Hi C_Sharp,

I think that we are ready to close the Chicory, Escarole, Endive issue, thanks to a great team effort.  Thanks to Ghee Whiz, Jumari, Jenny, Shed and others who are keeping the research up.

The contents of the table summary on reply 271 here are ready to go to the Equivalent Food choices, Summary 5 table, Reply 1 in the Summary thread (alphabetical order).   Thanks.

Hi Jenny, thanks for your encouraging words.

Every trip to the shops these days become a culinary lesson.  We are learning so much!  I am really enjoying all this.  I hope it is the same for everyone.

From my trip to the shops yesterday (woolies), came home with 3 pre-packet salad mixes, mainly to check a couple of greens that made the mixture and I have not heard of before:  Mizuna and Tatsoi

Googling determined that:
Mizuna is a Japanese mustard green with dandelion-like jagged edge green leaves with a mild, sweet earthy flavor.
Here is a link to DPI (Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries) on Mizuna and another related plant Mibuna:

http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/horticulture/5305.html

Tatsoi also known as rosette bok choy although very different in appearance to bok choy (bunched, white fleshy-stemmed Asian vegetables a little like short, bulbous leeks in appearance). Tatsoi has glossy, tight, dark curly leaves a little like a short silver beet. It has a similar flavour however to bok choy.

Also from DPI:

http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/horticulture/7922.html

Other links:

http://www.coolibahherbs.com.au/boxed-products/mizuna

http://www.coolibahherbs.com.au/boxed-products/tatsoi

you ll be quite the food expert by the time you ve reset those genes of yours!!

Research on Dandelion Greens:

I think this link summs it all, but let me quote something from it before, which I think is spot on!!

Quoted Text

It is 'universally considered a noxious weed that destroys lawns' - we think it should be rephrased as: 'lawns should be considered noxious environments because they encourage mowing which destroys valuable plants like Dandelions'.

http://middlepath.com.au/plant/Dandelion_Taraxacum-officinale.php

So Dandelion Greens from Typebase is the same as our Dandelion greens and unless someone posts something to the contrary, will soon go to our equivalent summaries.  

those are the ones alright!!
so detoxing!
great for the liver and an excellent diuretic
http://www.4yourtype.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NP044

newest NAP addition

Well, let me tell you my own story with dandelion.  When we moved to this acreage, trying to go back to my roots, back to the land, we had to start from scratch because the many years of urban living has completely erased any early knowledge of nature's gifts.

Many weeds, shrubs, plants are here we know little to nothing about. Then, we got the chooks (hens and one rooster), they have been free ranging around the property from the begining, foraging everywhere, but going particularly mad about this weed in the lawn (quite large lawn which since we have been working on reducing with garden beds).  We always wonder what was so good about that plant that the chooks enjoy so much.  Now, we know, it is the Dandelion growing wild in our property!!  

Well, I guessed, we at least have been getting the benefits through their yummy eggs, Thanks chookies for being so clever!!

I bet those chicken livers are all organic and healthy!!!

Research on Asparagus Peas:

First to all I want to point out that Typebase sent me in wild goose chase     by using the scientific name PERSEA AMERICANA which refers to the avocado plant.   On reading the description and observing picture, I changed focus to the plants below:   

I do not think we can get these Asparagus Peas in Australia, although I did find this website from NSW flora on line:
http://pngplants.org/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Lotus~tetragonolobus

From that website I noticed two things:
1.- common name used for it: Winged Peas, so at least we can conclude that in Australia Asparagus peas are referred to as Winged Peas.
2.- and that it is cultivated, naturalized near Macksville, NSW

Jumari and anyone else living in NSW may be able to come across these in their areas.  Possum in NZ?

I also came across some forums that discussed the difficulties of getting these seeds in Australia because they may be considered noxious weeds and therefore stopped stocking them ...

I may need to go for an exploratory trip of my land to see if I find any of these "noxious weeds" to eat (SFs in my Swami).

Here are some interesting and colorful links from other parts of the world:

http://www.maltawildplants.com/FABC/Tetragonolobus_purpureus.php#BUY
http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/kitchen/2004su_asparaguspea.html
http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Lotus.html

Not to be confused with winged bean,  which we can easily get in aussie land, at least through permaculture groups and organic nurseries.  Some illustrative links:

http://www.answers.com/topic/winged-bean
http://cpws.cqu.edu.au/FCWViewer/view.do?page=6827
http://www.stockfood.com.au/results.asp?inline=true&image=197847&wwwflag=3&imagepos=2

Quoted from Lola

I bet those chicken livers are all organic and healthy!!!

Lucky for them, they are only my pets, no hunters, explorers or nomads around here ...

This warrior is putting her shield to good use by holding the rooster at bay while robbing the girls eggs every afternoon.  

Christina,

Great job cross referencing names etc for us Aussies.... Just wondering if you have this listed somewhere for easy reference?

Thanks

Hi Maurice,

Nice to see another Aussie on here, welcome!  How long have you been on the diet?  

Everyone is welcome to post any findings about finding BTD/GTD food in Australia and Cristina has been kindly summarising the information into the tables.  More researchers are welcome!

This thread is the research thread and the lists are posted on this thread: Summary tables only from Aussie Food Choices - http://www.dadamo.com/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-xpress/m-1255756515/

You can also find both threads by going to the SWAMI Xpress forum, they are stickied there.

Cristina,

One that I think has been left off the summary tables, Ocean Bream (nemadactylus macropterus) is also known as larakihi.  I talk about it at post 164 and 142.  I still wonder if we can ask Dr D's team to reveal the scientific names behind new foods they added in SWAMI including this one?  Aka Sea Bream.  Probably too difficult.

Just did some more searching, found that Sea Bream in the USA is likely to be Pagrus Pagrus - Common Sea bream http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=1756
or a relative in the Pagrus genus http://www.fishbase.org/nomenclature/SpeciesList.php?genus=Pagrus

Pagrus are not found anywhere near Australia.
Guess it has to go on the food to be tested table.

Quoted from Cristina

I bought Quark today for the first time and I have not had time to think what to do with it yet. I have not even looked at it yet, it is in a glass bottle, all organic.  Can you tell me more about your dressings?  Maybe I should post this in my SwamiX.  Do not want to hijack this thread. ...

Cristina:

Tell me a little more about how quark is like in Australia.

In the US and in Northern Europe is is more like soft cream cheese and is usually packed in plastic tubs. Sometimes it is as soft as yogurt but it can also be as firm as regular cheese (and some place between these two consistencies. Firmness seems to depend on country. I have never seen it liquid enough that you could pour it from a bottle.

http://www.dadamo.com/typebase4/depictor5.pl?514
http://www.dadamo.com/typebase4/depictor5.pl?322

both also widely known as sea bream....

Hi Gee_Whiz,

Thanks, glad to be here.

I've only been reading the GTD the last couple of weeks. I've completed most of the strength tests except finger prints and secretor status.

My secretor status will apparently tell me if I am Gatherer or an Explorer. I'll get around to that soon.... Hope I'm a Gatherer, if not that will cause me some grief.  

Anyhoo, cya 'round
  

Hi, Maurice, and welcome to the forum!!  Glad you  find this information useful.  If you think of any food item you want to discuss, join us right in. One of our very active team member in this thread, Jumari, is also from Sydney.  We have people tuning in from all over Aussie and Nz land, not to mention all over the world, so you are in good company.

GW, I am trying to think how we left that one out!!  I think that it got entangled with the Groupers, Gropers, Porgy = Red Sea bream, Snapper research and my request to fisheries back a few posts, which I am still waiting a reply for!!  It looks like we will have to figure this one out ourselves.

I have also mentioned to Dr D in the e-mail I sent him that we are interested in getting access to the scientific names for all the food listed in the Swamis.  I am sure we will hear from him on this issue, in due time.

Between statements like "Porgy in US, Breams in Australia" and the disparity in species between the two countries, gets difficult to make decisions one way or another.  I think Jumari also had some posts on it too.  I'm having another look at any bream threads to rule out any equivalences and we will get that ready for the non-equiv, maybe.
PS: my son arrived safely from Las Vegas/Los Angeles this morning.  We were on the highway 4:00am this morning to meet his arrival at 6:00am.  Back home now.  Come back to this soon.

And Ghee Whiz, thanks a million for your research!!  Very throughout!!  Keep it up girl !!

Quoted from C_sharp

Cristina:

Tell me a little more about how quark is like in Australia.

In the US and in Northern Europe is is more like soft cream cheese and is usually packed in plastic tubs. Sometimes it is as soft as yogurt but it can also be as firm as regular cheese (and some place between these two consistencies. Firmness seems to depend on country. I have never seen it liquid enough that you could pour it from a bottle.

Hi C_S, I bought Organic Ivyhome Quark cheese that comes in a glass jar with black lid, it is like a jam jar, except it has the cheese inside.  It has a creamy consistency, like cream cheese.  I had some spread on a rice cake with a bit of almond paste. Yummy!!  I tried to find you a picture on the internet, but not luck, lots of threads on it, but no photos.

I also bought Paneer cheese.  That came in a plastic wrap.  It is a Lennos Paneer organic cheese.  It has the consistency of Feta cheese, very crumby when I grated some over my rice with red sauce (based on beetroots rather than tomatos).  It complimented the rice dish very well. Yummy.

Thanks Cristina!  Your research and checkings things before adding to the lists is right on.  Make those google servers hum!  

Further on the Quark, Paneer cheese:

Pound for pound Paneer cheese seems to be more expensive than Quark cheese: Paneer (180g, 200g package) = AU$9.15, Quark (300g jar) = AU$6.95.

Also, I asked for Barley Malt, but all that was available was bottled Barley Syrup.  I checked the contents and it is 100% barley and water.  So, $7.45 later I came home with this Lotus Organic Barley Malt Syrup.  I have to figure out what to do with it.

Also I came home with a packet of Torula yeast (AU$11.90), which is the same as nutritional yeast: NO!!  I googled it and it looks I got it wrong again.  So now I have at home a packet of Brewest and a packet of Torula yeast.  I think I may start growing mushrooms with them ... What else can I do with them?  Cook? No wheat here ...

Tuned into a forum in the net, and it looks like what we should be getting is the Lotus Nutritional Yeast, or Savory yeast flakes.   There are other brands, but everyone seems to agree that Lotus is the best without extra salt or sugar.  This Lotus nutritional yeast is hard to get, so if anyone can source it, post it here to help us.

Nutritional yeast = Savory yeast flakes

I located a local supplier of Nutritional yeast or 'Savoury Yeast Flakes' as called here in australia.  It is a HFS in Marcoola Beach, just a couple of suburbs up the road.  The owner/manager lives just around the corner from my place.  I invited her to pop into this forum too.

Here is a website that has a good description and photo of what I bought.  Maybe, like the doggies our hair and skin will be beautiful too!!

http://erinrac.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2372

And this one describing Nutritional yeast, posted many times before in other threads, but, put it here for the record:

http://vegetariancuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/benefits_and_uses_of_nutritional_yeast

It is yellow, flakety and I have not tasted yet, but I am planing on using it with fried tofu or patties tonight.  I should be cooking now!  

Torula and Brewer's yeast are powdery and a lot darker in color.  

Another very valued bit of information that got left behind, sorry Jenny:

Quoted from Jenny

,
Maybe I should go back and study the last few entries, but which of the above would you say are commonly sold in Australia, as I have always used rockmelon/cantaloupe as interchangeable semantics based on geography rather than type?  

Jenny, yes, you are spot on!  I have in my fridge half a Canteloupe/Rockmelon as stated on its label (from  Woolies).  In one my investigative shopping trips, I asked the IGA greengrocer yesterday what was this fruit (holding a rockmelon) and he said that is the Rockmelon, so (smarty me) I asked him what is a Canteloupe?  Ahh, that is what the Victorians called the Rockmelon.  I left it at that, because he is also right.  Like you said, the distinction is more geographical than typing.  But, in saying that, some specialist fruit shops may know the difference as described in the australian wesite I cited back in reply 184.  Guided by it, we should clarify on the equivalent summary table that the Typebase Canteloupe, is the Australian Smooth skin Canteloupe Rockmelon, instead of just Canteloupe? The effect this will have will be at least, to intrigue people enough into browsing the referenced Replies to find out more and in doing so, increase their chances of grabbing the right melon for their type.

So far this season, I have seen watermelons, Rockmelons and Honeydew melons.  No smooth rockmelons canteloupes.

I have an idea, my sons girlfriend will be here on the 6th.  She lives in Las Vegas.  I may send her an e-mail, to make sure, she goes to the shops and has a good look and feel for the different muskmelons/ rockmelons/canteloupes and any other melons she comes acros in Las Vegas.  Then, when she comes here, after she gets over her jetlag, I will take her in one of my shopping trips, so she can partner the aussie melons with the american ones. She is an O- and I am also tempted to ask her to take the secretor status before she comes here.  She may stay for a while ...

extract from the website:

Quoted Text

Cantaloupe melons: Similar to muskmelons but with a smooth skin. There are various types – Charentais, Ogen and Galia – all small in size with flesh ranging in colour from green and white to orange.

and this is the link:
http://www.homehints.com.au/se.....6BrJ0CFR5HagodNjRqjA

Quoted from C_sharp

What typebase calls a cantaloupe is not what most people call a cantaloupe.  http://www.dadamo.com/typebase4/depictor5.pl?91

What most people call a cantaloupe or rock melon is a "musk melon" in typebase.  http://www.dadamo.com/typebase4/depictor5.pl?255

Typebase also has an entry for honeydew. It is easily distinguished  because it has green flesh (A normal musk melon has orange flesh). I am not sure if this is what you call a honeydew in Australia. Honeydew is the common term in the US. Typebase entry for this melon: http://www.dadamo.com/typebase4/depictor5.pl?201

C-S, I am not sure if we answered your question, going through the replies now, but just in case, while on my face, here is an answer:

Yes, Honeydews in Australia has a green flesh and they are the same as described in Typebase.  That is one we can be sure of.  
PS: It is like in these photos:

http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Fruits/Honeydew.html

Quoted from Cristina

I have an idea, my sons girlfriend will be here on the 6th.  She lives in Las Vegas.  I may send her an e-mail, to make sure, she goes to the shops and has a good look and feel for the different muskmelons/ rockmelons/canteloupes and any other melons she comes across in Las Vegas.  

I can tell you the reaction I would get if I asked in a
grocery store in my area of North Carolina:

If I asked for cantaloupe, I would get handed a muskmelon.

If I asked for muskmelon, I would probably get handed a muskmelon (That is unless I asked a teenager or new employee, If I did this I might get told they do not have them or I could talk to the produce manager about special ordering it. They would recognize hearing the muskmelon name, but not realize that it is the same as what they call a cantaloupe.)

If ask for rockmelon, I am likely to get a blank look and a shrug. Without any recognition of what type of melon I want.

---

No matter what I ask for, I will not get a "true" cantaloupe as described in typebase.

My gosh!! There is no hope!!     I better spare the poor girls nightmare! Back to the pictures.  Where is GW and her camera?  

Sounds a bit suss, Cristina, your friend is coming over and you're asking her to feel melons ha ha.  Just kidding!  

No seriously, you'll love helping someone and you'll learn heaps more.  Many people around me don't know their blood types (roll eyes)

The melons are being confusing again !  arrrggh
If you want to use those pictures I posted, you may need C_Sharp's expertise to put them straight into the summary tables for us.  He may have to copy each URL by right-clicking on each one and posting a new image tag.  Knowing him, he'll find a more clever way of doing it, probably use the page HTML and copy the tags out of there or something!

I vote for pictures!  of the food that is