The History of Broccoli

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea italica) is native to the Mediterranean. The Etruscans first engineered the crop from a cabbage relative. It quickly caught on and has been considered a valuable food in the area now known as Italy since ancient times and was eaten by the Ancient Romans. Broccoli was first introduced to England in the mid-18th century and was often referred to as “Italian asparagus.” The name broccoli is derived from the Italian word broccolo (meaning "the flowering crest of a cabbage") and the Latin word brachium (meaning arm, branch, or shoot). (Broccoli florets are indeed essentially large, edible flowers). Commercial cultivation of broccoli began in the 1500s and Thomas Jefferson even experimented with broccoli seeds from Italy in his own garden in the late 1700s, but it wasn’t until much later that broccoli became popular in America. In fact, broccoli didn’t become well-known in the United States until Southern Italian immigrants brought the vegetable with them in the early 1920s. In the last 30 years or so, broccoli has become more popular than ever due to its health benefits. The most common type of broccoli consumed in America today is Calabrese broccoli (named after Calabria, Italy). Today, broccoli is available at grocery stores year-round and plays an integral role in many beloved culinary dishes.