SC - Spikenard, catnip, costmary and pennyroyal

[LrdRas at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/31/00 10:19:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
Seton1355 at aol.com writes:

<< 1> Can humans eat catnip?  >>

Yes, 

<>

Nope.

 <<And anyway, I don't have catnip or pennyroyal. >>

Both are easily obtained and inexpensive at any herb shop. 

Catnip is "a strong-scented mint (Nepeta cataria) that has whorls of small 
pale flowers in terminal spikes and contains a substance attractive to cats."

Pennyroyal is "a European perennial mint (Mentha pulegium) with small 
aromatic leaves."

 <<Never having tasted either, are there any suggestions on what to use to 
replace it?>>

Both have pretty distinctive flavors. Perhaps some combination of garden mint 
and sage? It would be difficult to substitute these flavors, IMO.
 
 >> What is spikenard and costmary? >>

Spikenard is "a Himalayan aromatic plant (Nardostachys jatamansi) of the 
valerian family from which spikenard is believed to have been derived."

Costmary is "an aromatic composite herb (Chrysanthemum balsamita) used as a 
potherb and in flavoring."

 <<And never having tasted either what can I use to replace these flavors?>>

You might try substituting valerian root for the spikenard and chrysanthemum 
leaves for the costmary.

My advice would be to try a different recipe that you have the ingredients 
for. :-)

 <<Many thanks in advance for the help and advice.
 YiS
 Phillipa >>


Ras
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