Correction…A weed, not a week!!!

When I was a kid, growing up on Staten Island, my mom mortified us by knocking on the door of a stranger and asking if she could take some seeds from their red shisho (perilla) that they were growing as an ornamental in their front yard. Red Perilla is used in Japan as a flavor/color when they make pickled Ume plums, as well as being eaten as a pickle by itself. Koreans will use it instead of lettuce with wrap bulgogi (Korean bbq) It’s delicious. I started growing it this year myself but can’t get the red to take off. The green perilla is taking over my backyard!

Huazontle, sounds delicious. Decided to look up some videos of recipes.

http://youtu.be/-QuCtG6r1V8

The lady explains: Dip it in batter and fry it. Then drizzle it with tomatillo sauce, creme fraiche aka clabbered milk and fresh cheese. Then wrap it around a fresh corn tortilla (You can also spot some squash blosson flowers for taco fillings as well….real mexican food is amazing).

That sounds like some good eats and also, they seem to pronouncing it “huazon-cle”. The “cl” sound is more of a click. Actually, yes…it’s the same sound as the one in “cli-ck” except with an e instead of an i.

I was looking at the seed list, and couldn’t help thinking that millet looked familiar. In pet stores I believe a variety of millet is sold as parrot/bird treats. It looks like foxtail.

Sumac is also used in an Arab spice mix called za’atar. It’s what gives it its “tangy” flavor and is not the same without it. In the Middle East we also used sumac to flavor all kinds of foods. It’s very pretty and gives everything a great taste. Funny enough, when I came to the States and heard about “poison sumac,” I never put the two together.

Last year I was picking purslane that was coming up all over the garden and selling it for 3.00$ a pint- I sold 10 pints the first week, and people were coming every week asking for it- we never could find enough in our garden to meet the demand. Maybe this year I will volunteer to weed at the CSA down the road….

Here in Southern Utah our version of sumac is called Squaw Bush or Lemonade Bush. Dunno the botanical name but it’s probably related to the larger trees back East and works the same way. It’s also used for basket weaving and is a beautiful dark red in the fall. We’re lucky to have them growing all over the canyon.

Really enjoyed this one, Jack. Funny thing is I made sumac tea for the first time this past week. Good stuff and my little one liked it, too.

I love this episode. My aunt and uncle have some land they do nothing with and they have given me permission to experiment. Now my mind is racing with ideas. Thanks!!

Jack, great show – thanks. You continue to amaze with your breadth of knowledge.

I think the best definition of “weed” I ever heard was that it is “a plant growing where you don’t want it.” There is a right time and place for everything.

For instance, I love raspberries and here at our place they grow like…well, you guessed it. When you’ve got more than you can pick, and they are spreading into areas where you don’t want a thick hedge of canes, you can begin to think of them as weeds. Not that I’m complaining, I really enjoy them as much as any berry. I recognize the easy ways to turn this “problem” into a resource. I’ll just have to get around to that. 😉

I listened to this episode while walking to the greenhouse and lo and behold, a giant Lambs Quarters plant, so I ripped of a few leaves and ate them. No need to go into the house for a snack. They are now starting form seed heads.

Are there any good books that have this sort of detailed information on these and other plants? If not books, how about web sites? Thanks!