Allergic and irritant reactions to plants and insects

[James Kruse]

In the midwestern U.S. (Wisconsin at least) I've eaten the flower buds and
flowers of common agriculturally associated milkweed, including the flower
stalks. They are quite good right off the plant and serve as a handy travel
snack (chase off the bees, etc), or fry them up as fritters. Yum! and I'm
still alive. Blooming flowers are a little tastier than the buds, and frying
in fritter batter kills the bitter taste of the milkweed sap. Maybe my blood
would be distasteful to mosquitoes, parasites, bears or vultures?

I will have to try the pods, thanks!

James J. Kruse, Ph.D.
Curator of Entomology
University of Alaska Museum
907 Yukon Drive
Fairbanks, AK, USA 99775-6960
tel 907.474.5579
fax 907.474.1987
http://www.uaf.edu/museum/ento


on 7/31/01 6:20 AM, cmbb at sk.sympatico.ca at cmbb at sk.sympatico.ca wrote:

> I friend of mine was "in to" gathering and eating wild plants.  Milkweed
> pods-  he claimed was high in protein.  For human consumption boil pods in
> water clearing away the white froth that gathered on the water's surface.
> When water was clear, cut up pods and cook in butter.
> 
> There is a reason why we stay away from cultivating so many plants.  they
> taste awful.
> 
> Martin Bailey,
> 
> cmbb at sk.sympatico.ca
> phone/fax   306 842-8936
> 
> 102   1833 Coteau Avenue,
> Weyburn, SK., Canada.
> S4H 2X3
> 
> 


 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl