Herb Thursday; Wild Carrots and Hemlock

A WARNING

WILD CARROTS AND HEMLOCK

 

While out walking last week I realised the grassy bank was covered in new smallish plants. I thought I recognised this plant as a wild carrot. I know it grows around here, this is the perfect habitat, grassy, wild and by the sea. I thought it could be useful, I thought if I collected some I could taker it home, positively identify it and maybe even use it. Enjoying my walk and happily wandered along the cliff edge path I occasionally stopped  to put some of this plant in my bag.

 

WILD CARROT

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-QuAnnlace.html

Queen Anne's lace or wild carrot, herb ( Daucus carota ) of the family Umbelliferae ( carrot family), native to the Old World but naturalized and often weedy throughout North America and Europe. Similar in appearance to the cultivated carrot (which was derived from this plant), it has feathery foliage but a woody root. The tiny white flowers bloom in a lacy, flat-topped cluster (called an umbel) until they die off, when the cluster becomes nest-shaped. The plant was formerly used in folk medicine as a diuretic and a stimulant. Queen Anne's lace is classified in the  , class Magnoliopsida, order Apiales, family Umbelliferae.

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/carwil25.html

Traditional Medicinal Uses---

Diuretic and stimulant. An infusion of the whole herb is considered an active and valuable remedy in the treatment of chronic kidney diseases and affections of the bladder. The infusion, made from 1 OZ. of the herb in a pint of boiling water, is taken in wineglassful doses. Carrot tea brewed in this way from the whole front, is considered excellent for a variety of arthritic conditions.

The seeds are very useful in flatulence, colic, hiccough, dysentery, coughs, etc. The dose of the seeds, bruised, is from one-third to one teaspoonful, repeated as necessary. They were at one time considered a valuable remedy for calculus complaints. They have a slight aromatic smell and a warm, pungent taste. They add an agreeable flavour to malt liquor, if infused in it while working in the vat. Traditionally, in herbal medicine a poultice made of the roots and applied to ulcers.

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HEMLOCK

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Conium+maculatum

A very poisonous plant, the toxins are especially concentrated in the seed. The stems contain up to 0.06% of the toxic alkaloids, the leaves between 0.03 and 0.8%, the flowers from 0.09 to 0.24% and the green fruit from 0.73 to 0.98%. The toxins, however, are very volatile and decompose readily especially when the plant is dried or cookedThe toxins paralyse the respiratory nerves, causing death by suffocation. Children have been known to die after using the hollow stems as blowpipes. The poisonous nature of the plant varies considerably, with many people believing that the plant is less toxic when grown in cooler climates, but this is not scientifically recognised. It grows through out Europe, Scandinavia and America.

http://www.thepoisongarden.co.uk/atoz/conium_maculatum.htm

How Poisonous, How Harmful?

Five alkaloids are present. Coniine is the most important but it also has  Conhydrine, pseudoconhydrine, methyl-coniine and ethyl-piperidine. It is a  violent emetic and convulsive, it causes paralysis of central and peripheral nervous system and death by respiratory failure. In Plato’s ‘Phaedo’ the fictionalised account of Socrates’ death there is no mention of nausea and vomiting. It may be that whilst the plant material is emetic juice obtained from squeezing the stalks does not have this effect.

Being a member of the same family as carrot and fennel, there have been instances of poisonous hemlock being mistaken for an edible plant.

What plant did I have you ask??? I have no idea, I didn’t keep it long enough to find out, it is now quietly rotting in my compostor.

Found this video, thought it was quite funny and it fits well with the topic, apologies about the poor quality of the video though, I included it because  thought it was funny.

 

 

 

 

Herb Thursday; CARROTS, CARROTS AND MORE CARROTS

We’ve had carrot soup followed by carrot cake and, feeling on a bit of a roll, I went back looking for more carrot stuff. And you would not believe what I found;

 

A CARROT MUSEUM!!!!

 

I didn’t believe it either but here it is, any thing and every thing any one could ever hope to know about carrots. This museum even has a floor plan with every thing in sections,

oh I love it, you HAVE to check this out.

http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk

Herb Thursday; Carrots and Carrot cake

MY LAST ENTRY WAS FOR CARROT SOUP. I THOUGHT IF WE HAVE CARROT SOUP, WE JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW IT WITH CARROT CAKE.

Carrots have been included in sweet recipes in Britain since mediaeval times. Because carrots provided a cheaper and more easily available alternative to other sweeteners, their use was encouraged during the Second World War and rationing. Carrot cake didn’t really gain in popularity until the last quarter of the twentieth century but now it’s found in just about every coffee shop and tea room.

Apart from the fact that it tastes delicious, there’s an air of wholesomenesss about carrot cake, it has that …’this is good for me’ feeling.

 

The Basics

Fat

The fat you use will determine the method – creaming or all-in-one. Butter or margarine is one option but more usually oil is used. Olive oil is too heavy; a light vegetable oil - groundnut maybe - is the best choice.

Flour

It’s got to be wholemeal – organic stoneground is the healthy option. Self-raising is best, with baking powder and spices (cinnamon, mixed, nutmeg) sieved in. Most recipes call for some extra bicarbonate of soda to help the raising process.

Sugar

Dark and brown for a lovely rich colour as well as that moist sweetness that is associated with carrot cake. Weightwatchers UK use runny honey as an alternative – yes, there is a diet version of Carrot Cake!

Carrots

Find the easiest way you can to grate them! If you have a food processor, use that, otherwise it’s a time-consuming job. When you put the grated carrot in the bowl you might fear you’re going to end up with a cake full of bits, but don’t worry: they soften as they cook and become unrecognisable.

Eggs

Last but not least, the number of eggs, free-range large are best, you can use from 2 to 4 range, add a pinch of salt to draw out flavour.

Added Extras

The zest and juice of a lemon or orange add their own distinctive zing to the cake, or you might prefer to drop in a teaspoonful of vanilla essence. Think of what flavour topping you want and use the same for the cake.

Desiccated coconut adds a distinctive taste and texture to the cake, as do ground almonds. Or you can add chopped walnuts or pecans to the mix, using the same nuts to decorate the topping.

Topping

Most recipes agree on the topping: a mixture of cream cheese and icing sugar, sometimes with unsalted butter. Where the recipes disagree is on proportions, this just comes down to how sweet or creamy you like your topping.

Include a flavouring of your choice, beat it all together, adding a little milk if it’s too stiff and you’ve got your topping ready to spread on the cooled cake. Decorate with nuts, zest or leave simple.

And Now; The Carrot Cake

Ingredients for the cake

•       12½ oz carrots

•       2 oz pecans

•       4 oz self-raising wholemeal flour

•       4 oz plain wholemeal flour

•       2 teaspoons of cinnamon

•       1 teaspoon ground ginger

•       ½ teaspoon nutmeg

•       1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

•       8 fl oz vegetable oil

•       6 oz soft brown sugar

•       4 eggs

•       2 tablespoons’ golden syrup

Ingredients for the topping

•       7 oz cream cheese

•       2 oz softened unsalted butter

•       2 oz sifted icing sugar

•       1 teaspoon vanilla essence

These quantities make a 9” round cake.

•       Start off by grating 12½ oz carrots and chopping 2 oz pecans. Put to one side.

•       Sieve together 4 oz self-raising flour and 4 oz plain flour (both wholemeal) with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg and 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda. (Tip the bran bits left in the sieve into the mixture.)

•       Whisk together 8 fl oz vegetable oil, 6 oz soft brown sugar, 4 eggs and 2 tablespoons’ golden syrup. (Heat the spoon first and the syrup will slide off easily.)

•       Add this to the dry ingredients and mix until it’s nice and smooth. Stir in the carrots and pecans.

•       Tip the mixture into a greased lined tin and cook at 160oC for an hour, or until cooked.

•       For the topping, mix 7 oz cream cheese, 2 oz softened unsalted butter, 2 oz sifted icing sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, until smooth.

•       Allow the cake to cool and then add the topping

 

THE CARROT

Parts Used Medicinally

The whole herb, collected in July; the seeds and root. The whole herb is the part now more generally in use.

 

Medicinal Action and Uses.

Used as a Diuretic or sometimes as a Stimulant. An infusion of the whole herb was considered a valuable remedy in the treatment of chronic kidney diseases and affections of the bladder. The infusion of tea, made from one ounce of the herb in a pint of boiling water, is taken in wineglassful doses. Carrot tea, taken night and morning, and brewed in this way from the whole plant, is considered excellent for certain types of arthritis or gout. A strong decoction is very useful in gravel and stone, and is good against flatulence. A fluid extract is also prepared, the dose being from 1/2 to 1 drachm.

 

The seeds are said to be  very useful in colic, hiccough, dysentery, chronic coughs. The dose of the seeds is one teaspoonful, repeated as necessary. They were at one time considered a valuable remedy for jaundice. They have a slight aromatic smell and a warm, pungent taste. They add an very agreeable aromatic flavour to malt liquor.

 

Old writers tell us that a poultice made of the roots has been found to ease the pain of ulcers, and that the leaves, applied with honey, cleanse sores and ulcers. An infusion of the root was also used as an aperient. A humble veggie with an impressive history.

And this is a wild carrot.

 

Herb Thursday; Carrot and Coriander Soup

This summer I took quite a liking for Carrot and Coriander Soup. Where ever I went, I stopped off a variety of nice homely little cafes and asked for home made Carrot and Coriander soup for my lunch. Well the summer is over for me and if I want Carrot and Coriander Soup for lunch I am going to have to make it myself. So I thought I ought to look up the recipe. Sounds delicious can’t wait to try it.

Healthy Recipes

Carrot and Coriander Soup

What you need (serves 4)

• 2 teaspoons sunflower or olive oil
• 2 medium carrots (grated or cut into small pieces)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 1 clove of garlic (crushed)
• 2 tomatoes (chopped)
• 2 celery sticks (chopped)
• 600ml (1 pint) vegetable stock
• 300ml (½ pint) orange juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh coriander (chopped)
• Seasoning

How to Make It

1.      Heat the oil, add the onion, garlic, carrot, tomatoes and celery.

2.    Cook until soft.

3.    Add the stock and seasoning.

4.    Simmer for 20-25 minutes.

5.    Add the coriander and orange juice.

6.    Puree the soup in a blender, and reheat.

7.    Check the seasoning. Garnish with additional coriander and serve with crusty bread.

Recipe kindly provided by Grampian Dieticians.

Taken directly from web site

 

http://www.teenweightwise.com/recipes/lunch/carrot_corriander_soup.aspx

 

And here is the information on the herb Coriander

Botanical: Coriandrum sativum (LINN.)

Parts Used

fruit and fresh leaves.
Habitat

Coriander, an umbelliferous plant indigenous to southern Europe, is found occasionally in Britain in fields and waste places, and by the sides of rivers. It is frequently found in a semi-wild state in the east of England, having escaped from cultivation.

Description---It is an annual, with erect stems, 1 to 3 feet high, slender and branched. The lowest leaves are stalked and pinnate, the leaflets roundish or oval, slightly lobed. The segments of the uppermost leaves are linear and more divided. The flowers are in shortly-stalked umbels, five to ten rays, pale mauve, almost white, delicately pretty. The seed clusters are very symmetrical and the seeds fall as soon as ripe. The plant is bright green, shining, glabrous and intensely foetid.

Gerard described it as follows:

'The common kind of Coriander is a very striking herb, it has a round stalk full of branches, two feet long. The leaves are almost like the leaves of the parsley, but later on become more jagged, almost like the leaves of Fumitorie, but a great deal smaller and tenderer. The flowers are white and grow in round tassels like Dill.'

The inhabitants of Peru are so fond of the taste and smell of this herb that it enters into almost all their dishes, and the taste is often objectionable to any but a native. Both in Peru and in Egypt, the leaves are put into soup.

The seeds are quite round like tiny balls. They lose their disagreeable scent on drying and become fragrant- the longer they are kept, the more fragrant they become.

Coriander was originally introduced from the East, being one of the herbs brought to Britain by the Romans. As an aromatic stimulant and spice, it has been cultivated and used from very ancient times. It was employed by Hippocrates and other Greek physicians.

The name Coriandrum, used by Pliny, is derived from koros, (a bug), in reference to the foetid smell of the leaves.

Pliny tells us that 'the best (Coriander) came from Egypt,' and from thence no doubt the Israelites gained their knowledge of its properties.

The Africans are said to have called this herb by a similar name (goid), which Gesenius derives from a verb (gadad), signifying 'to cut,' in allusion to the furrowed appearance of the fruit.

It is still much used in the East as a condiment, and forms an ingredient in curry powder.

In the northern countries of Europe, the seeds are sometimes mixed with bread, but the chief consumption of Coriander seed in this country is in flavouring certain alcoholic liquors, for which purpose it is largely grown in Essex. Distillers of gin make use of it, and veterinary surgeons employ it as a drug for cattle and horses. The fruit is the only part of the plant that seems to have any medical or dietetical reputation.

Confectioners form from the seeds little, round pink and white comfits for children.

It is included in the British Pharmacopceia, but it is chiefly used to disguise unpleasant medicine.

A power of conferring immortality is thought by the Chinese to be a property of the seeds.

Turner says (1551): '"Coriandre layd to wyth breade or barly mele is good for Saynt Antonyes fyre" (the erysipelas: so called because it was supposed to have been cured by the intercession of St. Anthony). Coriander cakes are seldom made now.'

Cultivation

Sow in mild, dry weather in April, in shallow drills, about 1/2 inch deep and 8 or 9 inches apart, and cover it evenly with the soil. The seeds are slow in germinating. The seeds may also be sown in March, in heat, for planting out in May.

As the seeds ripen, about August, the disagreeable odour gives place to a pleasant aroma, and the plant is then cut down with sickles and when dry the fruit is threshed out.

Parts UsedThe fruit, and sometimes for salads and soups - the fresh leaves.

The fruit (so-called seeds) are of globular form, beaked, finely ribbed, yellowish-brown 1/5 inch in diameter, with five longitudinal ridges, separable into two halves (the mericarps), each of which is concave internally and shows two broad, longitudinal oil cells (vittae). The seeds have an aromatic taste and, when crushed, a characteristic odour.

---Constituents---Coriander fruit contains about 1 per cent of volatile oil, which is the active ingredient. It is pale yellow or colourless, and has the odour of Coriander and a mild aromatic taste. The fruit yields about 5 per cent of ash and contains also malic acid, tannin and some fatty matter.

---Medicinal Action and Uses---Stimulant, aromatic and carminative. The powdered fruit, fluid extract and oil are chiefly used medicinally as flavouring to disguise the taste of active purgatives and correct their griping tendencies.

 

---Preparations---Powdered fruit: dose, 10 to 60 grains. Fluid extract, 5 to 30 drops. B.P.: dose, 1/2 to 3 drops.

Taken directly from web stie

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/corian99.html