[Terrapreta] [Gasification] PHOTOS ABOUT CATTAIL

[Richard Haard]

Benjamin

Very nice selection of cattail images. It is interesting to compare to  
here at my 44 degrees North Latitude in Washington State as you are at  
opposite season. My observation is the starch content of the roots and  
rhizomes is highest at end of growing season (fall).

In our area, winter freezing and frost kills back the leaves. Is this  
what happens with you too? If so you must be in early fall.

Simple quantitative test for starch is iodine (turns black).  It would  
be interesting to find the extent and amount of starch in different  
parts. I think a biochemistry textbook could tell you how to determine  
starch content. Probably comparing dry weight to yield after acid  
hydrolysis.

I am not sure how edible lower end of stems are in fall of year. We  
harvest these in spring as the new shoots are emerging just like  
asparagus. This is the dish we locally call Cossack Asparagus, my  
friend the late Maxine Flaherity has taught us this.

Rich

Cattails, a plant of many uses - Early spring, late March and April,   
In Your latitude this should be October/November

when the leaves begin to show, wade out into the bog (in clean water,  
of course) and pull the shoot from the attached root, this will reveal  
a white piece of stem. Maxine calls them Cossack asparagus and they  
are very good sliced like cucumber, raw in salads or cooked as a  
vegetable.

There is more - Cattail corn. By May,  In your latitude this should  
be  November/December

when the plants are flowering, a corn-cob like male inflorescence sits  
on top of the female bloom. Before the anthers break open, but not too  
early, clip these tips and steam for a few minutes before serving.  
With melted butter these are wonderful.
Cattail pollen flour - a little later collect the mature heads and let  
dry on a piece of paper. Sieve the pollen and save for cooking as an  
ingredient to pancakes and breads. Maxine recommends about 2  
tablespoons in a batch of pancakes or perhaps a pullapart loaf.



On May 17, 2008, at 10:54 AM, Benjamin Domingo Bof wrote:

> http://www.flickr.com/photos/26640803@N02/?saved=1
> In this site are photos describing typha parts for eat.
> Regards, Ben
>
>
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