[Sca-cooks] Borage

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

I've been looking through a few Spanish salad recipes, and a number of them
call for borage leaves and sometimes the flowers as well.  From what I read
online, borage is used sometimes in Europe.  It is supposed to have a
cucumber-like flavor. The only reference I found to it in the U.S. was some
specialty produce-grower in California who grows it for some gourmet
restaurant.

Can anyone who's eaten it comment on the flavor and texture of borage?  Can
anyone suggest a reasonable substitute?  The Food Thesaurus suggests
spinach or arugula.

Also, I was pleased to see that a new supermarket in my area carries little
packages of edible flowers, right next to the packages of fresh herbs.
It's a mixture of unidentified species, and is too expensive, but I think
it's cool to have that option.

Brighid ni Chiarain