Spice Hunting: Aji Panca

DEC 30, 201010:00 AM3 Comments

TAGS:• AJI PANCA• CHILES• SPICE HUNTING• SPICES

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[Photograph: Robyn Lee]When you start really getting into chiles, you break them down into groups. There arethe everyday chiles. The strange chiles, shoved to the back of the pantry, you bought that one time to make a foreign dish that you enjoyed but have yet to revisit. The chiles to strike fear in the hearts of your enemies. And then there are the chiles so fascinating, so strangely complex, that you can't stop buying them.Aji panca is hot but not fiery. It's got just a touch of smoke, and it's sweet—so much so that, on my palette at least, it tastes like blueberries. We forget it at times, but chiles are fruits. Aji panca makes that botanical relationship abundantly clear, and for cooks who like to experiment with their chiles, it's a great addition to the pantry. If you need a substitute, chocolatey pasillas can step in, but it's worth seeking out the real thing.Aji panca is a member of the baccatum family of chiles. They're fruity, sweet, and surprisingly complex compared to their better-known cousins like poblanos, jalapeños, and serranos. Aji panca is a close relative of aji amarillo, but with a brighter, fresher flavor that doesn't taste cooked even after drying or cooking down toa paste. Its roots are in Peruvian cooking, where it's steeped in stews, ground into sauces, and rubbed into meat before grilling or roasting.How to Use Aji PancaAji panca tastes so berry-like it can be used like citrus zest, ground and tossed with foods just before serving. Its sweet heat plays well with other fruity flavors, and it gives added dimension to citrus and stone fruit.When whisked with lime juice it's the perfect dressing for some cubed avocado. Put that on toast and you have one of my favorite breakfasts.The chile's lightness goes nicely with something rich and creamy to balance it out. Beyond avocado, I love it with chocolate, especially one with a robust, fruity character of its own. After grinding, it can be stirred into chocolate dessert sauces or little chocolate pots de crème. Or bake it into cookies that pack a mean little bite.Aji panca's balanced flavor really comes into its own when cooked for longer periods of time. Though its fresh berry notes lose their distinctiveness, its subtle smoky quality comes to the fore. Like chipotle, but less overpowering, aji panca dances across neutral canvases of chicken and lean pork. When processed to a paste with garlic, salt, and olive oil, it's the perfect rub for a quick kebab or roast.Where to Find Aji PancaUnless your grocery's chile section is very well stocked, you'll have to seek refuge in a market that caters to Peruvian cooks. Aji panca will be next to the far more well-known aji amarillo, likely both in dried forms and processed to a paste ($3 for 7 ounces). I prefer whole dried chiles for applications involving little to no cooking, butthe paste certainly does the job, especially as a rub for meat. New Yorkers can pick updried pods at Kalustyan's ($6 for 2 ounces). Otherwise, a pound of them will set you back all of ten dollars at Amazon. Trust me, you'll go through them faster than you think. This is a front of the shelf chile, for sure.

AJI PANCA PEPPERS (Capsicum baccatum) are Peruvian seasoning

heirlooms known for their sweet smokey fruity flavor with just a hint of heat. This is truly a delicious pepper that should be in every serious cook's larder. The color ranges from deep red - burgundy tobrown when fully ripe and dried. Typically it is made into a paste or dried and reconstituted. The plants grow up to 2 feet high and produce very late in the season. The peppers are 4" - 6" in length. 80 days from transplant. Does very well in pots, so start a bunch ofsmall pots and give as gifts to friends! They will love it! 10 seeds. Heat Scale: Sweet..0-1-2-3-4-5..Hot.

PANCA PORK: My own recipe for a garden-fresh marinade that works especially well with pork (country ribs, tenderloin, chops, etc.) You will adjust the amounts and proportions to taste. Mix in your blender or food processor: fresh (or dried) panca pepper, fresh(or canned) tomato, fresh garlic, fresh basil, fresh lime juice, roasted sesame oil (just a splash), olive oil (the base), salt and freshly ground pepper. Make enough to cover whatever you are marinating and give a couple hours for the marinade to work its magic, turning at least once to keep the pork covered. You can marinate overnight.

ABOUT GROWING PEPPERS: Whether Sweet or Heat, peppers must be started indoors and really appreciate bottom warmth (80 degrees) and grow lights for vigorous starts. Be sure to pick varieties that will have sufficient time to complete their growth in your area. Also, hot peppers will be hotter as the temperature rises,so if you want heat and live in the north, buy the hottest varieties available so you won't be disappointed. Vice versa for the south. Use gloves when handling hot pepper seeds and some of the hot peppers themselves. Start peppers indoors 8 weeks before transplanting. Sow seeds 1/4" deep. Keep soil moist. Peppers may take up to two weeks to pop up. When weather warms (daytime soil near 80 degrees and nighttime temps above 50 degrees) you can transplant into rich prepared soil in a sunny position, about 18''apart and, if in rows, about 24'' apart. I like to give my peppers some support, usually a stake or cage, as productive plants can keel over from the weight of their fruit. Consider spacing your peppers around your vegetable garden, as they can be helpful in warding off furry invaders of your greens and such. Use organic mulch to fend off weeds and keep soil moist in hot dry summers. Peppers need regular moderate watering, but water from below to avoid spreading blossom end rot. Peppers are so versatile. You can use fresh, cook them in a variety of ways, dry many varieties easily,and freeze many varieties for later cooking.

CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM GARDEN SEEDS & PLANTS offer hundreds of heirloom and vintage open-pollinated varieties. Most have histories dating back centuries and are tried and true producers. Some are rare, or threatened with extinction. When you grow a plant from heirloom seed and save that seed, you are participating in a practice that goes back for generations. Our grandparents and their grandparents grew these varieties. Often the seeds were prized possessions carried to the New World when they emigrated.

Ever notice how most seed catalogs require you to buy much more seed than you could possibly use in a season? If you have a budget for garden seeds, this limits your choices! Although seeds can be viable for longer than one growing season, it requires that they be stored at a consistent temperature and humidity. Few of us do this. CherryGal sizes its seed packets for the home gardener, because weknow you may want to grow 5 different lettuces, or three different corns, or 50 different vegetables, herbs and flowers -- and don’t want to have to take out a second mortgage to pay for it all! We strive to keep our overhead as low as possible so our seed prices can stay as low as possible. So we do not have a huge staff, no printed catalogues -- just very fine fresh heritage seeds at unbelievable prices. CHERRYGAL SEEDS ARE A TREMENDOUS BARGAIN!

Another important reason to grow a large variety of plants is that one of the chief culprits in honey bee colony collapse disorder seems to be that their immune systems are weakened by the prevalence of commercial mono-cropping. In other words, bees pollinating only one variety crop have a diet equivalent to eating only bread. Growing an abundant variety of vegetables, herbs and flowers will help sustain our precious honeybees!

All seeds offered are FRESH stock, with high germination rates, tested by the growers and myself. Varieties are specially selected for home gardeners. If you want the flavor you remember from grandma's kitchen garden or the beauty of her cottage flowers, choose CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM SEEDS.

ABOUT OPEN-POLLINATED SEEDS . . . All CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are heirlooms (dating at least 100 years) or vintage (mid-20th Century or older) varieties, with an occasional modern variety included which I believe merits special attention. All CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are OPEN-POLLINATED. This means saved seed willbe true to the parent. Don't be dazzled by the never-ending array of hybrid seeds promoted by gardening suppliers. First, seeds from

that produce will not grow true to the parent -- you have to keep buying the hybrid seed (get the picture?). Second, most hybrids aredeveloped for market – not home -- growers with an emphasis on extended shelf life, storage and shipping qualities -- NOT flavor, texture, fragrance and all those other elements that home growers seek.

All CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM SEEDS come from reputable growers (with a preference given to small independent farms) and whereverpossible ORGANIC suppliers (so noted). We do not knowingly offer any genetically modified seeds, and customers should understand that in order to be designed “certified organic” a seed is by law not genetically modified. By buying CHERRYGAL SEEDS you are supporting the growing worldwide movement of SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE and with a little practice you will be able to save even more money in the future by growing these open-pollinated varieties and saving seed for next year.

Please Note: CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are guaranteed to be fresh to the season stock, but are not guaranteed as to results. Sorry, but there are too many variables in gardening that can impact germination so please do not ask for a refund, replacement or to return unused seed. I always recommend that if you are new to gardening, or to a particular type of plant or variety, that you grow just a few at first to test your germination method. Email with any questions - I always respond promptly. Having said all that, we think you will be pleased and would like to hear about your gardening success!

SPECIAL NOTE TO MARKET GROWERS: We market to the home gardener, but we are happy to fill your order for multiples of any variety available. We do not offer bulk discounts. Also, we will not accept responsibility for crop failures, so please keep that in mind as purchase constitutes acceptance of 100% of the risk involved in growing any seed offered at CherryGal.com.

SHIPPING: This is important! Practiced gardeners know that the best time to order seeds is as early as possible in the season. I do not list varieties for sale that are not in hand, unless it is noted as "coming." I also add/subtract varieties all season long as inventory fluctuates, so check back often. We are constantly improving our fulfillment procedures to decrease the amount of time from order toshipping. We have added a SHIPPING BANNER to the front of the site and on every listing page which will give you the current time frame for shipping seeds. In off-season, seeds ship very quickly -

usually the next business day. But as the prime season comes on, shipping can slow. Please consult this shipping banner before you purchase, so there will be no disappointments! We fulfill orders in the order received. Choosing priority or express shipping does not influence the speed with which your order is processed, only the speed with which it moves through the postal system. I package my seeds for shipping in a manner appropriate to the amount and type of seed - larger orders and larger seeds require more packaging. Whether you choose first class mail or priority shipping, your seeds will ship using a delivery confirmation number which willbe supplied to you. Our checkout system is keyed to the US Postal System. For small seed orders, I recommend choosing FIRST CLASS mail at checkout. Larger orders (over 13 ounces) can ship either parcel post, or you may find PRIORITY MAIL to be less expensive, depending on your zipcode. (I gave up trying to figure out the US Postal System rates a long time ago).

I appreciate all my CherryGal.com customers, but have a special affinity for my seed customers. If you have a problem, please emailme, using the contact links that are all over the website. Calling is likely to be a frustrating experience, as I do not have the staff to answer the phone, but your email will be promptly responded to.

Lastly, keep an eye out for my end of season sale which starts in June until all inventory is sold. It is always a bargain and helps us clear the shelves each season so that I am offering you only the freshest seeds year to year. Happy Gardening and don't forget to share your garden surplus with your local food bank.

Cyperus esculentus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cyperus esculentus

Scientific classificationKingdom: Plantae(unranked): Angiosperms(unranked): Monocots(unranked): CommelinidsOrder: PoalesFamily: CyperaceaeGenus: CyperusSpecies: C. esculentus

Binomial nameCyperus esculentus

L.Synonyms[1]

• Chlorocyperus aureus (K.Richt.) Palla ex Kneuck.• Chlorocyperus phymatodes (Muhl.) Palla• Cyperus aureus Ten• Cyperus aureus (L.) Nyman• Cyperus bahiensis Steud.• Cyperus buchananii Boeckeler• Cyperus callistus Ridl.• Cyperus chrysostachys Boeckeler• Cyperus cubensis Steud.

• Cyperus damiettensis A.Dietr.• Cyperus esculentus var.angustispicatus Britton• Cyperus esculentus f.angustispicatus (Britton)

Fernald• Cyperus esculentus subsp.aureus K.Richt.• Cyperus esculentus var. cyclolepisBoeckeler ex

Kük.• Cyperus esculentus f. evolutusC.B.Clarke• Cyperus esculentus var.heermannii (Buckley)

Britton• Cyperus esculentus var. helodes(Schrad. ex Nees)

C.B.Clarke• Cyperus esculentus var.leptostachyus Boeckeler• Cyperus esculentus var. lutescens(Torr. & Hook.)

Kük. ex Osten• Cyperus esculentus var. lutescens(Torr. & Hook.)

Kük.• Cyperus esculentus var.macrostachyus Boeckeler• Cyperus esculentus f.macrostachyus (Boeckeler)

Fernald• Cyperus esculentus var.phymatodes (Muhl.) Kük.• Cyperus esculentus f. princepsC.B.Clarke• Cyperus esculentus var. sativusBoeckeler• Cyperus esculentus var. spruceiC.B.Clarke• Cyperus fresenii Steud.• Cyperus fulvescens Liebm.• Cyperus gracilescens Schult.• Cyperus gracilis Link• Cyperus heermannii Buckley• Cyperus helodes Schrad. ex Nees• Cyperus hydra Kunth• Cyperus lutescens Torr. & Hook.• Cyperus melanorhizus Delile• Cyperus nervosus Bertol.• Cyperus officinalis T.Nees• Cyperus pallidus Savi• Cyperus phymatodes Muhl.• Cyperus phymatodes var.heermannii (Buckley)

S.Watson• Cyperus repens Elliott• Cyperus ruficomus Buckley• Cyperus scirpoides R.Br.

• Cyperus sieberianus Link• Cyperus tenoreanus Schult.• Cyperus tenorei C.Presl• Cyperus tenorianus Roem. & Schult.• Cyperus tuberosus Pursh• Cyperus variabilis Salzm. ex Steud.• Pterocyperus esculentus (L.) Opiz• Pycreus esculentus (L.) Hayek

Cyperus esculentus (or chufa sedge, nut grass, yellow nutsedge, tigernut sedge, or earth almond) is a crop of the sedge family native to warm temperate to subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It can be found wild, as a weed or as a crop. It has been cultivated since the fourth millennium BC in Egypt, and for several centuries in Southern Europe. Nowadays it is often cultivated for its edible tubers (tigernuts), mainly in Spainfor the preparation of the milky beverage Horchata de chufa. But in many countries C. esculentusis considered a weed and it is underused.[2]

Contents

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• 1 Taxonomy• 2 History• 3 Biology• 4 Cultivation• 4.1 Climate requirements• 4.2 Soil requirements• 5 Agronomy• 5.1 Cultivation management• 5.2 Harvest and drying process• 5.3 Storage• 6 Nutritional value• 7 Uses• 7.1 Use as food• 7.2 Use as oil• 7.3 Use in medicine and cosmetic industry• 7.4 Use as fishing bait• 8 Appearance as an invasive weed• 8.1 Similar native or non-native species that can confuse identification• 9 See also• 10 Notes• 11 External links

Taxonomy[edit]There are several varieties:

• Cyperus esculentus var. esculentus - Mediterranean region east to India• Cyperus esculentus var. hermannii - Florida• Cyperus esculentus var. leptostachyus - United States• Cyperus esculentus var. macrostachyus - United States• Cyperus esculentus var. sativus - Asia, cultivated origin

The most important cultivated species is Cyperus esculentus var. sativus Boeckl, also called Chufa.

History[edit]It has been suggested that the extinct hominin Paranthropus boisei, the "Nutcracker Man," subsisted on tigernuts.[3]

Zohary and Hopf consider this tuber "ranks among the oldest cultivated plantsin Ancient Egypt." Although noting, "Chufa was no doubt an important food element in ancient Egypt during dynastic times, its cultivation in ancient times seems to have remained (totally or almost totally) an Egyptian specialty."[4] Its dry tubers have been found in tombs from predynastic times about 6000 years ago. In those times,C. esculentus tubers were consumed either boiled in beer, roasted or as sweets made of ground tubers with honey.[5] The tubers were also used medicinally, taken orally, as an ointment, or as an enema, and used in fumigants to sweeten the smell of homes or clothing.[6]There are almost no contemporary records of this plant in other parts of theold World.

Prehistoric tools with traces of C. esculentus tuber starch granules have beenrecovered from the early Archaic period in North America, from about 9,000 years ago, at the Sandy Hill excavation site at the Mashantucket Pequot Reservation in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The tubers are believed to have been a source of food for those Paleo-Indians.[7]

Besides Egypt, at present they are cultivated mainly in Spain, where it is extended for common commercial purposes in mild climate areas, tigernuts were introduced by Arabs, first in the Valencia region. They are found extensively too in California and were grown by thePaiute in Owens Valley. Tigernut is also cultivated in countries like Guatemala, Mexico, Chile, Brasil, USA, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan,Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Yemen, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Sudan, South Sudan, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Ghana,Niger, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Northern Cameroon and Mali, where they are used primarily as animal feed or uncooked as a side dish, but in Hispanic countries they are used mainly to make horchata, a sweet soft drink. Some African tigernuts export countries are united they forming UEMOA.

Biology[edit]It is an annual or perennial plant, growing to 90 cm (3 feet) tall, with solitary stems growing from a tuber. The plant is reproduced by seeds, creeping rhizomes and tubers. The stems are triangular in section and bear slender leaves 3–10 mm (1/8 to 1/2 inches) wide. The spikelets of the plant are distinctive, with a cluster of flat, oval seeds surrounded by four hanging, leaf-like bracts positioned 90 degrees from each other. They are 5 to 30 mm (about 3/8 to 1 1/8 inches) long and linear to narrowly elliptic with pointed tips and 8 to 35 florets. The color varies between straw – colored to gold – brown. They can produce up to 2420 seeds per plant. The plant foliage is very tough and fibrous and is often mistaken for a grass. The roots are an extensive and complex system of fine, fibrous roots and scaly rhizomes with small hard, spherical tubers and basal bulbs attached. The tubers are between 0.3 – 1.9 cm (1/8 to 1/2 inches) in diameter and the colors varies between yellow, brown and black.[8] One plant can produce several hundred to several thousand tubers during a single growing season. With cool temperatures foliage, roots, rhizomes and basal bulbs die. But the tubers survive and resprout the following spring when soil temperatures remain above 6°C (42.8F). They can resprout up to several years later. When the tubers germinate, many rhizomes are initiated and end in a basal bulb near the soil surface. These basal bulbs initiate the stems and leaves above ground, and fibrous roots underground. C. esculentus is wind pollinated and requires cross pollination as it is self–incompatible.

Cultivation[edit]Climate requirements[edit]Tigernut cultivation requires a mild climate. Low temperature, shadow, and light intensity can inhibit flowering.[8] Tuber initiation is inhibited by high levelsof nitrogen, long photoperiods, and high levels of gibberellic acid. Flower initiation occurs under photoperiods of 12 – 14 hours per day.

Soil requirements[edit]Tubers can develop in soil depths of around 30 cm (1 foot), but most occur in the top or upper part. They tolerate many soil conditions including periods of drought and flooding and survive soil temperatures around -5°C (23F). They grow best on sandy, moist soils which contents and a pH between 5.0 – 7.5. They do not tolerate salinity.[8]

Agronomy[edit]Cultivation management[edit]Planting is normally done on flat soils where ridges to favour the coming irrigations have previously been done. The separation between ridges is approximately 60 cm (2 feet) and seeds are planted manually. Distances between seeds may vary from 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 inches) and seeding depth is around 8 cm (3 1/2 inches). The normal ratio of tigernuts used as seeds for planting is around 200/300 kg (45 to 67 pounds) tubers/ha.[9] They are planted between April and May and must have to be irrigated every week until

they are harvested in November and December. Tubers develop about 6 – 8 weeks after seedling emergence and grow quickly during July and August. The maturing is around 90 – 110 days. The average yield can approach between 10 and 19 t/ha.[10] [11] Weeds need to be removed weekly during the growing stage, as they could cause a reduction on tigernut size. The fields must have to be fertilized before planting by using natural fertilizers such as manure or compost. Thus the soil will recuperate its nutrients.

Harvest and drying process[edit]Harvest usually occurs in November or December and the leaves are scorched during the harvest. With a combine harvester, the tigernut is pulled out of the ground. Immediately after harvesting, the tigernuts are washed withwater in order to remove sand and small stones. The drying occurs usually in the sun and can take up to three months.[12] The temperatures and humidity levels have to be monitored very carefully during this period. The tigernuts have to be turned every day to ensure uniform drying. The drying process ensures a longer shelf life. This prevents rot or other bacterial infections, securing quality and high nutrition levels. Disadvantages in the drying processare shrinkage, skin wrinkler and hard nut texture by dehydration.[13]

Storage[edit]Tigernut loses a considerable amount of water during drying and storage. Thestarch content of the tigernut tubers decreases and the reducing sugar (invertsugar) content increases during storage.[14] Tigernut can be stored dry and rehydrated by soaking without losing the crisp texture. Soaking is usually an overnight operation and is important in the process for some foods such as legumes, grains and some vegetables. Since it reduces the time necessary toreach the required texture during cooking. A common characteristic of dried tigernut is a hard texture. Therefore, soaking is indispensable to render them edible with ease and to ensure acceptable sensory quality.[8]

Nutritional value[edit]Despite its name, tigernut is a tuber. However, its chemical composition shares characteristics with tubers and with nuts. It has been reported to be a “health” food, since its consumption can help prevent heart disease and thrombosis and is said to activate blood circulation and reduce the risk of colon cancer.[15] This tuber is rich in energy content (starch, fat, sugar, and protein), minerals (mainly phosphorus and potassium), and vitamins E and C thus making this tuber also suitable for diabetics. Tigernut tubers contain almost twice the quantity of starch as potato or sweet potato tubers. The oil ofthe tuber was found to contain 18% saturated (palmitic acid and stearic acid) and 82% unsaturated (oleic acid and linoleic acid) fatty acids.[16] The moderately high content of phytosterols further enriches the quality and value of tigernut oil as a food source.

According to the Consejo Regulador de Chufa de Valencia (Regulating Council for Valencia's Tigernuts),[17] the nutritional composition/100 ml of the

Spanish beverage horchata de chufas is as follows: energy content around 66 kcal, proteins around 0.5 g, carbohydrates over 10 g with starch at least 1.9 g, fats at least 2 g.

Uses[edit]Dried tigernut has a smooth tender, sweet and nutty taste. It can be consumed raw, roasted, dried, baked or as tigernut milk or oil.

Use as food[edit]

Dried tubers sold at the market ofBanfora, Burkina Faso.

The tubers are edible, with a slightly sweet, nutty flavour, compared to the more bitter-tasting tuber of the related Cyperus rotundus(purple nutsedge). They are quite hard and are generally soaked in water before they can be eaten, thus making them much softer and giving them a better texture.

They have various uses; in particular, they are used in Spain to make horchata. “Horchata” is a nonalcoholic beverage of milky appearance derived from the tubers of the tigernut plant mixed with sugar and water. It has a great economic impact in the Valencian region of Spain. Flour of roasted tigernut is sometimes added to biscuits and other bakery products as well as in making oil, soap, and starch extracts. It is also used for the production of nougat, jam, beer, and as a flavoring agent in ice cream and in the preparation of kunnu (a local beverage in Nigeria).[18] Kunnu is a nonalcoholic beverage prepared mainly from cereals (such as millet or sorghum) by heating and mixing with spices (dandelion, alligator pepper, ginger, licorice) and sugar. To make up for the poor nutritional value of kunnu prepared from cereals, tigernut was found to be a good substitute for cereal grains. Tigernuts oil can be used naturally with salads or for deep frying. It is considered as high quality oil. Tigernut “milk” has been tried as an alternative source of milk in fermented products, such as yogurt production, and other fermented products common in some African countries and can thus be useful replacing milk in the diet of people intolerant to lactose to a certain extent.[2]

Use as oil[edit]There is a global search for alternative sources of fuel which could be cheaper, safer and more importantly, environmentally friendly in comparison with widely used burning fuels. Since the tubers of C. esulentus contain 20-36% oil, it has been suggested as potential oil crop for the production

of biodiesel.[16]

Use in medicine and cosmetic industry[edit]As a source of oils, the tubers were used in pharmacy under the Latin name bulbuli thrasi beginning no later than the end of 18th century.[19] In ayurvedic medicine tigernuts are used in the treatment of flatulence, diarrhoea, dysentery, debility and indigestion.[13] Tigernut oil can be used in the cosmetic industry. As it is antidioxide (because of its high content in vitamin E) it helps slow down the ageing of the body cells. It favours the elasticity of the skin and reduces skin wrinkles.[12]

Use as fishing bait[edit]The boiled nuts are used in the UK as a bait for carp, and have a reputation for success. The nuts have to be prepared in a prescribed manner to prevent harm to the fish. The nuts are soaked in water for 24 hours and then boiled for 20 minutes or longer until fully expanded. Some anglers then leave the boiled nuts to ferment for 24–48 hours, which can enhance their effectiveness. If the nuts are not properly prepared, however, they can be extremely toxic to the carp. This was originally thought to have been the cause of death ofBenson, a very large and very famous carp. The 54-lb. fish was found floating dead in a fishing lake, with a bag of unprepared tigernuts lying nearby, empty, on the shore. An examination of the fish by a taxidermist concluded tigernut poisoning was not, in the end, the cause of death.[20]

Appearance as an invasive weed[edit]C.esculentus is known as one of the world’s worst weeds. It is a weed for over 21 crops in more than 30 countries around the world.[6] The plant is extremely difficult to remove completely from lawns and gardens, where it is considered an intrusive weed. This is due to the plant having a stratified and layered root system, with tubers and roots being interconnected to a depth of 36 cm or more.[8] The tubers are connected by fragile roots that are prone to snapping when pulled, making the root system difficult to remove intact. Intermediate rhizomes can potentially reach a length of 60 cm. The plant can quickly regenerate if a single tuber is left in place. In its competition for light, water and nutrients it can reduce crop yields and compromise quality. It can develop into a dense colony of around 3 diameters. Patch boundaries can increase by more than one meter per year. Tubers and seed disperse with agricultural activities, soil movement or by water and wind. They are often known as a contaminant in crop seeds. When plants are small they are hard to distinguish from other weeds such as Dactylis glomerata and Elytrigia repens. Thus it is hard to discover in an early stage and therefore hard to counteract. Once it is detected, many options for combating this weed, such as mechanical, by hand, grazing, damping and herbicides were used.

Similar native or non-native species that can confuse identification[edit]• Sedges (Cyperus) have grass-like leaves and resemble each other in the

appearance. They can mainly be distinguished from grasses by their

triangular stems.• Purple nutsedge (C. rotundus) is another weedy sedge that is similar to the

yellow nutsedge (C. esculentus). These two sedges are difficult to distinguish from each other and can be found growing on the same site. Some differences are the purple spikelets and the tubers formed by C.rotondus are often multiple instead of just one at the tip. In addition the tubers have a bitter taste instead of the mild almond - like flavour of C.esculentus.[8]

Чуфа, земен бадем (Cyperus esculentus) – една перспективна култура

Петък, 05 Февруари 2010 12:31 (5 гласа, оценка 4.80 от 5)

Чуфа или земен бадем (Cyperus esculentus), принадлежи към семейството Cyperaceae.

Родина това невероятно растение е Средиземноморието и Северна Африка. В промишлен мащаб земния бадем (чуфа) се отглежда в средиземноморските страни. За познавачи на тази култура се смятат испанците, които извличат от клубените му много полезно растително масло и го смятат за храна на бъдещето. По съдържание на масло (до 28%), тази култура може напълно да се причисли към маслодайните растения. За храненето на човека е особено важно в състава на растителните масла да влизат незаменими мастни киселини, чието съдържание в храните от животински произход не е достатъчно. Други хранителни съставки на ядките на земния бадем също се намират в оптимално съотношение, което допринася за високата усвояемост на този продукт-чудо в стомашно-чревния тракт на човека. Всичко това позволява да се говори с голяма увереност, че чуфата (Cyperus esculentus) ще заеме достойно място в нашето хранене.

В сладкарските фабрики на някои страни земен бадем се добавя към шоколад, какао, бонбони, торти, от него правят халва. Ястия, приготвени с брашно от земен бадем, се усвояват добре от организма. Сушените клубени на земния бадем имат вкус подобен на ядки. Децата ги консумират като деликатес. Испанците са се научили да извличат от плодовете на земния бадем мляко, което има лечебни свойства и се използва за лечение на заболявания на стомашно-чревния тракт. По много проста технология такова мляко може да бъде приготвено в домашни условия. Натрошени пресни клубени на земен бадем се заливат с топла преварена вода в съотношение 1:4 (една част от клубени, и четири части вода). Ако клубените са сухи, те предварително се накисват в топла преварена вода и се минават през месомелачка.

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Престояват една нощ, след това се филтрират, като едновременно се претриват през сито и се добавя захар на вкус. Преди употреба се пие охладено.

В домашни условия от клубените на земния бадем може да бъде приготвен и марципан. Старателно измити и подсушени клубени се разбиват с миксер, като предварително са запечени на слаб огън. Получената маса се смесва с пудра захар (2:1), сместа се залива със студена преварена вода, равномерно се омесва, като се поставя в тенджера и се загрява на слаб огън. Еластичната смес се оформя добребез слепващи добавки. От нея правят бонбони с различни форми.

Клубени на земен бадем се стриват в хаван и се добавят към брашно за печене на сладкиши и бисквити. От добре изсушени и печени във фурна клубени може да се получи диетично кафе.

Ароматните печени Cyperus esculentus, на вкус превъзхождат дори кестените.

Надземната част на чуфата по хранителни вещества, не отстъпва дори на зърнените растения и се използва за храна за домашни животни, катов прясно състояние, така и като силаж. Надземната част е остра, триъгълна. Разширява се, слива се и образува непрекъснат зелен килим,който представлява красива гледка. На подземните си разклонения растението формира много възли (до 500 броя в едно гнездо), с големината на бадем. Оттук и другото име на чуфата - земен бадем. Кожицата на клубенните има кафяв цвят, а ядрото е бяло. Плодовете се консумират с кожата. Формата на клубенчетата е продълговата, овална, а понякога почти кръгла. Дължината е 1-3 см., а ширината - 0,5-1 сантиметра.

Cyperus esculentus расте на почти всякакви почви, но се чувства слънчеви и плодородни райони. Изисква умерено поливане.

Преди засаждане клубените се накисват с вода при стайна температура в продължение на 3 дни.

Когато почвата се затопли до 15°С, се засаждат на постоянно място на дълбочина от 7-8 см. Клубените се поставят в гнезда по 3-4 броя, на разстояние 20 см един от друг, с междуредия 40 сантиметра. Поникват на 8-10-я ден. Ако климатичните условия не позволяват да се посади в средата на май, след това се използва разсад. Този метод е дори за предпочитане, тъй като предлага по-щедра реколта. Това се дължи на

функцията на растежа на растенията. Над повърхността на почвата по време на вегетативния сезон, се появяват все повече и повече групи листа. В същото време в подземните части на растението се образуват все повече нови и нови зачатъци на възли, от които след определен период от време се формират зрелите клубени. Ето защо, при прибиране на реколтата в гнездото винаги има големи, средни и малки клубени. Затова, колкото е по-дълъг периода на вегетацията, толкова е по-богата реколтата, т.е. има повече големи клубени. Тази особеност на чуфата трябва да се има предвид при наличието на малко количество посадъчен материал и при желание през първата година да се получат повече клубени.

На посева с чуфа се поддържа достатъчно влажност, рохкава пръст, почистват се плевелите. Растението напомня малко на картоф.

Първите студове през есента Cyperus esculentus понася добре. Към прибиране на реколтата се пристъпва само, когато започнат да изсъхват и жълтеят листата, което обикновено се случва в края на септември. Късното прибиране на реколтата допринася не само за доброто узряване на грудките, но също и за образуването на голямо количество масло, натрупването на което се проявява главно в края на периода на вегетация.

Прибирането на реколтата от земен бадем се извършва в сухо време. Извадените клубени се отърсват от пръста върху метална решетка, измиват се както са върху решетката с вода от маркуч и после се сушат на слънце или в помещение, така че да не се напукат. За съхранение се използва мазе или помещение защитено от гразачи. Добре се съхранявачуфа и при стайни условия.

Подборът и съхранението на грудките за семе имат някои особености. При прибирането на реколтата са избират най-зрелите и големи клубени,промиват се с разтвор на калиев перманганат, изсушават се и се оставятна съхранение в стъклени буркани, които са пълни до ¾ от обема. Буркана се затваря с пластмасов капак, поставя се на една страна и до пролетта се държи в долната част на хладилника. Буркана може да се запази и на перваза на прозореца, защитен от светлина. Температура насъхранение на посадъчния материал на земния бадем трябва да бъде положителна, не по-ниска от 1°С.

Чуфа, земен бадем (Cyperus esculentus) – една перспективна култура

Петък, 05 Февруари 2010 12:31 (5 гласа, оценка 4.80 от 5)

Чуфа или земен бадем (Cyperus esculentus), принадлежи към семейството Cyperaceae.

Родина това невероятно растение е Средиземноморието и Северна Африка. В промишлен мащаб земния бадем (чуфа) се отглежда в средиземноморските страни. За познавачи на тази култура се смятат испанците, които извличат от клубените му много полезно растително масло и го смятат за храна на бъдещето. По съдържание на масло (до 28%), тази култура може напълно да се причисли към маслодайните растения. За храненето на човека е особено важно в състава на растителните масла да влизат незаменими мастни киселини, чието съдържание в храните от животински произход не е достатъчно. Други хранителни съставки на ядките на земния бадем също се намират в оптимално съотношение, което допринася за високата усвояемост на този продукт-чудо в стомашно-чревния тракт на човека. Всичко това позволява да се говори с голяма увереност, че чуфата (Cyperus esculentus) ще заеме достойно място в нашето хранене.

В сладкарските фабрики на някои страни земен бадем се добавя към шоколад, какао, бонбони, торти, от него правят халва. Ястия, приготвени с брашно от земен бадем, се усвояват добре от организма. Сушените клубени на земния бадем имат вкус подобен на ядки. Децата ги консумират като деликатес. Испанците са се научили да извличат от плодовете на земния бадем мляко, което има лечебни свойства и се използва за лечение на заболявания на стомашно-чревния тракт. По много проста технология такова мляко може да бъде приготвено в домашни условия. Натрошени пресни клубени на земен бадем се заливат с топла преварена вода в съотношение 1:4 (една част от клубени, и четири части вода). Ако клубените са сухи, те предварително се накисват в топла преварена вода и се минават през месомелачка. Престояват една нощ, след това се филтрират, като едновременно се претриват през сито и се добавя захар на вкус. Преди употреба се пие охладено.

В домашни условия от клубените на земния бадем може да бъде приготвен и марципан. Старателно измити и подсушени клубени се разбиват с миксер, като предварително са запечени на слаб огън. Получената маса се смесва с пудра захар (2:1), сместа се залива със студена преварена вода, равномерно се омесва, като се поставя в

• 5

тенджера и се загрява на слаб огън. Еластичната смес се оформя добребез слепващи добавки. От нея правят бонбони с различни форми.

Клубени на земен бадем се стриват в хаван и се добавят към брашно за печене на сладкиши и бисквити. От добре изсушени и печени във фурна клубени може да се получи диетично кафе.

Ароматните печени Cyperus esculentus, на вкус превъзхождат дори кестените.

Надземната част на чуфата по хранителни вещества, не отстъпва дори на зърнените растения и се използва за храна за домашни животни, катов прясно състояние, така и като силаж. Надземната част е остра, триъгълна. Разширява се, слива се и образува непрекъснат зелен килим,който представлява красива гледка. На подземните си разклонения растението формира много възли (до 500 броя в едно гнездо), с големината на бадем. Оттук и другото име на чуфата - земен бадем. Кожицата на клубенните има кафяв цвят, а ядрото е бяло. Плодовете се консумират с кожата. Формата на клубенчетата е продълговата, овална, а понякога почти кръгла. Дължината е 1-3 см., а ширината - 0,5-1 сантиметра.

Cyperus esculentus расте на почти всякакви почви, но се чувства слънчеви и плодородни райони. Изисква умерено поливане.

Преди засаждане клубените се накисват с вода при стайна температура в продължение на 3 дни.

Когато почвата се затопли до 15°С, се засаждат на постоянно място на дълбочина от 7-8 см. Клубените се поставят в гнезда по 3-4 броя, на разстояние 20 см един от друг, с междуредия 40 сантиметра. Поникват на 8-10-я ден. Ако климатичните условия не позволяват да се посади в средата на май, след това се използва разсад. Този метод е дори за предпочитане, тъй като предлага по-щедра реколта. Това се дължи на функцията на растежа на растенията. Над повърхността на почвата по време на вегетативния сезон, се появяват все повече и повече групи листа. В същото време в подземните части на растението се образуват все повече нови и нови зачатъци на възли, от които след определен период от време се формират зрелите клубени. Ето защо, при прибиране на реколтата в гнездото винаги има големи, средни и малки клубени. Затова, колкото е по-дълъг периода на вегетацията, толкова е по-богата реколтата, т.е. има повече големи клубени. Тази особеност на чуфата трябва да се има предвид при наличието на малко количество посадъчен материал и при желание през първата година да се получат

повече клубени.

На посева с чуфа се поддържа достатъчно влажност, рохкава пръст, почистват се плевелите. Растението напомня малко на картоф.

Първите студове през есента Cyperus esculentus понася добре. Към прибиране на реколтата се пристъпва само, когато започнат да изсъхват и жълтеят листата, което обикновено се случва в края на септември. Късното прибиране на реколтата допринася не само за доброто узряване на грудките, но също и за образуването на голямо количество масло, натрупването на което се проявява главно в края на периода на вегетация.

Прибирането на реколтата от земен бадем се извършва в сухо време. Извадените клубени се отърсват от пръста върху метална решетка, измиват се както са върху решетката с вода от маркуч и после се сушат на слънце или в помещение, така че да не се напукат. За съхранение се използва мазе или помещение защитено от гразачи. Добре се съхранявачуфа и при стайни условия.

Подборът и съхранението на грудките за семе имат някои особености. При прибирането на реколтата са избират най-зрелите и големи клубени,промиват се с разтвор на калиев перманганат, изсушават се и се оставятна съхранение в стъклени буркани, които са пълни до ¾ от обема. Буркана се затваря с пластмасов капак, поставя се на една страна и до пролетта се държи в долната част на хладилника. Буркана може да се запази и на перваза на прозореца, защитен от светлина. Температура насъхранение на посадъчния материал на земния бадем трябва да бъде положителна, не по-ниска от 1°С.

Нов ден, нови домати – Аурига

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Йоана Петрова

Днешният доматен сорт ни гостува чак от Мексико. Харесах ги заради оптимистичния оранжев цвят, който ми напомня на слънчевите летни дни, по които сега толкова тъгувам, и заради малкия до среден размер на плодовете, идеален за детски ръчички и устички. Представих си ги как ще блестят като миниатюрни слънца на клонче, и каква пъстра салата ще създават заедно със зелена краставица и червена чушка.

, Оказа се обаче че веселия външен вид на тези доматчета

: - таи приятна изненада доматите Аурига имат най високо съдържаниена бета-каротин . от всички познати сортове И ако това не е достатъчно

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, . месеста вътрешност и сладък вкус Твърди се също че е отличник по , , произведени количества дори и в далеч от идеални условия и се труди

. неуморно от средата на лятото до есента Според мен ще бъде . , перфектен в леко пикантна салца Как мислите бихте ли отгледали тези

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