An Edible Forum?

Would an Edible Plants forum be possible? I guess it would cover any plant or plant product that is edible. I know there's a fruit and nut bearing forum but it doesn't always cover the area discussed.

There are forums for various veggies and fruits, as well as herbs -- edible might be too broad a term, maybe?

I dunno. Like, where would nasturtiums go? Violets, etc.

In one of my gardening books, there was a whole garden idea for edible flowers.

This message was edited Jun 18, 2005 2:23 AM

I peruse as many forums as time allows and try to digest their content. So I wonder if that makes all the forums edible?

I imagined you were thinking along the lines of "unusual edibles" such as daylilies, lavender flowers, ect.?

Ahhh, maybe Moby hit the right topic and description for the Forum. "Unusual Edibles". Things we might never have realized we could consume safely. I like that! :)

This message was edited Jun 18, 2005 11:11 PM

Zanymuse, you're right ~ all forums are delectable in their own way. ;)

I don't know if Unusual Edibles would warrent an ongoing forum, (maybe temporary?) but wouldn't it be nice to have a big page for reference?

Have you ever taken the long spur of a columbine, pinched off the end and sucked on it? Just like honeysuckle. I wonder how many people grow honeysuckle that have never done that?

Lilac isn't bad, either.

Really! Guess I'll have to try that next year.

Me too! Any one ever tried candied violets?

No, and I've never had the fortitude to try making them!

I always try to get visitors to nibble a petal of Cheddar pinks. Not only do they smell like clove, they taste like it too.

Oh, they taste like cloves? I'll have to try them! Do all varieties of dianthus, or just the cheddar pinks?

Hmm...I don't know. Perhaps we should find out! :)

I really like the idea of an etible forum. I have plants and herbs that I don't know if are safe to eat ... and if they are, don't know what to do with. It's hard to get around to all the forums. That would be a very fun topic, I think. Different people grow different things, and we could learn from each other. Great idea!

Make instead of a fruits and nut forum, it could become just an edibles? Then it could cover a wider range.

Candied violets are so good! I used to buy violet, and rose candies from Brittish import stores (haven't been able to get to one in aeons). Nasturtiums are so spicy good, so sad I didn't get some in the ground this year. My honeysuckles are coming into bloom now, I have tons and tons and tons (anybody want some???), so tasty. I wish I could harvest enough nectar to pour it on cereal. Love the idea of "edibles", I like to eat lots of 'weird' stuff. Too much in this world that is tasty food, and isn't a 'normal' part of the US diet.

-=Lu

I read somewhere you can eat Honeysuckle leaves too and they have vitamin C, D or one of those letters! Oh, and my mother in law - a rather naive Southern unfortunately had never had the nectar from a honeysuckle until I showed her a few weeks ago! She and my three year old learned the trick at the same time! LOL!!

Nicole

I LOVE edibles by the way - learning new ones and trying them. Have a big patch of cultivated dandelions just for that purpose. I let them bloom this year and the blooms were purple!

I do like baby dandelion leaves in my salads, but not enough to encourage more of them....

Ha ha! I hear ya! These are not supposed to 'go' anywhere. We shall see! This is their second summer at the back end of my veggie garden.

I suppose if they don't go to seed, its not a HUGE deal. And you say the flowers were purple? Neat-o

Yes and I meant to take a pic but by the time I got back there with my camera..... You know, day late dollar short!! Maybe it will bloom again - surely it will. I didn't think the things ever STOPPED blooming! LOL!

Dandelion wine is wonderful too. Sure a kicker the next day tho ~

hmmmm, sounds interesting but I bet you have to have a lot of fancy stuff to make it?

Wine making is not difficult, but a long process. My Dad and I used to make a day of picking wild plums for wine, back in the days when I was too young to appreciate it thought it was pretty gross. :)

OK, that's enough to turn me from trying it! I will stick to making the long, hard, (LOL) trip to the store!

Better have a glass when you get home to soothe your nerves ~ ;)

Hee hee hee! I may do that tonight!!!! I am baby and husband free tonight and tomorrow! If only I didn't have to work! LOL!

There are super things to eat...and they can't be "pigeonholed"...like the flowers of any and all Costus... It could include really far out stuff...

Good idea for a forum.

I wonder what Dave or one of our other top dogs say about this?

This message was edited Jul 14, 2005 10:22 PM

I think fruits and nuts are sufficiently different to warrant their own forum - if anything I would probably say that vegetables encompasses a more closely-aligned group of food plants than what's under discussion here.

As far as an "official" answer, I think we're just watching to see if a clearly-defined, unique group of plants emerges from this discussion ;o)

I'll have to break out that gardening book and jott down those plants!

Terry, that "clearly-defined, unique group of plants" is the problem.

I think what interests us are the oddballs that fall outside the normal parameters. At the moment, I am at a loss for words on that one.

I would like to find out what types of woodland plants are edible so I would be interested knowing if there will be a forum for this.

You could start by trying the Native Plants & Wild Plants forum

Thank you ecrane I will check it out.

Interesting concept. All plants that are not outright poisonous are edible. Even some of the ones considered poisonous are eaten with carefull preparation. Crabgrass and Kudzu are quite edible, but don't get many takers. Maybe with a little publicity we can get this stuff grazed down. http://www.southernangel.com/food/kudzurcp.html

Link didnt work.I took a look over there didnt see anything on edible woodland plants Hmmmmm...

Not too tasty, but oaks are edible as are the acorns http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/, Sassafras I actually use ( both leaves and bark from the roots). Lots of recipes for Burdock, Cattail, Chickweed, Pokeweed (I like this one), purslane, lambsquarters, Sheep Sorrel, Shepherds Purse ( We call it Peppergrass), Skunk Cabbage and of wild onions wild leeks (Ramps) wild carrots etc. A survivalist can find something edible most times of the year. But I did not say it was tasty fare. Of course most places have wild nuts and berries which are tasty, but seasonal.

I am very New to the woods.I have seen some wildflower's in the wild.I was shown a beechnut Tree,This friday me and husband is headed off for the day -to look around in the woods with orange on of course,Take a lunch.To look and explore and a day away.I was given edible mushroom's a friend went to school for it,He gave me oyster and a cpl others in the freezer.I would love to find elderberry,I made eldebery jelly over summer.But saving those seeds would take me a live time to grow and mature.I have horseradish from my friend,egypt walking onions they produce big bulbs and you can eat them and tops.
I would love to find some of those plants this weekend,Nature is so wonderful.

You can starve to death eating those little triangular beechnuts, but they are tasty and nutitious. Fungi is more iffy than plants, you really have to know what you are picking.