I bought a green thing that looked like a cucumber with spikes.
I figured anything that ugly must taste great.
Nobody in the produce section knew what Mexicans do with them
but thought they stuffed them somehow.
Searching on the internet failed to turn up anything
that looked/sounded like this thing.

We cleaned out the seeds and baked it like squash. Yes it
was b-i-t-t-e-r -- too bitter for us to eat.
(Do they have witches in Mexico? Maybe I should have added some
bat wings and eye of newt and steeped it.)

Any idea what it might have been and what it is used for?

Sounds like bitter melon, just a guess.

"Windcat" > wrote in message
. com...
> I bought a green thing that looked like a cucumber with spikes.
> I figured anything that ugly must taste great.
> Nobody in the produce section knew what Mexicans do with them
> but thought they stuffed them somehow.
> Searching on the internet failed to turn up anything
> that looked/sounded like this thing.
>
> We cleaned out the seeds and baked it like squash. Yes it
> was b-i-t-t-e-r -- too bitter for us to eat.
> (Do they have witches in Mexico? Maybe I should have added some
> bat wings and eye of newt and steeped it.)
>
> Any idea what it might have been and what it is used for?

>From: Windcat

>I bought a green thing that looked like a cucumber with spikes.

There is a vine that produces *round, green fruit* with spikes. It's called
"chilicothe", so it was definitely known by the MesoAmericans, as well as by
the California coastal tribes...

It is also called "wild cucumber", but you wouldn't want to use it in a salad.
Native Americans used it medicinally, externally for treating cuts, and
internally for a laxative...

It has half a dozen large seeds that are shaped like beans. The seeds are green
until they mature and dry out, then they are mahogany-colored...

We used to collect the seeds when I was a kid. I dunno why, kids just collect
everything, especially if it's free...




# * 0 * #
^

krusty kritter wrote:

> There is a vine that produces *round, green fruit* with spikes. It's called
> "chilicothe", so it was definitely known by the MesoAmericans, as well as by
> the California coastal tribes...
>
> It is also called "wild cucumber", but you wouldn't want to use it in a salad.
> Native Americans used it medicinally, externally for treating cuts, and
> internally for a laxative...
Nope. Googled that and found a picture. Not the same, (thank
goodness).

>From: Windcat

> Nope. Googled that and found a picture. Not the same, (thank goodness).

One species down, 824 to go, if what you described is related to the
cucumbers...

http://www.cucurbit.org/family.html?=mara_mac2.html






# * 0 * #
^

>From: Windcat

> Nope. Googled that and found a picture. Not the same, (thank goodness).

One species down, 824 to go, if what you described is related to the
cucumbers...

http://www.cucurbit.org/family.html?=mara_mac2.html






# * 0 * #
^

"krusty kritter" > wrote in message
...
>
> It has half a dozen large seeds that are shaped like beans. The seeds are
green
> until they mature and dry out, then they are mahogany-colored...
>
> We used to collect the seeds when I was a kid. I dunno why, kids just
collect
> everything, especially if it's free...
>
>
>
>
> # * 0 * #
> ^

krusty
Maybe it's the color. When I was a kid in New York we used to collect Horse
Chestnut Nuts. They were a beautiful shiny mahogany when they were first
opened. Faded fast as they dried, even quicker if ya had a bag full of them
and they got moldy.
Peace
John

>From: "John Droge"

>Maybe it's the color. When I was a kid in New York we used to collect Horse
Chestnut Nuts. They were a beautiful shiny mahogany when they were first
opened. Faded fast as they dried, even quicker if ya had a bag full of them and
they got moldy.

The seeds of the chilicothe fruit were used for beads by the local Native
American tribes. The shells could be crushed and used to make a reddish dye.
The area that I gathered those seeds in was the site of a Chumash village for
perhaps 2000 years. I used to crawl around on my hands and knees in the orange
groves, looking for tiny shell beads that were about 1/8th of an inch in
diameter. I hoped to find an arrowhead, but never did...




# * 0 * #
^

>From: "John Droge"

>Maybe it's the color. When I was a kid in New York we used to collect Horse
Chestnut Nuts. They were a beautiful shiny mahogany when they were first
opened. Faded fast as they dried, even quicker if ya had a bag full of them and
they got moldy.

The seeds of the chilicothe fruit were used for beads by the local Native
American tribes. The shells could be crushed and used to make a reddish dye.
The area that I gathered those seeds in was the site of a Chumash village for
perhaps 2000 years. I used to crawl around on my hands and knees in the orange
groves, looking for tiny shell beads that were about 1/8th of an inch in
diameter. I hoped to find an arrowhead, but never did...




# * 0 * #
^

What do you mean by "Indian?" If you are referring to India in Asia, it't
probably bitter melon:

http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergr...gourinlon.html

Peter

"Windcat" > wrote in message
. com...
>I bought a green thing that looked like a cucumber with spikes.
> I figured anything that ugly must taste great.
> Nobody in the produce section knew what Mexicans do with them
> but thought they stuffed them somehow.
> Searching on the internet failed to turn up anything
> that looked/sounded like this thing.
>
> We cleaned out the seeds and baked it like squash. Yes it
> was b-i-t-t-e-r -- too bitter for us to eat.
> (Do they have witches in Mexico? Maybe I should have added some
> bat wings and eye of newt and steeped it.)
>
> Any idea what it might have been and what it is used for?
>

What do you mean by "Indian?" If you are referring to India in Asia, it't
probably bitter melon:

http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergr...gourinlon.html

Peter

"Windcat" > wrote in message
. com...
>I bought a green thing that looked like a cucumber with spikes.
> I figured anything that ugly must taste great.
> Nobody in the produce section knew what Mexicans do with them
> but thought they stuffed them somehow.
> Searching on the internet failed to turn up anything
> that looked/sounded like this thing.
>
> We cleaned out the seeds and baked it like squash. Yes it
> was b-i-t-t-e-r -- too bitter for us to eat.
> (Do they have witches in Mexico? Maybe I should have added some
> bat wings and eye of newt and steeped it.)
>
> Any idea what it might have been and what it is used for?
>

Peter Dy wrote:
> What do you mean by "Indian?" If you are referring to India in Asia, it't
> probably bitter melon:

That's it! I wonder why it was in a store focused on the Latino market.
(Now, on to research what the India Indians do with the things).

Peter Dy wrote:
> What do you mean by "Indian?" If you are referring to India in Asia, it't
> probably bitter melon:

That's it! I wonder why it was in a store focused on the Latino market.
(Now, on to research what the India Indians do with the things).

"Windcat" > wrote in message
om...
> Peter Dy wrote:
>> What do you mean by "Indian?" If you are referring to India in Asia,
>> it't probably bitter melon:
>
> That's it! I wonder why it was in a store focused on the Latino market.
> (Now, on to research what the India Indians do with the things).


I think they mostly cook it in a highly-spiced liquid (so, a curry). I have
a Bengalese recipe for it where you deep-fry slices of it; I could post it
if you want.

Of course, Eastern and SE Asians also use bitter melon (a less bumpy
variety) and in all sorts of ways. I stir-fry it with chicken and a black
bean sauce, stuff it with a pork mixture and steam, cook it with pork slices
in Thai curries, and cook it with onions, garlic, tomatoes, ground pork,
shrimp and eggs in a great Filipino version.

You can lessen the bitterness, btw, by mixing the bitter melon with salt
(after cutting open and removing the seeds), letting it stand for about 15
minutes, and then rinsing the salt off. I don't do that though.

Peter

"Windcat" > wrote in message
om...
> Peter Dy wrote:
>> What do you mean by "Indian?" If you are referring to India in Asia,
>> it't probably bitter melon:
>
> That's it! I wonder why it was in a store focused on the Latino market.
> (Now, on to research what the India Indians do with the things).


I think they mostly cook it in a highly-spiced liquid (so, a curry). I have
a Bengalese recipe for it where you deep-fry slices of it; I could post it
if you want.

Of course, Eastern and SE Asians also use bitter melon (a less bumpy
variety) and in all sorts of ways. I stir-fry it with chicken and a black
bean sauce, stuff it with a pork mixture and steam, cook it with pork slices
in Thai curries, and cook it with onions, garlic, tomatoes, ground pork,
shrimp and eggs in a great Filipino version.

You can lessen the bitterness, btw, by mixing the bitter melon with salt
(after cutting open and removing the seeds), letting it stand for about 15
minutes, and then rinsing the salt off. I don't do that though.

Peter

Peter Dy wrote:

I have
> a Bengalese recipe for it where you deep-fry slices of it; I could post it
> if you want.

No thanks.
One bite of the thing was enough to
satisfy my curiosity!

"John Droge" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>
> "krusty kritter" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > It has half a dozen large seeds that are shaped like beans. The seeds
are
> green
> > until they mature and dry out, then they are mahogany-colored...
> >
> > We used to collect the seeds when I was a kid. I dunno why, kids just
> collect
> > everything, especially if it's free...
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > # * 0 * #
> > ^
>
> krusty
> Maybe it's the color. When I was a kid in New York we used to collect
Horse
> Chestnut Nuts. They were a beautiful shiny mahogany when they were first
> opened. Faded fast as they dried, even quicker if ya had a bag full of
them
> and they got moldy.
> Peace
> John
>

When I was a kid we used to hollow out a chestnut to make a fly cage using
stickpins as bars. I guess it kept us busy.

Gramps

"John Droge" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>
> "krusty kritter" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > It has half a dozen large seeds that are shaped like beans. The seeds
are
> green
> > until they mature and dry out, then they are mahogany-colored...
> >
> > We used to collect the seeds when I was a kid. I dunno why, kids just
> collect
> > everything, especially if it's free...
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > # * 0 * #
> > ^
>
> krusty
> Maybe it's the color. When I was a kid in New York we used to collect
Horse
> Chestnut Nuts. They were a beautiful shiny mahogany when they were first
> opened. Faded fast as they dried, even quicker if ya had a bag full of
them
> and they got moldy.
> Peace
> John
>

When I was a kid we used to hollow out a chestnut to make a fly cage using
stickpins as bars. I guess it kept us busy.

Gramps