Chinese Edible Plants
James Waddick (Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:09:13 PDT)

Dear David and Jana,
Stem lettuce is not like a leaf lettuce at all and does not
form a head. Instead the central stem elongates sort of like an
inverted carrot - larger at the base and small as it goes up. To
prepare, you remove the leaves (don't know if they are edible like
lettuce leaves. Then peel the rough and sometime woody outer layer
until you reach the pale green smooth inner core. This can be sliced
in thin diagonal slices and stir fried, or chunks and added to soup.
Lots of other ways too.
There's a pic at http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seed_068-162.html
It does not taste like asparagus to me, nor celery. Very mild
and crunchy.

Lucky you. When is the season where you are?

It is usually grown in water as an aquatic plant.

The I'itoi onion looks sort of like a sprouted garlic bulb
and very interesting. Never heard of this one before, but must have
been an important native food, just to survive to this day.

A host of edible bulbs and tubers off the beaten track.

If anyone can find a source of one-bulb garlic, I'd love to
know. Anyone know an adventurous grower in Gilroy , the garlic
capital?

Thanks all. Jim W.
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +