[Sca-cooks] Ash Tree Keys

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Galefridus Peregrinus wrote:
> I have also made atraf al-tib using ash keys. I have been able to harvest them in 
> plentiful quantities in late May in my part of North America (northern NJ). I have not 
> observed that they stay on the tree through the year, though. I'll leave myself a note 
> to collect some seeds for you next May, if you like.

That would be sooooo wonderful! Someone from Europe - not on this list - wrote to me and said that the seeds have a somewhat bitter almond flavor. How did they, by themselves, taste to you?

BTW, i may have just missed meeting you at Pennsic. Someone named Galefridus came into a Pennsic U. tent i was in (maybe when i was teaching?) and then vanished before i could say, "Hi!" Could that have been you?

Johnna Holloway wrote:
> We've lost our ash trees here due to the invasive
> Emerald Ash Borer.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_ash_borer
> http://stopthebeetle.info/
>
> I know you can't move firewood. I am uncertain if ash keys would be on the prohibited 
> list of ash products.

I know, sadly. From reading those websites, it appears that the larvae are under the bark and burrowing into the wood. Nothing mentioned the keys. But i suggested drying the keys in an oven - in hopes that would stop any beasties from migrating with the keys.

Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)