Broccolini??????????????????????

Broccolini is a green vegetable resembling broccoli. Although often mistakenly identified as young broccoli, it is actually a natural hybrid of the cabbage family Brassica oleracea, a cross between broccoli and Chinese Kale. It was developed by the Sakata Seed Company of Yokohama, Japan. It is generally agreed that broccolini has a sweeter flavor than broccoli.

Broccolini is a registered trademark of Mann Packing Company, Inc. Its generic name is baby broccoli with product look up number 3277. It is also known by the name Asparation, Asparations, Bimi, and Tender Stem. Sanbon Incorporated originated a commercial program for asparation in Mexico in 1994 and first brought it to the U.S. market in 1996. Mann Packing Company introduced the new vegetable to the US market in 1998 under the brand: BROCCOLINI. They grow the vegetable year round in California and Arizona. Today, you can find Broccolini brand baby broccoli throughout the United States and Canada.

So, does anybody know if these seeds are available to us gardeners? I doubt it as its got to be the best tasting green out there. Has anyone found anything that's is ever close to this vegetable? To me it tastes like a cross between asparagus and broccoli. YUM!!

Could it be something like broccoli raab or rapini? I harvest the whole plant when the buds are about the size of a quarter. Then I sautee leaves, stems and buds with olive oil, garlic, and red pepper. Really tasty! I don't think it's the exact thing as above, but it sounds mighty close. If you can't find the other, try rapini (broccoli raab). I get my seeds from Baker Creek at rareseeds.com

Fourks: I didn't find broccolini seed, but I did find this information:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cornucop/msg1216415717630.html

Thanks weesparrow, I had someone else suggest rabb. I will give it a try this season. Next time you are at your higher end grocer spring the four bucks for a 6 ounces and see what your think. Never had a veggie roll the eyes back:-)

It is closest to Chinese broccoli. Evergreen and Kitazawa has several cultivars listed. Johnny's has a number of cultivars listed under asian greens. Happy Rich seems the hybrid closest to the one marketed as Broccolini. Apparently the growers have locked up the seeds for the Sakata entry like a tomato grower locked up the Santa tomato several years

Yes, Some of the cut and paste is from this thread. Looking for more information. I think that someone is protecting this hybrid:-) have you tried it?

Oops, looks like I spoke too soon. Rapini is delicious, though. Great link, gloria125

A broccoli that rolls your eyes back! Now that's worth looking for!

Yeah, if Govenor Spitzer had a little broccolini every night, he would of never found him self in such trouble;-)

Thanks famerdill. I will give these a try, and are in my someday file. I guess they have a right to their property.

Are broccoli raab and rapini different? I always thought they were one and the same. Both are delicious... great in soups too- instead of spinach or other greens

Broccolini is a green vegetable produced by Sakata Seed Company. But! upon research on Sakata site, they have Chinese Kale or "gai lan" http://www.sakata.com/product_veg.aspx?SpeciesId=24514&VarietyId=277 , not, NOT the aspiration brocollini mentioned on the Gourmet Sleuth site http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/equivalents_substitutions.asp?index=A&tid=2474 , also mentioned on CNN http://www.cnn.com/FOOD/key.ingredient/broccolini/ , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broccolini

Evergreen.com has several varieties of Chinese Kale http://www.evergreenseeds.com/chinkalgail.html if i am not mistaken Chinese Kale "Blue star" http://www.evergreenseeds.com/bluestar.html will be the closest variety as a substitute to Aspiration brocollini. hope that help.

personally, i have bought from this seller, the other varieties of veggie seed that are hard to find. i am happy to report, their seeds have good rate of germination. the only negative comment i have is the cost of postage. i can not complain cuz they do, do carry most of the rare veggies seeds i needed at the time.

ma vie

sorry, i didn't mean to ignore. i saw ur post when i reviewed my post above.

Broccoli Raba/Rabe or Rapini are one and the same. Latin name is Brassica rapa http://www.heirloomseeds.com/colecrop.htm

i love B. rabe stir fried in olive oil,anchovy paste and garlic. love it as accompaniment to cannelli beans.

i buy B. rabe at the farmer's market, if not i ask the produce person to order some for me from the store supplier. make friends with the produce person in charge at ur local grocery store, u will be surprise how they go out of their way to please store customers.

OK, now I'm confused. Is Broccolini the sorta same as Broccoli Rab, which I have not grown, but the grocery store B. Rab is far too bitter for me. Is homegrown B. Rab milder?

Thanks in advance!

No Broccolini is not the same as broccoli raab/rapini. It is a trade name for a hybrid cross between Chinese broccoli ( Chinese kale, Kailan) B. oleracea and regular broccoli Broccoli raab (B. ruvo) is a European vegetable). There are several of these hybrids being introduced, I mentioned Happy Rich before. Osborne http://www.osborneseed.com/catalog_view.cfm?submitted=yes&selectcat=5&selecttype=Rapini vends Sweet Baby which they directly compare to "Broccolini". I expect most of the Asian companies will get into the act as this becomes a popular vegetable.