Of cabbages and kings
CABBAGE has been in the human diet for a very long time. A wild, native loose-leafed cabbage originated in the eastern Mediterranean region, came under cultivation some 4,000 years ago and was developed as a domestic vegetable some 1,500 years later. The Celts brought it to northern Europe in the same period, a fortuitous decision, as cabbage planted on a given patch of earth produces more edible food than any other crop. For centuries, it served as a staple for ordinary folk in many countries.
Cabbages were always important. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans valued them as food and the Emperor Claudius declared corned beef and cabbage to be the best possible meal. Large quantities were eaten by the noble and
