vegan – Page 14

Arbutus of Calabria

24.7.2019

The Arbutus tree, which is also called albatross, is a fruit tree belonging to the Ericaceae family. The Latin denomination of “Arbutus unedo” (from unum = one more edo = mangio) is due to Pliny the Elder, who in his Naturalis Historia maintained that the fruit was tasteless and that therefore, after having eaten one, no one wished them any more.

It is widespread in the western Mediterranean countries and on the southern coasts of Ireland. The fruits are called in Italian “corbezzolo” or sometimes “albatro” (albatross).

The same shrub can simultaneously host flowers and ripe fruits, for its particular maturation cycle.

This, together with the fact of being evergreen, makes it particularly ornamental, due to the presence on the tree of three bright colors: the red of the fruits, the white of the flowers and the green of the leaves.

FEATURES

Leaves, fruits, flowers and roots of the strawberry tree all have medicinal properties.

The arbutus is useful as a diuretic, antispasmodic and antidiarrheal. It is useful not only against persistent diarrhea, but also to solve cystitis and to heal wounds, due to disinfectant, balsamic and antispasmodic action of its shrub.

The leaves in particular have marked antiseptic qualities capable of helping the liver and biliary work. Further, the strawberry tree has a strong disinfectant power on the skin and is also useful in the case of inflammations, especially of the urogenital system. Especially due to its leaves, which are rich in tannins, aromatic resins, phenolic derivatives and essential oils.

GASTRONOMY

A special product obtained from the arbutus is “arbutus honey” which has the same balsamic, antiseptic, antispasmodic and diuretic properties of the leaves, fruits and roots.

Wild Fennel Of Calabria

12.7.2019

“FINOCCHIU I TIMPA”.

The expression in Calabrian dialect to designate wild fennel, growing in the meadows and on the sweet hills of the region, is “Finocchiu i Timpa” (literally “Fennel of mountain peak”). The word “timpa” means, indeed, round mountain peak with cliff walls.
The Plant, originating from the Mediterranean regions with gravelly soils, is a perennial herb with a sweet and intense aroma!

Since ancient times it has been used as a food and medicinal plant for its digestive, reconstituting and aromatic properties. The parts used are the new shoots and the seeds.
The new shoots are used for the preparation of soups; the raw seeds for flavoring sausages and vegetables in general and for preparing a stimulating and digestive liqueur.

In the seeds, in fact, the highest concentration of anethole, aromatic compound, of which the whole plant is rich, is contained.

HISTORY

It seems that in ancient Rome the fennel was used to cover the bad smells and tastes of not very fresh foods and that from this cooking trick the term «infinocchiare» was born, that is to deceive, cheat.

Further, the plant was well known and appreciated by the Greeks and widespread also in the East. These ancient peoples considered it a very precious plant for its thousand uses.

GASTRONOMY

In Calabria properties of fennel have been known for millennia and it is still widely used both in the kitchen and in phytotherapy, the greatest use is in the kitchen for drinks, teas and the “rosolio” (a liqueur).
Various decoctions aromatize the cured meats the first courses and the meats in general.

This demonstrates that this humble plant, to the reach of everybody, In short is one of the many gifts of this beautiful region, Calabria.