[Sca-cooks] Herbs

[Ian Kusz]

cilantro is a plant with a different smell than taste, so depends on how
your taste works.

On Sun, Jan 13, 2013 at 6:03 PM, <lilinah at earthlink.net> wrote:

> I wrote:
> > > RUE
> > >
> > > I think the level of fear of rue in the SCA is excessive.
> > >
> > > Back in the 1970s I had an acquaintance who used tincture of rue as an
> > > abortifacient - she was drinking quite a bit - and that would have
> been at a
> > > much higher concentration than fresh leaves used in a feast - and it
> didn't
> > > work.
> > >
> > > I'm not saying send rue out helter skelter, willy nilly. There may be
> some woman
> > > who is very sensitive to it. But i think serving it with a warning
> ought to be
> > > sufficient.
> SNIP
> > > I'd be more concerned, as a cook, about the possibility of contact
> dermatitis
> > > from handling the fresh leaves - a lot of people are sensitive -
> although once
> > > cooked it does not cause that reaction
> SNIP
>
> Galefridus replied:
> > I think that what makes rue problematic is that some folks react to it
> in manner
> > similar to poison ivy. The abortifacient properties may be based more on
> humoural
> > theory than reality.
>
> That's contact dermatitis. If the rue is cooked briefly it's not a problem.
>
> > > SPIKENARD VS. VALERIAN
> > >
> > > As for spikenard, which is botanically nardostachys jatamansi, and
> which i have
> > > read is endangered, i understand one substitute is valeriana
> jatamansi. This is
> > > a different plant from the sometimes soporific valerian, which is
> valeriana
> > > officinalis, and so will not have the smell of dirty sweat socks i
> sometimes
> > > perceive with the officinalis variety.
> SNIP
>
> > I have obtained Nardostachys jatamansi from a couple of sources. There
> has been a
> > merchant at Pennsic selling the stuff whole dried for the past two
> years, and
> > there's an herbal supplier that sells 1 lb. packets of the powder for
> about $25
>
> Well, there was a merchant at Pennsic for a couple years (including last
> year) selling Ashanti pepper, aka False Cubeb, as Cubeb. The two look
> similar but do NOT taste the same. This merchant did not know the
> difference. I mentioned it, and sent them plenty of supporting evidence.
> They did eventually change the label.
>
> So any herb/spice merchant may *think* they're selling one thing, when
> they're actually selling another, because it's what THEIR vendor told them
> it was.
>
> I hope i hear back from Lhasa Karnak tomorrow about what they're selling
> as Spikenard.
>
> > > TASTING "SOAPY"
>
> > The only herb that I have found with a slightly soapy taste is cilantro.
>
> And that's often genetic.
>
> I guess i'm lucky because either it doesn't seem soapy to me, or i like
> the taste of soap (i've made soap from scratch - although i did purchase
> the lye and not make it myself - that's hard to do in an urban apartment)
>
> Urtatim
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-- 
Ian of Oertha