Dig Up Great Taste

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In Japan, wasabi (Wasabia japonica), also called mountain hollyhock, grows along the edges of cold mountain streams. Though sometimes known as Japanese horseradish because of its nose-clearing aroma and biting taste, it is not related to Western horseradish. The brownish-green skin of the rhizome is removed and the pale-green flesh finely grated. Fresh wasabi is seldom available outside Japan, but small containers of powder or tubes of paste are readily available in Asian markets, ethnic markets and possibly in your local grocer’s Asian foods department. (Check the label to make sure it is wasabi and not a horseradish/mustard combination.) Wasabi in some form accompanies most raw fish dishes in Japan. Sashimi plates are garnished with a tiny mound of grated wasabi or wasabi paste, which the diner mixes to taste with soy sauce. Sushi is assembled with a dab of wasabi paste spread between the rice and fish.  

Bitter Digestives

Folklore has long held that bitter food or drink stimulates the appetite and is good for liver function. That theory gave rise to a group of drinks called bitters or digestives. They are prepared with the aromatic essences of barks, roots, stems or seeds with a leafy herb infusion incorporated into an alcohol base. Bitters are the offshoots of ancient medicinal elixirs, forerunners of our present day liqueurs.  

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and chicory (Cichorium intybus) are two bitter roots said to stimulate liver function. The roasted roots of dandelion are ground as a caffeine-free substitute for coffee. Both leaves and roots are used as flavoring in cordials, beers and soft drinks. Chicory roots are also harvested for coffee, particularly in France. Early settlers brought it to Louisiana, where it became an honored tradition. The roots have a slightly bitter, caramel flavor when roasted and are used in extracts.

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