BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Jul 17 - 07:11 AM

You're supposed to boil or steam the young shoots just before flowering, then eat them with butter. I found the taste to be strong and pretty unpleasant. Could be I did something wrong!

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 17 Jul 17 - 07:25 AM

Different plant but a local (Norfolk coast) wild growing delicacy is samphire. I don't know why but I've tasted it delicious and not so pleasant on different occasions. May be the time in the season with that one?

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Jul 17 - 07:10 PM

Well, Jon, you've just illustrated why we botanists prefer Latin names! Samphire can mean Salicornia, the saltmarsh plant known as marsh samphire that posh restaurants serve their fish on top of, or rock samphire (Crithmum) that Henry VIII sent his servants to Cornwall for and which used to be pickled, or golden samphire (Inula crithmoides) that grows on sea cliffs or salt flats, which you can eat raw or boiled when young. I find marsh samphire to be a bit pointless. Give me tenderstem any day! I've tried both the others and I find their taste to be far too manky. I suppose tastes change through the centuries!