Exploring the Edible Uses of Traveller's Joy
Traveller's-joy, Old Man's Beard (Clematis vitalba) is a climbing plant. It adorns hedgerows and shrubs across Europe. Many admire its white flowers and feathery seed heads.
This plant also has a lesser-known history of use in cooking. From ancient Roman times to now, people have written about and enjoyed eating it. It has been a part of Tuscan cuisine for generations.
Note that the plant is toxic, so eat with caution.
Culinary Uses
Note: Pick only the shoots up to the first pair of leaves. Always boil the shoots first in salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until soft before using. Never add or eat the shoots raw.
Traveller's-joy is popular in many Italian frittatas. Frittatas are classic Italian egg dishes. In spring, people gather the plant's young shoots. Boiling reduces their toxicity. Then, mix them with beaten eggs and fry. In Tuscany, especially in the Garfagnana region, people make a classic springtime frittata. It's called "Frittata Di Vitalba." It includes the asparagus-like flavour of young clematis tips.
Another traditional use of Traveller' s-joy is in the preparation of "misticanza." This vegetable mixture is eaten in Latium, Italy. This dish is made with young basal leaves or buds of various wild plants. These include Traveller' s-joy (C. vitalba), Mediterranean hartwort (Tordylium apulum), Sowthistle (Sonchus spp.), Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), and Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor).
Similarly, people in the same region enjoy "acquacotta," a soup from young boiled plants. These plants include Traveller's-joy (C. vitalba), St. Barnaby's Thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), Common Golden Thistle (Scolymus hispanicus), and Watercress (Nasturtium officinale).
In parts of Italy, people use the young shoots of Traveller's-joy in risottos and omelettes. They often combine them with other wild plants. These include Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), Wild Asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius), and Butcher's-broom (Ruscus aculeatus).
Preserving Tradition
Gathering the young leaves and buds of wild plants for food is an ancient custom dating back to the Roman Empire. The Latin writer Columella wrote "De Agricoltura." He describes collecting various plants at the Spring equinox. They include Traveller's joy (C. vitalba), Butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus), Wild Asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius), and Black Bryony (Tamus communis). They were then thoroughly boiled and preserved in vinegar.
This tradition has continued in Italy. People still gather and boil the shoots of Traveller's Joy and other wild plants today. The use of young boiled shoots of Traveller's Joy in salads has been documented in Tuscany since the 17th century.
Toxicity and Preparation
Note that Traveller's-joy contains ranunculin, a glucoside. When split or damaged, the plant releases protoanemonin. Protoanemonin is a strong irritant that can cause mouth blistering and swelling. However, the buds and young shoots have less ranunculin. These are the parts people eat.
To reduce the potential toxicity, people always boil the shoots of Traveller's-joy before eating them. Boiling the plant material inactivates the toxic protoanemonin.
Other Uses
People have used Traveller's Joy for purposes beyond its culinary applications. In northwestern Anatolia, Turkey, people smoked a piece of the branch like a cigarette to relieve toothache. People have smoked the leaves for their mild mind-altering properties. Some parts of Italy have also used the leaves and buds as a tobacco substitute.
Healers recommend using the aerial parts of Traveller's-joy to prepare refreshing footbaths. People have also used the plant in traditional medicine. They make flowers and leaves into an infusion, which they see as reducing inflammation (anti-inflammatory), helping wounds heal and form scars (cicatrising), and suppressing coughs (antitussive).
All these uses carry high risk due to the toxic nature of this plant. Correct preparation is essential.
Traveller's-joy is not just a beautiful addition to the countryside. It also has a rich history of culinary and traditional uses. From ancient Roman times to modern Italian cuisine, people have used and passed down the edible uses of C. vitalba.
People must exercise caution due to the plant's potential toxicity. However, proper preparation has allowed people to eat this wild plant safely.
Traveller's-joy reminds us of the valuable knowledge and traditions our grandmothers and grandfathers held as we continue to explore the many uses of wild plants. We need to remember the plant knowledge of the wise elders of old. We must relearn and practice this traditional plant wisdom, passing it down to future generations. Doing so ensures that our children and grandchildren maintain a deep connection to the land and the natural world around them.
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