Every year I regret I that I haven’t planted epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides) to sell at the farmers market. It’s easy to grow and people tend to ask about it. Somehow I’m always too busy and it’s such an easy thing to grow, even in a pot, that I don’t understand why people don’t just grow it themselves. Or hunt for it.
I was walking to a favorite taco shack with my kids. The short cut is along the railroad tracks and as we were walking, I spied my favorite weed- epazote!
The tops were starting to bolt but there were lots of leaves. As I looked around, it was all over the place. I tasted a leaf and the wild, naturalized epazote has a much better, stronger flavor than the cultivated type you occasionally find at the greengrocers. The flavor is something like mint and gasoline but it’s really good. I like it as part of a quesadilla but most people know it as an herb that is said to cut the flatulence caused by beans. A sprig or two in the post during the last 10 minutes or so is traditional. I don’t know if it works but I like the taste.
Nico will try anything on a dare (moments later he "mooned" the passing Wine Train) but even he had trouble with the plain epazote and ended up spitting it out. Better to save it for the beans.
Dried epazote is available but I think it’s pretty worthless.
Rancho Gordo: Experiments from my mostly New World kitchen and gardens 
October 11, 2007 at 9:42 am |
Dried epazote is the only kind I’ve ever had access to, and yeah, it’s pretty worthless. Made me wonder what the fuss was about. Now I know I’ve gotta grow my own!
October 12, 2007 at 6:12 pm |
careful with epazote. it’s rampant. it spreads its seeds everywhere and will take over the gardenif not contained
October 15, 2007 at 11:40 am |
cook.bot, my eapzote is starting to bolt and if I can save the seeds, I should have some to share for next spring.
Ed, I think it might be regional. I wish it were more rampant! Purslane is everywhere, as are tomatillos but the epazote here seems very particular where it will flourish.
October 17, 2007 at 11:59 am |
We’re in Sonoma, just over the hills from you, and I would NEVER DREAM OF PLANTING EPAZOTE! We can’t get rid of it. Be careful if you plant it – grow it in pots, or in some contained area.
Interesting to hear that people ask for it at the farmer’s market, though. We’re thinking about setting up at the market next year – maybe I’ll bring some of our weeds along!! We certainly don’t know what to do with the gigantic amount we inadvertently produce….
Purslane – yep, it also is extremely prevalent here.
October 17, 2007 at 12:00 pm |
P.S. Do you have any other ideas/recipes for cooking with epazote?