The dawn of broccoli
~ in this article ~
1. Four in the morning
When the broccoli is ready to be picked, the cellar clock reads four in the morning. It is still dark, and the garden is damp with dew. Grandma always said: "broccoli should be picked when even the birds are still asleep." That sentence became a rule here.
2. Why dawn?
Broccoli loses vitamin C and crispness within hours of harvest. Picking at dawn means the vegetable reaches the long table in its freshest state. This is not romance — it is chemistry.
Broccoli picked at dawn retains up to 30% more vitamin C than that picked in the afternoon.
3. The morning ritual
When we bring the broccoli back to the kitchen, we first wash it in cold water, then lay it on the wooden trough. The fire is already burning. The water is already boiling. The broccoli does not wait long.
- Dropped into boiling water — 3 minutes
- Plunged into cold water — crispness stays
- Olive oil, lemon, sea salt
4. Little quiz
~ try it ~
Just one question.
When do we pick broccoli?