116 cuist's family kitchen gardener. 



SEA-KALE. 



Crdmbe Maritima. — Chou Marin^ Fr. — MeerkoM, Ger 



This plant is found growing on the sea-coasts of Europe, 

 particularly in England, where it is cultivated to a very great ex- 

 tent in the gardens of the wealthy. It is closely related to 

 the Cabbage, and professional men have observed that all the 

 good qualities of that family are centred in the Sea-Kale. I 

 suspect this opinion would be contested by lovers of " Corned 

 Beef and Cabbage ;" however, I have no doubt that a free use 

 of this vegetable and Rhubarb, in the Spring, would contri- 

 bute greatly to reduce the Doctor's account. It can be ob- 

 tained with very little trouble, the whole Winter, in its most 

 perfect state ; but the fact of its having to be attended to in 

 these dreary months, retards its progress. The tillers and 

 workers of the soil, independent of their nocturnal slumbers, 

 very frequently slumber with nature, and are inert at any em- 

 ployment that requires their peculiar care at that period of the 

 year. 



The mode of dressing this vegetable for the table is as fol- 

 lows : Tie the stalks, or rather clusters of stalks, in bundles, and 

 boil them with plenty of water, and a little salt, for twenty min- 

 utes, observing that the water is boiling before they are put in. 

 Have a toast ready, dip it in the water, put it on the dish, 

 and the Sea-Kale upon it, and pour a little white sauce over it, 

 consisting of cream or milk, thickened with flour and butter ; or 

 simply cook it as Asparagus is done, which it much resembles. 



Culture. — We venture to assert that no culinary vegeta- 

 ble can be raised either naturally or artificially with less trouble 

 or a greater certainty of success than the Sea-Kale, as in 

 either case the plants will last many years ; and in their peri- 

 odical forcing they give the gardener no anx'iety, as the desired 

 result is certaiu. Sow the seed thinly, in drills one inch deep. 



