[Sca-cooks] Stevia was Re: Agave syrup

[Patricia Dunham]

If you figure out how to get it from the leaf to a more usable form, 
do let us know, pls!  We got a plant last year and the leaves are 
great, but the sweet doesn't transfer directly into hot (tea) water, 
if crushed green, or dried and powdered.

We were absolutely amazed that it perennialed on us this spring.  It 
had died to the ground, and we had an unusually hard winter (two BIG 
snows for Eugene OR), but it's back, happy as a pig!  Twice or three 
times the size as last year's.

We are very happily using the herbal extract form (from the local 
hippie grocery) for our tea, since my DH went Type II on us last 
summer.  It was a dire couple of months with no tea, until I found 
the liquid extract!  (that was why we went hunting for the plant, too)

chimene


>Speaking of Stevia:  at a farmers market a couple of weekends ago, I 
>found a stevia plant and took it home. Price was about the same as 
>the other herbs he offered.  Nibbled on a leaf and WooHoo!  Sweet! 
>So far, I have managed not to kill it.  Care seems pretty easy, 
>about the same as the basil plant next to it. Plenty of sun, plenty 
>of water.
>
>I'd watch the carbohydrate count in agave.  It's got enough carbs to 
>ferment, after all, and thereby hangs one of the great exports from 
>Mexico.  :-)
>
>Cheers,
>Selene