I have wondered about this exact thing! I sometimes make small (1/4 pint) jars of jam/jelly, but I don’t think they’re quite small enough! P.S. I flew to Atlanta from NYC last week and when I arrived and was looking through my purse I found not only my Swiss Army knife but also my box cutter! I’d forgotten they were in there and obviously TSA @ LGA was asleep on the job. I mailed them home.

I baked a tray of mini-muffins for 10 minutes and they are perfect. The nutmeg/cream combination is subtle, rich, and delicate. Really really good, thank you!

I splurged on a fuzzy logic Zojirushi and consider it $130 well spent. I put the steel cut oats in at night, set the timer and have perfectly cooked oatmeal waiting for me in the morning. Brown rice, timer, and it’s waiting for me when I walk in the door at the end of the day. Works perfectly every time. (And did I mention the tapioca pudding?)

Hi TJ, I’m curious, which diet drink lists knotweed as an ingredient? I think it’s great that someone is using the plant commercially. As for planting it yourself...I’ve never seen either seeds or plants for sale, probably because it’s so rabidly invasive. You could probably dig up some young plants and transplant them, but I’d think about this long and hard before doing it.

Good thing you waited. Too many people pull out the Round-Up before they really understand what they’re dealing with. Your patience will be rewarded!

Thanks so much Joseph! You’re not too late at all. I have company coming this weekend for a foraged feast and I wanted to make an interesting desert. I’ll use the knotweed I froze earlier this spring.

Hi Joseph, I’d love to have your pudding recipe if you want to share.

I agree w/you about the tops of the plants sometimes being usable. When Leda and I went gathering this year we found lots of tender tops, which made it very easy to fill our quotas.

Glad you saw the article in time. You can harvest now, chop and freeze the knotweed, and make the wine whenever you have time. The recipe below assumes you have some experience with wine making. If you don’t, you’ll need to look up some basic info. This is adapted from a rhubarb wine recipe. Good luck!

Knotweed Wine
Roughly chop 3 lbs. of knotweed and combine with 8 oz. chopped raisins in a fermentation bucket. Crush lightly, then cover with a syrup made from 3 quarts of water and 2.5 lbs. sugar. Add a tsp. orange zest, 1/4 tsp. tannin powder, and a crushed Campden tablet. Stir, cover, and leave for 24 hours. Next, add 1/2 cup orange juice, 10 drops pectic enzyme, 1 packet wine yeast, and 1 tsp. yeast nutrient. Leave the mixture covered for 10 days, stirring daily. Strain the liquid into a one gallon, glass jug. Rack off the lees as needed. Bottle when clear, and drink after 1 year (from starting the brew).

Oh you are so right! I apologize. It’s Polygonum cuspidatum. Good catch.

Don’t forget to wear camouflage!