Japanese knotweed

[Stravaig]

It sounds really scary - enough to make some gardeners run away rather than try to deal with it.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... e-knotweed

As some of you know, I'm much more kitchen than garden.

So, as a cook, my first question was "Is it edible?" Yes, apparently it is. (It must be true I read it on the Internet.)

What I don't understand is how come so many people have to use food banks while so many other people suffer from the pest of Japanese knotweed. Maybe there should be something like a dating agency to bring people together - A has a problem with knotweed and B can't afford to feed their family.

We do eat other rhizomes... why not this one? Free food!!!

[Westi]

Probably not the best thing to promote as such a horrible thing that causes extensive damage.

There are so many things that the UK ancestors ate that no-one is aware of now & couldn't identify, let alone now how to cook, me included. You're really good at finding & knowing Stravaig - maybe a new thread on the plant ones? You know what it looks like, tastes like & how to cook it. Some are dual medicinal as well, especially root crops. I know pics aren't your forte but the links are fine for us to see. Fancy a little foray into ancient foods??

[Colin2016]

There are loads of nettles around and heard on radio that they used be eaten in days gone buy, not something I am keen to try.

[Stravaig]

Hi Westi, I wasn't thinking of promoting it - more like if someone already has a problem with it they can harvest it for people to eat.

Do you know what "Stravaig" means? "To wander aimlessly" and it's that "wandering" that results in finding out some interesting things.

I discovered today that anise is of the same family as carrots.

Colin, oh yes, nettles are edible and still eaten in modern times, especially in soup. I guess you could use them instead of spinach in, say, a spinach and ricotta lasagne. I would love to try cooking with nettles but have never found a source that wasn't polluted by exhaust fumes or dog/cat pee. Just take care to wear gloves when you pick the nettles.

River Cottage has a recipe
https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/nettle-soup

So does BBCGoodFood
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/nettle-soup
Apparently they're best eaten before they flower in llate May. Better get your skates on!

There are a few British exparts on food history. Ivan Day is the first to spring to mind.
https://www.schoolofartisanfood.org/our ... s/ivan-day

Dr Annie Gray is another
http://www.anniegray.co.uk/

I'm just about to make second breakfast of bacon and eggs on crumpets. I had a quick aimless wander to find out the history of that but got some very conflicting information. Must try again when I have more time.

[Stravaig]

Apparently eating invasive species is a growing trend.
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/m ... rend-grows

I've cooked grey squirrel, which I bought from a game merchant a farmers' market. Then I blogged about it and got loads of hate mail.

What I didn't know about Japanese knotweed is that you need an expert to harvest it, otherwise you can make the problem worse by spreading the seeds.

[oldherbaceous]

As far as i’m aware, Stravaig, Japanese knotweed is sterile and only spreads by it’s damaging root system…I might be wrong!

[Stravaig]

You're probably right, OH. I was only repeating what I'd read in the artile about eating invasive species.