There has been a thread on the ForageAhead@yahoogroups.com list serv dealing with the properties of burdock (Arctium lappa) that morphed into a discussion of inulin in roots. I responded to the posting of Henrietta from Finland to give a bit more background on inulin, and it evolved into something more that I thought would be useful to keep and pass on to others. So here it is:
In a message dated 11/30/2007 2:34:03 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, hetta@spamcop.net writes:
You'll find inulin in the root of burdock (Arctium), dandelion (Taraxacum), elecampane (Inula), Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus), and a few other large-rooted Asteraceae plants. Dunno if it's found in the roots of plants in other families ...
________
Inulin is also in chicory (Ciccorium sp.), closely related to dandelion. Inulin is a fructooligosaccharide, which only means that it is a bunch of fructose molecules tied together by simple bonds. Freeze them or roast them long enough and the bonds break, leaving you with fructose. That is what makes food so treated sweet. Inulin itself is not appreciably sweet. The leaves of dandelion and chicory, at least, become sweeter in the fall after a couple of freezes. That which was bitter loses its bitterness-- not because they are gone, but because the sweetness masks it. You want those digestive bitters anyway, because they are the medicines that work on the liver, purify the blood, regulate the gastro-intenstinal system, function as diuretics, and so on. It was suggested, I think by Sam Thayer at one time, that the diuretic property may result from the bitters being mildly toxic and the evacuation of water being the body's way of getting rid of the toxins. No documentation on this, and I had never heard it said that way before, but it is an interesting hypothesis that might be worthy of some research. Whatever, it is an effective way to get rid of excess water.
If you want to try an experiment, harvest some dandelion roots--probably isn't too late yet in most of the US-because the ground hasn't frozen enough to freeze the roots and reduce the bitterness. Clean the roots, dry them, and from part of them make a decoction (put them in boiling water and boil for about 5 minutes). Then drink this without adding anything. It should be bitter. Now take the rest of the roots and put them in the oven at 250 degrees F on a cookie sheet. Roast them, turning regularly, until they are light brown with streaks of white still in them. Take some out and make another cuppa. Should be still bitter, but with a hint of sweetness. Now roast the rest until they are deep, dark brown all through, with no streaks of white, and the smell coming from the oven when you crack the door is a sweet chocolaty coffee smell. Takes between 2 and 4 hours, depending on how big the roots are. That is when all the inulin has been converted to fructose. Make a cup out of these and taste the difference. This is how all the old European healers did it in times past. Don't know as much about the Asians, but expect they did too. Some of our practitioners of TCM might be able to tell us-- I know I have researched it at one time, but my memory is getting weaker.
From what I have been told, but haven't experimented with myself, it is a little harder to convert the inulin in jerusalem artichokes to fructose than that, but it may be they just aren't cutting the segments small enough or roasting them long enough. Don't know. Be fun to hear from someone about that. Also about experiments with roasting chicory and burdock root. After roasting, chicory still has a bitter bite to it, with a bitter aftertaste, even when it is roasted really dark. The flavor is coarser, less refined than the flavor of properly roasted dandelion root, at least from my experience, but the two complement each other, and when blended together create a flavor which is better than you find with either of them separately.
Eagle Song, from Monroe Washington (who I suspect most of you don't know) used to make a wonderful coffee substitute out of roasted dandelion, yellow dock, chicory and burdock roots, along with roasted hard red wheat or barley. She called it Dandy Doc. This beverage brings together in one place almost all of the most common winter root vegetables into one beverage, with three of the roots containing inulin as their storage starch. She says "roast each item separately, and roast dark, to the color of the coffee you usually drink." The recipe is in my book "The Dandelion Celebration: A Guide to Unexpected Cuisine", available at www.dandyblend.com. if you are interested.
Peter Gail
Peter A. Gail, Ph.D.President/DirectorGoosefoot Acres Center for Resourceful Living3283 E. Fairfax Road, Cleveland OH 44118www.edibleweeds.com www.dandyblend.com 216-932-2145 Orders: 800-697-4858
Friday, November 30, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Eating Poke Berries and Teaching Others about Wild Food
I subscribe to several list serves on edible wild plants, among them ForageAhead@yahoogroups.com, in which people ask questions and make comments, some of which are informed and others not so accurate. Occasionally, I stick my oar in and issue advice under the title of "For Whatever it is Worth". Today, it was a question about poke berries and their edibility, and it raised other issues beyond the edibility of the berries. Here is what the post said:
On 11/26/07, Michael Harrisonwrote regarding Poke berries:> are you saying then that as long as we don't eat the seeds, the berries> themselves "are" ok to eat. I try to focus on "trail nibble" types of wild> foods and poke berries are very abundant. I have always steered away from> them b/c everyone said the berries were poisonous. Now I understand it is> just the seed that is poisonous so like Joe previously asked, can we just> press them through a sieve and use the pulp and juice without fear of> illness?
And here is my response:
I have Amish friends who use the berries, sans seeds, to make a pokeberry wine that is very effective against arthritis, and another friend who treats his arthritis by eating five poke berries a day. He worked up to it, starting with one pokeberry and gradually increased his intake till he got to the five, and has stayed there for several years.
I also regularly hear of folks from Appalachia making poke berry pies by straining the seeds out like you suggest. However, as a wild food educator, who is dealing with inexperienced people, I would never dare to suggest thatmy students make pies out of pokeweed. It is amazing the liberties neophytes take with knowledge given to them, and how badly they can screw up even the most crystal clear directions they are given.
It is like that game where you whisper something simple in the ear of a person at one end of the line, and have them repeat it to the next person, and they to the next, and so on down the line. What that "simple something" sounds like by the time it reaches the end of the line is almost never anything like what it started out as.
To make sure students in my workshops have learned the plants I have introduced them to, I have them make recipes out of the plants. They have to gather the ingredients, and then have their identity confirmed by me or one of my assistants before they are allowed to use them in their recipe. You wouldn't believe what people think are lambsquarters, or violets, or mallows. Or, surprisingly enough, dandelions. It also tests me on how well I have taught. Student mistakes often reflect on what I have NOT taught them that I should have, so it gives me a chance for a "redo" with everybody, especially when it comes to distinctions between plants with leaves that superficially look similar, such as mallow, ground ivy, violets and young garlic mustard. This is one issue which is relatively easy to correct, but there is a more serious issue that some of my professional wild food educator colleagues tend to ignore, and that is, what is it safe to teach newcomers to foraging.
It is one thing to experiment when foraging for yourself, but another thing again to teach others to forage. The old adage that you need to learn English grammar thoroughly, so you can write according to the rules, before you take liberties with the rules to create specific effects, applies equally to teaching foraging. Live experimentally if you want, but teach conservatively. Make sure your students leave your classes and workshops knowing the "rules." Then if they want to break them by using such things as poke berries because, from their own research, they have heard that others do it, it is up to them. They are on their own.
There is so much good food out there, in practically all places and at practically all seasons of the year, that others have experimented on and determined to always be safe, that no one will ever go hungry by using it. Plan ahead for winter, and store greens in the dry powdered form so that you can get your vitamins and minerals from them all year round.
Another contribution from the Whatever it is worth department.
Peter A. Gail
On 11/26/07, Michael Harrison
And here is my response:
I have Amish friends who use the berries, sans seeds, to make a pokeberry wine that is very effective against arthritis, and another friend who treats his arthritis by eating five poke berries a day. He worked up to it, starting with one pokeberry and gradually increased his intake till he got to the five, and has stayed there for several years.
I also regularly hear of folks from Appalachia making poke berry pies by straining the seeds out like you suggest. However, as a wild food educator, who is dealing with inexperienced people, I would never dare to suggest thatmy students make pies out of pokeweed. It is amazing the liberties neophytes take with knowledge given to them, and how badly they can screw up even the most crystal clear directions they are given.
It is like that game where you whisper something simple in the ear of a person at one end of the line, and have them repeat it to the next person, and they to the next, and so on down the line. What that "simple something" sounds like by the time it reaches the end of the line is almost never anything like what it started out as.
To make sure students in my workshops have learned the plants I have introduced them to, I have them make recipes out of the plants. They have to gather the ingredients, and then have their identity confirmed by me or one of my assistants before they are allowed to use them in their recipe. You wouldn't believe what people think are lambsquarters, or violets, or mallows. Or, surprisingly enough, dandelions. It also tests me on how well I have taught. Student mistakes often reflect on what I have NOT taught them that I should have, so it gives me a chance for a "redo" with everybody, especially when it comes to distinctions between plants with leaves that superficially look similar, such as mallow, ground ivy, violets and young garlic mustard. This is one issue which is relatively easy to correct, but there is a more serious issue that some of my professional wild food educator colleagues tend to ignore, and that is, what is it safe to teach newcomers to foraging.
It is one thing to experiment when foraging for yourself, but another thing again to teach others to forage. The old adage that you need to learn English grammar thoroughly, so you can write according to the rules, before you take liberties with the rules to create specific effects, applies equally to teaching foraging. Live experimentally if you want, but teach conservatively. Make sure your students leave your classes and workshops knowing the "rules." Then if they want to break them by using such things as poke berries because, from their own research, they have heard that others do it, it is up to them. They are on their own.
There is so much good food out there, in practically all places and at practically all seasons of the year, that others have experimented on and determined to always be safe, that no one will ever go hungry by using it. Plan ahead for winter, and store greens in the dry powdered form so that you can get your vitamins and minerals from them all year round.
Another contribution from the Whatever it is worth department.
Peter A. Gail
Sunday, November 25, 2007
The Birth of a Blog
I've read about blogging for a long time, and have actually read a few, but today, after reading a new blogger's account of their start-up, I decided to take the plunge.
I am having a good year, overall. My coffee substitute, Dandy Blend, is selling well and the bills are all getting paid, and I am beginning, slowly, to put my Reconnecting Americans to their Wild Food Heritage show on the road. In August, I did a full day workshop for 125 people at the Lucky Penny Farm in Garrettsville, Ohio, in which I, assisted by Bob Tubbesing (my colleague in these adventures for 30 plus years and my book cover and marketing materials artist) and Jonathan Glassroth (my protege), oriented the assembled multitude to the common wild foods growing beneath their feet, divided them into groups, provided them with recipes and ingredients, and had them make food from wild ingredients for everyone present. We also gave samples of Dandy Blend, and sold copies of my books.
The logistics weren't exactly right, but we learned a lot about what has to be done to properly serve that many people. From now on, every recipe, including ingredients, utensils, pots, and stove will be in its own box, set on a table, and no-one will have to search for anything. All books and Dandy Blend, and the Dandy Blend demo pump pots, will also be in their own boxes, with all perishable parts stored in the motorhome refrigerator and freezer. Tasting samples of each plant will be in their own separate plastic bags ready to distribute as I talked about the plants.
While folks were cooking, Jonathan and Bob took small groups on weed walks to see the plants in the wild and become acquainted with their characteristics.
My health has not been wonderful, so by the end of the afternoon, I was exhausted, and it took a long time to pack up and go. That can be improved also--both the health and the logistics of packing up.
We are scheduled for another workshop at Lucky Penny for August 8 next year, so I'll get a chance to try to do it better next time.
On September 27-28, I gave my first keynote speech to a medical conference-- The 4th Integrative Medical Conference at Toledo Hospital, sponsored by Pro Medica Health. It included the Reconnecting Americans to their Wild Food Heritage powerpoint presentation as a public lecture on Thursday night, and the keynote speech for the conference on Friday morning, on the role of wild food and medicine in Sustainable Living scenarios. It was very well received, and should open the door to a number of other medical conferences. Sales of both books and Dandy Blend were brisk, so the weekend was very profitable.
On November 9-11, our Dandy Blend was the official coffee substitute for the Weston A. Price Foundation conference in Chantilly VA. I contracted for a vendors booth, shared it with Susan Hess of Farm at Coventry who has a brewable version of dandelion coffee, and did very well. Her husband manned the booth while I participated in another conference about 5 miles away on Saturday, and then I took over on Sunday. The other conference related to another hat I wear, that of the Regional Welfare Specialist for Northern Ohio for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In late August, initiated by me and under the direction of local church leaders, we provided volunteer recovery services for people affected by the Blanchard River flood, and were invited to report on the experience at a North American East areawide meeting.
When I packed up to come home Sunday evening, we had sold all but four cases of Dandy Blend and four cases of books. More than 75% of the inventory we had brought went home with other folks. During that same weekend, Dom and Karin, and their team had manned a booth at the IX center in Cleveland for the Fabulous Food Show, a consumer event that drew over 30,000 people (compared with my 1100 people). It was a great experience for them, and made a lot of friends for us, even though it wasn't a financial success. They learned a lot, though.
We just recently received a 20 food container full of Dandy Blend from our factory in Poland, and sales have been so good that almost all the cost of this container was covered by current income, making a loan unnecessary. For the first time, much of the load was converted into 2 lb foil ziplock bags, and the sales of these took us by surprise! One store bought 60 bags before they even came off the line, and over 500 bags sold in the first week. So we were forced to place a reorder less than a month after receiving the first one so that we won't run out of stock of the 2 lb bags -- This is the first time this has ever happened. The best we have ever done up to now is 3 containers in a year. Things are really picking up, and we are VERY happy.
Well, it's Sunday night, and the Thanksgiving weekend is almost over. Tomorrow we get back to work. Bills to pay, marketing materials to write ----lots more that I don't remember right now. So it is time to close down this first episode of Doc Weed's Doin's and turn in.
I'll be back another day.
Peter Gail November 25, 2007
I am having a good year, overall. My coffee substitute, Dandy Blend, is selling well and the bills are all getting paid, and I am beginning, slowly, to put my Reconnecting Americans to their Wild Food Heritage show on the road. In August, I did a full day workshop for 125 people at the Lucky Penny Farm in Garrettsville, Ohio, in which I, assisted by Bob Tubbesing (my colleague in these adventures for 30 plus years and my book cover and marketing materials artist) and Jonathan Glassroth (my protege), oriented the assembled multitude to the common wild foods growing beneath their feet, divided them into groups, provided them with recipes and ingredients, and had them make food from wild ingredients for everyone present. We also gave samples of Dandy Blend, and sold copies of my books.
The logistics weren't exactly right, but we learned a lot about what has to be done to properly serve that many people. From now on, every recipe, including ingredients, utensils, pots, and stove will be in its own box, set on a table, and no-one will have to search for anything. All books and Dandy Blend, and the Dandy Blend demo pump pots, will also be in their own boxes, with all perishable parts stored in the motorhome refrigerator and freezer. Tasting samples of each plant will be in their own separate plastic bags ready to distribute as I talked about the plants.
While folks were cooking, Jonathan and Bob took small groups on weed walks to see the plants in the wild and become acquainted with their characteristics.
My health has not been wonderful, so by the end of the afternoon, I was exhausted, and it took a long time to pack up and go. That can be improved also--both the health and the logistics of packing up.
We are scheduled for another workshop at Lucky Penny for August 8 next year, so I'll get a chance to try to do it better next time.
On September 27-28, I gave my first keynote speech to a medical conference-- The 4th Integrative Medical Conference at Toledo Hospital, sponsored by Pro Medica Health. It included the Reconnecting Americans to their Wild Food Heritage powerpoint presentation as a public lecture on Thursday night, and the keynote speech for the conference on Friday morning, on the role of wild food and medicine in Sustainable Living scenarios. It was very well received, and should open the door to a number of other medical conferences. Sales of both books and Dandy Blend were brisk, so the weekend was very profitable.
On November 9-11, our Dandy Blend was the official coffee substitute for the Weston A. Price Foundation conference in Chantilly VA. I contracted for a vendors booth, shared it with Susan Hess of Farm at Coventry who has a brewable version of dandelion coffee, and did very well. Her husband manned the booth while I participated in another conference about 5 miles away on Saturday, and then I took over on Sunday. The other conference related to another hat I wear, that of the Regional Welfare Specialist for Northern Ohio for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In late August, initiated by me and under the direction of local church leaders, we provided volunteer recovery services for people affected by the Blanchard River flood, and were invited to report on the experience at a North American East areawide meeting.
When I packed up to come home Sunday evening, we had sold all but four cases of Dandy Blend and four cases of books. More than 75% of the inventory we had brought went home with other folks. During that same weekend, Dom and Karin, and their team had manned a booth at the IX center in Cleveland for the Fabulous Food Show, a consumer event that drew over 30,000 people (compared with my 1100 people). It was a great experience for them, and made a lot of friends for us, even though it wasn't a financial success. They learned a lot, though.
We just recently received a 20 food container full of Dandy Blend from our factory in Poland, and sales have been so good that almost all the cost of this container was covered by current income, making a loan unnecessary. For the first time, much of the load was converted into 2 lb foil ziplock bags, and the sales of these took us by surprise! One store bought 60 bags before they even came off the line, and over 500 bags sold in the first week. So we were forced to place a reorder less than a month after receiving the first one so that we won't run out of stock of the 2 lb bags -- This is the first time this has ever happened. The best we have ever done up to now is 3 containers in a year. Things are really picking up, and we are VERY happy.
Well, it's Sunday night, and the Thanksgiving weekend is almost over. Tomorrow we get back to work. Bills to pay, marketing materials to write ----lots more that I don't remember right now. So it is time to close down this first episode of Doc Weed's Doin's and turn in.
I'll be back another day.
Peter Gail November 25, 2007
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