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Gathering and preparation, treatment of Sumach or Stag's Horn
Steph Henshaw
Posts: 21
in Fruit & veg
I was just reading up on the suckers this tree can throw out, and getting worried.....
....and then, I read that you can eat it!!
I've had a look, but I would appreciate some advice on gathering, prep, storage etc, and some suggested uses in food?
thaaaaaanks!
0
Posts
Which bit can you eat?
In the sticks near Peterborough
The lovely red cone things?!?! Ground up or other?!?
No idea how to gather it or prepare it for storing. I bought my sumac online. It gives a lemony flavour without being too tart. Very good sprinkled on the skin before roasting a chicken and features a lot in Persian cuisine.
Beware - sumac berries that make the spice are not the same thing as the stag horn sumach in your garden - http://www.thekitchn.com/heres-why-you-should-have-sumac-in-your-spice-cabinet-ingredient-intelligence-67042.
Oh!! Looks like I might be barking up the wrong tree Obelixx! (Thx for help re. Wisteria too????)
There are a few N American YouTube clips saying you can make "ade" with the cones? I wonder why my tree never produces berries? Or are these in the cones?
Hmmm - not that I've everr 'grown my own' - I buy my sumac - but this site says that culinary sumac is the same as Rhus typhina http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/09/foraged-flavor-all-about-sumac.html
Serious Eats is a site with a good reputation well regarded by several of my 'foodie friends' .... but I'm not saying it's ok .................
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
In that case I suspect you have to be in a warmer climate to get the berries. I've never seen any on our rhus typhina dissecta and I've had it 25 years. I shall go and investigate closer this autumn.
I have stroked them (as advised by wild woman on YouTube) and they do taste very lemony. and she harvests them when bright red in the summer.
I also found out that the only Sumac(h) that is poisonous is the white one.
i'll come back to it when I've fixed my wisteria disaster.....
This conversation sounds a little worrying to me.
I would want to be 100% sure, that the plant you have, is the same as that used for culinary purposes. Otherwise there could be problems.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I am 100% sure it can be eaten, and not at all worried. Just want to expand possible uses.
as to why.... Same reason for making elderflower cordial. Beats supermarket. Food miles etc etc