Eat The Weeds: Episode 102: Begonias

[DarkSeraphane]

You are a remarkably skilled fellow when it comes to plants. Very impressive. I study wild edibles in my combination training..I thought I knew alot (sixty-five plants) but you..you likely know three times what I know. Well done! I very much enjoy your show btw, it's much better than most on t.v. infact! Your show (and others like it) makes having an internet connection worthwhile! Thank you!

[EatTheWeeds]

@DarkSeraphane Thanks... now if I can just convince TV of that.

[Raistlin49]

Dinos, do you know of a good place to get organic begonias around here (Central FL)? I don't want the pesticides and chemical fertilizers but also don't want to try to grow from pelleted seed. Any ideas? As always, thanks for the videos!

[EatTheWeeds]

Do you mean buy or collect them?

[Raistlin49]

Collect = free so that's totally my top pick! If you can tell me a place I can obtain some I'd be thrilled! I will however settle for purchasing some organics.

[EatTheWeeds]

Go to the Environmental Studies Center - 2985 Osprey Trail - Longwood, Florida 32750. Park, follow the bike trail east. It dog legs south under powerlines. From there to the creek, all kinds of edible begonias grow in the swail on the east side of the bike trail (and west.) Put cuttings in a plastic baggie with a little water, Seal. Keep in warm spot with light but out of sun. They will root. PS: Go to my website, my teaching schedule is up for Feb and March.

[Raistlin49]

Thanks again!

[sazji]

I see...dead people!

[EatTheWeeds]

Dead people? I don't even see live ones in the video...except me...

[EatTheWeeds]

Months

[SALAMISANDWICH]

If you choose to buy begonias from a retailer how long do you wait after planting to be sure the pesticide has left the plant and then eat them?

Thanks

[Abstker]

No offense, but that intro made me laugh, sounded slightly cannibalistic until you panned in the plant ha!

[EatTheWeeds]

Ya won't forget it, will ya... so I made the information stick in your head... that's what it is all about....

[Abstker]

I definitely will remember that though ha ha so it worked! Thanks for the videos! I love them

[earthawaken]

Why are Marigolds only used in moderation ?

[EatTheWeeds]

Because strong brews or a lot of them are toxic.

[omanafire]

I dont think any of the dead in that place would mind you teaching people. What you do is commendable on the highest level.

[EatTheWeeds]

Thanks.. I ask only that you be careful and pardon my mistakes.

[godsend420]

yummy you rawk 5*

[ForagingFishermen]

I love the episodes where you cook as well introduce a new plant. Very good as usual.

[EatTheWeeds]

Thanks... it depends on the plant. Some lend themselves to cooking others do not... or... how many times can I make berry into a jelly before you folks tell me ENOUGH JELLY MAKING....I don't think the next video will have cooking in it... (another fruit.)

[dazigg]

I thought the graveyard was an entertaining idea.

[EatTheWeeds]

Thanks... I didn't know... I avoided a few puns I could have made....

[3CoolKats]

Wow, I would have never guessed that Begonias were edible. I've got one in the front yard in a pot right now that's been there all summer. Great looking plant. I might have to pop a leaf in my mouth and chew on it a bit to see what the flavor is like and then spit it out. That's my policy on trying any strange plant out for the first time. I always will spit it out. The next step would be to eat only a tiny portion of a leaf. It's rained on it all summer so the pesticides should be out of it.

[Yakshinian]

nice closeup shot

[ccm800]

THEM is some fancy schmancy looking eats right there! Tartlette indeed!

[EatTheWeeds]

It's amazing how good the tartlet tastes with basically three ingredients. Actually I could eat several in one sitting but I don't need to over load on oxalic acid.

[Dooobs]

Great Show! I have to admit, I would love to see more of your cooking videos, I love food and love to see new things, very intresting.

Also, the tart was very cool, I've seen Ray Mears do the same with Sorrel.

I myself live in Australia and I don't know much about the wild foods around here, I've looked into getting some books because I would like to experiment.

Anyways, thanks for the videos.

Ollie

[EatTheWeeds]

Thanks... Australia has a great history of wild edibles. You have the weeds we have imported from Europe, but a whole host of your own. I'd like to get the one day.

[steviebboy69]

oh that plant i told you about and mistaken for what it was. it was actually petty spurge. i only ate a little leaf no effects but for the burning taste on tongue for hours.

[EatTheWeeds]

That happens fairly often. That is why the video says the purslane sap is clear. Spurge have whte sap.

[steviebboy69]

yeah lesson learned i guess. well i have got some seeds of ebay for the plant i mentioned. as for the cemetary my friend called it a marble orchard.

oh by the way after seeing this video i went to the said friends place and tried a leaf of his begonia. they were quite good.

[EatTheWeeds]

Good, but you might want to reconsider your current foraging style. The usual advice among foraging teachers is not to eat a plant you have identified as edible until several weeks have passed. This gives you time to make sure you have the right plant. Personally I sometimes wait months, and sometimes I have the wrong plant. My experience with the orange box wood was like that. It has a nearly identical non-edible twin except for a tiny notch in the leaf end. A small detail easily overlooked.

[steviebboy69]

yes well you are so correct. at least i got the dock weeds right. and they are so nice. cooked is like silverbeet,.

i heard the spurge, or is it also called radium weed was good for sun spots and the like??

[EatTheWeeds]

Yeah... I'm an excellent cook (rated to cook on ships) but I am not a baker. Those are two very different kitchen skills. Baking is more like chemistry and cooking more like creative art. I find bakng a challenge so I don't do tartlets and the like too often. However, this is so delicious I force myself...

[origirox]

yay! begonias are edible!!!...but they're too pretty to eat. lol

[MadBadVoodo]

Five Stars!!

[Jesses001]

I did not know Deer did not like begonias. I know they hate marigolds though. I always suround my garden with them to keep the deer from eating all my food. It helps, but a few deer get though anyway, lol.

[pastorgeorgec]

hmmm Begonias and Marigolds? My potted plants just became lunch!

[Fadedflower37]

Thank Deane for another great video.

[Nekomouse]

Thanks for this video Deane. I certainly learnt something new!

[EatTheWeeds]

My pleasure... by the way, the reduction recipe can also be used with sorrel.

[AClearDeepBlue]

I have a bunch in my yard that I rescued from my old office building when they were re-landscaping. I've had them for quite while now so I'm pretty sure that any pesticides have grown out of them. I always knew that they were edible I jut didn't know which parts to eat or how to prepare them. Also, they're incredibly easy to re-sprout from broken shoots. I've even sprouted new plants from leaves that had broken off! Thanks for another wonderful video.

[EatTheWeeds]

Great. Just make sure you have the right ones.

[WhyYouSo]

Nice closeup!!! =)

Begonia leaves are HUGE in the Caribbean. I mean larger than the size of your hand...mmmm :-P

Thank You Deane!

[EatTheWeeds]

Thanks... I have a small magnifying lense that collapses... it's found in coin supply places. It fits over the front of my Flip camera perfectly. But, if I move it you do hear it, as you can in the video. However, it does give me nice close ups.

[conguera]

It depends upon the species. Some leaves are tiny, others can be two feet across.

[llshamelessll]

thanks dean, always a treat

[700eyesonly007]

Excellent video, shared with many friends and family.

Thanks for all you teach us all!

[EatTheWeeds]

A begonia bonanza!

[geriatricguru]

Enjoyed the info and found the scenery to be interesting; creative

[EatTheWeeds]

Thanks... got to be different now and then....

[AirForce194]

Interesting.

[JadeMurder]

thank you for these videos.

[EatTheWeeds]

My pleasure... thanks.