nettles-msg - 10/23/01 Use of stinging nettles in period. Preparing them. Recipes. NOTE: See also the files: herbs-msg, p-herbals-msg, salads-msg, angelica-msg, herb-uses-msg, soup-msg, A-Mazng-Herbs-art, hops-msg, sumac-msg. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 10:14:22 -0400 From: "Louise Smithson" To: Subject: [Sca-cooks] Nettles (was viking cook book) I have to contradict you. I am originally from the UK although now living in the US. I have eaten nettles. Nettles are edible but only when they are young. I have harvested them in spring when the plants are less than 4" high. Once you cut them down to the ground they resprout and you can cut them over and over again. They are not eaten as a stem vegetable, more as a leaf vegetable. The most widely available substitute is actually spinach. Once you cook the nettles they loose their stinging property and cook way down (start off with a big bag of greens, end up with enough to feed 4 people). Helewyse Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 11:26:51 -0400 From: johnna holloway To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org Subject: Re: [SCA-Cooks] Viking cookbook//nettles Stinging nettles [Urtica dioica] are naturalized in the US. See: http://www.naturepark.com/snettle.htm and http://www.desertusa.com/mag01/sep/papr/stngnet.html and http://www.sbherbals.com/121999HotM.html I would be cautious about wild gathering in the US, due to spraying. They are considered to be a weed. Johnna Holloway Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 11:34:21 -0400 To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org From: "Linda M. Kalb" Subject: [Sca-cooks] Nettles (was viking cook book), rutabegas, mangetout > They are not eaten as a stem vegetable, more as >a leaf vegetable. The most widely available substitute is actually spinach. The picture of nettle soup in the Viking Cookbook does indeed look like it's made with a leaf vegetable, somewhat smaller than spinach. Inga/Linda Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 23:00:18 -0700 To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org From: Anne-Marie Rousseau Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Nettles (was viking cook book), rutabegas, mangetout on nettles.... we eat them all the time up here, they grow wild. harvest them with gloves and throw them in a cookpot. The heat quickly inactivates the toxins that make them sting. Nettle soup is a favorite of mine and they're very yummy in medieval dishes that call for miscellaneous greens, like herbolade, or tarts. --Anne-Marie From: "Decker, Terry D." To: "'sca-cooks at ansteorra.org'" Subject: RE: [SCA-Cooks] Viking cookbook Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 08:19:19 -0500 > If you can't get nettles you might try cardoons. They are a > member of the same family. > > Finnebhir I believe you are incorrect. Nettles are members of the family Urticaceae genus Urtica. Cardoons are are members of the family Compositea or Asteraceae genus Cynara. The cardoons are related to thistles. Bear Edited by Mark S. Harris nettles-msg 3 of 3