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Hashfinger
Nippy Wiffle



Registered: 07/10/12
Posts: 4,775
Loc: Georgia
Last seen: 5 years, 8 months
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Yaupon Holly Tea (I. vomitoria)
#19185822 - 11/25/13 08:21 AM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Anybody get down on some caffeinated Holly? It grows everywhere here in the Southeast, U.S., and I always find myself picking bagfulls of leaves and toasting them in the oven during winter months. It makes a fantastic brew. I highly recommend! This beverage was supposedly one of the most widespread "customs" to natives in this area, arguably moreso than tobacco use. I myself am part Creek/Muskogee so maybe this explains my obsession with this plant energy (its very sweet and flavorful too!). So does anyone else enjoy the genus Ilex for its caffeinated varieties? Yerba Mate is common nowadays, you can find it in stores everywhere, but I encourage everyone to go out and keep your eyes peeled for wild or ornamental Ilex species (vomitoria, paraguariensis, cassine, etc.)!
-------------------- Species List (Georgia): Psilocybe caerulescens/weilii, Psilocybe atlantis/galindoi, Psilocybe cubensis, Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata, Psilocybe caerulipes, Psilocybe semilanceata, Psilocybe fagicola, Copelandia cyanescens, Panaeolus cinctulus, Panaeolus fimicola, Panaeolus olivaceus, Gymnopilus luteofolius, Gymnopilus aeruginosus, Gymnopilus junonius, Pluteus salicinus (Ohio): Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata, Psilocybe caerulipes, Pluteus cyanopus, Pluteus salicinus sensu lato..., Panaeolus cinctulus, Gymnopilus luteus, Gymnopilus luteofolius, Gymnopilus junonius, Gymnopilus aeruginosus
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lurkmode
Stranger


Registered: 05/20/08
Posts: 1,375
Last seen: 4 years, 4 months
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Re: Yaupon Holly Tea (I. vomitoria) [Re: Hashfinger]
#19186049 - 11/25/13 09:32 AM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Yes, I have.
I picked some weeping yaupon leaves (smaller ones are better I think) and then dried them for about a month and then made a tea out of it.
It tasted good but the dark green chlorophylly color was a little off-putting.
I would definitely try it again - going to plant some at the house just for this reason. Next time I'm going to pan toast the leaves after drying to see if I can remove some of the green color and get a better flavor. I may even try to dry some leaves via smoking them like yerba mate leaves.
Another plant you should look into is smooth sumac, which also grows all over the place down here. The berries are what you want and I think the best time to get them is when they are ripe in the summertime. They're loaded down with Vitamin C and were also a favorite of native americans around here. It's supposed to taste a bit like pink lemonade if done right.
If you're interested in foraging check out these links:
http://hollowspringfarm.blogspot.com/
http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/
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Hashfinger
Nippy Wiffle



Registered: 07/10/12
Posts: 4,775
Loc: Georgia
Last seen: 5 years, 8 months
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Re: Yaupon Holly Tea (I. vomitoria) [Re: lurkmode]
#19186909 - 11/25/13 12:57 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
lurkmode said: Yes, I have.
I picked some weeping yaupon leaves (smaller ones are better I think) and then dried them for about a month and then made a tea out of it.
It tasted good but the dark green chlorophylly color was a little off-putting.
I would definitely try it again - going to plant some at the house just for this reason. Next time I'm going to pan toast the leaves after drying to see if I can remove some of the green color and get a better flavor. I may even try to dry some leaves via smoking them like yerba mate leaves.
Another plant you should look into is smooth sumac, which also grows all over the place down here. The berries are what you want and I think the best time to get them is when they are ripe in the summertime. They're loaded down with Vitamin C and were also a favorite of native americans around here. It's supposed to taste a bit like pink lemonade if done right.
If you're interested in foraging check out these links:
http://hollowspringfarm.blogspot.com/
http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/
I know sumac very well. yes, it is the original Pink Lemonade! I do a lot of foraging (besides mushrooms) throughout the year. You should always toast the leaves after drying, but try and dry the leaves as quickly as possible after harvesting! Of the vomitoria varieties, by far my favorite is "nana," a small bush variety with tiny leaves. You can find hedgerows of them and just pick all day. I dry the leaves in my basement with a fan for about 3 days, then toast them in the oven with a broiler and leave the door cracked ajar. When you start to smell the leafy aroma, and they shrivel and turn a little brownish, they're ready to go. Have you ever made "dandelion coffee?"
-------------------- Species List (Georgia): Psilocybe caerulescens/weilii, Psilocybe atlantis/galindoi, Psilocybe cubensis, Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata, Psilocybe caerulipes, Psilocybe semilanceata, Psilocybe fagicola, Copelandia cyanescens, Panaeolus cinctulus, Panaeolus fimicola, Panaeolus olivaceus, Gymnopilus luteofolius, Gymnopilus aeruginosus, Gymnopilus junonius, Pluteus salicinus (Ohio): Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata, Psilocybe caerulipes, Pluteus cyanopus, Pluteus salicinus sensu lato..., Panaeolus cinctulus, Gymnopilus luteus, Gymnopilus luteofolius, Gymnopilus junonius, Gymnopilus aeruginosus
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lurkmode
Stranger


Registered: 05/20/08
Posts: 1,375
Last seen: 4 years, 4 months
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Re: Yaupon Holly Tea (I. vomitoria) [Re: Hashfinger]
#19186949 - 11/25/13 01:09 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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not familiar with dandelion coffee.
I've become quite the fan of hoary bittercress though. I just found some in my new yard but it's too close to the driveway and road for my liking. Hopefully I can find some more that doesn't have a possibility of being contaminated because it's quite tasty.
about the only other things I've consumed via foraging is honey mushrooms, cubes of course and purple dead nettle (yuck).
I also found a pecan tree in our yard about a month ago that we didn't realize was there before. Score! For next year anyway.
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Hashfinger
Nippy Wiffle



Registered: 07/10/12
Posts: 4,775
Loc: Georgia
Last seen: 5 years, 8 months
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Re: Yaupon Holly Tea (I. vomitoria) [Re: lurkmode]
#19186963 - 11/25/13 01:12 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
lurkmode said: not familiar with dandelion coffee.
I've become quite the fan of hoary bittercress though. I just found some in my new yard but it's too close to the driveway and road for my liking. Hopefully I can find some more that doesn't have a possibility of being contaminated because it's quite tasty.
about the only other things I've consumed via foraging is honey mushrooms, cubes of course and purple dead nettle (yuck).
I also found a pecan tree in our yard about a month ago that we didn't realize was there before. Score! For next year anyway.
Nice! We used to have huge black walnut and hazelnut trees in our old yard. I used to just sit in the grass with two stones and crack nuts all day as a kid.
-------------------- Species List (Georgia): Psilocybe caerulescens/weilii, Psilocybe atlantis/galindoi, Psilocybe cubensis, Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata, Psilocybe caerulipes, Psilocybe semilanceata, Psilocybe fagicola, Copelandia cyanescens, Panaeolus cinctulus, Panaeolus fimicola, Panaeolus olivaceus, Gymnopilus luteofolius, Gymnopilus aeruginosus, Gymnopilus junonius, Pluteus salicinus (Ohio): Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata, Psilocybe caerulipes, Pluteus cyanopus, Pluteus salicinus sensu lato..., Panaeolus cinctulus, Gymnopilus luteus, Gymnopilus luteofolius, Gymnopilus junonius, Gymnopilus aeruginosus
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lurkmode
Stranger


Registered: 05/20/08
Posts: 1,375
Last seen: 4 years, 4 months
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Re: Yaupon Holly Tea (I. vomitoria) [Re: Hashfinger]
#19186974 - 11/25/13 01:14 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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black walnuts and hazelnuts are personal faves. chestnuts are probably my favorite but I would freaking love to have a hazelnut tree.
dandelion coffee though? Made out of the roots or something?
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Hashfinger
Nippy Wiffle



Registered: 07/10/12
Posts: 4,775
Loc: Georgia
Last seen: 5 years, 8 months
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Re: Yaupon Holly Tea (I. vomitoria) [Re: lurkmode]
#19187009 - 11/25/13 01:23 PM (10 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
lurkmode said: black walnuts and hazelnuts are personal faves. chestnuts are probably my favorite but I would freaking love to have a hazelnut tree.
dandelion coffee though? Made out of the roots or something?
We also had chestnuts! I used to hate stepping on them barefoot. Spikey devils! Yes you roast the root and brew it just like coffee. Its pretty good but doesn't have caffeine.
-------------------- Species List (Georgia): Psilocybe caerulescens/weilii, Psilocybe atlantis/galindoi, Psilocybe cubensis, Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata, Psilocybe caerulipes, Psilocybe semilanceata, Psilocybe fagicola, Copelandia cyanescens, Panaeolus cinctulus, Panaeolus fimicola, Panaeolus olivaceus, Gymnopilus luteofolius, Gymnopilus aeruginosus, Gymnopilus junonius, Pluteus salicinus (Ohio): Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata, Psilocybe caerulipes, Pluteus cyanopus, Pluteus salicinus sensu lato..., Panaeolus cinctulus, Gymnopilus luteus, Gymnopilus luteofolius, Gymnopilus junonius, Gymnopilus aeruginosus
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