Features
Go forth, eat Brussels sprouts
By Kathleen McGrory ’05
May 15, 2015
If there is one nugget of wisdom this alumna can impart on you, it is this: Brussels sprouts are awesome.
No, really. They are.
You can sauté them in maple syrup and they taste like candy. You can roast them and add honey and balsamic vinegar. You can tuck them inside layers of macaroni and cheese. And that’s not to mention any of the preparations that include bacon.
For most of my life, I was convinced I didn’t like Brussels sprouts. They smelled terrible when they steamed in the microwave, and looked like tiny heads of cabbage. There’s nothing appetizing about that. When it came to vegetables, I stuck mostly to green beans and carrots, two staples from my childhood.
Enter the sprouts.
One Sunday night a few years ago—I was already deep into my 20s—my then boyfriend surprised me with takeout. The meal: salmon and garlic-roasted Brussels sprouts.
Admittedly, I wasn’t thrilled by the vegetable selection. But in the interest of not offending this new guy (who had a lot of potential), I stabbed a Brussels sprout with my fork and popped it in my mouth.
It was, in a word, delicious.
I now cook Brussels sprouts a few times a month. As it turns out, they are loaded with vitamin C and vitamin K, and not bad in the folic acid or fiber departments. What’s more, you can avoid the terrible Brussels sprouts smell by not overcooking them. That’s sulfur, I think.
A short aside: I also married the guy.
If there’s a lesson here, it’s that there is sometimes great value in trying new things. (That said, there sometimes is no value whatsoever to trying new things. I’d tell you about the time I tried skateboarding down a five-foot ramp having never tried skateboarding at all, but I’m limited to 500 words. Like anything else, you’ve got to be judicious about your risks.)
As you leave College Hill and venture into the so-called real world, don’t be afraid to eat the Brussels sprouts. Move to a new city. Raise your hand for the big promotion. Join a kickball club.
Any of these things may lead you down an unexpected path. But don’t sweat it. Your time at Hamilton has prepared you for the challenges ahead. You might not yet know it, but you’ve picked up key analytical and critical thinking skills. And anyone who has lived in a Dark Side suite has had to be creative.
Your Hamilton family will never be far. It may even grow after you graduate. You’ll encounter alumni across the country, and discover (sometimes unexpectely) friends and colleages who love Hamilton as much as you do. You may even connect over dinner.
If you do, I suggest you order the Brussels sprouts.