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 +More >I was in China Town yesterday afternoon and, while perusing some of the market stalls, came across a basket of large tubers, each about 7 inches high and 5 inches in diameter - these were simply labelled 'Taro'. Would anyone have any idea as to the identity of the plants that these came from? Thanks, Alastair.< __________________________ Alastair_R@compuserve.com

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