Maclura pomifera {Osage Orange)
Ancient alternative to lemon
via thestar.com
Whether it's cutting through starch, balancing richness or brightening flavours, acidity plays an important role in the kitchen. Beyond citrus juice and vinegar, there is one under-appreciated ingredient that can lend a dish its sour edge: sumac.
Popular in Middle Eastern cuisine, sumac is made from the fruit of the shrub Rhus coriaria. The berries are dried and coarsely ground into a deep maroon powder with a purplish tinge.
Sumac is much gentler than lemon juice and has a unique fruity flavour. As a souring agent, it has the advantage of sharpening a dish without making it soggy – try sprinkling it on fried foods instead of a squeeze of lemon. It is the secret ingredient in Israeli chopped salad and Lebanese/Syrian fattoush, and in Iran, bowls of sumac are served with kebabs.
Mixed with wild thyme and sesame seeds, sumac becomes za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend used to season flatbreads and fried eggs.
It is interesting to note that different species of sumac grow in North America.
The fuzzy berries of smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) and staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) were used by the First Nations to make a tart beverage called "sumac-ade" or "rhus juice."
Chamerion angustifolium
Fireweed has been prized by First Nations for its versatility: the Haida used the outer stem fibres of fireweed to make cord while the Coast Salish used the seed fluff for weaving and padding. When properly prepared soon after picking, the leaves are also a good source of vitamin C and provitamin-A. It also makes excellent honey! The Plants for a Future Database lists fireweed as traditionally having been used as an anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, astringent, demulcent, emollient, hypnotic, laxative, poultice, and tonic.
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