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Old wives tales?
in Fruit & veg
My mum taught us to always peel mushrooms, which I did until told off in my twenties by a friend, who said they just needed wiping and I’d lose a lot of the flavour. It has since occurred to me that my mother would only have eaten wild mushrooms from the local fields, and needed to confirm what it was she had picked.
I was also warned off watercress - danger of liver flukes- and leeks were out of favour for being full of grit and earth.
And is it safe to eat potatoes that have sprouted? My father in law would buy huge sacks at a time, and they would last him for months, but they must have been sprouting.
How many of these are old wives tales, and how much should I still pay heed to?
I was also warned off watercress - danger of liver flukes- and leeks were out of favour for being full of grit and earth.
And is it safe to eat potatoes that have sprouted? My father in law would buy huge sacks at a time, and they would last him for months, but they must have been sprouting.
How many of these are old wives tales, and how much should I still pay heed to?
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We don't eat many potatoes so I just buy a small bag as and when needed. Some do sprout and I just rub those off. If they get left too long I plant them and get extra spuds after a bit of a wait.
The one about running tap water before drinking it was a good in the days of lead pipes but no longer necessary.
Flukes in watercress only happens (afaik) if there are sheep upstream that drink the water. I grow watercress in the header pool of the waterfall for my fishpond and eat it.
When I use leeks I cut off the rooty bit at the bottom then slice from the bottom up to near the top of the leaves then holding the leek upside-down under the tap I wash any grit/soil from them.
I do eat spuds that have sprouted a little, but if they feel in the least bit soft I don't.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I don't like wet mushrooms that leak lots of water when cooked hence I never wash them and cook them on very high heat with little stirring.
Watercress picked in the rivers can contain contaminants. Some have sheep dip leaking, or if near a burial site have embalming fluid going into the water system, all going into those rivers for instance. I only use supermarket ones as not tried growing my own yet.
Sprouting potatoes are safe although some develop a different flavour once they start sprouting.
Another one for Potatoes - My mum used to say it's dangerous to eat green potatoes.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Green potatoes are harmful to pregnant women as the can cause Spina Bifida, but that could be an old wives tale? I think it’s true though.
I just pick off the eyes on potatoes, can’t see as they can be harmful.
I remember my mum telling me that if I ate any of the pith from oranges and the like I'd get worms.
Only an occasional boiled egg too - as they cause constipation
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I think the egg one was because they just couldn’t afford them.
rarely a fresh egg, plenty available dried form.
Anyone else get a dose of Syrup of Figs on a Friday night, it was a regular thing, had to stay in on Saturdays. 😀
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...