Known as the 'sacred prince of vegetables' or 'chief of vegetables' by 12th-century Andalusian agronomist Ibn-al-Awwam, spinach has deep roots in Arab culture. They held it in high regard, even likening it to the Prophet Muhammad, and introduced it to the West.
Originating in central and southwestern Asia, including northwest India and Nepal, spinach descends from two wild relatives that evolved into early cultivated forms.
Common names include spinach, Persian herb, stomach broom, espinard, espinal, espinace, or espinache, reflecting its many varieties.
History: 'Spinach Day' recalls a dramatic 16th-century clash between Catholics and Protestants in Aix-en-Provence. Local Catholics made a barefoot pilgrimage to Saint-Mars Chapel. Protestants ambushed them, whipping their legs and sowing thorny spinach seeds in their path. Enraged, the Catholics handed the Calvinist-held city to the Count of Carcès.
Popular expression: 'To put butter in the spinach' means securing extra income to enhance daily life.
Renowned agronomist Olivier de Serres recommended sowing spinach at the end of August for winter and spring harvests, or immediately after winter for best results—summer sowing, he noted, is more for curiosity than yield.
