A conversation about the Ivy known as Kudzu, upon which I'm bullish.

[flvegan]

[bridgit]

1. .......

[kentauros]

2. It has pretty flowers

amongst other purposes ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu

[KitchenWitch]

3. but is it Vegan?

:P

[justabob]

4. pretty sure it eats anything

and everything :)

[kentauros]

5. It is, indeed, as only the root is used.

Thickening with kudzu makes a clear mixture. Always mix the kudzu flour with cold water to a smooth runny consistency before heating. When heating or adding to a hot mixture, stir constantly to prevent the flour from going lumpy. Thickening with kudzu is usually done near the end of cooking. For a brown sauce, add a little tamari or miso. Kudzu can be used like gelatine for setting desserts and sweets recipes.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. I did not know Kudzu was edible

You are a chef, right?

[kentauros]

7. I was

and a very amateur herbalist, as in I only self-medicate :)

[Tuesday Afternoon]

8. The root is edible -- not the foliage. Interesting.

:shrug:

[kentauros]

10. Yeah, it's an old Chinese herbal remedy

but having only the root being edible is kind of normal in the plant kingdom. Did you know that potatoes and tomatoes are in the Nightshade family? Yet we can eat their fruits without it killing us. Native Americans would not eat the tomato because they knew the leaves were deadly and only assumed the fruits would be, too.

Here's where I got the info on kudzu, by the way:
http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/kudzu.html

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. yes, I know about carrots and turnips. Onions, too. Right?

I did not know Potatoes were in the Nightshade family.

Seems like we should make more use of kudzu. Stuff is crazy.

[kentauros]

13. I have always been surprised that someone doesn't turn it into biomass

dig up the roots for medicines and culinary uses and compost the rest for fuel and topsoil replacement :)

[Tuesday Afternoon]

14. The root system is the problem, right?

It grows crazy fast and has a runner type root system, right?

[conscious evolution]

26. Someone in south Georgia

has figured out a way to convert it to biofuel.

It really is going places.

[XemaSab]

20. Potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant

:shrug:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

22. ok. I am really confused

because aren't potatoes a root vegetable and aren't tomatoes a Fruit? Is Eggplant also part of the Nightshade family?:shrug:

not sure this is the right thread for this conversation. :D

:crazy:

[XemaSab]

23. Plant families are arranged by the floral structure

The part of the plant that is edible has nothing to do with it.

So carrots and fennel are in the same family, but different parts of the plant are edible. They are also in the same family as poison hemlock, which will kill you. :shrug:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

25. okay... d'uh

I think I knew that somewhere in the back of my head...I plead insanity of temporary Lounge madness.

The Flowers. Gotcha. Thanks.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

9. You have to remember to COMBINE it with other vines, and NOT MIX.

It's a pretty fine distinction, as has been pointed out to me. :shrug:

[Midlodemocrat]

11. This is a prime example of disrespect that I won't tolerate. Ignored.

You are suffocating my thoughts.

[flvegan]

15. I've been here a week.

I know all DU. All DU belongs to me.

[Midlodemocrat]

16. You are not my type.

[flvegan]

18. My DU treatment. I am not happy.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

17. You're a quick study. Ivy League admission committees like that.

[flvegan]

19. My DU treatment. I am not happy.

[Catshrink]

21. Where ivy truly belongs -- in the Friendly Confines

[no name no slogan]

24. Now THERE'S an Ivy you can set your watch to.

Plus, I heard it's going places.