In case you hadn't figured it out already, I find it really hard to resist large piles of flowers.



 Especially ones that just kinda glow -

  

a tincture of creosote

Creosote is quite possibly one of the worst-tasting plants ever. Also known as "chaparral," its Spanish name "hediondilla" translates directly as "little stinker." It tastes a lot like it smells ... and don't get me wrong; it smells fantastic, especially after a desert rain, but imagine that lovely sulfur-esque aroma *on your tongue* ... YUCK. The tincture above was brewed (? is there a special verb for the concocting of such stuff?)  by a diehard harvester of native desert plants - and, being mostly alcohol, itself tasted relatively better than its water- and oil-based sister infusions - that'd be creosote tea and creosote-infused oil. The tea has that distinctive flavor I described, which is evidently similar to common chemically processed creosote. The latter should not be eaten, as the compounds in it occur in toxic concentrations when it's synthesized (according to this FDA warning). However, any basic infusion of the creosote plant found throughout the Southwest is purportedly good for pretty much whatever ails ya. Topically, its moderate antifungal/antiseptic properties can adequately protect open wounds, taking care of skin problems ranging from athlete's foot to eczema. The tea is supposed to help with lower intestinal disorders and depression - it acts as a generally calming herb, but it "cleanses" the liver, which basically means it's kinda rough on your liver and kidneys and you really shouldn't drink too much of it. After learning all of that, I felt compelled to go and harvest some and infuse a Mason jar of creosote oil for myself, but I settled for cooking up a small tub of creosote-and-calendula-based ointment. That was easier to make, seeing as how we already had a mixture of the oils and plenty of beeswax. Perhaps I'll do the plain oil thing in the near future ... the herbal realms are interesting.



the "Neosporin of nature."



Joining the creosote on the list of native edibles I've recently been introduced to are nopales, or plain ol' prickly pear pads. I can't say this is exactly new - I've known these were edible for about as long as I've lived here, but never actually got around to eating them. So. To prepare them, put them over an open flame on a grill to burn off the spines, and if there are spines left over after the rest of the pad is suitably blackened, rub them off using a smooth stone like the one appearing in the background of the above photograph. They're good seasoned with Tabasco or a similar potent sauce, except I am not a huge fan of large amounts of Tabasco, so I enjoyed the nopales with a little bit of salt and found them tasty in a non-spicy way. Also, they were a perfect textural compliment to chips.

  



Yeah. Poppies. Get over it. Nobody smoked 'em, okay?



More edibles above ... poppyseeds. Below, a bin of flower parts and water.

 And Saturday night, some of the flatware in a jar on a friend's back porch. I love the Viking-man spoon.

Sunday, while exploring the contents of the CSA bag, my siblings and I made one of those discoveries that seems like the most novel thing in the world until you realize that, to the rest of the world, it's probably a commonly-known piece of information. Do you like black licorice? Black jellybeans? Aniseseed biscotti? You'll love raw fennel, the bulb part. It's delicious. Just the same as any anise-flavored goodies. I hear it tastes good on the grill, too, and we may grill the remaining bulb, but we've eaten one raw already in little slices. 

Tastes like candy. Seriously.

The other part of the fennel is going to be fun to learn how to use, though. There's no way we can use two heads' worth of fresh seasoning, so I'm drying a lot of it to play around with. I haven't read up on the medicinal properties of fennel, but knowing the way I'm apt to handle herbs I will probably infuse some of it and use the rest cooking something or other. Probably give some away, too.



Right now, though, I love the way it makes my room smell. Also I appreciate the whole "herbs hanging from the ceiling" vibe. They go well with the Christmas lights and the encyclopedias stacked under the window.



Oh! And tonight's a full moon, which rose just perfectly over the mountains.