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Subject: Re: Grocery Store Aroids
>>Julius,
>>Thanks for the insight. At least I'll be able to grow the Xanthasomas.
I'm disappointed about the Columbian yam not being a Colocasia. The tuber
looked like what I'd expect a large Colocasia tuber to be. If it grows as a
vine (you said that it does), I guess I can sprout one to double check.<<
Dear Les,
The way do grow this AND enjoy it as a meal is to cut off the growing point,
leaving about 3 inches of the "flesh". Leave this top portion to dry out a
bit on a shelf for about a week, the plant it in loose, well drained soil,
thats all there is to it ! The rest of the Yam you peel, boil in salted water
for +-20 mins, mash with butter, and eat, or use in soup as a sub. for potato.
>>You said that the mapuey and Columbian yam were both Dioscoreas but that the
Dioscorea trifida was smaller. In fact, the mapuey was about 1/4th the size
of the Columbian yam or smaller. Perhaps that ID was correct.<<
It is correct. Treat the "mapuey" as in the above, and enjoy. Note the
difference in the leaves when they grow, but the simularities in their
respective "winged" stems.
>>Can you list some potential names for Colocasia tubers - names that would be
used in a hispanic market catering predominantly to Puerto Ricans and
Dominicans? There's not much of a Mexican, Cuban or Central American
community here on Long island. I still hope to find a cheap source for large
Colocasia esculenta tubers before next spring.<<
Try asking for "malanga islenia" or "malanga cabeza", also try using "yautia"
in place of "malanga", as the Cubans use "malanga" while the P/Ricans and
Dominicans (Rep. Dominicana) refer to it as "yautia".
Look out for SMALL tubers being sold as "taro root", these will be C.esculenta
"antiquorum" also known as "eddoes", they grow drier than most large taro or
"dasheen", another W. Indian name for the larger Colocasia esculentas. Look
for a Jamaican Grocery, they will know and maybe have or will order "dasheen"
for you. You can also try an Indian/Pakistani grocery, where if you request
"Arvi" you will get C. E. Antiquorum, or eddoes.
>>Perhaps its time for one of our web pages to have a table with common
grocery store name in one column and scientific name in the next column.
I'd volunteer except that so far, I would be able to supply only 4 rows to
this table and that was only with your help.<
Good idea. What do you all think, folks and lurkers out in cyberspace???
Les- do you want me to send you a dasheen by snailmail when I see one at my
local grocery ? What about eddoes ? Let me know.
Cheers to all,
Julius
ju-bo@msn.com
Les
>How lucky you are!! You have found a few interesting( and delicious!)
Aroids
>and a few VERY delicious non-aroids!! I believe that "mapuey", IF in fact
it
>is D. trifida, is the same as what Jamaicans call "yampey" and we
Trinidadians
>call "cuch-cush". It is without a doubt the smallest and THE finest tasting
>(and the most costly ) of the Dioscoreas, and as far as I know the ONLY
edible
>
>Dioscoria native to the New World. It may require a longer growing season
>than you can provide, and grows as a substantial vine, with leaves
reminiscent
>of a bat-man logo! You can cook it like potato, and mash it with butter,
use
>it in soups, or make a shepard`s pie with it. Enjoy!
>
>>Columbian Yam looked very much like tubers of Colocasia esculenta. At
>>$1.29 a pound it seems far more reasonable than the general cost in
>>nurseries. Is Columbian Yam a Colocasia?<<
>
>I do not believe so, it prob. is a species of Dioscorea, called "white" or
>"St. Vincent " yam in Trinidad. Coarser texture than Mapuey, but also good.
>
>>Yautia looked like (and probably is) a Xanthosoma. Can anyone identify
>>Xanthosoma fla (presumably florida) and Xanthosoma lily?<<
>
>I believe that the "Xanthosoma fla" will probably be X. sagittifolia, and
the
>"Xanthosoma lily" (actually they are trying to say the spanish for "lilac",
>it`s color) will be X. violacium.
>
>Sincerely,
>Julius
>ju-bo@msn.com
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