Another plant we have grown this year is Epazote.
We bought it from Nickolas (who sells his plants at the Rare Fruit Society), there next meeting will be on Tuesday the 15th of January at Burnside Community Centre (next to Burnside library) at 7:30 .
They have a website so you can check the details there. This month will be question time. They are going to have groups with different interests and experts in each group. There are people who come from all over the State to these meetings and in particular many fruit growers, so supper is always little bowls of unusual fruits to try.
One of my favourite talks last year was on caper bush growing by Brian Noone. There are always a few good stories from Harry Harrison the president and lots of interesting plants to buy at the end of the meeting.
Back to Epazote it is a tall plant over 1 metre and the leaves are harvested as soon as the plant is large enough. It is used in Mexico and the fresh or dried leaves are used to flavour bean, fish vegetable dishes and mushroom dishes. Adding the leaves to beans dishes reduces flatulence. It also makes a pleasant tasting tea, often called Mexican tea. Mexicans boil the leaves add a little sugar drink it to relieve stomach aches.
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2 comments:
Despite growing up within 10 miles of the Mexican border and eating a lot of homemade Mexican food, I have never used epazote. My folks must not have been familiar with it and I don't recall their Hispanic friends talking about it either. I'll have to pop into one of the Mexican markets here and check it out.
Love seeing your balmy garden photos while I'm chilled in the US. :)
Maggie; My new issue of Organic Gardening just arrived, and sure enough, what do you think is featured in an article? Epazote! The collective world energy strikes again!
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