Re: Coffee Berry -Rhamnus californica

Barry Garcia wrote:
> 
> Yes, they are edible but they have a large seed inside, and taste bitter.
> They also have a very slimy mucilaginous texture to them. I can't eat more
> than two or three because of the sliminess of the insides, and when I do i
> suck on the fruits and not chew them. The fruit is more of a novelty for
> the cofeelike flavor than anything else. I guess if you were starving you
> can eat them to survive. I also wonder why the plants arent in clutivation
> more often.

Interestingly the seeds of the true coffee berry (Coffea arabica) also
have mucilage around them which is quite sweet. I recall African
children were very fond of them, but did not actually chew the seeds,
just suck the mucilage off them and spit the "bean" out.

Moira

-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, 
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index