Salsify, The Giant Dandelion Lookalike

I love discovering new vegetables.

For the botanically-minded, summer camping trips in the forest are auspicious opportunities for discovery – if you are paying attention. My family and I were walking down a one-lane road in Sequoia National Park in July when I encountered this beautiful-looking flower. I had no idea what it was but it resembled a giant dandelion.

A Classical Culinary Favorite

As it turns out, this is the flower of a root vegetable called salsify. It is very common to find it growing wild all over North America and Europe. Hard to believe, but it was once a wildly popular vegetable. Salsify is a very hardy plant, requiring little water and thriving in poor soil. Its outer husk resembles the color and texture of cassava root, while the inside looks like a yellow carrot or a parsnip.

Salsify can be used as a replacement for starchy vegetables like potatoes – and it’s much more nutritious. With significant amounts of iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium and manganese, as well as vitamin C and lots of fiber, it is truly a superfood.

I have yet to find salsify in a supermarket or at a Farmer's Market vendor, and I am on a mission to seek out and taste it. For now, I will settle for the memory of that beautiful dandelion-like wisp of a flower.

Rosemary, A Fragrant Wonderland

Did you know?

Part of the mint family (along with oregano, thyme, basil, and lavender, rosemary is native to the Mediterranean but grows all over the world. On my August trip to Israel, we found it growing wild by the sides of many roads. My most robust reference point, though, is the enormous and overgrown rosemary bush in my parents garden. It is a fragrant wonderland, appreciated on a botanical, culinary and medicinal level.

Rosemary is simple to add to your diet: it goes well in homemade bread, crackers, pasta sauce, fish and meat. It tastes delicious roasted with root vegetables such as kohlrabi, sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips.

Sample ingredients list from Simple Mills almond flour crackers.

It can also be used as a preservative and an antioxidant, in the form of rosemary extract, due to the presence of polyphenol substances. You will often see this nowadays at the bottom of the ingredients list on artisan health food brands (see photo at right, from Simple Mills almond flour crackers).

Medicinally, rosemary has been used since ancient times to relieve muscle pain, improve memory and boost the immune and circulatory system, among other healing benefits. It is the memory-strengthening effect that I find intriguing:

“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember.”

— William Shakespeare

This quote was famously uttered in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” by a psychologically unbalanced Ophelia upon her father’s death, as she hands out herbs known to ease emotional pain. In the literature of pre-Industrial Revolution England, rosemary was often tied to references to memory, particularly past loves lost.

And there are recent scientific studies suggesting that infusions of rosemary essential oil herb “stimulates memory and may preserve some cognitive function” (quoted from Wisegeek). It is also a very pungent herb that clings to clothing and hence indirectly triggers memories tied to whatever experience occurred while around rosemary.

I’m not implying that rosemary will cure short-term memory issues. More scientific studies are needed to support the anecdotal outcomes. But I continue to be fascinated by the potential medicinal benefits of herbs like rosemary, not to mention its culinary and botanical significance.

Basil as an Herbal Bug Repellant

“Where basil grows, no evil goes.”

— Anonymous

There’s an old adage that “Where basil grows, no evil goes.” While just a piece of folklore, there is some truth to this: Basil was once considered to repel witches and evil spirits and to bring good luck.

But it has a more practical usage nowadays: as an insect repellant.

I was on a camping trip in July and got bitten up with about 20 mosquito bites. After the trip, I discovered that the volatile oils from basil 🌿 are very effective at repelling mosquitos. Basil contains four natural volatile compounds that mess with a mosquito’s ability to detect its target. Specifically, lime basil and holy basil are the varieties that most strongly repel mosquitoes. The most basic ways to use fresh basil to ward away pests are to rub it on your skin and clothing, crush it or burn the leaves.

So next time you go camping – maybe even on Labor Day Weekend as the summer winds down – take a basil plant with you, crush the leaves and rub onto your skin before going to sleep in your tent.

Basil the Miracle Herb

Earlier in August, I traveled to Israel for a friend’s wedding. After the wedding, I got to spend a lot of time exploring the culinary and agricultural landscape in Jerusalem and in the North. I was astounded by the amount of fresh herbs and spices all over the country. I even spent two hours in Machaneh Yehudah, the famous “shuk”, talking to vendors, experiencing the scintillating aromas and taking tons of photos.

Basil is one of the most commonly used herbs in the entire world. It is also my favorite herb and I’ve enjoyed it in salads, as a main ingredient in pesto and in homemade marinara sauces. Nutritionally, basil is very high in manganese and vitamin K and also contains ample amounts of copper, vitamin A and vitamin C.

I’ve discovered, though, that its culinary uses are just the tip of the iceberg.

The flavonoids present in basil protect cells from radiation and oxygen-based damage. It is also used as both an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent, due to its volatile oils. The volatile oils acts as a food preservative, while the eugenol component of its volatile oils provides anti-inflammatory effects, which are mimicked by aspirin and ibuprofen.

But here’s the kicker:

Since ancient times, it’s been used as a natural remedy for congested sinuses, a particularly pervasive problem this time of year in Los Angeles. It’s also a natural expectorant, which means that it also increases airway secretions that relieve coughing. And it may help with memory and concentration. Who knew that basil packed such a powerful punch?

How have you used basil in your own home?

What’s the Difference Between Herbs and Spices?

Machaneh Yehudah market in Jerusalem, israel

I’ve always known that food tastes better when it is seasoned properly. But have you ever wondered about the difference between herbs and spices?

One of my favorite places to visit in my neighborhood is the herb garden at the Beverly Hills Hotel. From what I can determine, it’s close to a hundred years old and is still used by the chefs to season their culinary creations.

If you want super-fresh spices, and you just happen to be in Israel – like I was in August 2019 – a fabulous place to visit is the Machaneh Yehudah market in Jerusalem. The variety is outstanding and the aromas are delectable.

What Is An Herb? What Is A Spice?

In his seminal ode to domestic life, “At Home: A Short History of Private Life”, author Bill Bryson offers a chapter about the European spice trade. He clarifies a topic that I had never really considered until this summer, despite my visits to the Beverly Hills Hotel or my love of seasoned food:

“The difference between herbs and spices is that herbs come from the leafy part of plants and spices from the wood, seed, fruit or other non-leafy part.”

— Bill Bryson

The Old Farmer’s Almanac provides a bit more detail:

“An herb is the green, leafy part of the plant. A spice can come from the root, stem, seed, fruit, flower or bark of the tree or plant. And a plant can be host to both an herb and spice at the same time like cilantro and coriander. Cilantro is the aromatic leaf of the plant, Coriandrum sativum, while coriander is the seed that comes from that same plant.”

— Old Farmer's Almanac

indian cinnamon sticks, machaneh yehudah market in jerusalem, israel

Herbs And Spices Add Flavor, Aroma, Texture And More

The basic use of both herbs and spices is to incorporate into dishes to add flavor, aroma, texture, color and nutrients. However, they are also used for food preservation and to retard spoilage. Additional functions include use as medicinal and healing agents for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Rosemary, turmeric, basil, cumin, cloves, oregano, pimento pepper, black pepper, thyme, marjoram, ginger, fennel and many others are utilized beyond their culinary function.

SHrubby jerusalem sage in makura farm, carmel valley, israel

It really is worth taking the time to understand the extent of how herbs and spices may be used to enhance our lives. Thus, the focus of the next few posts will be on herbs and spices.

How To Shop For The Best Herbs and Spices: Some Recommendations

To maximize their benefits when shopping for them, these are my recommendations:

WHOLE

Always opt for whole, not ground-up. They will retain their potency for much longer than herbs (which go stale) and ground-up spices (which go rancid). The grinding process exposes more surface area to the air and releases the volatile oils that give the spices their potency. They will go rancid more quickly. A coffee grinder is a good way to grind spices when you require them.

NON-IRRADIATED

In order to take advantage of the medicinal benefits, try to purchase non-irradiated spices. Just as packaged foods are pasteurized, the spice industry uses ionizing radiation to kill bacteria 🦠. There is good intention: According to the FDA, “food irradiation (the application of ionizing radiation to food) is a technology that improves the safety and extends the shelf life of foods by reducing or eliminating microorganisms and insects”. However, the irradiation also sterilizes the spices by killing the good bacteria, damaging nutrients, reduces the flavor and possibly produces free radicals.

Brands that I recommend include Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia. Frontier Co-op and Simply Organic are easy found at Whole Foods, Cooportunity and many other mid- to high-end markets in major American cities.

Mountain Rose Herbs in Oregon is a very reputable online vendor.

It is also likely that purchases from small local growers are non-irradiated.

ORGANIC

Purchase organic (which, by definition, excludes irradiated spices). This also ensures that your spices are free of fillers (such as sugar, rice and flour), preservatives, artificial flavors and other contaminants – all things that the FDA does not require for non-organic spices. You will be surprised what shows up in your food these days.

STORAGE

The best way to store them is to keep them away from heat, light and air.

With so much variety and such powerful uses – hundreds of herbs and spices are sold on the market, while alternative medical doctors urge us to take herbs to heal what ails us – why do most of us go through our daily lives sprinkling just salt and pepper as our condiments of preference? That’s a whole other story, one that Bill Bryson addresses in his fabulous book.

More About Bell Peppers

hungarian bell peppers // locally grown at underwood farms

Bell peppers are not only delicious but also super, super healthy and healing.

When you get sick, you are taught to consume vitamin C, usually in the form of a citrus fruit. Did you know that peppers have an abundance of vitamin C – way more than citrus, in fact? Green peppers contain double the vitamin C by weight as citrus 🍊. And red and orange peppers 🌶  contain FOUR times as much! That makes them the #1 vegetable source of vitamin C (papaya is #1 overall). Red bell peppers also contain 11x more beta carotene than green bell peppers. Wowsers!

But wait…there’s more! Peppers are also high in phytonutrients carotenoids and flavonoids such as quercetin (a natural antihistamine) and kaempferol that protect the body from free radical damage.

This begs the question: Why are green peppers relatively lower in vitamin C and beta carotene than their more colorful companions? It turns out that they are the same pepper! A green pepper is merely a less ripe version.

How are you enjoying your peppers this summer? I like mine simple… straight out of the fridge and sliced.

Cherry Bomb Peppers

Ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!

If you want to turn up the heat this summer, try a cherry bomb pepper. These adorable innocent-looking fruits resemble fat cherries. (They are botanically fruits because they contain seeds.) The thick flesh has a sweet flavor that imparts little to no heat. But as the name suggests, your mouth is in for an explosion of heat if you eat the seeds.

Realistically, these peppers feel more like a mild jalapeño than a red hot chili pepper, ranking at 2,500-5,000 Scoville units. The Scoville scale measures the heat level, which is produced by capsaicin, the chemical that gives hot peppers their “hotness”.

Cherry bombs may be eaten raw (the flesh is not spicy, just the seeds), pickled as a side dish at a barbecue or stuffed and baked. Nevertheless, my kids had a blast (pun intended) tasting them!

Red, Orange and Yellow Bell Peppers

We love peppers. We can’t get enough of them this time of year! Predictably, my kids wanted to know where they come from and what they are best known for.

Peppers are nightshade vegetables (botanically related to cayenne, chili pepper, eggplant, tomatoes, goji berries and ordinary potatoes). This means that they contain lectin proteins to ward off insects and other predators. But they can cause gut issues in some people. Peppers were first cultivated in South America about 5,000 years ago and were introduced into Europe in the 16th century.

Peppers come in an astonishing bounty of colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, white, purple and brown. They also range from sweet (bell peppers) to hot and spicy (chili peppers 🌶). The carotenoids and flavonoids in these peppers are responsible for the vivid colors. The only pepper with no capsaicin, though, is the bell pepper.

Among the sweet varieties, what’s the taste difference between the colors? Green and purple peppers are more bitter and tangy, while red, orange and yellow are sweeter and almost fruity. While sweet bell peppers do contain a small amount of sugar, it is their lack of capsaicin (the alkaloid that gives hot peppers their “hotness”) that allows the sweetness to come through.

Already this season, we’ve brought home red, orange, yellow, green and brown bell peppers. And did you know that paprika is derived from ripened, dried and powdered sweet bell peppers? My kids will be excited to know that their favorite spice is in fact derived from a pepper!

Meet the Reed Avocado

This one’s for all the avocado toast-loving folks on Instagram. Meet the Reed avocado. Cousin to the Hass. The Reed is big and round, like a softball, with thick, leathery (but not pebbly) skin. It is creamier and denser than a Hass. They can even grow to 2-4 pounds.

That’s a lot of avocado for your toast!!

How do you know that it’s ready to grace a slice of bread? Shake it and feel for the slight rattling that the huge pit makes inside.

And what about the nutritional benefits of avocados? The fat in avocados aids in carotenoid absorption from sweet potatoes, carrots and leafy greens and improves the conversion of beta-carotene into vitamin A.

So let’s get to it!

Walla Walla Onions

Onions are a family favorite. We consume them boiled in soups, baked in the oven and even raw in summer salads. As far as sweet varieties go, though, I’ve only experienced Texas sweet onions.

At the South Pasadena Farmer’s Market, I encountered white and red Walla Walla sweet onions, a new variety of sweet onion that I had never seen. Apparently, the red variation debuted in 2018.

They are super tasty. As it turns out, this onion’s mild taste and lower pungency is due to the reduced sulfur content and higher water content.

Fun fact:

In 2007, the Walla Walla was designated as the official vegetable of Washington State. In 2017, The Seattle Times gushed effusively over this vegetable as an “elusive, alluring superstar, the kind with both the witty repartee and the winning smile. Rubenesque, with gossamer skin”.

That’s quite an endorsement!