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COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES, OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY |
DANDELION, Taraxacum officinale
Berzok, Lindsa Murray. 2005. American Indian Food. Food in American History. Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut.
Picked young before flowering in both the Northeast and Southwest, the tender leaves were eaten raw or cooked. The corwn, root and blossoms could also be consumed.
Kavasch, Barrie. 1979. Native Harvests. Recipes and Botanicals of the American Indian. Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, New York.
This persistent, comsmopolitan herb introduced from Europe to North American long ago) afford us many uses, reflecting centuries of both ppioneer and Indian ingenuity. The blossoms are excellent for teas and wines, the roots (preferably second or older) provide a delicious caffeine-free coffee.
Garrett, Theodore Francis (edited by). 1898. the Encyclopedia of Practical Cookery. L. Upcott Gill, 170, Strand, W.C. London. Vol. II
is the palnt (Taraxaeum officinale) with deeply-notched leaves, which are supposed to resemble the teeth of a lion. The plants grow very prolifically when allowed full liberty and make a very pleasing salad. The young leaves are best for salads, as they are not so bitter as those which are matured or have been exposed.
Excerpts from Hawkes, Alex D. 1968. A World of Vegetable Cookery. Simon and Schuster, New York.
It is a member of the prodigious Daisy Family, Taraxacum officinale, which though originally a native of Europe and Asia, has become naturalized in almost all portions of the temperate zones.
The vernacular name, parenthetically, comes from the French dent de lion, "lion's tooth," which refers to the generally prominent teeth on the leaves. Interestingly, the French word for Dandelion is pissenlit, just to be perverse!
Dandelion greens are the toted leaves growing around a central stalk. The young tender leaves. Do not pick greens after flowers appears as they are tough and bitter. Prepare and cook like spinach.
This begins to sprout up in the early spring. It has narrow serrated leaves and a very long, strong, thick taproot. This webber has personally noticed that the leaves size will vary considerable depending upon the soil and the temperature. After the yellow flower fades, a white puffball of seeds will form. These seeds spread quickly. The young dandelion leaves are useful in early spring salads.
Niethammer, Carolyn. 1974. American Indian Food and Lore. Macmillian Publishing Co., Inc., New York.
ALSO CALLED: Blowball
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Taraxacum officinale.
HABITAT AND DESCRIPTION: The common dandelion is an herb that grows very close to the ground. All the long, toothed leaves emanate from the central core; the flowers are bright yellow and furry and are borne singly on hollow stems. Originally from Europe, the dandelion is now found widely throughout the West in lawns and on roadsides.
Several southwestern Indian groups have adopted the dandelion into the group of plants they use for food and medicines.The Papagos ate the vitamin-filled young leaves both raw and cooked. other parts of the plant, including the crown, root, and blossoms are also eaten.
The leaves must be picked when very young, before the plant has flowered, or the characteristic bitter taste will be too strong. When they are very small, the raw leaves make good additions to salads; when the leaves are a little older they are best boiled in salted water for 5 minutes then seasoned with butter and vinegar.
Webber comment: My brother-in-law lived with immigrants for Australia. He talks about how a whole extended family would in the Spring go out and pick dandelion flowers to make dandelion wine. This was in southeast Kansas.
Compiled for Food Resource http://food.oregonstate.edu