Friday, May 8, 2009

Lunch on the hoof, er, trunk

As Tom was trimming the horses’ feet the other morning, I was looking around as I held them and noticed that the Flor de Izotes had bloomed. Flor de Izote is a once-a-year delicacy around here, so my mind immediately turned to lunch. The flowers taste somewhat like asparagus or artichokes – not surprising since all three are flowers – and can be cooked like asparagus or artichoke.

As soon as Tom was done trimming the horses, we got out the ladder and began to plan how to get the flower out of the tree, and of course the flower was on the absolute highest point possible.

Tom was a little uncertain about whether resting the ladder in the leaves of the Flor de Izote and the shrub next to it was really safe, but since we were both fantasizing about the pending lunch, we decided it was worth the risk.

You may say that the risk was all for Tom since he was the one climbing the swaying ladder, but he had a machete in his hand to cut the flower out of the tree, and I had to hold the ladder, so I was at risk too!

Tom successfully chopped the top out of the palm and got the flower, and himself, down intact.

The wok, some olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and egg, and it’s almost Artichoke French! The next flower is going to be eaten with white wine and cream sauce over pasta! Mmmm.

5 comments:

Gatto999 said...

Great !...

Ciao from Italy
:)

sandy a said...

Wow that is so cool! Our yuccas here make a tall white flower that almost looks just like that....I am going to try to eat them, because they are fixin' to flower soon!

Marge and Tom Gallagher said...

Gatto - Do do you eat this in Italy too? Any recipe recommendations?

Sandy - I bet your yuccas are the same plant, since I've seen them used as ornamentals in the southern US - Although "yucca" here is the same as cassava, I wouldn't be surprised if your "yucca" is our "Flor de Izote." If it looks like these flowers, eat it, and let me know how it comes out! Marge

Marge and Tom Gallagher said...

Gatto - Do do you eat this in Italy too? Any recipe recommendations?

Sandy - I bet your yuccas are the same plant, since I've seen them used as ornamentals in the southern US - Although "yucca" here is the same as cassava, I wouldn't be surprised if your "yucca" is our "Flor de Izote." If it looks like these flowers, eat it, and let me know how it comes out! Marge

sandy a said...

they just flowered 2 days ago, so I will let you know how they taste!
S