related components binding with bile acids, but the Germans have studied this and they're known for being sticklers for getting the facts right. Furthermore, they're close to Brussels so they probably have a vested interest.

By the way, Brussels is evidently becoming a trendy spot for weekend getaways and holidays. Officially nicknamed "the European Village", it has around 90 museums, beautiful parks, great walks and heaps of trendy restaurants and bars. All the websites mention its famous beer and chocolate, but not Brussels sprouts.

Having said that, Brussels sprouts are undoubtedly healthier than beer and chocolate, and may have unique benefits in the area of DNA protection. One study showed improved stability of DNA inside white blood cells after the daily consumption of 1.25 cups of Brussels sprouts. It didn't mention dressing them with butter, bacon and Parmesan, however. And even if you were to improve their palatability in such a fashion, you'd probably still have difficulty with 1.25 cups every day.

Best to alternate with other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy, and broccoli.

At a minimum, the healthy food police suggest, include 1.25 cups of cruciferous vegetables two or three times a week.

And now to the really important bit how to make Brussels sprouts taste like something else.

Steam them and serve sprinkled with a sauteed mixture of garlic, olive oil and breadcrumbs, and topped with a shake of Parmesan and chopped parsley.

Or fry together chopped bacon, onion and pine nuts, add steamed spouts, mix together, and serve.

A quick and easy cover up is to steam, then saute very quickly, and serve squirted with sesame oil.

And last but not least, don't overcook them or they'll smell like sulphur and then nobody will want to eat them.

Organic Orange Persimmon Fruit.

Plant 'fruit of the gods'

My sister-in-law who visited here recently got hugely excited over all the stalls selling persimmons on the roadside. She went home with enough to fill a shipping container.

Well, they are called "food of the gods" and as well as being cultivated commercially, they're a useful garden tree.

They have autumn colours of deep orange, burgundy and purple so you can plant one as a specimen tree or espalier it on a wall or fence.

They probably won't rival the Brussels sprout for health benefits, but they are high in vitamin A and contain good amounts of vitamin B and C, calcium, iron and phosphorus.

If you're tempted, you can plant one now. Choose a site in full sun and give it some shelter from the wind. Well-drained loam soil is best, but they will grow in other soils. They are cold-sensitive, but become dormant, and you need to watch for late frosts once the buds have burst. And then you need a long, warm summer for the fruit to ripen. Give them a feed with a complete fertiliser in late winter and again in early summer.

They're not prone to diseases but are susceptible to thrips and mites. Along with mandarins and gold kiwifruit, persimmons are turning up on my doorstep almost daily part of the fruit-go-round that happens among friends and neighbours in fruit-growing areas.

I never knew what to do with them, apart from admire their beautiful colour in the fruit bowl, but itt turns out they're a fantastic addition to cakes, muffins, biscuits, loaves and bread. They make great fruit butters and pastes, and you can dry them.