Astronomical savoy cabbages sit proudly on the streets of Milan.
It’s cabbage season. A member of the brassica family, cabbages come in a variety of forms and physiques. From shades of white and vibrant green to a full spectrum of purple hues, each type offers a different leaf structure and texture. Whether smooth or wrinkled, they present a delightful canvas to experiment with and consume.
Cabbage has a rock-solid reputation all over the world. It’s one of those vegetables that have a place in almost every culture - whether it’s kimchi in Korea, kraut in Germany, cabbage soups in Russia, coleslaw in the Netherlands, or, my favorite from growing up, Egyptian treats called malfoof. 1
Malfoof are wrapped cabbage leaves around herby rice and aromatics, simmered in a broth. I would often consume Malfoof to the point of sickness as a child. Above is my playful take on my dear Malfoof. I used purple napa cabbage because they are great for wrapping and I couldn’t resist the vibrant color. I rolled and stuffed the cabbage leaves with freekeh, onions, herbs and finely diced mushrooms. They were then simmered in a tomato broth.
My favorite variety to eat right now is the Caraflex cabbage. Instantly recognizable for their conical shape, they are pale white-green with tightly wrapped, buttery smooth, leaves. They are on the sweeter side and so juicy that they have an almost romaine-lettuce-like crunch when you bite into the water-rich stems. Overall, they are less pungent than their cabbage sisters and, perhaps for that reason, have grown tremendously in popularity amongst farmers and chefs.
Caraflex cabbage at Norwich Meadow Farms, USQ Market.
Some of the best Caraflex cabbage you can buy in NYC is from Norwich Meadow Farms. They are at USQ Market throughout the week, but frequent many other markets across the five boroughs and even make it out to Scarsdale. They have a fab winter CSA program too. Their Caraflex cabbage’s sweet, juicy leaves are so damn good they got a shout out in the most recent NYMag, highlighting farmer Zaid Kurdieh’s power “to make chef’s beg for cabbage.”
Here are a few spots in NYC featuring the seasonal Caraflex on their menus this week: Rafs, Gabs, Jean-George’s lunch tasting and Foul Witch.
Some other types of cabbage at Norwich Meadow Farms - Savoy and Flat Tender sweet cabbage. I adore Savoy cabbages, in particular, for roasting. This recipe is super easy. These flat-ish, tender, cabbages are also great for slaw or cold salad preps.
Napa cabbage is my fav for making a quick kimchi or for wrapping and making rolls.
On my most recent trip to Piedmont, I couldn’t help notice chefs featuring cabbage as the crowning point of their tasting menus. The first was at Piazza Duomo where sweet, wilted cabbage rested on a bed of silky polenta and a healthy shaving of tartufi bianco.
The cabbage and polenta dish was so good I had to swipe a bite before documenting it.
One of the standout dishes of the entire trip, and one of the best dishes I've had all year, was the Cabbage 2.0 at LORTO. This dish was an incredible showcase of how, with the right techniques, a simple cabbage can be incredibly decadent, smoky, and just as meaty as your typical secondi. Cabbage became the short rib that evening. It had an umami funk and a spectacular crust that made me second guess how I want to cook any vegetable ever again. I immediately went home and pulled out my terrine, layering my steamed cabbage leaves with a green garlic butter, and spontaneously improvised a recipe in hopes to find a pathway to this perfect cabbage…
Cabbage 2.0 at LORTO
Here is my first attempt to recreating the cabbage terrine experience. I steamed Caraflex cabbage leaves and once cooled and dry, layered them to fill the terrine. I then lined each layer with a brushing of green garlic butter, finishing the top with some smoked chipotle olive oil.
My first terrine attempt, while delicious, needs another go. Next round, I need to work on mastering the depth of the smoky flavor and develop an even more solid crust.
what to see: kaari upson “body as a landscape” at spruth magers, UES
Kaari Upson, who passed away after a long struggle with cancer, left behind a prolific body of work that details psychic and emotional anguish through creativity, while consistently examining the balance between beauty and disgust.2
There are two master works that anchor the exhibition, which is up now through December 21st 2023.
“The room-sized installation eleven compromises a forest of suspended tree limbs; all eleven are cast from the tree outside the artist’s childhood home melded with enlarged casts of her knee. Visible termite trails take on the look of arteries and veins, and the leg’s scale miniaturizes the viewer, as if they were returning to a child’s size - modeled by the artist herself in this portrait shot in 2019. These hybrid objects, whose colors range from earth and skin-tones to radiant hues display the importance for Upson of the casting process, which imprints not only physical surfaces but psychic and emotional histories as well.”3
“The second monumental work on view, Untitled (2015–21), is the largest and most ambitious drawing the artist ever produced. Upson’s drawing style was unique, filled with seemingly innumerable layers of bodily presences and texts rife with psychological exploration—all sourced from past artworks and readings, as well as the artist’s own writings and studies for future projects.”4
If you haven’t popped into Doyle’s on the Upper East Side, I encourage you to please step in. It’s a great auction house right here in NYC with wonderful curated auctions all year round.
You need this Soriana couch. Someone save her. This CLASSIC and highly coveted couch from the 1970’s just needs a little TLC. Some new fabric. A new home. A new lover. You have 24hrs to pull the trigger and she’s conveniently waiting for you on the UES.
XX,
D
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