Re: oxalis was RE: Prize Pest
I would like to add to William's comments that there ARE dangers to eating
oxalis. By mistake a few leaves were lifted with some rocket and put in a
salad. those leaves stripped the inside off of richard's mouth and tongue
and his throat swelled up almost to close. It was a nasty few days. so I
guess they may be alright cooked, but my recommendation is do not eat them
raw.
regards Janet B
Janet & Richard Blenkinship
Crete zone 9/10
'What is this life if, full of care
we have no time to stand and stare' William Henry Davies
----- Original Message -----
From: William Bade <bade@math.berkeley.edu>
To: Karl Hoover <karl@quack.kfu.com>
Cc: <gastouri@ker.forthnet.gr>; Mediterranean Plants
<medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2000 6:50 PM
Subject: Re: oxalis was RE: Prize Pest
> The Incas developed a method to extract oxalic acid from Oxalis tuberosa
> so that it could be safely used for food. They froze the tubers, then when
> they were mushy, they squeezed the juice out of them, then they dried
> them, and after that the repeated the process - freeze, squeeze, dry -
> until there was no longer liquid (or oxalic acid) left. The tubers had
> been effectively freeze dried for storage and made safe from the effects
> of the oxalic acid. (from Dr. Baker's Economic Botany)
> Elly Bade
>
> On Mon, 17 Jan 2000, Karl Hoover wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Doxiadis/Malefakis wrote:
> > Oxalis pes-caprae is undeniably indestructible but somehow seems too
> > humble and too benign an opponent, spreading soft tender and lemony at
> > our feet in great swaths of winter brightness. (Besides, Janet, it adds
> > a delectable "tang" to the greens of our winter pittas here in the North
> > of Greece).........
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >
> > That delectable tang is due to non other than oxalic acid, named
> > of course, for this genus. This material is a a powerful rust and
> > soap scum remover and extremely toxic. It binds with calcium
> > to form insoluable crystals which rupture kidney tissue. It
> > is the metabolic successor of ethylene glycol, the principle component
> > of automobile anitfreeze, which indeed is even tastier than oxalis.
> >
> > So, unless you have some need or desire for some more discrete form of
> > seppuku I'd suggest avoid consuming both Oxalis and antifreeze. <8)
> >
> > Karl
> > San Jose California, where
> >
> > Dahlia imperis' hundreds of blossoms are fading. Brugmansia and abutilon
are
> > blooming wildly. Camellia japonica is stirring from slumber. Vicia faba
are
> > poking about. Very atypically Lycopersicon esculentum is still setting
> > fruit! Most
> > everything else is drowsy or sleeping.....
> >
> >
>
>
