When thinking about noshing on something from the Plant Kingdom, our minds usually go to edibles like spinach, oranges, apples, and lettuce. But some of the most widely consumed—and most delicious—plants are sometimes not so obvious. Beyond the leaves and inside the fruits are the Plant Kingdom’s hidden gems.
Seeds.
Though many Americans start their morning with a cup of coffee, few of us have actually seen Coffea canephora or Coffea Arabica, the two most commonly grown coffee species. (My last sighting was in the rural mountains of Guatemala.) From these evergreen shrubs, we harvest the seeds (commonly known as beans); various roasting processes bring out the tannins, aromatic oils, and bitterness that give coffee its unique and delectable flavor. These seeds also contain what I think to be the most delicious and attractive component of coffee—caffeine.
Caffeine is also found in the seeds of another widely consumed yet rarely identified plant, Theobroma cacao. The fatty seeds of this plant are partially fermented to make cocoa, which is subsequently used for chocolate. Although the seeds do contain small amounts of caffeine, their main active component is theobromine, a related alkaloid that has mild stimulating effects. Cocoa also contains phenethylamine and a serotonin precursor; these may account for its reputation as a mood elevator. And many of us know, intuitively, that chocolate’s melting point is just slightly below our body temperature, but do we realize how powerful this is? One study found that melting chocolate in one’s mouth produced brain activity and heart rate that was more intense than kissing. It’s no wonder the name Theobroma translates to “food of the gods.”
Though not technically a seed, we do eat the seed tissue, or endosperm, of another tropically grown plant, Cocos nucifera. Here in America, we usually see the fatty coconut meat shredded and used in desserts; in Asian cuisines, the meat is combined with hot water to make coconut milk, which is the delicious, rich base for curries, soups, and sweets. Young coconut juice is also a refreshing drink. In Indonesia, the palm sap is distilled to make the very strong, very inebriating drink, arrack. I’ve had the arrack attack, and I’ve never looked at a coconut tree in the same way again.
Pods.
If you’ve ever grown orchids, you’ll understand why real vanilla is one of the most expensive spices in the world. (Saffron and cardamom are the other pricey spiceys.) Orchids in the genus Vanilla are tropical climbing plants that can only be pollinated by certain species of Mexican bees and hummingbirds that are capable of penetrating a tough outer membrane. Like our houseplants, vanilla orchids are finicky. For commercial purposes, however, this pollination is done by hand. The plants pods are either used whole, or as an extract commonly used in baking. The active ingredient is vanillin, which gives vanilla its unique flavor, and has yet to be successfully imitated. Interestingly, the word vanilla comes from the Latin word for vagina. I’ll never look at a vanilla pod the same way again.
Pulp.
Though the plant Tamarindus indica grows pods, it is actually the pulp within these pods that produces the sweet and sour tamarind flavoring. Sometimes tamarind pods are used whole, sometimes the pulp is used to make drinks, and sometimes the extract is used as a spice in Asian and Latin American dishes.
Bark.
Bark never looks to be edible, but we use the bark of the small evergreen tree Cinnamomum verum, for the common spice cinnamon. The unique flavor is due to the aromatic oils, cinnamaldehyde and eugenol. Though it’s usually found in desserts in the U.S., it is commonly used in both sweet and savory dishes in other parts of the world. It is high in antioxidant activity, and may also have antimicrobial properties.
