Two South Yorkshire mums have published a recipe book in which every dish features Brussels sprouts.

Deborah Kershaw and Rachel Peck hope to boost the popularity of many people's least favourite vegetable. Dishes range from sprouts bubble and squeak and sprouts masala to a cake with sultanas and coconut - and even Brussels sprouts ice-cream. Mrs Kershaw, 46, from Doncaster, said: "Other people couldn't understand why I was getting all passionate about sprouts - but I think they've had a raw deal over the years with people just steaming them and boiling them to bits."

The two women became friends after their daughters spent months having cancer treatment on the same ward at Sheffield Children's Hospital last year.  Mrs Kershaw's 12-year-old daughter Megan won her battle for survival, but Miss Peck's little girl Lauren, who had been diagnosed with a kidney tumour, died aged three in June last year. The book is dedicated to Lauren, who loved her sprouts. All the profits will go to fund the parents' association at the hospital.

Miss Peck, 28, from Sheffield, said: "People either love sprouts or hate them, it's the one vegetable that seems to divide opinion very strongly.  But it'd be great if we could encourage more people to give them a try this Christmas for Lauren's sake, if nothing else. I'm sure she'll be up there looking-down at me and laughing at the idea."  Their recipe book, Once A Sprout, Always A Sprout... Or Maybe Not? is available online for £5 from www.forestschoolsblog.com.

That reminds me... only a couple of weeks to go before the sprouts need to be put on to boil in time for next Christmas dinner!


Extreme caution had to exercised when whole families followed the sprout cook book...

The original was here