[Sca-cooks] Nettles (was viking cook book)

[Louise Smithson]

I have to contradict you.  I am originally from the UK although now living in the US.  I have eaten nettles.  Nettles are edible but only when they are young.  I have harvested them in spring when the plants are less than 4" high.  Once you cut them down to the ground they resprout and you can cut them over and over again.  They are not eaten as a stem vegetable, more as a leaf vegetable.  The most widely available substitute is actually spinach.  Once you cook the nettles they loose their stinging property and cook way down (start off with a big bag of greens, end up with enough to feed 4 people).
Helewyse

Message: 7
From: Druighad at aol.com
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 07:29:24 EDT
Subject: Re: [SCA-Cooks]   Viking cookbook
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
Reply-To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

In a message dated 9/24/01 3:52:04 PM Central Daylight Time,
morgancain at earthlink.net writes:

<< >>> 4. Where/how does one get nettles?  What do they taste like?

 Other than a wild plot of land?  They are a stem vegetable, like rhubarb.  >>

If you can't get nettles you might try cardoons. They are a member of the
same family. A good grocery store should have them, but they are still a
pretty exotic food unless you live in Egypt.

Finnebhir

--__--__--