Cocoa, or more correctly cacao, is a small evergreen tree native to tropical America, probably originally growing in the Orinoco River basin. Cocoa is used to make chocolates. Cocoa can be used as spice in cooking.
As a flavouring, however, rowan- berries continue to be neglected. Perhaps because in this overly-civilized world where we can purchase everything packaged and ready-made we have forgotten to look about us and make the most of nature's bounty, of the fruits which are not found on the market but are plentiful in the wild.
Cocoa was important in Mexico among the Aztecs, who, though they did not cultivate the tree, made a chocolate drink from the beans which they flavoured with vanilla and drank hot. Introduced from Mexico to the tropical regions of the Old World in the 17th century, cocoa is nowadays not only a universal delicacy but also a high-caloric and stimulating beverage (it contains caffeine the same as coffee and tea).
It was also believed to banish 'bad humours' caused by a lengthy diet of salt fish. The highly aromatic, rather unpleasant-tasting foliage was used to disguise the strong taste of game and mutton and make it more palatable.
The rowan is distributed throughout western and central Europe from the lowlands up to the tree-line.and in northern Europe, even north of the Arctic Circle. It is a small, deciduous, rapidly-growing tree reaching a maximum height of 20 m (65 ft); it is not very long-lived and its wood is of little value. Its one advantage is that it is completely hardy.
Tansy may still occasionally be encountered in gardens, where it is generally grown for decoration. The ornamental form T. vulgare crispum is often cultivated. The yellow, button-like flower-heads arc composed only of tubular flowers; female flowers round the perimeter and bisexual flowers in the centre.
As a flavouring, however, rowan- berries continue to be neglected. Perhaps because in this overly-civilized world where we can purchase everything packaged and ready-made we have forgotten to look about us and make the most of nature's bounty, of the fruits which are not found on the market but are plentiful in the wild.
Cocoa was important in Mexico among the Aztecs, who, though they did not cultivate the tree, made a chocolate drink from the beans which they flavoured with vanilla and drank hot. Introduced from Mexico to the tropical regions of the Old World in the 17th century, cocoa is nowadays not only a universal delicacy but also a high-caloric and stimulating beverage (it contains caffeine the same as coffee and tea).
It was also believed to banish 'bad humours' caused by a lengthy diet of salt fish. The highly aromatic, rather unpleasant-tasting foliage was used to disguise the strong taste of game and mutton and make it more palatable.
The rowan is distributed throughout western and central Europe from the lowlands up to the tree-line.and in northern Europe, even north of the Arctic Circle. It is a small, deciduous, rapidly-growing tree reaching a maximum height of 20 m (65 ft); it is not very long-lived and its wood is of little value. Its one advantage is that it is completely hardy.
Tansy may still occasionally be encountered in gardens, where it is generally grown for decoration. The ornamental form T. vulgare crispum is often cultivated. The yellow, button-like flower-heads arc composed only of tubular flowers; female flowers round the perimeter and bisexual flowers in the centre.
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