I thought the group might like to see today's picture of the cone from
a Bunya (Araucaria bidwillii).

http://www.box.net/shared/static/rqout10cgc.jpg

The top of the lower picture shows the 4 cm long nut. The flesh is
packed with nourishment, but is tasteless. It does not even have a
hint of resin.

The cones are falling from trees in Sydney's parks this month.
Thousands upon thousands of Australians (and their dogs) die from
fractured cranial bones every year. The authorities conspire to cover
up the number.

Nice and impressive... and since I can t say no to some dark humor, it
's relieving to see that Australian flora is dangerous and aggresive
too.

Ï óõíôÜêôçò Richard Wright Ýãñáøå:
I thought the group might like to see today's picture of the cone from
a Bunya (Araucaria bidwillii).

http://www.box.net/shared/static/rqout10cgc.jpg

The top of the lower picture shows the 4 cm long nut. The flesh is
packed with nourishment, but is tasteless. It does not even have a
hint of resin.

The cones are falling from trees in Sydney's parks this month.
Thousands upon thousands of Australians (and their dogs) die from
fractured cranial bones every year. The authorities conspire to cover
up the number.

I thought the group might like to see today's picture of the cone
from a Bunya (Araucaria bidwillii).
http://www.box.net/shared/static/rqout10cgc.jpg
The top of the lower picture shows the 4 cm long nut. The flesh is
packed with nourishment, but is tasteless. It does not even have a
hint of resin.

If this is the same as the monkey-puzzle tree - they're used in
Chilean cooking, you might ask local Chileans what they do with
them. Araucaria-nut season is a big deal there.

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === http://www.campin.me.uk ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:54:52 +0000, Jack Campin - bogus address
wrote:

I thought the group might like to see today's picture of the cone
from a Bunya (Araucaria bidwillii).
http://www.box.net/shared/static/rqout10cgc.jpg
The top of the lower picture shows the 4 cm long nut. The flesh is
packed with nourishment, but is tasteless. It does not even have a
hint of resin.

If this is the same as the monkey-puzzle tree - they're used in
Chilean cooking, you might ask local Chileans what they do with
them. Araucaria-nut season is a big deal there.

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === http://www.campin.me.uk ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts

Not the same as the monkey-puzzle tree, but closely related.

The tree grows best in the high country in SE Queensland. The time of
harvest was important for Aborigines, since it offered an unfailing
and concentrated food source for a lot of people for short period. The
Bunya Nut forests were therefore a place for people to come to from
far afield, for gossip and arranging marriages.

There is an araucaria in Argentina that has a nut that looks identical
to Araucaria bidwillii. The species are Gondwanaland survivals.

A curious story attaches to one species (the Wollemi Pine - , which
was recently discovered in a gorge near Sydney. Known from fossils, it
was thought to have become extinct in the Tertiary. Less than 100
trees survived, in a single stand. We are not talking here about some
subspecies of another araucaria, that only nitpicking experts
recognise. It is instantly recognisable as a new species.

Fortunately 'what to do' fell into the hands of some practical
botanists. The authorities distributed cuttings and seeds around the
world, so that there is now no risk of it becoming extinct. We have
one growing in a pot that will serve as a Christmas tree for the first
time this year.

http://www.wollemipine.com/index.php

On Feb 16, 8:32*am, Richard Wright wrote:
On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:54:52 +0000, Jack Campin - bogus address

wrote:
I thought the group might like to see today's picture of the cone
from a Bunya (Araucaria bidwillii).
http://www.box.net/shared/static/rqout10cgc.jpg
The top of the lower picture shows the 4 cm long nut. The flesh is
packed with nourishment, but is tasteless. It does not even have a
hint of resin.

If this is the same as the monkey-puzzle tree - they're used in
Chilean cooking, you might ask local Chileans what they do with
them. *Araucaria-nut season is a big deal there.

==== j a c k *at *c a m p i n . m e . u k *=== *http://www.campin.me.uk ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: *Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts

Not the same as the monkey-puzzle tree, but closely related.

The tree grows best in the high country in SE Queensland. The time of
harvest was important for Aborigines, since it offered an unfailing
and concentrated food source for a lot of people for short period. The
Bunya Nut forests were therefore a place for people to come to from
far afield, for gossip and arranging marriages.

There is an araucaria in Argentina that has a nut that looks identical
to Araucaria bidwillii. The species are Gondwanaland survivals.

A curious story attaches to one species (the Wollemi Pine - , which
was recently discovered in a gorge near Sydney. Known from fossils, it
was thought to have become extinct in the Tertiary. Less than 100
trees survived, in a single stand. We are not talking here about some
subspecies of another araucaria, that only nitpicking experts
recognise. It is instantly recognisable as a new species.

Fortunately 'what to do' fell into the hands of some practical
botanists. The authorities distributed cuttings and seeds around the
world, so that there is now no risk of it becoming extinct. We have
one growing in a pot that will serve as a Christmas tree for the first
time this year.

http://www.wollemipine.com/index.php

Hello
Can anyone tell me how to grow bunya? I came across a green cone a
cople of weeks back and it is just starting to pull apart. Do I dry
the seeds out for a while or can I plant straight from the cone? What
conditions should I grow it under? How long will it take to
germinate? Also, do I need to dry the seeds out like walnuts before
eating them? Eat them raw or cooked, and if the later, how to cook
them? Thanks for your help.
Keith

On Thu, 6 Mar 2008 00:02:35 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

snipped


Hello
Can anyone tell me how to grow bunya? I came across a green cone a
cople of weeks back and it is just starting to pull apart. Do I dry
the seeds out for a while or can I plant straight from the cone? What
conditions should I grow it under? How long will it take to
germinate? Also, do I need to dry the seeds out like walnuts before
eating them? Eat them raw or cooked, and if the later, how to cook
them? Thanks for your help.
Keith

The nuts shoot quickly and easily. Put the plumpest nuts on their
side, pressed into the surface of soil you keep permanently damp. See
which nuts sprout. When they sprout bury them 5-10 cm down in soil -
root end downwards obviously.

I find them disappointing as food. Very nourishing constituents, but
virtually tasteless.

Cooking whole nuts (whether roasting or boiling) turns them into lumps
like ivory, in my experience..

The only satisfactory recipe I have tried (don't know where I got it
from) is to make biscuits. Smash the FRESH nuts with a hammer,
preferably when not dried out. Turn them to a gritty powder in a
robust food processor. Then add this bunya nut powder liberally to a
standard biscuit mix - say one third nut powder. Chances are your
tastebuds won't detect that you have added any bunya nut powder.

In fancy Aussie food stores, in unreal touristy locations, I have seen
bunya nut pesto. You can taste everything but the bunya.

In summary, bunya nuts are a bland, if nourishing, food.