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  Re: Edible Taro
From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 1999.10.05 at 22:26:40(3695)
Dear Alastair,
These are from Colocasia e. esculenta, called Dasheen in the W.I., and I`d
bet were imported from Jamaica where it is extensively grown and exported.
You may see several different 'forms' of these rhizomes over a period of
time, as they seem to mature at different times. Here in Florida I`ve seen
several, one has the visible 'rings' or scars around the roundish tuber,
while another has more 'trunk-like' rhizomes, sometimes Y-shaped. Do not
confuse these with the smaller, more egg-shaped tubers of C.E. antiquorum,
commonly called 'Eddoes', grown and exported mainly from Florida, and not
favored by the Jamaicans. These are found in Indian ('Arvi') and
Thai/Vietnamese Groceries. Try cooking and eating them, treat as you would
potatos! I made a Shepherd`s pie with Dasheen topping for my talk on
edible Aroids a couple years ago, it went over well with the folks! Some
var.`s become white when peeled and cooked, others are greyish blue ('blue
metal' in T`dad, the best tasting var.).
These forms of Colocasia that produce a tuber may be more difficult to
cultivate in cool/cold climates, as they may require a longer growing season
than the stolon-producing var.`s.
Good luck!
Cheers,
Julius

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