May 13: How to taste honeysuckle
May. 13th, 2010 04:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
neverspentGrowing up, I assumed everyone knew how to taste honeysuckle, but now I wonder if that's true. Maybe some people grew up in climates where there isn't much honeysuckle. Some people grew up in the city. So if you've never had the opportunity, here's what I learned. (Note, my botanical terminology here is not very precise, as you'll see.)
1. Pluck a single blossom from the vine, and try to keep the tiny green bulb at the narrow end of the blossom (where it was attached to the plant) intact.
2. With a thumb and middle finger, pinch the narrow end of the blossom gently between your fingernails. Your nails should slice through the outside of the blossom, but not quite all the way. You want to leave the root of the pistil intact.
3. Once you have the bottom of the string-like pistil free, you can gently pull, so that the fat top (the stigma) of the "string" (the style) slides through the tube of the blossom. It's a tight fit, but that's good, because it acts like a squeegie to bring all of the nectar down to the bottom of the tube.
4. When you've pulled the pistil almost all the way out, you'll see a little drop of clear liquid coming out the bottom of the blossom. This is the nectar! Now you can taste it. It should be light and sweet.
5. Alternatively, you can just pinch all the way through the bottom of the blossom, put it up to your lips, and suck. But I don't think you get as much nectar that way, and you will get some grainy tasting pollen along with it.
This is, I believe, Japanese honeysuckle (L. japonica), which has become naturalized in North America. I don't know if other varieties are safe to taste. I haven't tried trumpet honeysuckle, which is native to our area but less common.
1. Pluck a single blossom from the vine, and try to keep the tiny green bulb at the narrow end of the blossom (where it was attached to the plant) intact.
2. With a thumb and middle finger, pinch the narrow end of the blossom gently between your fingernails. Your nails should slice through the outside of the blossom, but not quite all the way. You want to leave the root of the pistil intact.
3. Once you have the bottom of the string-like pistil free, you can gently pull, so that the fat top (the stigma) of the "string" (the style) slides through the tube of the blossom. It's a tight fit, but that's good, because it acts like a squeegie to bring all of the nectar down to the bottom of the tube.
4. When you've pulled the pistil almost all the way out, you'll see a little drop of clear liquid coming out the bottom of the blossom. This is the nectar! Now you can taste it. It should be light and sweet.
5. Alternatively, you can just pinch all the way through the bottom of the blossom, put it up to your lips, and suck. But I don't think you get as much nectar that way, and you will get some grainy tasting pollen along with it.
This is, I believe, Japanese honeysuckle (L. japonica), which has become naturalized in North America. I don't know if other varieties are safe to taste. I haven't tried trumpet honeysuckle, which is native to our area but less common.