It wasn't that long ago that people in Switzerland hardly ate it, but in recent years the demand for kale has risen here. This is partially to do with its status as a superfood in the United States and its promotion by countless stars, reports the Swiss website Schweizeerbauer.ch.
In Germany on the other hand, in particularly in the north, kale has always been a traditional food. Kale with 'Pinkel' (a coarse barley sausage), is only one of the traditional German dishes with the vegetable.
High vitamin C content
Kale is seen by many as a superfood for a reason. Raw kale is one of the foods with the highest level of vitamin C. This is why many health conscious people use it in smoothies. Dependent on taste, mood and the season, kale can be combined with many other foods.
Yet kale isn't grown on a large scale in Switzerland (yet). The amount is increasing, however. In 2013 only 71 tonnes of the vegetable was harvested in Switzerland and 15 tonnes were imported. In 2015 264 tonnes was harvested and 125 tonnes was imported. Kale is grown on around 10 hectares.
Very robust
Kale is very robust, which is handy for vegetable producers. The vegetable can also handle temperatures of up to -15 degrees Celsius. Yet it's best if the vegetable is harvested after the first frost. This makes the flavour more intense. Not all kale is the same. There are countless varieties, the colours vary from deep green to red. Some kale varieties can grow up to 1.80 metres.
