aroids (?) in the news !

From: "Derek Burch" derek at horticulturist.com> on 2002.06.02 at 02:18:14(8935) The Florida Agriculture Commissioner has banned the sale of a gel candy containing "conjac" The gel is said not to dissolve at body temperatures and thus presents a hazard to children who swallow it whole. +More Is this one of the starches from an amorphophallus? Or perhaps a more generic name in the Pacific for something from an underground storage organ? Anyway, the obvious behaviour pattern for us should be to enjoy the olfactory delights of our plants, but to avoid sucking on bits of them. Derek

From: Don Martinson llmen at wi.rr.com> on 2002.06.02 at 14:22:17(8936) Title: Re: aroids (?) in the news ! The Florida Agriculture Commissioner has banned the sale of a gel candy containing "conjac" The gel is said not to dissolve at body temperatures and thus presents a hazard to children who swallow it whole. Is this one of the starches from an amorphophallus? Or perhaps a more generic name in the Pacific for something from an underground storage organ? Anyway, the obvious behaviour pattern for us should be to enjoy the olfactory delights of our plants, but to avoid sucking on bits of them. Derek Here is a web site that highlights the uses of starch derived from A. konjac. http://www.konnyaku.com/e_data/index.html -- Don Martinson +More Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mailto:llmen@wi.rr.com

From: Paul Tyerman ptyerman at ozemail.com.au> on 2002.06.02 at 14:24:11(8937) >obvious behaviour pattern for us should be to enjoy the olfactory delights >of our plants, but to avoid sucking on bits of them. Derek Derek, The only problem with this is that it seems that most do not enjoy the olfactory delights of Amorphophallus . Maybe the decide that as the flower stinks then they have to try the sucking instead. My largest Amorphophallus konjac has now gone dormant and is the size of a large apple now. Here's hoping that I get to enjoy some of those olfactory delights in Spring!!!! Cheers. Paul Tyerman +More Canberra, Australia. USDA equivalent - Zone 8/9 mailto:ptyerman@ozemail.com.au Growing.... Galanthus, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Cyclamen, Crocus, Cyrtanthus, Liliums, Hellebores, Aroids, Irises plus just about anything else that doesn't move!!!!!

From: "Wilbert Hetterscheid" hetter at worldonline.nl> on 2002.06.02 at 14:25:44(8938) Derek, This is indeed the Amorphophallus konjac starch. I got a memo from somebody in the USA protesting against the idea that these konjac-candies are a hazard. Cheerio, Wilbert +More -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----Van: aroid-l@mobot.org [mailto:aroid-l@mobot.org]Namens Derek BurchVerzonden: zondag 2 juni 2002 4:16Aan: Multiple recipients of list AROID-LOnderwerp: aroids (?) in the news ! The Florida Agriculture Commissioner has banned the sale of a gel candy containing "conjac" The gel is said not to dissolve at body temperatures and thus presents a hazard to children who swallow it whole. Is this one of the starches from an amorphophallus? Or perhaps a more generic name in the Pacific for something from an underground storage organ? Anyway, the obvious behaviour pattern for us should be to enjoy the olfactory delights of our plants, but to avoid sucking on bits of them. Derek

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at msn.com> on 2002.06.03 at 01:28:03(8939) This reminds me of a GREAT George Carlin act on TV this AM, where George is commenting on all the sometimes-stupid 'safeguards' we are subjected to by the government agencies---he comments-- ' What ever happened to 'survival of the fittest, thinning of the herd??? The stupid kid who swallowed too many glass marbles did not grow up to father even MORE stupid kids!" Sad but true. I mean, we can not even teach our kids to eat gel candy??? Wow! I don`t only smell my aroids, Derek, I cook and then eat the hell out of several genera!! (Note that I specified 'cook first'--- I KNOW that there is someone out there who may have survived the eating of the glass marbles, but who will NOT survive chewing into a raw Xanthosoma or Colocasia !!) Cheers, Julius +More >>The Florida Agriculture Commissioner has banned the sale of a gel candy containing "conjac" The gel is said not to dissolve at body temperatures and thus presents a hazard to children who swallow it whole. Is this one of the starches from an amorphophallus? Or perhaps a more generic name in the Pacific for something from an underground storage organ? Anyway, the obvious behaviour pattern for us should be to enjoy the olfactory delights of our plants, but to avoid sucking on bits of them. Derek

From: StellrJ at aol.com on 2002.06.03 at 18:38:52(8944) In a message dated 06/02/2002 6:29:41 PM Pacific Daylight Time, ju-bo@msn.com writes: This reminds me of a GREAT George Carlin act on TV this AM, where George is commenting on all the sometimes-stupid 'safeguards' we are subjected to by the government agencies Amen! Or better yet, those "In Living Color" sketches with Fire Marshall Bill. If konjac gel candies have been banned, I suppose those vegetarian burgers containing konjac flour will be next? And then the Japanese grocery stores will have to stop selling whatever konjac products they carry....

From: Ron Weeks rhweeks at attglobal.net> on 2002.06.03 at 20:12:51(8946) Julius, Thanks for sharing you thoughts on natural selection and food BEFORE you do the aroid cooking demonstration. I prefer not to participate in an event showcasing the combination. Ron Weeks +More > This reminds me of a GREAT George Carlin act on TV this AM, > where George is commenting on all the sometimes-stupid > 'safeguards' we are subjected to by the government > agencies---he comments-- ' What ever happened to 'survival > of the fittest, thinning of the herd??? The stupid kid > who swallowed too many glass marbles did not grow up to > father even MORE stupid kids!" Sad but true. I mean, we > can not even teach our kids to eat gel candy??? Wow! > > I don`t only smell my aroids, Derek, I cook and then eat the > hell out of several genera!! > (Note that I specified 'cook first'--- I KNOW that there is > someone out there who may have survived the eating of the > glass marbles, but who will NOT survive chewing into a raw > Xanthosoma or Colocasia !!) >

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at msn.com> on 2002.06.04 at 00:17:17(8948) Ron, As we would say in Trinidad, ''all the more for us to enjoy!" Looking forward to seeing you at the demonstration, buddy! Julius +More Julius, Thanks for sharing you thoughts on natural selection and food BEFORE you do the aroid cooking demonstration. I prefer not to participate in an event showcasing the combination. Ron Weeks > This reminds me of a GREAT George Carlin act on TV this AM, > where George is commenting on all the sometimes-stupid > 'safeguards' we are subjected to by the government > agencies---he comments-- ' What ever happened to 'survival > of the fittest, thinning of the herd??? The stupid kid > who swallowed too many glass marbles did not grow up to > father even MORE stupid kids!" Sad but true. I mean, we > can not even teach our kids to eat gel candy??? Wow! > > I don`t only smell my aroids, Derek, I cook and then eat the > hell out of several genera!! > (Note that I specified 'cook first'--- I KNOW that there is > someone out there who may have survived the eating of the > glass marbles, but who will NOT survive chewing into a raw > Xanthosoma or Colocasia !!) >

From: Don Martinson llmen at wi.rr.com> on 2002.06.04 at 00:18:57(8949) Title: Re: aroids (?) in the news ! In a message dated 06/02/2002 6:29:41 PM Pacific Daylight Time, ju-bo@msn.com +More writes: This reminds me of a GREAT George Carlin act on TV this AM, where George is commenting on all the sometimes-stupid 'safeguards' we are subjected to by the government agencies Amen! Or better yet, those "In Living Color" sketches with Fire Marshall Bill. My favorite is a quote from Bill Maher - "I'm tired of rearranging my life around what the stupidest people might do." -- Don Martinson Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mailto:llmen@wi.rr.com

From: Alektra at aol.com on 2002.06.04 at 03:21:02(8950) I actually have eaten the now-banned konjac candy. It's deadly. It is very pretty, however, because it is transparent and glistens, and it takes up colors and flavors very nicely. It's incredibly sticky, beyond anything you might imagine. Let's just say, it's stickier than a glue mouse trap, although it does not stretch or pull into strings. And it really doesn't dissolve in the mouth to any noticeable degree, although you can taste the flavoring they put in it. You basically have to take a tiny bite of it, let the sweet taste wash over your tongue, and then swallow it down, making sure your mouth is very moist. I never found it very pleasant because inevitably a little bit sticks in the throat. I can just imagine how it kills people. Konnyaku, a traditional Japanese food, is completely the opposite in stickiness. I don't think you could get it to stick to anything... maybe the wall, if you throw it hard enough! I actually think its slipperiness might be a little difficult for Western palates. It has a firm rubbery texture that "breaks" when you bite into it. But you can cut it and put it in stews. It has no flavor, and takes up the flavor of the foods you cook it with. It's available in cans-- when you take it out of the can, wash it off before you slice it.

From: "Cooper, Susan L." SLCooper at scj.com> on 2002.06.04 at 15:54:33(8951) Hmmm, I've eaten the candy too. It is just a small piece of chewy stuff in a gel. Maybe we are thinking of 2 different candies?? I've had much closer calls to death by pizza with extra cheese. And remember the uproar about children choking on hot dogs? I've been hoarding my last jar of peach candies (yum), and will try to save it to bring to Raleigh for those of you that want to try it. I'm trained in CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. Gee, contraband konjac candy and ladybugs in my luggage- hope I make it through the airport! ;) Susan +More ++++++++++++++++++++++ I actually have eaten the now-banned konjac candy. It's deadly. It is very pretty, however, because it is transparent and glistens, and it takes up colors and flavors very nicely.

From: Piabinha at aol.com on 2002.06.05 at 06:06:00(8956) this has been discussed before. konnyaku is actually quite good in a curry sauce, for example, or broths, keeping in mind that's it's quite bland in flavor, but heavy in substance. the little fruit-flavored konjac candies are actually quite good and addictive. it's hard to eat only one. you have to chew them before swallowing, as with any food. if there are concerns with children possibly swallowing them whole, then maybe those kids should not be given these candies, instead, they should stick to fruit, which is much healthier anyway. tsuh yang in NY

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