-=> JIM WELLER wrote to DAVE DRUM <=-

 JW> Chris... used to complain that real spinach was inferior to
 JW> a common green back home, an amaranth called Lagos spinach which
 JW> was unavailable here. He also thought that potatoes were a poor
 JW> substitute for taro and cassava

 DD> Almost everyone is nostalgic for the things they grew up with. That's
 DD> why it's called "comfort food" .... and varies from person to person.

 JW> Which is why I love potatoes and am not overly fond of taro. Cassava
 JW> is rather potato-like in taste and therefore tolerable.

 JW> Spinach and amaranth are actually related. They are in the same
 JW> family of plants as chard, lamb's quarters and pigweed. And lamb's
 JW> quarters and pigweed along with chickweed and purslane should be
 JW> viewed as free vegetables and not weeds; they are delicious.

My local foragers agree. Their problem is finding kamb's quarter and
pigweed that Mr. Farmer hasn't used Round-Up (or worse) on. 

Note to self: Look up what's worse than Round-Up
 
 DD> I grew up with rhubarb ... pies.

 JW> Same. And also stewed as a breakfast side dish or a dessert.

Also as a topping for I scream Sundaes.  Bv)=

 DD> "wild" gooseberries picked in the woods, tiny and tart. Not the
 DD> cultivated and commerciallised bland, grape-sized items, mostly
 DD> tasteless examples, one finds in the market or in cans.

 JW> We had both cultivated smooth gooseberries in our yard but also lots of
 JW> wild prickly ones in the bush behind the lawn and garden area.

 JW> They were all eradicated along with currants when I was kid to save
 JW> the local lumber industry because they harbour White Pine Blister,
 JW> once the connection was known. I haven't tasted gooseberries for at
 JW> least 55 years. And my consumption of currants is limited to
 JW> imported British jams and creme de cassis cocktails.

All I ever had until I was an adult were the wild, prickly bush kind.
In my area pine blister is/was not a problem - so they didn't fuss much
about the gooseberries. Dutch Elm disease was, however, a "hot" button.
And responsible for the planting of an superabundance of sweet gum trees
with their attendant weaponizable seed pods.

I have a sweet gum ball recipe in stock - but not for the balls that
grow around here.  Bv)=

MMMMM----Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Gond Ke Ladoo (Edible Gum Sweet Balls)
 Categories: Grains, Nuts, Herbs, Snacks, India
      Yield: 7 (to 8) balls

    1/4 c  Desi ghee (clarified butter)
      2 ts Khas khas (poppy seeds)
    1/3 c  Gond (edible gum)
      2 ts Desi ghee; for melting the
           - gur
    1/2 c  Gur (jaggery)
     10    (to 12) badam (almonds);
           - chopped in small pieces
     10    (to 12) pista (pistachios);
           - chopped in small pieces)
      2 ts Dry coconut; grated
    1/2 ts Elaichi (cardamom) powder

  Put the khas khas in a kadhai (wok) and dry-roast it on
  low heat until it slightly changes in colour. Remove and
  set aside. This should take about 1-2 minutes.

  Keep the heat on low-medium. Place the desi ghee in the
  kadhai and let it heat up a bit. Add the gond and stir
  constantly to fry until it puffs up and changes slightly
  in colour. The gond should be easily crushable at this
  point. Remove and let it cool a bit; then crush it
  coarsely with a hand masher or rolling pin. Set aside.

  In the kadhai, add 2 tsp desi ghee and the crushed
  jaggery. Keep the heat on low and stir constantly until
  the gur melts completely.

  Add the chopped almonds and pistachios, grated coconut
  and roasted khas khas. Mix well.

  Remove from heat and quickly add the crushed gond. Mix
  until it combines well.

  When the mixture is warm enough to easily handle, mould
  the laddoos (small round balls).

  When the laddoos have cooled completely, store them in
  an airtight container.

  Yields: 7 - 8 ladoos

  By Rajan Singh Jolly

  One variation of this recipe is to replace the dried
  fruits with whole wheat flour, millet flour, ground
  flaxseeds or a combination of makhane (foxnuts) and til
  (sesame seeds).

  RECIPE FROM: https://delishably.com

  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

MMMMM

... A critic is a man who knows the way, but can't drive the car.

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