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Early Vienna Purple Kohlrabi | Heirloom Seed

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The history of the Early Purple Vienna kohlrabi

An ancient European vegetable

Kohlrabi belongs to the Brassicaceae family, like cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. All descend from wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea), selected over the centuries by European growers.

It looks like a turnip, but it is not a root: it is the stem that swells just above the soil.

Its first written mention in Europe dates back to 1554, by the Italian physician and botanist Pietro Andrea Mattioli. Its cultivation then spread across Central Europe, especially in German-speaking regions, from which its name comes: Kohlrabi, from Kohl(cabbage) and Rabi(turnip).

The purple sibling of the White Vienna

The Early Purple Vienna, known as Early Purple Viennain English, is a close relative of the Early White Vienna. Both bear the name of the Austrian capital and existed before 1860. As with the white variety, no one knows for certain who selected it or in what year.

Its color comes from natural pigments called anthocyanins, the same ones that color red cabbage and blueberries. But this purple remains on the surface: beneath the skin, the flesh is white, crisp, and sweet, just like the white variety. It is often a pleasant surprise when you cut into it for the first time.

Recognized by Vilmorin in 1883

In 1883, the firm Vilmorin-Andrieux published Les Plantes potagères, a reference work on the vegetables of the time. It includes the Early Vienna kohlrabis, white and purple, appreciated for their precocity and delicacy compared to the older, larger, and slower-growing kohlrabis.

In North American vegetable gardens

With the European immigration of the 19th century, both varieties crossed the Atlantic. In 1878, the American catalog Van Saun & Muzzy was already offering the Early Purple Viennakohlrabi alongside the white one. The purple remained in catalogs throughout the 20th century, often chosen for its color, which brightens up the garden as well as the plate.

A seed that is passed down

The Early Purple Vienna is an open-pollinated variety. You can harvest its seeds and replant them year after year, provided you isolate it from other cabbages. If it still exists more than 160 years later, it is thanks to the gardeners and seed savers who have continued to grow it.

At Anokian Nature

At Anokian Nature, we grow and preserve heirloom varieties so that they continue to live in local vegetable gardens. The Early Purple Vienna loves the coolness of spring and autumn, grows quickly, and is well-suited to the Quebec cold. Planted next to the white variety, it makes for a garden that is as beautiful as it is delicious.

Nutritional benefits, vitamins, minerals, and traditional uses

The Early Purple Vienna kohlrabi is a European heirloom vegetable that has been appreciated for generations for its nutritional qualities.

Naturally rich in vitamin C, it contributes to the proper functioning of the immune system, collagen formation, and the protection of cells against oxidative stress.

It also provides potassium, copper, vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus, as well as small amounts of vitamins B1, B3, and B9, vitamin E, calcium, and iron.

Its purple skin owes its color to anthocyanins, natural pigments also found in red cabbage, blueberries, and blackberries. These compounds are studied for their antioxidant potential. They are primarily concentrated in the skin and leaf stems, while the flesh remains white.

Its dietary fiber promotes intestinal transit and contributes to digestive health. Like other vegetables in the Brassicaceae family, it contains glucosinolates, natural sulfur compounds studied for their biological properties.

In European food traditions and folk medicine, vegetables of the cabbage family held an important place. Consumed in soups, broths, or stews, they were considered nourishing and comforting foods, especially during the cold seasons.

Certain folk traditions attributed digestive and fortifying virtues to them. These uses refer to cabbages in general, and not specifically to the Early Purple Vienna. Today, this ancient vegetable remains appreciated for its nutritional richness, its beautiful color, and its place in a healthy and varied diet.

Once peeled, the Vienna Purple kohlrabi reveals a white, tender, and sweet flesh. Its young leaves and purple stems can also be cooked, making it a vegetable where almost nothing goes to waste.

1. Kohlrabi Carpaccio with Walnut Oil

Origin:Germany

Servings:4

Preparation:15 minutes

A modern and very popular way to serve kohlrabi raw in Germany. Sliced very thinly, it becomes melt-in-the-mouth and refreshing.

Ingredients

2 young and firm Vienna Purple kohlrabis
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp walnut oil or olive oil
30 g toasted walnuts, crushed
1 tbsp chopped chives
Fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Peel the kohlrabis and slice them as thinly as possible, ideally using a mandoline.
Arrange the slices in a rosette pattern on a large plate.
Whisk the lemon juice and oil, then drizzle over the slices.
Sprinkle with walnuts, chives, fleur de sel, and pepper.
Let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the kohlrabi to soften.

2. Kohlrabi and Potato Gratin (Kohlrabi-Kartoffel-Gratin)

Origin:Germany and Switzerland

Servings:6

Preparation and cooking:1 hr 10

A comforting family-style dish, perfect for chilly autumn and winter evenings.

Ingredients

2 Vienna Purple kohlrabis
4 medium potatoes
1 garlic clove
250 ml cream
125 ml milk
100 g grated Gruyère or Emmental cheese
1 tbsp butter
A pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F).
Rub a gratin dish with the cut garlic clove, then butter it.
Peel the kohlrabis and potatoes, then slice them thinly.
Arrange them in layers in the dish, lightly salting and peppering each layer.
Heat the cream and milk with the nutmeg, then pour over the vegetables.
Cover with cheese and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the top is nicely golden.

3. Oven-Roasted Kohlrabi with Garlic and Thyme (Ofen-Kohlrabi)

Origin:Germany

Servings:4

Preparation and cooking:40 minutes

When roasted in the oven, kohlrabi caramelizes slightly and develops a mild, almost sweet flavor.

Ingredients

3 Vienna Purple kohlrabis
3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh or dried thyme
1 tsp sweet paprika
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 210 °C (425 °F).
Peel the kohlrabis and cut them into quarters or large cubes.
Toss with oil, garlic, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until the pieces are golden and tender.

4. Hungarian-Style Kohlrabi Stew (Karalábéfőzelék)

Origin:Hungary

Servings:4

Preparation and cooking:35 minutes

A főzelékis a typical Hungarian dish: vegetables stewed and then thickened to achieve a creamy texture. It is often served with eggs or sausages.

Ingredients

3 Vienna Purple kohlrabis
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
375 ml vegetable broth
125 ml milk
2 tbsp fresh chopped dill or parsley
A pinch of sugar
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Peel the kohlrabis and cut them into small cubes.
Cook them in the broth, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter, add the flour, and stir for 1 minute.
Gradually add the milk while whisking, then pour the mixture into the kohlrabi.
Let simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to thicken.
Add the sugar and dill, then season before serving.

5. Lacto-Fermented Kohlrabi with Dill

Origin:Germany and Eastern Europe

Quantity:1 liter jar

Preparation:20 minutes, plus 1 to 3 weeks of fermentation

Lacto-fermentation is an ancient method for preserving vegetables, similar to sauerkraut. The kohlrabi becomes crunchy and slightly tangy.

Ingredients

2 or 3 Vienna Purple kohlrabis (about 750 g)
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp dill seeds or a few sprigs of fresh dill
1 liter non-chlorinated water
20 g non-iodized salt

Preparation

Dissolve the salt in the water to prepare the brine.
Peel the kohlrabis and cut them into sticks.
Pack them tightly into a clean jar with the garlic and dill.
Cover completely with brine, leaving about 2 cm of space at the top of the jar.
Keep the vegetables submerged under the brine using a fermentation weight or a small brine bag.
Close loosely and let ferment at room temperature, away from light, for 1 to 3 weeks, tasting regularly.
Once the desired taste is reached, store in the refrigerator.

6. Sautéed Kohlrabi Leaves and Stems (Kohlrabiblätter)

Origin:Germany

Servings:4

Preparation and cooking:20 minutes

In the kitchens of the past, nothing was wasted. Young kohlrabi leaves can be cooked just like kale, and their purple stems add color.

Ingredients

Leaves and stems of 4 Vienna Purple kohlrabis
1 onion, minced
2 tbsp butter or oil
2 bacon slices, cut into strips (optional)
60 ml vegetable broth
A pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Wash the leaves well. Remove any tough ribs.
Finely slice the purple stems and mince the leaves.
Sauté the onion, and the bacon strips if desired, in the butter.
Add the stems and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the leaves and broth, cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender.
Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper before serving.

These six recipes are inspired by the culinary traditions of Central and Eastern Europe. The ingredients and methods have been adapted for today's kitchen while preserving the spirit of family cooking.

How to grow Early Purple Vienna kohlrabi

Early Purple Vienna kohlrabi is a European heirloom variety well-suited to cool climates and Quebec growing seasons. With its purple skin and colorful stems, it is as decorative as it is tasty. Beneath its skin, it hides a white, tender, and slightly sweet flesh.

Unlike traditional cabbages, kohlrabi does not form a head. Instead, it develops a swollen, rounded stem above the ground in a beautiful deep purple color, which is the main part consumed.

This ancient variety prefers the cool temperatures of spring and autumn. It tolerates light frosts, but periods of intense heat can slow its growth and make its flesh more fibrous.

To obtain beautiful, tender kohlrabi, grow them in soil rich in organic matter that is loose, fertile, and well-drained. Kohlrabi appreciates soil that remains moist without being waterlogged.

You can start seeds indoors about 4 to 5 weeks before transplanting to the garden, or sow directly in the ground as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. To stagger harvests, sow successively every two to three weeks during cool periods.

For autumn harvests, sow from mid-July to the end of August in southern Quebec. The young plants will benefit from the return of cooler temperatures at the end of summer. Since the purple variety is a little slower than the white one, prioritize the beginning of this period.

For spacing, allow for approximately 10 to 15 cm between each plantand 30 to 40 cm between rows. Place two seeds per hole, then keep only the most vigorous plant after germination. Do not crowd the plants: the swollen stem needs space to develop uniformly.

Tips and tricks

Kohlrabi enjoys the company of onions, garlic, shallots, and aromatic herbs like thyme, sage, and dill. These companion plantings diversify the garden and attract various beneficial insects.

We also like to grow lemon marigolds near vegetables from the cabbage family. Their flowers attract certain pollinators and contribute to the biodiversity of the vegetable garden.

For tender and juicy flesh, keep the soil consistently moist. Natural mulch, such as straw or shredded leaves, helps keep the soil cool during hot periods.

The secret to excellent kohlrabi is to harvest it young.Early Purple Vienna is at its best when its swollen stem reaches about 5 to 8 cm in diameter, roughly the size of a tennis ball.

Avoid letting it grow for too long: large kohlrabi become more fibrous, especially after a lack of water or a period of heat.

The first light autumn frosts are well tolerated by this variety, and cool temperatures help extend the harvest. In the garden, it does not survive the harsh cold of the Quebec winter. In an unheated greenhouse, however, it can be harvested for a good part of the winter: at our place, we ate it until February.

To store your kohlrabi, remove the leaves and place the swollen stems in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator, inside a container or perforated bag. They will keep for several weeks this way.

Our seeds are vigorous, open-pollinated, and grown in the Quebec climate.

Species: Brassica oleraceavar. gongylodes
Variety:Early Purple Vienna
Origin:Central Europe, historically associated with Vienna, Austria.
Indoor sowing:March to April, about 4 to 5 weeks before transplanting.
Direct sowing:April to June, depending on climatic conditions and soil temperature.
For autumn harvests:Sow from mid-July to the end of August in southern Quebec, adjusting dates for your region.
Sowing depth:0.5 to 1 cm
Germination time:5 to 10 days, under favorable conditions.
Ideal germination temperature:15 to 24 °C
Soil:Rich, loose, fertile, humus-rich, and well-drained.
Location:Full sun to light shade. Prefers cool temperatures.
Spacing between plants:10 to 15 cm
Spacing between rows:30 to 40 cm
Height at maturity:About 25 to 40 cm, including foliage.
Maturity:About 55 to 70 days after sowing, depending on growing conditions.
Seeds per packet:+/- 100