Edible Articles: Sechium

Fields: chayote

chayote

From: David in Alabama (dansardi@scott.net)
Subject: Re: chayote
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible
Date: 1998/10/30

On Thu, 29 Oct 1998 13:21:36 -0600, Gary Cooper <biggary@utdallas.edu> wrote:

>I've never heard it called a mirliton! What a wonderful name! It sounds
>like some very unusual musical instrument, or a fabulous jukebox.

Mirliton is the South Louisiana name for the Chayote squash. And they pronounce it melliton. Head down to New Orleans late Fall/early winter and you should find stuffed mirlitons in the restaurants. Often stuffed with bread crumbs, shrimp, butter and sometimes cheese as well. VERY GOOD!! I also know that many people grow them in their yards in the New Orleans area... I believe they come back after freezing to the ground during winter, but maybe some of the N.O. people can clarify. My inlaws bring me these every year from New Orleans! I have considered trying to grow them next year here in North Alabama...

David N Alabama/Zone 7b
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From: yosef surez (yasure@asif.com)
Subject: Re: chayote
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible
Date: 1998/10/30

Here in Australia "Chayote" (Sechium edule) is called "Choko" ...it originates from Guatemala & has been cultivated for ages. The Choko here is probably one "line" as they are all rough grooved & slightly prickly but in South America & the southern USA & Ca. smooth forms are grown.

I remember reading about a marvelous method of cultivation for this rampant vine.: You wire together either 3 (in a triangle) or 4 (in a square) full sheets of weld mesh concrete reinforcing ...fully 6meters high! You compost & green manure to several feet deep inside (I guess you leave a "door" or else a tunnel as it would be a scary climb!!!) one year & plant your Choko / Chayote inside the next year & they will climb to the top in a year! It seems they can grow from the root for several years if well looked after in warm climates!

Yosef
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From: Oz (Oz@upthorpe.demon.co.uk)
Subject: Re: chayote
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible
Date: 1998/10/30

In article <Pine.GSO.3.96.981030075341.13129C- 100000@apache.utdallas.edu>, Gary Cooper <biggary@utdallas.edu> writes

>The chayote I know has a deep crease along the bottom (the broad end of
>the "pear"), is light yellow-green, and has wrinkles on the surface but a
>smooth skin (no hairs or spines). Note, however, that Yosef says prickly
>ones are grown in Australia.

Ah, I had a boiled one in the jungle near belize from some locals, just with salt. I think it would have benefitted with a somewhat more interesting sauce or some accompaniment. They weren't spines exactly, as they were soft.

-- Oz
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From: Helen Kay (enhkay@mailbox.uq.edu.au)
Subject: Re: chayote
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible
Date: 1998/10/31

On Sat, 31 Oct 1998, it was written:

> Ok now we are getting into impressions of taste...Hmmmm maybe a sweet
> broad (fava) bean flavour?....I like the "heart" very much ...the
> flesh can be a little ...er almost sickly not quite sticky...er heheh
> isnt it hard to try & be objective re. tastes! I know they remind me
> a little of "Jeruselum" (gira-sola) artickoke !

I'd concur with the "almost sickly": the young ones I've tried were very sweet and quite sticky. (Wouldn't bother with the big ones.) They made a great raita, coarsely grated into yoghurt and seasoned with lemon juice (I think I added some mint.) Nicer than cucumber raita, in my opinion, as choko flesh has more "body" than most cucumbers. Except for the stickyness, the flesh seemed similar in texture to armenian cucumbers.

Have you tried pickling chokos, Yosef? I'm told they make good pickles but haven't tried it.

Helen.
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From: Gary Cooper (biggary@utdallas.edu)
Subject: Re: chayote
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible
Date: 1998/10/31

I was with you 'til I got to the Jerusalem artichoke. I don't see any resemblance there. I'd say chayote has a mild green vegetable-y flavor, maybe somewhat like green beans or young luffa.

Gary

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