A Discourse on Brussels Sprouts

After receiving several requests for topics to write about, I think it's important enough to address the subject of Brussels Sprouts right away. Yesterday I went out to the grocery store and purchased (for the first time ever) a little cardboard bucket of fresh Brussels Sprouts. The way I was asked to discuss these veggies made me realize I'm not the only one who finds Brussels Sprouts mysterious. I have to admit I didn't even know it was called Brussels Sprouts. I always thought it was Brussel Sprouts. Now I am one unit smarter.

I knew I was going to have to taste these much-hated little foods, but I wanted to educate myself a little about them before getting started. I learned several very important things. I won't bore you with history other than they were grown as early as 1200 in Belgium, more specifically Brussels (surely a coincidence). And they were brought to the U.S. by the French around 1800. More importantly, I learned that Brussels Sprouts contain Sinigrin which is believed to help prevent Colon Cancer. However, they also contain Goitrin which can interfere with Thyroid hormone production, which doesn't sound good. However you'd have to eat a lot of Brussels Sprouts (which nobody does) to have bad stuff happen to you.
I also learned that most people hate Brussels Sprouts due to the fact that they are usually overcooked. Overcooking this vegetable releases the Sinigrin which smells like sulfur and that's nasty. By the way, if you drink from the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine, Florida, you'll find out the water contains lots and lots of Sulfur, which you can taste. The Fountain of Youth is all a load of crap though and you certainly age the same if not quicker. OK Back to Brussels Sprouts.

Wikipedia, which is where I learned most of this good stuff, told me to boil them for 6 minutes only, and this leaves them properly cooked, yet not overcooked and smelly. So I chose three similarly-sized specimens. I left one on the plate, and threw the other two into boiling water. After exactly 6 minutes, I removed the first one, and after 10 minutes, removed the second one.
Before I get into results, I should mention I don't like many vegetables, and when it comes to green vegetables, I usually prefer them raw. Having said that, I tried the raw Brussels Sprout and wasn't in love. It had a neat crunchy texture, but it was almost too much so, and had a flavor on the foul side of neutral. I was a bit disappointed. Then I tried the 6-minute boiled one, and was pleasantly surprised! Despite being boiled, it still had a bit of crunch to it, and again had a very mild pungent taste, however I am quite sure I could get used to this. Not too bad. Finally, I tried the 10-minute boiled Brussels Sprout, and was surprised once again. I didn't really notice as much of a worsened taste as I did a worsened texture! It was pretty soggy, although it had looked pretty much the same as the 6-minute boiled sprout. The taste wasn't nearly as terrible as I expected, but I'd quit eating them if all I ever got was soggy Brussels Sprouts.

CONCLUSION: Brussels Sprouts are good for you in moderation, and certainly aren't as terrible as their reputation makes them out to be. So I may now make an effort to eat 6-minute boiled Brussels Sprouts at least a few times a year. If prepared correctly, they are a good option when it comes to eating green vegetables.

Thanks to my Aunt Sharon for suggesting this topic. I never cared about Brussels Sprouts at all, and still don't much, but at least now I understand this frequently-misunderstood and mysterious vegetable. So that's good.