LONDON -- Love ‘em or hate ‘em, brussels sprouts are a firm fixture of British Christmas fare. This year, the highly controversial brassica has been super sized, and it’s all thanks to the mild weather we’ve been enjoying.
UK supermarket Morrisons says they'll be welcoming "monster" sprouts, which are larger than golf balls, this week.
The oversized sprouts measure approximately 40 mm wide and 45 mm long (1.6 inches and 1.8 inches) and weigh 35g each.
With temperatures in the UK as high as 22.7 degrees Celsius in October, the size of the sprouts is a result of the mild weather and good growing conditions throughout British summer and autumn. This made sprouts reach maturity quicker than usual, but they kept on growing.
"The warmer weather in September and October of this year pushed forward the growth, which meant the sprouts grew bigger on the stalks and are being harvested larger," Matthew Rawson, Chairman of the Brassica Growers Association, told Mashable.
“Our sprout plants have loved the warmer weather," John Clappison, one of Morrisons’ sprout growers, said in a press release. "The higher temperatures have made them shoot up and produce the biggest, most succulent sprouts that we’ve seen 10 years.”
Good news for sprout lovers keen to capitalise on the bigger surface area with condiments and seasonings. Terrible news for sprout haters who'll have to spend more time chewing sprouts this Christmas.