I was tempted not to go through the three blanchings, but everybody around here acted like I was going to drop dead for eating them in the first place :) Mine were not strong at all. I've heards the pork negates the oxalic acid (?). Mvhayv ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Timothy" >I grew up in Century......had a brother in Molino, one in Cantonment, two >in Ensley, one in Walnut Hill, and a sister lived on a farm in Atmore >across from where the new gambling hotel is going up for the Poarch. I had >three brothers retire from St. Regis. > > I've cooked Poke as well....was good, but did not do the multiple washing > after blanching. Could of been fortunate. But, tasted great. TT > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "dgp" ] Appearance of Poke Greens and Sparkle Berries >>I am determined to wild gather on my home of twenty acres of swamp, woods, >> and clearing for pasture, home, and garden. >> I live in North Florida, almost in Alabama. This year I picked and >> prepared poke greens for the first time. I did pick them early in the >> spring, the leaves shouldn't linger than the length of your hand. I >> blanched >> them in boiling water 3 times, draining and replacing the water each >> time. I >> only used a small piece of low fat bacon to quickly saute after that. >> They >> were the best greens I had ever had. All parts of the poke plant can be >> used by someone that knows medicine. Last week some one started laughing >> when I told them about the tiny little wild blue berries I had found and >> I >> was informed they were sparkle berries , the blackberries stopped >> producing >> just before the sparkle berries turned green. I have also found 2 kinds >> of >> wild grape, a large variety and a smaller one. I had a wild persimmon >> tree >> but something broke it down. I also gather the green pads of the cactus >> and >> the blooms. I am trying to find someone to identify plants here that >> were >> used by Creek. There are 2 plants that are very similiar one is Yaupon >> and >> the other looks almost identical. Mvhayv >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "csmoke" >>> Phil, >>> My experience also, my people only eat the poke at the very earliest in >>> the >>> spring when it is small and just comming up .. the tops of the small new >>> plants. It was considered an annual spring experience "to clean out >>> your >>> innards". Cooked in small pieces, fried in a skillet with bacon grease >>> and >>> bits of bacon. Never understood why they did not get heart disease and >>> clogged arteries from all that bacon they had to eat. Come to think of >>> it, >>> my native grandfather died of heart disease. >>> >>> Richard B. >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Phil Whitley" ] Appearance of the Native Sweet Potato >>>> Sam, poke sallat is best when you use the young leaves. I thought I had >>>> better let you know that it should be boiled two or three times, >>>> pouring >>>> off the water each time. Poke contains oxalic acid, which isn't good >>>> for >>>> you. My grandma mixed her poke with turnip greens since it is pretty >>>> strong-flavored. >>>> >>>> Brew >>>> ========== >>>> >>>> Sam Gipson wrote: >>>> >>>>>We have Poke Salad in our back yard on the creek >>>>>bed, She ha snot cooked it yet. Some is at least 4 feet tall. Bet >>>>>it >>>>>is >>>>>tough. >>>>>Tks, Sam