Cabbage Is King ~ For A Day

Today is World Cabbage Day!
Methane monitors make mark.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.
'The time has come,' the Walrus said,
'To talk of many things:
Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing wax --
Of cabbages -- and kings --
And why the sea is boiling hot --
And whether pigs have wings.'---
"The Walrus and the Carpenter" --- Lewis Carroll

Cabbage was used as barter for goods and services in ancient cultures.

Babe Ruth used to wear a cabbage leaf under his hat during games. He would switch out for a fresh leaf halfway through each game. We don't know if this has ever been verified, but the idea was that a fresh cabbage leaf placed under the hat would keep the head cool. According to Llewelyn, magickal properties of the cabbage include "good luck and purification." Maybe the Bambino had a few other "tricks" up his sleeves or tucked into that portly belt. :o)

Greeks and Romans placed great importance on the healing powers of cabbage. They held that the vegetable could cure just about any illness. Mythology holds that cabbages sprung from the tears of Lycurgus, King of the Edonians.

The Edonian Lycurgus banned the cult of Dionysus in ancient Thrace and subsequently paid a lot of cabbage for the action. Myth and legend vary but the end result was the same. Death.

Cabbage is a very healthy food; however, the natural stool softening mechanism also produces the infamous cabbage flatulence.

An historical gastronomical platter food extolled by Kings and Dictators alike. I wonder if the current White House chef prepares it regularly. There certainly is a bounty of hot air wafting out of those white walls.

Cabbage contains quercetin, an antioxidant that is a natural antihistamine that may benefit allergy sufferers.

Isothiocyanates found in cabbages may lower the risk of lung cancer in smokers by as much as 38%.

Cabbages are from the family Cruciferae, a large family which contains many vegetables. The family name comes from the Latin word for "cross" and was given to members of this family because the flowers are cross-shaped. Annie supposes for many, the sacrifice to eat or even smell the cooking vegetable would be great.

And finally ... we all *know* where babies come from! The stork drops them into the cabbage patch! And from there, we get Kings and Queens! Yeah, yeah ... that's it!

:o)