History’s misunderstood botanical species – the nightshades. Formally known as Solanaceae, the nightshade family consists of numerous flowering plants, many of which are edible. Others, though, are poisonous, and some have both edible and toxic parts. With alternating leaves and funnel shaped, five-petaled flowers, the plants produce one of two types of fruits – berries, like the tomato, or dehiscent, where the fruit breaks open when dry and releases the seeds, as in the hallucinogenic Jimson weed.
The best known members of this family are potatoes, eggplant, peppers, tobacco and tomatoes.
The alkaloids produced by the plants in the species range in their toxicity. Some people and animals find them only mildly irritating, but some are fatal, even in small quantities. The compound capsaicin is found in peppers, and causes a burning sensation very much like an actual heat or chemical burn. Some alkaloids are used in pharmaceuticals in small doses.
The nightshade potato is a vital element in diets across the globe. The plant is poisonous, but the tubers are safe – except for any green areas. This signifies new growth, signaling toxicity.
Even the leaves of the tomato plant are poisonous. Perhaps this is why, for centuries, the fruit was also considered toxic. It wasn’t until the turn of the 20th century that tomatoes were widely consumed in America. According to macrobiotic theory, tomatoes and potatoes create a natural balance to meat, dairy, fats, and the excess salt found in the standard American diet.
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The day’s South of the Border theme will delight shoppers with a
“HOT STUFF” salsa-making competition and heel-pounding mariachi music.
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Did you notice our sleight of hand?
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Part fundraiser, part celebration of the beauty and bounty of an Oregon growing season,
and part tribute to our outgoing executive director, Dianne Stefani-Ruff, the annual PORTLAND FARMERS MARKET HARVEST DINNER is an event not to be missed. Mark your datebooks for Sunday, October 7 from 1-4 pm, for a mezzogiorno (mid-day) meal -- a leisurely multi-course mid-afternoon meal at Nostrana featuring the finest foods from Portland Farmers Market vendors as well as the region’s best wines. |
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Be sure and sample one of the myriad varieties of plums offered up to you from the smiling faces of Robert and Lois of Shalimar Farms. Up from Amity, this couple has been known to bring Asian pears, gooseberries, persimmons and walnuts, when in season. They sustainably farm their 15 acres in Yamhill County and invite all passers-by to stop for a sample. |
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