SC - RE: SC- Sumac (Long)
RANDALL DIAMOND
ringofkings at mindspring.com
Thu Dec 23 23:18:32 PST 1999
Time for another at length plant pontification by
Akim (who, like sumac, also causes some people
rashes).
Derivation of the family name is Rhus (Greek)
mentioned by Dioscordies to grow in stony mountain
places, as far as Spain but also in the Apennies and
Pontus ranges in Italy. It was called Sumacho in
Italian. The Arabians called it Sumach. Spanish was
Sumagre; Dutch Smack or Sumach and English also
Sumach, Coriars Sumach and Leather Sumach.
It is mentioned in Apicius under "Rhus", a shrub
called SUMACH, seed of which is used instead of salt.
All sumachs (sumacs) are members of the
Anacardiaceae family, all of which have some
common links which are related poisons. However,
toxicity varies from very high to very low, the
lowest, in which common sumac falls, is an irritant
only to hyper-sensitive individuals. Included in this
family are cashews, mangoes and pistachios which,
in their marketed state are heavenly, but in their raw
state can cause severe allergic reactions. You see,
the toxin relationship varies with the treatment of the
food item. In the genus Rhus, the specific plants which
are very toxic are Rhus radicans (poison ivy), Rhus
toxicodendron (poison oak) and Rhus vernix (poison sumac).
The most virulent is poison sumac; any contact with any
part of the plant can cause severe dermatitis. The degree
of reaction to any of these toxins varies with the exposure
and the individual's sensitivity. Many persons claim they are
not allergic to these plants. Not true. These toxins are a
cumlative poison; eventually a threshhold is reached and a
severe dermatitis will result.
On Thu, 23 Dec 1999 12:15:22 -0600
"Decker, Terry D. (Bear) writes:
>Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac may be
>considered genus Rhus, but are often placed in genus
>Toxicodendron, due their containing urushiol. The most
>common of these plants is T. radicans (poison ivy). Poison
>sumac is usually used to denote T. vernix.
Of late, botonists have been reshuffling plant names to
confuse laymen and assure their jobs are secure as
ultimate authorities. (Just joking Bear!) So the poisonous
species may be listed under different Latin names when
you search for information on them in newer publications.
Two principal European species are mentioned in Gerard.
Wilde or Myrtle Sumach (Rhus myrtifolia) is native to the
mediterranean region and is sparse fruiting. This is likely the
Middle Eastern sumak as it was listed as growing in Syria
by Archigenes in Galen (the 8th book). The seed is a small,
hard red berry. Rhus myrtifolia was mainly used a kind of
mouth freshening chewing gum produced by brusing the
trunk of the tree. It was commonly used (and still is) around
the mediterannean. It was atributed that the gum also
stopped toothaches. Rhus coriaria or Coriar Sumach is
very much similar to the main 3 American species in
appearance and it also has the very large clusters of bright
red, acidic berries in themiddle of summer as the American
natives. The old Latin for this plant is Rhus culinaria or
Meat Sumach. Principal culinary use of the berries or
seeds was in making sharp flavoured sauces for meats
according to Gerard. It was also applied to meats as a
powdered spice or Latin Rhus obsoniorum or Sauce
Sumach. There were also (ineffectual) medical uses for
the leaves of both plants as well as a black hair dye made
from a decoction of the leaves.
There are no poisonous species of Rhus native to
Europe, Africa or asia minor. These peoples have been
spared the horrible itch of the 3 poisonous North American
species. The Asian representative of the genus is Rhus
verniciflua, Chinese rhus, which is used to make furniture
lacquers and shares a high toxicity with poison ivy, oak and
sumac. It has no culinary uses that I know of.
On Thu, 23 Dec 1999 09:13:07 -0800
From: "David Dendy" (Francesco) writes:
>Puck asked about sumac:
>Is there someplace I can get this on the web? Are
>there acceptable substitutes? What does Sumac do for
>this dish?
Francesco answers:
>We sell sumac from our web-site (see URL below). It is a
>souring agent, just as lemon juice, for example, is (although
>the flavour is very different).
The following is from the URL listing in the spice catalog:
0480 SUMAC BERRIES
"The tart red powder of these berries is an essential
'souring agent' in Middle Eastern cookery, used in place
of vinegar or lemon. Also makes a refreshing summer
drink. (N.B. - this is not the same as the North American
wild sumac, some varieties of which are poisonous.)"
As to the use if the ground seeds of the myrtle sumac with
other herbs in the Middle East (sumak), the arabic peoples
were historically the middlemen in the oriental spice trade
to period Europe. Many fruits and vegetables also reached
Europe through the arabic region (bananas, limes, oranges,
lemons, etc.). The spread of the sumac as a spice in
the Middle Eastern cultures probably was because they
are accustomed to sun drying so many plants and using them
in their cuisine uniquely (rather like their use of powered
dried limes for example).
Europeans also were much taken with the
spectacular red fruits and fall foliage of the American
(nonpoisonous) sumachs and planted them in gardens
extensively. These species are pretty much natualized in the
wild there now. . From my experience in using wild staghorn
sumach (the most common species in my area), the taste
and properties, "a tart red powder" seems identical to that
of the arabic cuisine. Here in the South, we have always
used the red berries to make a pink lemonade substitute,
particularly in rural areas. It is an important and preservable
source of vitamin C.
A shared characteristic of Rhus species is the production
of clusters of berry-like fruit, of which all species (even the
poisonous) are very important food for wildlife, particularly
birds, which do not seem affected by the toxins. It is
extremely easy to safely gather sumac berries for use. All
of the poisonous varieties have white berries. All of the safe
sumacs have very red or orange-red berries. Simple, huh?
When ripe, these berries are covered with acidic red hairs,
rather velvet-like in appearance. Collect the entire cluster
before the rains wash most of this red covering away. Rub
gently to bruise the berries surface, but do not strip them
from the cluster. Soak for 10-15 minutes in COLD water.
Remove the clusters and filter the pink water through
cheesecloth or a coffe filter. Sugar to taste. Chill and
serve like lemonade.
Here are the American species that can be used for
lemonade or dried as a spice like the Arabic version:
Staghorn Sumach (Rhus typhina) up to 30' in height,
grows from Minn. s Ontario, e Quebec, Nova Scotia, south
to ne Iowa, Ill,, cen. Tenn, n Ga, to Md.. Fruits in June to
September. This is the species most common in Europe
today.
Flameleaf Sumac (Rhus copallina), aka Winged or Dwarf
Sumac 4'-10' in height. Found in upland fields and openings
from e Kans., cen Wisc., s. Mich., se NY, s Maine, and south
to e TX and FL. Fruits in August to October.
Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) grows 10-20 feet in height.
Found in e Plains states to s Canada, all of the midwest \
states, n e to same area as R copallina and south to
appalachian range to central Miss, Ala. and Ga, w SC and
NC. Fruits June to October.
Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica) mounding 6'-12' high.
Found in TX and central Plains and SE plateau regions of
Ala, Tenn, Ga,, Ky into s Ohio. , also cent. SC, NC, Va, WV,i
nto s Penn., e into w and e NY.. Berries are dark wine red
and globular. Fruits July -September. Leaves resemble
poison ivy but berries are unmistakable.
Desert Sumac (Rhus microphylla), aka Littleleaf Sumac,
4'-8' in height grows in the Southwest US to n Mexico.
The fruit is orange red.
Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia) , 3'-9' evergreen with
thick, leathery leaves, often used as a hedge. Range is
coastal southern California.
Sugarbush (Rhus ovata) 8'-15' Santa Barbara County
to n Baja. Typical to chapparral environment. Orange
berries, grey green leaves folded into "taco shell".
Threeleaf Sumac (Rhus trilobata) aka Lemita, aka
Squawbush, aka Skunkbush (highly exaggerated) to 8'
high. Range is from Missouri and TX to CA and WA.
Orange-red fruit in July to September.
There are other less common Rhus species but are
very limited in range. Of all of these, the only new world
species known in 17th century gardens were the three
eastern US varieties. I have no source or record of Native
Americans utilizing these species nor do I have any data that
indicates the colonists initially using the berries to make
a beverage. They probably recognized the American native
sumacs and used them to flavour sauces and meats however.
Sources:
Gerard, John, The Herbal or General History of Plants, 1633
edition, reprinted unabridged by Dover, 1975. Third Book,
chapter 111, pp 1474-1475.
Hightshoe, Gary L., Native Trees, Shrubs and Vines for Urban and
Rural America, Van Nostrand Reinhold, NY 1988. pp 318-
323 & p. 662.
Ottesen, Carole, The Native Plant Primer, Harmony Books,
NY 1995. pp. 289-291.
Peterson, Lee Allen, Edible Wild Plants, a Peterson Field Guide,
Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1977. pp. 182, 186-87.
Akim Yaroslavich
"No glory comes without pain"
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