Eleutherococcus sieboldianus “Aureovariegatus” is a great edible shrub; one use related by my friend Kyle: On the fiveleaf aralia – for the first time. I prepared it in the traditional Japanese way of boiling for a short period, then chopping and mixing with rice. This is known as “ginseng rice” in Japan, and was a traditional way of adding nutrition to a rice meal, especially during famine. I would describe the flavor as “bittersweet”, almost exactly half bitter and half sweet” (see more on my Edimentals FB group)

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