Text 14961, 85 rader
Skriven 2011-08-20 03:04:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av JIM WELLER
Ärende: odd/bad/sad 775
=======================
 ML> Sad fact: spruce tips are being used by some avant-garde
 ML> cooks as a flavoring agent.
 JW> Various people are my wild foraging mail list are enthusiastically
 JW> extolling the virtues of spruce and pine needle tea firstly for
 JW> their vitamin C content (true) and secondly for the wonderful
 JW> flavour of said tea (false). The frigging stuff is emergency
 JW> anti-scurvy medicine if you run out of fruit, and cabbage and
 JW> finally rose hips in the bush.

It is probably a virtue to be prepared to eat anything that comes
before you. I was amused (yester)day - while I waited to help take
the cats to the vet I glanced over to the TV and encountered
Gordon Ramsay eating gannets, reminding me of our turr adventures.
The turrs, as prepared, were far more acceptable than spruce tips
are likely to be.

 JW> (A lot of them of either eccentric vegetarians or loony
 JW> survivalists, but enough of them are knowledgeable botanists,
 JW> herbalists or cooks that I stick around and skim the posts.)

As you no doubt have become aware, though, plenty of knowledgeable
botanists and herbalists fall as well into the eccentric or loony
vegetarian category!

 JW> Title: Red Cedar Coffee
 JW> Red cedar...the berries can be roasted for a coffee replacement;
 JW> dried and ground for addition to a porridge.

Mnmnmn ... okay ... say no more ... no, thank you.

==


 ML> How many renovations and renewals can a structure take
 JW> As long as the foundation and wall studs remain sound, several. A
 JW> basic wood frame house should last 60+ years, a well built one
 JW> longer and a stone or brick one 150 or more. Mobile homes in the
 JW> 70's had a 30 year life expectancy but many are still going and if
 JW> anything are better quality today than when built.

Because of the renos, I take it.

 ML> how often do they have to be done?
 JW> On average, in our climate, wooden decks, shingles and furnaces
 JW> every 20-25 years, siding and windows every 25-30 years.

Not bad - seems similar to New England.

 JW> This year I want to do the roof and furnace which are
 JW> nearing the end of their life and if there are enough funds, replace
 JW> the cabinets. Soon, I would like to add two inches of insulation,
 JW> re-side the exterior and replace the rest of the windows.

You have a few bucks earmarked for the money pit, I see.

Japanese Knotweed and Spruce Tip Crumble
Categories: British, forage, dessert
servings: 6

For the Crumble Topping
100 g flour
100 g butter
100 g sugar
50 g fresh, young, spruce tips, chopped
For the Base
400 g Japanese knotweed shoots
- washed, peeled and cut into 2 cm lengths
juice of 1 lemon
150 g brown sugar (or to taste)

Begin with the topping. Combine the plain flour, sugar, and
spruce tips in a bowl. Add the diced butter and rub into the
flour mix with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles
coarse crumbs. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate 30 min.
Take four small baking dishes and divide the knotweed between
them. Scatter the lemon juice and brown sugar. Scatter over
the topping then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 200C/400F
and bake for 30 min, or until the rhubarb [i.e. knotweed]
base is cooked through and the topping is golden brown.

Source: celtnet.org.uk

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