broccoli

Broccoli is a truly misunderstood and underappreciated vegetable. Much like the common pigeon, we bred it into existence, only to discard it later and scoff at its presence. It has become the poster child of hated greens children worldwide are forced to consume by parents who would like for them to not live off a diet of dino nuggets and chocolate chip cookies. But why did broccoli, of all produce, become the victim of culinary cancel culture? It started out with a dish, how did it end up like this?

Broccoli is a cultivar of the Brassica oleracea, also known as the wild cabbage.
A cultivar is a plant that was bred for a specific property it has, like color or resilience to disease. This is very common for a lot of flowers and almost all forms of produce, they're basically plants designed to accomplish a task.
Wild cabbage has produced other hits such as cauliflower, brussel sprouts and it's namesake, cabbage. It's been around since the 6th century BC, though it'd take it's sweet pea time to take root in fields other than it's native Italy.

By the 18th century, it was known around Europe and made it's way to North America by the 19th century, though it wasn't until the 1920s that the average American might find a pre-meditated bouquet on their dinner plate. Broccoli was certainly a child of unfortunate timing, being associated mainly with Italian immigrants. The tragedy would continue writing itself throughout the decades, because broccoli is, in fact, unable to can. It doesn't do well when repeatedly placed under high temperatures, which is exactly how canned foods are typically sterilized. It would only turn it into an overboiled, green sludge worth hating, and it really doesn't need to take any more hits to it's reputation like that.
Finally, the killing blow was delivered in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, who proudly announced that he's the president of the United States and would not eat any more broccoli. Look, man, I'm not sure why you felt the need to announce either of these things, but please leave the produce section out of this. You don't kick a plant while it's down.

Broccoli being hated by children in particular is no coincidence, either. Children are especially sensitive to the bitter tastes commonly found in cruciferous vegetables. Even adults might be put off by it if they've got the "cilantro soap gene we have at home" TAS2R38. Sprinkle in some casual displays of cartoon characters turning their noses at the stuff like it's Mob Psycho season 3 all over again and you've successfully turned a vegetable into the laughing stalk of an entire (though mostly the global Western) generation.

If you've read this far, first of all, why? Like- There's gotta be more interesting stuff out there. May I recommend some Danny Gonzalez or perhaps izzzyzzz? Maybe play some Splatoon? Actually yeah, do that, play Splatoon. Splatoon is great.
Second of all, if you disliked broccoli as a kid, please give it another chance. It has a beautiful green color and nice CRUMCH when not overboiled. I like putting it in fried noodles. Try steaming it, baking it, putting it into soup or salads, the possibilities are endless! Broccoli contains a lot of vitamin C, way more than lemons do, actually.

You might like broccoli. You might not. But we can't be pit against each other over silly things like that. It's all a distraction to stop us from uniting against the true enemy: Brussel sprouts.
Until then - see you around!