Brussels Sprout

A miniature cabbage that grows in rows of 80 along a single stalk/Food & Drinks

Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) are small, cabbage-like buds that grow in a spiral pattern along a thick stalk, with a single plant producing 60 to 80 sprouts. They are named after Brussels, Belgium, where they may have been cultivated as early as the 13th century. Brussels sprouts contain sinigrin, a compound that tastes bitter to people with certain genetic variants of the TAS2R38 taste receptor, which explains why some people love them and others find them repulsive. Modern cultivars have been bred to reduce bitterness. A frost actually improves their flavor by converting some starches to sugars.