hey, it worked with wrobert and the awesome watermelon me and mine enjoyed, so I thought I'd seek out those who might know of a source for fresh cabbage palm hearts......found in young Florida Cabbage Palm trees (the state tree).
I know that mid-Florida is the best place to find them, but I just made my way through there, from Sarasota to here, and I can't seem to find a source for fresh-cut palm hearts. Swamp cabbage, for those who don't know, is made from the heart of the Florida cabbage palm, cut when the young tree's mid-section (above ground, less frond cap) is about 4 feet in height. One then peels off the outer "skin" to get to the 4-6" heart....the bottom 6-8 inches is soft, white meat which snaps off in pieces. Those pieces are put in a pot (stainless is best) with a little smoked meat (cooked bacon, or smoked pork neck is best) and some onion, and cooked until "greenish" and mid-crisp (gray is BAD, as it is overcooked and mushy). Put together with some grilled chicken/rabbit, corn bread, and other Southern what-not, and you've got a meal that's second only to time spent alone with "mama"......and, trust me, "heart of palm" from a can, care of Publix, is not even reminiscent of anything resembling the fresh stuff, and you can't cook it to make it seem so (I tried).
Anyone got any "kin" located in the right locale that can help me encounter some fresh-cut goodies?!
I know that mid-Florida is the best place to find them, but I just made my way through there, from Sarasota to here, and I can't seem to find a source for fresh-cut palm hearts. Swamp cabbage, for those who don't know, is made from the heart of the Florida cabbage palm, cut when the young tree's mid-section (above ground, less frond cap) is about 4 feet in height. One then peels off the outer "skin" to get to the 4-6" heart....the bottom 6-8 inches is soft, white meat which snaps off in pieces. Those pieces are put in a pot (stainless is best) with a little smoked meat (cooked bacon, or smoked pork neck is best) and some onion, and cooked until "greenish" and mid-crisp (gray is BAD, as it is overcooked and mushy). Put together with some grilled chicken/rabbit, corn bread, and other Southern what-not, and you've got a meal that's second only to time spent alone with "mama"......and, trust me, "heart of palm" from a can, care of Publix, is not even reminiscent of anything resembling the fresh stuff, and you can't cook it to make it seem so (I tried).
Anyone got any "kin" located in the right locale that can help me encounter some fresh-cut goodies?!
