A Brief History of Broccoli
Brassica oleracea italica, more commonly known as Broccoli, can trace its roots back to the Mediterranean, where it was originally engineered by the Etruscans. The Etruscans were an ancient civilization from what is now known as Tuscany, Italy. Going back as far as the Roman Empire, Italians consider broccoli a very valuable food.
Commercial cultivation of broccoli dates back to the 16th century. Although experimental gardener Thomas Jefferson is credited with first cultivating broccoli in the American colonies in 1767, it didn’t become popular in North America until Italian immigrants introduced it in the early 20th century.
George Bush’s Broccoli Ban
In 1990, then-President George H.W. Bush revealed to the nation that he had a very serious issue with broccoli. He hated broccoli so much, he banned it from being served on Air Force One.
The president said, “I do not like broccoli, and I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli!"
While picky children around the nation cheered, panicked health experts and livid broccoli farmers were concerned about what kind of influence the president’s statement might have on broccoli consumption in the United States. In protest of the president’s broccoli ban, famers shipped several tons of broccoli to the White House. It didn’t go to waste though, as First Lady Barbara Bush rushed in and promptly donated it to the Capital Area Food Bank.