Mystery Vegetable

[ulterior epicure]

I've got a mystery on my hands and I need your help. Does anyone have any clue as to what this vegetable is? (I'm not sure how to post picture on eGullet - can anyone help me? In the meantime, I've posted a link to my blog entry which asks the same question.)

You can find a description and picture of this vegetable here.

Thanks! Hope we can solve the mystery!

Cheers.

U.E.

Edited November 8, 2005 by ulterior epicure (log)

[WillieLee]

Its actually a crone which is a tuber as opposed to a vegetable.

[ulterior epicure]

WillieLee.

Thanks!

A "crone?" Hmm... yes, well, a tuber would describe it... is the plant (ie. above ground growth, if there is one) edible? Is "crone" its French or English name?

Where does it grow? I've eaten all around the world, but I have never seen this before... sorry, I know you're probably not a botanist...

U.E.

[jackal10]

Is it Crosnes du Japon, aka Chinese artichoke?

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/equivalents_s...ndex=C&tid=1775

Easy to grow in UK. Many seed catalogues carry the tubers. Part of the mint family.

Edited November 8, 2005 by jackal10 (log)

[Daniel]

Take pictures, take pictures..

[ulterior epicure]

jackal10

Genius! Yes - that's exactly what it is! Thanks!!

Cheers.

U.E.

[ulterior epicure]

Daniel.

Sorry, I don't quite get your message... I did take a picture, but unfortunately I don't know how (if whether I have access on eGullet) to post pictures. Sorry...

U.E.

Take pictures, take pictures..

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[John Talbott]

I posted a question on a different forum - but thought that you francophile/francophones might be of some help in identifying an unidentified vegetable that I was recently served in Europe (not in France, but as you will read, the server only knew the name (vaguely) in French).

Thanks!  Hope somebody out there can help!

U.E.

*******UPDATE********

Thanks to jackal10, my mystery was solved (within 10 minutes of posting!)  In case you're curious, it was a "crosnes."  Seehere for a picture.

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It's interesting how crosnes shows up here from time to time; it is a funny looking but moderately frequently used ingredient.

[fifi]

This grows wild here in Texas. We call it Stachys or Woundwort. We have a large patch at the country place that we dig in the fall.

Discussion here.

[ulterior epicure]

John Talbott and fifi.

Thanks! Ahhh... the hardships of being a "newby" to eGullet... be patient, and I too will be able to navigate the forums with some care. Thanks for your help and input. So much to learn!!

U.E.

[nr706]

How about this one, which I recently had just outside the Great Wall in China ... the restaurant's (limited) English menu described it as "local wild herb" ...

Edited November 8, 2005 by nr706 (log)

[Laksa]

How about this one, which I recently had just outside the Great Wall in China .

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That looks a lot like ong choy / kangkung / Ipomoea aquatica / water spinach.

[shelora]

I posted a question on a different forum - but thought that you francophile/francophones might be of some help in identifying an unidentified vegetable that I was recently served in Europe (not in France, but as you will read, the server only knew the name (vaguely) in French).

Thanks!  Hope somebody out there can help!

U.E.

*******UPDATE********

Thanks to jackal10, my mystery was solved (within 10 minutes of posting!)  In case you're curious, it was a "crosnes."  Seehere for a picture.

←

It's interesting how crosnes shows up here from time to time; it is a funny looking but moderately frequently used ingredient.

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How fascinating! I've never seen these before. They remind me of a grub worm in appearance, but I'm sure their flavour is a lot more promising!

I hope to try them someday.

[mrbigjas]

i had something that looked exactly like that in barcelona in march, and was told that they were sunflower shoots or roots, or something to that effect.

but crosnes, huh? interesting.

[Carolyn Tillie]

You can find a description and picture of this vegetable here.

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Link doesn't work for me....

[fifi]

We use them in salads. They don't have a lot of flavor but a very nice texture, sort of like water chestnut. We have used them sauted but prefer them raw.

Yes . . . They do look like grub worms.

[glennbech]

At one of my local grocery stores that are well stocket, I discovered these things in the exotic fruit section.

As i would suspect, the guys working in the store had no Idea what this was, even after making phone calls, and consulting his collegues.

They were light and hard. I made the store guy open one up. The cane has seeds separated by layers of flaky fibery stuff. The seeds are sweet, and the taste reminded me of dates and tobacco.

Can anyone help me with my curiousity?

[PicnicChef]

hard to tell from the picture, but it could be salsify. Or could it not? A guess! Anybody else gonna play?

[Kerry Beal]

Tonka beans?

[Jason Perlow]

Carob?

[phatj]

Looks like tomacco to me.

[delhigirl]

My research indicates Inga Bean Edulis aka the Ice Cream Bean. Native of Central and South America.

Bean pods can grow up to 1 metre long and contain sweet white pulp with a "cotton wool texture." That could be the flaky fibery stuff you're talking about.

The taste profile doesn't match up tho'. THIS bean tastes like vanilla ice cream, a far cry from tobacco. Or is it?

Edited July 15, 2006 by delhigirl (log)

[glennbech]

I declare Jason Perlow the winner. This was Carob, AKA / Carob Tree / Locust Bean / St. John's bread.

If anyone have dessert recipe's im interested!

Edited July 18, 2006 by glennbech (log)

[legourmet]

I declare Jason Perlow the winner. This was Carob, AKA / Carob Tree / Locust Bean / St. John's bread.

If anyone have dessert recipe's im interested!

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It's not carob or St. John's bread. The fruit is called "Manna" and is the fruit of the "Cassia Fistula" tree. I don't know if there is an english expression for this (may be "Indian Laburnum"), but in German they are called "Röhrenkassie" or "Purgierkassie" or "Fisettkassie" or "Indischer Goldregen".

The length of the fruits is 30 to 60 cm, and they are about 2 cm thick, The inner part is devided into several chambers which are filled with sweet tasting mush and a yellow seed in form of a disk. The taste is a little bit like chokolate and liquorice. The mush is normally used as a laxative or to soften tobacco. I really can't imagine there will be a recipe for a dessert in which manna will be used.

[rooftop1000]

Ok I think we are back to the begining because

carob pods are shaped more like pea pods with seams and indentations between the seeds....also currently out of season

and why the heck would they be selling Cassia Fistula which is primarily used as a laxative, in the produce dept??

tracey