thistle stem is tasting good!
just scrape/cut the spikes off and munch!
tastes a bit inbetween raddish/potatoe.
enjoy!
just scrape/cut the spikes off and munch!
tastes a bit inbetween raddish/potatoe.
enjoy!
thistle stem
- Thread starter RAPPLEBY2000
- Start date
lovely!
i've grown cardoons before (a distant relative of thistle) and you can eat the stems once the spikes etc are removed.
with cardoons you can also eat heart of the flower. i guess you should be able to do the same with thistles but it would involve an awful lot of work to remove the choke from each flower (similat to an artichoke).
pontentially a good bushcraft gourmet delicacy?
i've grown cardoons before (a distant relative of thistle) and you can eat the stems once the spikes etc are removed.
with cardoons you can also eat heart of the flower. i guess you should be able to do the same with thistles but it would involve an awful lot of work to remove the choke from each flower (similat to an artichoke).
pontentially a good bushcraft gourmet delicacy?
i've done it may times!
it's like a small nut if you get it too early (during early flower)it's like compacted grass
if you get it too late it's dry and woody(after the seeds)
but if you get one at the right time
(and don't get me wrong it's a nuissiance to get to)
it tastes really nice, sort of nutty, i could live on them!
one way of telling you have the right bit is a wierd thing, it turns almost black within minutes of exposure to air! but is still edible!
try it on a few and you'll see what i mean!
i've found the easiest way to colect them is to cut off the whole flower, then with my penknife scissors cut everything off, otherwise you'll be picking bits off for ages!
it's worth it!
it's like a small nut if you get it too early (during early flower)it's like compacted grass
if you get it too late it's dry and woody(after the seeds)but if you get one at the right time
(and don't get me wrong
it's a nuissiance to get to)it tastes really nice, sort of nutty, i could live on them!
one way of telling you have the right bit is a wierd thing, it turns almost black within minutes of exposure to air! but is still edible!
try it on a few and you'll see what i mean!
i've found the easiest way to colect them is to cut off the whole flower, then with my penknife scissors cut everything off, otherwise you'll be picking bits off for ages!
it's worth it!
i've got to give it a go now, a chef friend of mine recommended it ages ago but it always seemed like a lot of work for a little return.
now i know it can be tasty i won't be able to help myself.
did you cook them?
now i know it can be tasty i won't be able to help myself.
did you cook them?
I have not tried raw thistle either, what sort of thistle were you eating, I know that they are all edible, but some may be tastier than others...............Jon
can't rmember what sort but it's like the classic thistle emblem(scottish ) i will look it up, it stands about a meter high and has bright purple flowers, i immagine you can try different types.
you can cook thistle for food anyway so yes you could cook it, iv'e been told the nut area is packed with protien so a good source quite easily spotted, just arkward to collect.
i personally would just eat them raw,
i will try cooking some this year i immagine the taste would fade and due to the fact they go black it might not look to pleasing to the eye, it would add nutrition to any bushcraft meal! just got to collect the buggers!
i think we have some time before they are ripe this year though in my area
) i will look it up, it stands about a meter high and has bright purple flowers, i immagine you can try different types.you can cook thistle for food anyway so yes you could cook it, iv'e been told the nut area is packed with protien so a good source quite easily spotted, just arkward to collect.
i personally would just eat them raw,
i will try cooking some this year i immagine the taste would fade and due to the fact they go black it might not look to pleasing to the eye, it would add nutrition to any bushcraft meal! just got to collect the buggers!
i think we have some time before they are ripe this year though in my area
trim the thistle stem off first before cutting at the base, tastes like a very chewy celery stick.
probably later summer nearer august or september.
the next stuff is only a guess but it seems to ring true!
i think it depends on the plant though, but as a guide it's before the fluff has gone!
whilst it is in full bloom,
i think mabey the "nut" is the protien the plant uses to grow the seeds, so basically you have to pick the flower just before or after it's polenated certainly still whilst there is a flower to be seen!
earlier before the flower and the nut will basically be "flower petals" folded up,
during flower the plant will be gathering it's nut.
when the fluff is poping out all the nutrition has already been used and the plant is dying, the nut will be dry and worthless.
please any plant expert correct me wherever it needs it!
the next stuff is only a guess but it seems to ring true!
i think it depends on the plant though, but as a guide it's before the fluff has gone!
whilst it is in full bloom,
i think mabey the "nut" is the protien the plant uses to grow the seeds, so basically you have to pick the flower just before or after it's polenated certainly still whilst there is a flower to be seen!
earlier before the flower and the nut will basically be "flower petals" folded up,
during flower the plant will be gathering it's nut.
when the fluff is poping out all the nutrition has already been used and the plant is dying, the nut will be dry and worthless.
please any plant expert correct me wherever it needs it!
I had a blast on this earlier on. I wasn't too sure I'd read it correctly though and backed out on the stem, but I found the 'stone' in the flower. When it darkened, I knew it was good and tried it. The flower wasn't fully developed, but it was on it's way. There were others on the stem so I left them on so as not to denude the plant. It tasted a bit hazel nut like to me and it was very small. Will they be bigger later in the year, or is that it, it was about the size of a garden pea!
they're on every thistle old enough ive tried!
as i say it's part of the reproductive system to produce seed,
so every plant should have a nut!
the ones i've found were the size of a hazel nut, so worth gathering.
i guess it's one of those sit and wait problems! the best ones i found were actually in the grounds of an activity center i worked at, sometimes whilst waiting for a group i'd find a thistle nut! (not whilst on a rope activity
) .
anyway the center was on the north norfolk coast, so mabey sea air or wind has a benificial effect?
the largest plants were on a rough earth bank and path going into pine woodland.
there were lots of bees around, which might suggest a good time to pick.
the plants were chest height
as i say it's part of the reproductive system to produce seed,
so every plant should have a nut!
the ones i've found were the size of a hazel nut, so worth gathering.
i guess it's one of those sit and wait problems! the best ones i found were actually in the grounds of an activity center i worked at, sometimes whilst waiting for a group i'd find a thistle nut! (not whilst on a rope activity
) .anyway the center was on the north norfolk coast, so mabey sea air or wind has a benificial effect?
the largest plants were on a rough earth bank and path going into pine woodland.
there were lots of bees around, which might suggest a good time to pick.
the plants were chest height
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