HERB - Re:Sumac, was Herb-sic

[Katherine Blackthorne]

CAUTION WITH AMERICAN SUMAC!!

My first year in college, I hit the library, looked up "herbs", and
browsed through lots of what I found.  One of the things I found was an
article on Sumac which I read with interest.  (I live in CA, where we
have a plant with an extremely superficial resemblence to the poison
sumac I grew up with in NY.  Californians didn't understand why I always
drew away from this harmless bush...)  The article was very interesting.

Aparently, all kinds of American Sumac (there are several varieties, one
edible) were once used for boot-black.  They made a beautiful shiny
finish.  Many people were poisoned from handling this boot-black,
because "poison sumac" instead of the other kind was accidentally used. 
In addition, there were many cases of poisoning from ingesting the wrong
kind of sumac.  These invariably required immediate hospitalization, and
sometimes resulted in death.  

Where I grew up, we knew that both kinds existed, but literally no one I
knew was brave enough to risk getting them confused.

Please, be careful with American Sumac.

--Katherine Blackthorne
Golden Rivers, Cynagua, The West

DianaFiona at aol.com wrote:
>  Jeanne,
> 
>  This sounds delicious!  Where do you get Jordanian sumac?  What part is
>  used?  What does it taste like?  What is an acceptable substitute?
>  Please.
> 
>  Hertha
>   >>
>      I get it at one of my local Middle Eastern markets. You use the red
> berries/seeds/whatever-they-are. They are a good strong tart flavor, and I've
> read that the American version has been used to make a lemonade-type drink.
>                 Ldy Diana
.
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