[CH] Re: Tomatillers
George Starkey (r2b9@earthlink.net)
Mon, 13 Jan 2003 23:51:16 -0500
There, I've Midwesternized the word. And, it is really fun to try and explain what they are at the local chain grocery, to the uninitiated clerks. I usually just give up and say they're green tomatoes, and then they point me to where they should be. I usually buy them from my local Mexican Mart, because they're cheaper, fresher, and bigger. It is a great place. They have a salsa bar on the restaurante side of the store. MM MM MM... Tacos lengua and the salsa bar.
Regarding tomatillos, I've found that if you dump them into a nice big pot of hot (not boiling)water for a couple of minutes, the husks and whatever residual gummy stuff comes right off. Then they are ready to process however you see fit. I eat a few raw while I'm making salsa. Hasn't killed me yet...
...But I'm not going to eat the leaves off of any chile plant. I don't care. I ain't gonna do it. Maybe if someone eats a mouthful of them and subjects themselves to professional medical testing for a week thereafter, assuming they survive, I might try it. Otherwise, uh, no thanks pal. More for you.
Speaking of Nightshade, I had about two bushels of vines growing all over my compost box this past summer. They really do produce gorgeous berries. They were vivid orange and yellow and red. Then the birds started eating them and playing paintball on my car.
George in the land of the Tomatoe, green chilie pepper's, and Fresh Vegetable's
(yes, those are legitimate Hoosier spellings & punctuations. I don't know if the original writer was legitimate!)