An academic town since the 1830s, Columbia Missouri is known for campus life. Columbia College, Stephen’s College, and Mizzou are all here. The region is heavy with thoughtful people and cultivated physical beauty.
I’m caring for three dogs and two cats and a four bedroom four bath house while the owners are away in Greece. My adventures are, by necessity, revolving around the animals and their interests.
In the afternoons, Christopher Cat enjoys the summer lawn. The rains shake down twigs and folds of leaves bringing bugs and other curiousities down to paw level. A patch of chewable catnip inspires Christopher to roll and pounce.
The dogs enjoy the thick clover in the yard, munching on and bounding through the fluffy white flowers. It's the first place they go if they are feeling unwell. Apparently, clover assists their digestion.
These are naturally fertilized, organic gardens. While maintaining the lawn, I’m looking into what the animals know; what I can ingest from the landscaping?
Photos, to aid in plant identification, are in the next post.
Catnip
Yes, humans can eat catnip. Hot water over fresh macerated leaves makes a lovely, citrusy mint tea. No “special effects” tho.
Chrysanthemum petals
Chrysanthemum tea is one of my favorite dim sum treats. The mums in the yard here aren’t much with hot water, but they are edible when blanched.
Blue cornflower petals
I am eating these raw. They are nice for some color on top of a salad. When I cook them into something white, the blue dye in the petals makes the food look whiter (rice, mashed potatoes).
Oak chutes
It turns out oak chutes are a nutritious survival food so long as the leaves are green. With the stems removed, the leaves can eaten raw.
Since they have a bitter edge, I’m soaking them in saline water overnight. Since they are high in tannic acid, they should be eaten sparingly to permit healthy iron absorbtion.
I’ve soaked the leaves and dehydrated them slowly in a low heat oven. The result is a thin, nori-like crisp, packed with chlorophyll, protien, and vitamin-C. Ground to a powder, I’m using it to boost smoothies and thicken sauces.
Sorrel
Because it has a weed-like look and texture I’ve passed up sorrel which grows wild, in patches, like spinach. I find it more flavorful than spinach - distinctly fruity. It’s nutritional value is contrasted with a high concentration of zit-causing oxcalic acid, so I’m consuming it in moderation.
I make a beautiful sorrel bisque with olive oil, chives, and nightshade vegetables.
Clover tops
Clover tops are sweet and fragrant. They are high in protien, fiber and pectin, potassium, calcium, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
The flowers are rough on the stomach if they are not lightly baked first. Also, harvesting the flowers is time consuming (if you’ve ever separated stems and seeds from natural smoking materials, you understand the process.)
I’ve dehydrated the flowers and separated them and am sprinkling them atop salads and folding them into rice pilaf.
