Sounds a little Harry Potterish, no? Anywho, with all the planting that has been going on around here lately, I have been dreaming of a little something from my childhood. Ryan just laughs when I talk about it, and the words "white trash" often come up in the conversation--whatever! I am talking about oxalis pes-caprae, or what we as children called "sour grass". As a child living in Northern California we had a patch of this grass, or weed actually, growing on the side of our house. One of me and my siblings favorite things to do in the spring time was pick the stuff and eat it. The stalks grew up to maybe a foot tall with a pretty yellow "buttercup" type flower on top. The clover-like stems that the stalks grew from were quite festive for St. Patty's day, but it is the stalks we would eat. They were full of this sour juice, almost like lemon juice, and fun to chew on. Sometimes I would even eat the flower. I liked to show my toughness by doing so. So what's white trash about that? But I was happy to find out as I researched this plant online that we weren't the only kids who used to snack on sour grass. There are plenty others out there--mostly in California from what I've read--that enjoyed this succulent, and quite healthy I might add, treat.
SO, after my research I knew that this is just the thing my kids would love. They are magnets to anything sour, and jump at the chance to eat a lemon or lime wedge, pulp and all (sounds familiar). Sour grass is right up their alley! I was so happy to find some bulbs for sale on ebay so I bought a few as an early birthday present to myself (I know you're probably rolling your eyes right now Ryan, just get back to your studying, break's over! Ü). So watch out Ryan...if our kids are not already white trashy enough for ya, just wait, this will really do them in! (And I bet I'll get you hooked on it too!)
(anyone else out there in our blogosphere eaten sour grass?)
Emily's Corn Cakes With Black Beans
10 years ago
7 comments:
Oh yeah! I loved that stuff growing up. In fact, I've often wondered what it was called, why I don't see it growing around here in Oregon, if I just imagined my childhood self picking weeds and eating them, and if the sourness could have possibly come from a passing dog who needed to relieve himself.
I used to pick it and chew it on the way home from school. I didn't actually eat it. I just chewed the stem all the way to get all that sour goodness out. Good times!
Thank you for posting this. I'm tempted to order and grow some of my own so my kids can freak out their dad by picking it and chomping it down.
All the time!!! IT's like the ultimate snack on a hike. It grows all over in the woods here. I've even introduced it to my kids. They like it too. What a small world!
I have never eaten sour grass, but I have my own weird plant eating story. You know what button weeds are? Their leaves look a little like geraniums, little purple flowers, then a seed or something that looks like a button, or a cheese wheel. We called them cheesies. I don't know who showed us or if we thought of it on our own, but we scoured the yard collecting and eating these. They had a slightly sour taste to them. Maybe like sour grass. I have thought of this as an adult, and thought the same as Afton, probably a dog had gotten to them. Aren't kids funny? I remember showing our friends our wonderful find. I have told my kids about them. Don't know if anyone has tried them. I'll have to see...
Nikki-I think Ryan has eaten those! He showed them to me once and I tried one. See, he is just as white trashy as me!!
Never tried the sour grass but not opposed to trying some.
We used to eat "cheesies" all the time. We loved them. Dennis always makes fun of me for eating them like he was some "high class" kid. I'm pretty sure it wasn't all gourmet food for them.
Thats fun that you got some of your childhood memory to share with your kids!
Miss you
Just for the record, (this is Ryan) we ate gourmet food for every meal and always had 'Grey Poupon' lavishly side-dressing our sandwiches which we ate while watching the yachts sail by while reading Shakespeare and memorizing chapters of scripture at a time, before it was time to head over to the country club to play goggle-bonkin with the Browers (inside joke sorry) I love you Erika :)
There you are Ryan! I knew you were out there somewhere! Good to know you are alive and well and surviving your day. Ü Oh how I love your wit and the way make me smile all the time. I love you more and can't wait to see you tonight. ♥
Anita--I miss you too! I always love your comments. Gotta love those Adams' boys!! Ü
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