Arils

[Emma]

OK first off: Yew is a dangerous tree. Yew berries (arils) are not poisonous, but the seeds inside them are very much so. Do not eat the berries if you cannot safely remove the flesh from the seeds.

I know most of you know that anyway.

My question is: arils taste so nice, is there any way of safely jamming them or possibly creating a syrup from them?
The only way I've found of separating the seeds from the berry is either very very messily with my fingers (which leaves almost no flesh to eat) or very carefully in my mouth with teeth, but I eat it whilst I remove it.
I assume (I'm not even going to try) heating them would help the poison spread from the seeds...

Any ideas, or just 'leave well alone'?

 

[tomtom]

as a rule of thumb "leave well alone" but if you really want to then you could try useing someting super sharp like a scaple to cut the it off very carfuly being sure not to take any of the seed bit with it!

 

[bushwacker bob]

the 'snot' around the seed is edible too,so you dont have to worry too much as long as you dont include the seeds.

 

[maddave]

the 'snot' around the seed is edible too,so you dont have to worry too much as long as you dont include the seeds.

Nice technical term that Bob..... :rolmao:

 

[gurthang]

I heard that apparently if you eat too much of that 'snot' it causes halucinations and headaches etc.. maybe I'm wrong and its the poison in the seeds that produce these symptoms.

 

[bambodoggy]

Similar story for rosehips.... the seeds aren't poisonous as such but they have tiny little hairs that are an internal irritant....

I have to wonder if it's worth the bother with Arils....

 

[Emma]

I have to wonder if it's worth the bother with Arils....

That's pretty much why I'm asking.

 

[Jon]

This reminds me of the japanese fish that will kill you if it is prepared incorrectly. If you did make the jam it would be so scary to eat. An act of faith for anyone you offer it to.

"Hey trust me, I'm a chef ......"

 

[tomtom]

Fugu! :yikes:

 

[Wayne]

I wouldn't advise eating the jam. It might concentrate any residual toxins. Why take the risk? Whats wrong with strawberry jam?

 

[Moonraker]

The issue is trying to safely separate the flesh of the arils from the highly toxic seeds inside. I should stick to eating them like you do raw, when it is easier to do so and spit out the seed. In fact it is a good source of vitamin A but the truly deadly danger of even tiny quantities of the alkaloid toxin being released in food processing is simply not worth the risk.

Yew toxin was used widely in Europe as a poison for arrows.

 

[tomtom]

how does it work.. does it not make what ever you shoot with this toxin, toxic to eat... or was it not for hunting?

 

[Moonraker]

I am not sure about the toxicity after use tomtom. I assume it was rendered harmless somehow as it was used to kil animals too:

wood, about 50,000 years old, from Clacton-on-Sea, England.*

Archeological excavations have found yew bows and knives in Swiss lake dwellings from 10,000 years ago. Historically, yew bows were the weapon of choice for both hunting and warfare throughout most of Europe until the invention of firearms.*

Yew was also employed as a poison, used for assassination, suicide, as an arrow poison, and to poison fish and mammals.*

I wonder how a yew wood knife would function? Not for poison as such but in practical use.

 

[tomtom]

well if it was used only for assaination and suicide i doubt it mattered much

this might be an extreamy dumass question but do you think they mean blades made of yew or scales/handles?

 

[Wayne]

There was a thread a while back about possible hunting in Europe with poison.

 

[tomtom]

got a link... the search drives me nutts!!

 

[bushwacker bob]

this might be an extreamy dumass question but do you think they mean blades made of yew or scales/handles?

:rolmao: :rolmao: :rolmao: ): :rolmao: ):

 

[tomtom]

aww man i cant edit it... it was late ok?!!

 

[bambodoggy]

That's pretty much why I'm asking.

Yer, thanks for that Emma....... ): good to see I pay attention and stick to the subject!!! :rolmao: I'll just toast my bannok on my rosey cheeks! :embarasse