Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives. WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find. In these leek substitute, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.

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While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Do You Know Where These Weird Fruits and Vegetables Came From? Leeks were likely taken to much of Europe and the British Isles by the Romans.

Wales following an ancient victory by an army of Welshmen who wore leeks as a distinguishing sign. This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello. Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Historically, many scientific names were used for leeks, but they are now all treated as cultivars of A.

English name for garlic also derives. They are often sold as small seedlings in flats that are started early in greenhouses to be planted as weather permits. Leek cultivars may be treated as a single cultivar group, e. Leeks are easy to grow from seed and tolerate standing in the field for an extended harvest, which takes place up to 6 months from planting. Leeks suffer from insect pests, including the thrips species Thrips tabaci and the leek moth. This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources.

Leeks have a mild, onion-like taste. In its raw state, the vegetable is crunchy and firm. The dark green portion is usually discarded because it has a tough texture, but it can be sautéed or more commonly added to stock for flavor. The slices tend to fall apart due to the layered structure of the leek.

Boiling turns it soft and mild in taste. Whole boiled leeks, served cold with vinaigrette, are popular in France, where leeks are nicknamed asperges du pauvre ‘poor man’s asparagus’. Frying leaves it crunchier and preserves the taste. Raw leeks can be used in salads, doing especially well when they are the prime ingredient.

Leeks are an ingredient of cock-a-leekie soup, leek and potato soup, and vichyssoise, as well as plain leek soup. Elsewhere in Britain, leeks have come back in favor only in the last 50 years, having been overlooked for several centuries. Dried specimens from archaeological sites in ancient Egypt, as well as wall carvings and drawings, indicate that the leek was a part of the Egyptian diet from at least the second millennium BCE. Leeks were eaten in ancient Rome and regarded as superior to garlic and onions. The 1st century CE cookbook Apicius contains four recipes involving leeks.

Perhaps the most visible use of the leek, however, is as the cap badge of the Welsh Guards, a battalion within the Household Division of the British Army. In Romania, the leek is also widely considered a symbol of Oltenia, a historical region in the country’s southwestern part. Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science. The Timber Press Guide to Vegetable Gardening in the Northeast. Larousse Gastronomique: The World’s Greatest Cooking Encyclopedia.