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This is a continuously updated archive of the Aroid-L mailing list in a forum format - not an actual Forum. If you want to post, you will still need to register for the Aroid-L mailing list and send your postings by e-mail for moderation in the normal way.
"Yams"
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From: "Robert Wagner" <robwagner at robwagner.seanet.com> on 1997.06.29 at 18:45:00(900)
I usually just "lurk" on this list, but I made a "fun" discovery last week
that I'd like to share. It might be old news to some but it was a surprise
to me:
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Last week I spotted some vegetarian meat substitutes in a little
hole-in-the-wall Taiwanese grocery in Chinatown. Although they say they are
made from "yams", the "yam" was quite clearly pictured on the back in
various stages of growth. It is none other than our friend Amorphophallus!
Probably konjac; it resembles mine tho not exactly.
Now I am suspicious that the "yams" in many Asian foods--Korean Yam
noodles, Japanese Yam cakes--are actually made from the tubers of
Amorphophallus. Considering their texture, that seems to make more sense. I
had always thought "yam" referred to Dioscorea--an unrelated plant (like a
giant monocotyledenous sweet potato), which, ironically, I have growing up
the corner of my house not more than a few feet away from A. konjac. I
would not be surprised if both plants have similar names in Chinese--I
think that Dioscorea batatas is actually referred to as a "Mountain Yam".
Of course I had to try one of the packages. I can report that the shrimp
were a little bland but do indeed have a consistency much like the real
thing. Next time I'll marinate them. Should come in handy for vegetarian
versions of Thai dishes.
You never know about the accuracy of labels on imported foods, but
Amorphophallus might not be the most nutrient-dense food. It only listed 50
calories from carbohydrates and a gram of protein--and the protein is
probably all from a soy-derived ingredient. I added up all the weight from
protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber, and it didn't add up to more than a
fraction of the weight of the product. OK, what the heck is it then?
an unrelated aside: Tony, your black-leaf Taro is just as cute as can be.
It's actually doing OK even this far north (Seattle).
Robert
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From: plantnut at shadow.net (Dewey Fisk) on 1997.06.30 at 04:04:14(901)
Robert,
I would really like for a hungry Taiwanese to come by my house. I have two
species of Dioscorea with which I constantly do battle. I dig them and
throw them on the 'burn pile' and the next time I set it afire... Roasted!
But, otherwise, they are really a pest and if you have it growing up the
corner of your house..... Please be careful that it does not get away from
you... But, in Seattle, it may not matter as I don't think they could
stand your temperatures in winter...
Dewey
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Dewey E. Fisk, Plant Nut
THE PHILODENDRON PHREAQUE
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From: hesterc at niven.acpub.duke.edu (Clarence Hester) on 1997.07.04 at 03:58:15(913)
>
> Dear Friends,
> I agree with Eduardo; I have this exact plant grown from commercially
bought
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> corms from a local Jamaican grocery as "red co-co"; it probably should
be
> called X. violacium untill a review of the Genus Xanthosoma is done.
There is
> another var. of Xanthosoma here in W.P.B. that is MUCH blacker (no, not
a
> Colocasia, it`s a Xanthosoma !) which I supplied to the Nat. Zoo for
their
> "Amazon" exibit.
> Julius ju-bo@msn.com
Julius-
I commented on this list a couple of years ago about the plant labeled
"Xanthosoma violacea" that I saw at Kew Gardens in London at one of the
conservatories. This plant was clearly a Xanthosoma with *huge* leaves that
were very dark, almost black. Seeking same, I searched for a source of
"Xanthosoma violacea" here in the U.S. What I've consistently ended up
finding is a large Xanthosoma with purple/black stems, but the leaves are
green (and not at all comparable to the almost black leaves I saw on the Kew
plant). Do you know of a source for the ultra-dark Xanthosoma violacea?
Clarence Hester
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From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at msn.com> on 1997.07.04 at 19:50:01(914)
----------
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 1997 11:58 PM
To: Julius Boos
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Subject: RE: "Yams"
>
> Dear Friends,
> I agree with Eduardo; I have this exact plant grown from commercially
bought
> corms from a local Jamaican grocery as "red co-co"; it probably should
be
> called X. violacium untill a review of the Genus Xanthosoma is done.
There is
> another var. of Xanthosoma here in W.P.B. that is MUCH blacker (no, not
a
> Colocasia, it`s a Xanthosoma !) which I supplied to the Nat. Zoo for
their
> "Amazon" exibit.
> Julius ju-bo@msn.com
>>Julius-
I commented on this list a couple of years ago about the plant labeled
"Xanthosoma violacea" that I saw at Kew Gardens in London at one of the
conservatories. This plant was clearly a Xanthosoma with *huge* leaves that
were very dark, almost black. Seeking same, I searched for a source of
"Xanthosoma violacea" here in the U.S. What I've consistently ended up
finding is a large Xanthosoma with purple/black stems, but the leaves are
green (and not at all comparable to the almost black leaves I saw on the Kew
plant). Do you know of a source for the ultra-dark Xanthosoma violacea?
Clarence Hester<<
Dear Clarence,
A friend of mine here in W.P.Beach, Florida has (had?) a Xanthosoma with very
dark leaf blades, I can attempt to obtain a few small corms.
Have you seen the Xanthosoma (I believe from Cen. America) that is large and
entirely Chartreuse?!? I just managed to save my plant of this from a soft rot
of the corm/rhizome caused by my neglect; I trimmed off all the soft rotten
lower areas, treated the fresh cut surface with "Ban Rot", and the tiny
terminal bud piece that remained has re-grown. It is a striking plant, and
I`ve often thought that it would look fantastic in a large exibit, if combined
with the black-leaved one. If seeking contrast, you could add X. atrvirens
(?) sold locally on occasion in Latin groceries here as "malanga amarilla",
which I have a plant of and has greyish or silvered leaves. I also have a few
plants of what was I.D.`d as X. brazilense when I published the article in
Aroideana No. 16. They had almost died from my neglect, but I have re-potted
them, and the larger purple stemmed variety is a striking plant !
I`ll start trying to obtain a plant of the black one and keep you
informed.
Keep in touch.
Reguards,
Julius Boos ju-bo@msn.com
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From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at msn.com> on 1997.07.04 at 19:57:02(915)
>>I usually just "lurk" on this list, but I made a "fun" discovery last
week
that I'd like to share. It might be old news to some but it was a surprise
| +More |
to me:
Last week I spotted some vegetarian meat substitutes in a little
hole-in-the-wall Taiwanese grocery in Chinatown. Although they say they
are
made from "yams", the "yam" was quite clearly pictured on the back in
various stages of growth. It is none other than our friend Amorphophallus!
Probably konjac; it resembles mine tho not exactly.
Now I am suspicious that the "yams" in many Asian foods--Korean Yam
noodles, Japanese Yam cakes--are actually made from the tubers of
Amorphophallus. Considering their texture, that seems to make more sense.
I
had always thought "yam" referred to Dioscorea--an unrelated plant (like a
giant monocotyledenous sweet potato), which, ironically, I have growing up
the corner of my house not more than a few feet away from A. konjac. I
would not be surprised if both plants have similar names in Chinese--I
think that Dioscorea batatas is actually referred to as a "Mountain Yam".
Of course I had to try one of the packages. I can report that the shrimp
were a little bland but do indeed have a consistency much like the real
thing. Next time I'll marinate them. Should come in handy for vegetarian
versions of Thai dishes.
You never know about the accuracy of labels on imported foods, but
Amorphophallus might not be the most nutrient-dense food. It only listed
50
calories from carbohydrates and a gram of protein--and the protein is
probably all from a soy-derived ingredient. I added up all the weight from
protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber, and it didn't add up to more than
a
fraction of the weight of the product. OK, what the heck is it then?
an unrelated aside: Tony, your black-leaf Taro is just as cute as can be.
It's actually doing OK even this far north (Seattle).
Robert<<
Dear Robert,
I am originally from Trinidad, W.I. and Yams (Dioscorea) are dear to my
heart.
It`s a little late in the season, but if poss. ask around in a Jamaican
grocery for "Yampee". It`s a small Dioscorea sp. (I forget the exact
specific name, but will pull it up if you like, I believe it`s "trifida"
or somesuch) that when grown has leaves shaped like the Bat Man logo! It also
is THE most delicious of all the "yams", and the only edible one native to the
Americas. It`s known as "cush-cush" in Trinidad, and is easy to grow in a 15
gal. pot of potting soil and given a trellis or tree to grow up
on. Have you seen the sp. with the very beautiful leaves, somewhat of a
velvet texture? I come across it from time to time. It`s an ornimental.
I`ve tried the Amorphophallus products you mention, and they are quite
good in any stir-fried dish! Also, look and ask in Indian groceries for cans
of "Suran", which is diced Amorphophallus (prob. paeoniifoilus) which can be
used like potatoes in stew.
Cheers,
Julius
ju-bo@msn.com
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From: "Robert Wagner" <robwagner at robwagner.seanet.com> on 1997.07.06 at 16:18:08(918)
Julius, I have never been to Trinidad, but I have heard a lot about what a
colorful and cosmopolitan place it is. The only Dioscorea I've ever seen is
my own, D. batatas, except for a few B&W pictures in a plant catalog. Some
of the tropical Dioscoreas must be dramatic. I take it you no longer live
in Trinidad; if it's too cold for Caribbean yams wherever you are, you are
welcome to starts of mine if you want any. Read on...
Dewey, I have bad news for you: Dioscoreas seem to have a weird
prediliction for being more root hardy than one would imagine from their
tropical affinities (and a few truly hardy ones hail from Japan and the
Balkans!). I suspect that their tubers going as deep as they do helps keep
them out of harm's way. Mine tolerates not only cool, dry summers (without
irrigation) but also mildly frosty and extremely wet winters that do in a
lot of subtropical and warm-temperate plants. And it grows with tropical
vigor! Luckily my garden is so densely planted the tuberils and seeds
rarely find their way down to the ground.
Back on topic here: Arisaema candidissima is blooming. A. tortuosum is
missing but probably OK--it always comes up rediculously late for some
reason. Probably waiting for the summer monsoon, that doesn't happen
here...
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Robert
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