Apparently they like the cold, my yard is covered with them.
Winter Dandelions
- Thread starter Chasing Embers
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During WW2 people in the U.K used to cure the leaves and then add that to tobacco as a sort of 'Hamburger Helper' to stretch things out until the next ration coupon!
My yard is fairly full of clover in some particular areas. It's pretty nice. No winter dandelions, but winter "onion" or "garlic", with tiny little bulbs. Tasty.
I uprooted mine a few years ago and placed them all in a safe area so they wouldn't get mowed down. Wonderful raw or in soup.
Mine always come back in spite of the mowing I do. Random locations. I also found I have sheep sorrel, which has a lemony, arugula type of flavor. I'm sure you know all parts of the dandelion are edible. I don't use any chemicals so all mine are good to consume. I picked quite a bit a season or two ago and have plenty to make tea from........
I’ve known several people over the years who make dandelion wine. I never bothered to try it though.
Yep they are smokeable. I was told by my Father that they used to collect the leaves and tie them in bunches so that they went from green to yellow and then cure them by hanging them under the eaves of their barracks roof. Once cured they could be slices up very fine and added to either cigarette tobacco or pipe tobacco on a ratio of 1:3 to stretch out your weekly ration from the NAFFI. You could also use Colts Foot another common British plant for the same purpose. I used to cure and dry that stuff at boarding school to stretch out my supply of Three Castles RYO and I am sure inmates at Colditz Castle POW did something similar!
I was going to suggest that. My sister made Dandelion wine as a school science project when we were kids many many years ago. IIRC it tasted like a lemony soda or mountain dew type taste. It was quite potent too but then we were kids so it would be strong.
My mom tells stories about her mother sending her out to pick dandelions to make salad. I saw dandelion jelly at a store the other day and intended to buy it, but got distracted and forgot.
Dandelion jelly is very good, like honey on steroids!
Wow, I'd forgotten about that stuff, not seen it in many a year. I always thought of it as a poor man's Golden Virginia, smokable at a push but not a blend to seek out.
Jay.
@mawnansmiff : Big round green 3.5 oz tins or the pouches. Cut so fine it could have been armchair stuffing or the pubic hairs of a vestal virgin. I survived many years at a British boarding school on a diet of Will Woodbine or Three Castles, having a crafty 'fag' in the grounds behind the cricket pavilion. For some inexplicable reason my memories of the place were always sepia, it was always winter, always cold and the food was never edible. Funny how you remember things as you get older!
It was the same for me except our preferred cancer sticks were No. 6 and Park Drive unfiltered or as we called them 'Parkie Roughs' and we enjoyed them behind the woodwork shop.
Happy days.
Jay.
@mawnansmiff : Wills Woodbine cigarettes. You would always ask for 10 Woods and they came in that slide tray pack. If you were feeling really positive you would buy a pack of Piccadilly No:1 which came in 25's so on a 'Free Weekend' you would buy a pack in Euston Station on the Friday evening that would see you home, last the weekend and you would have a few left to smoke before the train back to school on Sunday. Since you were traveling in your school 'Sunday Suit' you could even get a pint at the railway pub in Euston without anyone challenging your age before heading out and still have change out of a £1.00! Happy days.
@FLDRD - That's a sure sign that the soil underneath your lawn is acidic. You can alkalify it by adding lime but personally I like free salad vegetables on my lawn, too.
If you reach down to the heart of the leaves of a dandelion you will find, very close to the surface, flower buds in a tight little ball. They can be pickled and used instead of capers.