In article
,
William Rose wrote:
In article ,
FragileWarrior wrote:
Bill Rose wrote in
:
[..]
I'm planning on experimenting with polk weed this year. I'm sure I'll
have some questions. The young leaves are supposed to be good in
salads but I have yet to quantify what young means. I want to be
cautious with these plants because they have a very bad reputation.
From everything I've seen on it, the young leaves (and I don't know what
that means either -- maybe pre-bloom?) need to be boiled in several
different pots of water to take away the toxins. Makes me nervous.
Perhaps it is one of those things you have to have someone who is
familiar with it do it with you the first few times, like mushroom
hunting.
What are your plans for the mugwort?
Not much. I'm just planting them, not using them. I want to see what
they look like and if I don't like them, they're gone.
I'm wondering how it would mix
with gentiana lutea to make a digestive. Maybe too much the same.
It'll be so bitter I don't know how you'll get it down! Gentiana lutea
is supposed to be one of the most bitter herbs of all, isn't it?
In France, they use it to make aperitif called Suze. Suze is more than
gentian but that is its' base. Above the Gorge du Tarn, there is a
mountain called Lozčre. When we were there, the mountain was perfumed by
the gentian. (The smell is, to my nose, a cross between lilac and sage.)
We loved it. So homemade aperitifs or just its' perfume, I don't care. I
want it.
The culinary side of the pokeweed is ancillary to my interest in it's
effects on the lymphatic system. My wife survived a cancer in her leg
three years ago and the follow up radiation therapy fried the lymph node
near her groin. Now the top of her leg feels a hard as wood. I'm hoping
the pokeweed, or cleavers, or something will have some effect on it. I
check with our doctors to get feed-back from them and, if there is no
downside, then I'll try it to get an idea of the taste. I've just
started with the cleaver juice.
I'll also be playing around with better melon, astergalus, echinacea,
omega flax, purslane, english hawthorn, and prunella to name a few.
Along with work, that should pretty much take care of my summer.
It's been a pretty dry winter. I hope we have enough water to swim in
the river this year.
Have fun,
- Bill
Cloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)
Consider a post over in Sci.med.cardiology. There are a few folks from
Finland that may be of interest. Also a lot of religious advocates
nuff said.
) Liam lives in France.
Bill who loves Bitter Mellon, Purslane and Black thorn syrup when I can
find it. Pokeweed is just that here but like fiddle heads offer an
opportunity to learn more.
--
S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
http://www.ocutech.com/ High tech Vison aid
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