The wondrous winter green
As the days grow shorter and colder, people look forward to a special treat – aromatic kale. It is a true Niedersachsen classic of impressive versatility.
This traditional dish is a popular winter vegetable in the region. Niedersachsen grows more kale than anywhere else in Germany, with particularly strong cultivation regions in the Oldenburger Land, but also in the Braunschweiger Land, the Mittelweser region and along the coast – where it is a staple of the regional cuisine.
Kissed by frost
While asparagus pushes through the soil in spring, kale braves the winter storms and freezing temperatures. In fact, it is the first frost that prompts the vegetable to produce sugar, enhancing its flavour.
A genuine superfood, kale sustains people during the vegetable-scarce winter months with an abundance of vitamins C, A and E, protein and folic acid. It is also rich in minerals such as iron and calcium.
Ever tried Boßeln?
In Niedersachsen, kale is more than just a superfood – it is part of the region’s cultural heritage. Invitations to a kale meal often begin well before reaching the restaurant. Friends gather with a handcart for a winter walk, complete with a tipple to sip along the way. They might play traditional games such as Boßeln, a traditional Frisian road bowling game played with a wooden ball, to help build up an appetite for the kale feast ahead. Then it is off to a cosy restaurant, where steaming kale is served with hearty sausage and potatoes – just the way people in Niedersachsen love their winter. Many kale events don’t end with the last bite, but carry on late into the night on the dance floor.
One vegetable, many names
Kale, brown kale or curly kale – whatever you call it, it’s sublime. This hardy cabbage comes in over 20 different varieties. Some can grow over two metres tall, reminding locals of palm trees and earning the plant the nickname ‘Frisian Palm’. Others have brownish-violet leaves; these varieties are known as brown kale. In any case, kale is as much a symbol of Niedersachsen as the horse on the state’s coat of arms.
