This is an opened ended discussion about plants you have come across whose leaf or otherwise make you think it is delicious. Pictures, or it did not happen please. Here we must exclude the cabinet spices as already known fare, as well as garlic, onion, tomato and frankly carrots This thread is about the riskier taste. Its about that core flavor sought by denisovans, neandertal and homo sapien. How do you find the taste of a leaf in the woods?
Here; I crush leaves to detect moisture content sometimes. I would cook this member of rhododendron. Its been dry and we water in this 4th week of the natural dry time for seeds. The smell of my test for moisture by crushing a leaf prompted this post.
Be very careful if you're going to risk trying plants that aren't usually used as food Rhododendron for instance, according to my poisons book, can cause vomiting, vertigo and delirium.
Thinking of somethings that are edible, I like Marsh Samphire It grows in the intertidal zone and looks like a small cactus. You cut the plant off near the base so it regrows, then boil it for 10 mins and dip in butter with a bit of sea salt. The flesh comes off the midribs and melts in your mouth Don't eat it from around the UK shores at the moment though as the seas are full of raw poo
Exactly my point! Much like your irresistible companion you have exposed the very risk so many will be facing as we enter this winter Should we eat it? I have eaten pokeberry pie, produced by an old woman near my heart. It is a poisonous plant. This is my directorate. Yes, as governments fail us what will we do? In my area, the Northerners that conquered us ate beans. Thus peas, such as black eyed peas, became symbols of luck for the insane war reasons. Now BEP are universal here. If nature is such a provider, perhaps it is the spices that matter too? That rhodo smells so good! Of and for example, potato, the flavors.of which are so ameniable? Except green skins of course. Here we discuss Leaves that provide aromatics that are not used too much or enough to provide numbness in the limbs or cardio vascular areas? How toxic must these plants be? I love the scent of tea olive. I have no idea if if tastes anything like it smells. I hope so, but I am an optomistic person.
Very good points, like you say, many plants have edible bits and poisonous bits at the same time. Like Rhubarb. Now we've got the disclaimers out of the way we can carry on
Acorns : Too full of tannin so usually get fed to pigs. But if you pound the nuts into a flour and then wash that in a stream for a few day the tannins get washed out and you roast the flour to get a staple food thats rich in fat.
Is rushing water and rinsing and soaking a key? I see the south americans making flour from roots that are otherwise poisonous. I believe that is their method.
Only in some cases, depends what the toxins are. Boiling can destroy some things, possibly oxalates in the case of some roots, or starch. Elderberries are poisonous raw, (drastic purgative) but are fine cooked or fermented.
But are they boring in a pot of food? Seriously, why not use a safer basil substitute? Or one of Thyme? Oregano wanna bees? I do not think I could grow enough basil to keep myself with a year round fresh supply. So I realized there are possibly so many other choices that grow naturally. If I can find them I will hang up the herb gardening idea save for very few choices. Chives for instance.
I wonder if I can get the flaovor out without the problems. Say like an infused oil? Anyway looks like Rhodo and azelea are military grade toxins if you allow honey bees to make mad honey from them. https://www.poison.org/articles/azaleas-and-rhododendrons
