As a child, I could think of no words more terrifying at dinnertime than “Brussels sprouts.” Invariably overcooked and, as a result, smelling of rotten eggs, these nutritious, cruciferous vegetables became the bane of family meals. As my dread grew so did my deceptive eating habits. When my parents’ gazes were averted, I slipped individual sprouts beneath the table to a dog that would, and did, eat anything. When the dog had reached her limit, I tucked the offending vegetables into my napkin or hid them beneath an untouched slice of buttered bread. Whatever I could I did to avoid eating that night’s veg. Twenty years later I am pleased to report that my fear of Brussels sprouts has come to a happy end. I owe this breakthrough to learning how to select, store, and prepare these vitamin C-rich plants. In Belgium Brussels sprouts dominate the produce stands. Resembling tiny, green cabbages clinging to tall, thick stalks, they are uniquely Belgian. Although scholars debate the date of their emergence, placing this anywhere from the 12th …