Season of Flowers !

by Kazu

The flowers of Fuki, Giant Butterbur started to bloom on the ground. Soon the leaves of this plant will expand their giant flare.
This flower, stem and leaves are edible but the root is poisonous and  even the edible part contains Petasitenine that is not good for liver, so they should be boiled and taken off the scum.  

The bitter taste of this plant stimulates our stomach and appetite. That is what makes us feel we could get over the cold winter.
Bamboo shoots also will soon show up in the bush. Even the bamboo shoots should be boiled with the water that was used
 to wash up rice in order to take off the scum of the plant.
Please feel and savor the spring after visiting talk-hokkaido at