Note: BG in the title is my personal tracking code...
The Osaka Purple is a beautiful plant in and of itself. I'd plant it just for the brilliant purple color and the curly texture of the leaves. Second, when eaten raw, this plant gets hot (capsacin) as you chew it. The more you masticate the juices, the hotter it gets in your mouth.
But -- and here's the fascinating part -- while you get all the taste of hot in your mouth, your mouth does not burn! And even though your brain is saying, "my mouth is on fire," once you stop getting the juices, you realize your mouth is not burning!
It sorta reminds you of horse radish, and I imagine chewing a large piece would probably hit you just like a mouthful of horse radish (and, no, I haven't been that brave!)
Tiny pieces of the leaves would be great broken up in a fresh green salad.
But, the whole hot/taste thing doesn't happen once it's cooked. Last fall season I loved taking folks on walking tours of my veggie garden and having them chew on a tiny piece! They loved it!
I have harvested the seed pod and would be happy to share with any beginners who'd like to try growing them from seed (I don't think you can hardly mess up!) Just send me a SASE (Self-addressed, STAMPED return envelope). I'll dispatch the seeds until I run out and then I'll post that this offer is closed.
Linda
Send me a dmail if you'd like to send me a SASE for seeds, and I'll send you my addy. If you are a beginning gardener just starting out or who's never tried anything from seed before, please add the designation "BG" at the top of your d-mail.
(pic taken from the Seeds of Change website)http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_center/product_details.aspx?item_no=PS15476
This message was edited Apr 20, 2009 12:31 PM
