Home-grown zest, from cinnamon to curry, is possible in O.C. Some of these plants, which can add a new dimension to cooking, are even ornamental. Caper flowers, says one expert, ‘are so extraordinary they stop people in their tracks.’
Think exotic spices can be grown only in sultry, tropical locales? Think again. Our climate is mild enough to grow a number of spices, from capers to curry. Some even grow as houseplants.
“Many people already grow herbs, so the next logical step is adding spices to the garden,” says Alex Silber, manager of Papaya Tree Nursery in Granada Hills. He will be displaying a number of spice plants at the Southern California Spring Garden Show at South Coast Plaza today and Sunday.
Allspice and cinnamon plants have aromatic leaves that impart the same flavor as their fruit and bark. And curry leaf has a strong Indian flavor.
Many of these plants are also highly ornamental, says landscape architect Shirley Kerins, who is curator of the herb garden at the Huntington Library Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in San Marino.
“The coffee bush has shiny green leaves, white flowers and berries that turn from green to red. It looks wonderful in a container on a deck or in an atrium,” she says. “Caper flowers are so extraordinary they stop people in their tracks. In summer, the plants are covered with pure-white 3- to 4-inch flowers with bright purple, almost iridescent stamens.”Allspice, also an ornamental plant, is surprisingly easy to grow, says Roger Meyer, co-owner of Valley Vista Kiwi in Fountain Valley.
“Allspice is one of the few plants I’ve found that will thrive on the north side of a building in a shady spot,” he says. “It grows well in a 5- to 15-gallon pot for many years.”
Using exotic spices in the kitchen brings a new dimension to your cooking, says Tina Silber of Papaya Tree Nursery, where you can get a mature cinnamon tree in a 1-gallon container for $28 and wher other spice plants range from $15 for curry to $25 for allspice.
“I use many fresh spices, especially allspice leaves and capers,” she says.
Silber uses allspice in everything from desserts to main dishes. One of her favorite treats is to add 10 fresh allspice leaves to 3 pounds of peeled and cubed sweet potatoes or yams. To this she mixes in 1 cup of coconut milk, an 8-ounce can of pineapple cubes with juice, 2 ounces of water and half a cup of sugar. She cooks it uncovered in a 350-degree oven until the yams or sweet potatoes are al dente.
Allspice tea is another favorite. Silber adds 20 leaves to four or five cups of water and boils for 10 minutes. She strains and sweetens to taste.
The following spice plants grow well here.
* Allspice (Pimenta dioica): Allspice plants grow so well in Southern California that David Silber, who founded Papaya Tree nursery 13 years ago, can’t imagine why every yard doesn’t have one.
This evergreen plant has deep green leaves and will grow to 8 feet, but it becomes lanky at that height and is best kept pruned to 5 or 6 feet. It is not picky about sun exposure, tolerating full sun or partial shade. Although it can handle extremes in temperatures, it is best planted in a sheltered location. It grows well in most soils with good drainage.
Feed monthly with an all-purpose fertilizer spring through fall. During winter, fertilize once with a food high in micronutrients that contains no nitrogen. Water allspice when the soil approaches dryness or when young leaves begin to droop.
Allspice leaves are extremely aromatic–tasting and smelling like a mixture of spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Commercially, the fruit is used to make allspice powder, but fruiting requires male and female trees. For the same taste, fresh leaves can be used. (When dried, leaves lose their flavor and aroma.)
* Caper bush (Capparis spinosa): Capers are the unopened flower buds of this low-growing, scrambling deciduous shrub that grows about 2 feet high but will spread 4 or 5 feet wide. The plant cascades and looks good growing over the side of a retaining wall or raised bed or in a large hanging basket.Though the flower buds are used as spices, many people let the plant flower. Caper bushes produce stunning 3- to 4-inch white flowers with iridescent purple stamens.
When picked small, caper buds are mild. Larger buds that are about to bloom have a richer, fuller flavor.
The caper bush, which is drought-tolerant once established, should not be over-watered. Water only during its growing season, from spring through November. Let the soil dry out between waterings. Container plants should be elevated to keep the roots dry.
Plant in an area with excellent drainage, amending with 50% cactus mix for ground and container growing. The plant will handle full sun, but the flower buds stay fresh longer if grown in partial shade. During active growth, fertilize every two months with an all-purpose fertilizer.
To grow enough caper flowers for pickling, plant two or three bushes.
For pickling the flower buds, Tina Silber says, add a cup of capers to 3 ounces of kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of water. Keep uncovered and stir every day or two for 14 days. Rinse one caper and taste. If it is not bitter, rinse the others. Boil 1 cup of water, 1 ounce of kosher salt and 3 tablespoons of distilled vinegar. Let cool, then add to capers and store in a covered glass jar in the refrigerator.
* Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum): Considered true cinnamon, this slow-growing bush prefers partial shade and can reach 6 feet. The bark of cinnamon is used commercially to make the powder; C. zeylanicum also has fragrant, usable leaves with an intense cinnamon aroma and flavor.
Plant in partial shade in a well-drained location that has been amended with 50% peat moss. Container plants should also be grown in a potting soil that contains peat.
Keep cinnamon plants moist, and feed them with an all-purpose fertilizer on a monthly basis. Also give them additional iron, according to package directions, to avoid chlorosis.
Chop cinnamon leaves and use like powdered cinnamon. They also taste great in tea mixed with allspice leaves.* Coffee bush (Coffea arabica): This is the coffee of commerce, originating in Africa. It is an evergreen that makes an excellent patio plant because of its shiny, dark-green leaves and long-lasting berries that turn from green to bright red. (It is from these berries that the coffee beans are extracted.)
Growing at a moderate pace, the coffee bush can reach 5 feet. Although it’s an upright grower, with pruning it can be kept short and compact.
Plant in partial shade inland (morning sun only) and full sun on the coast in soil that has been amended with 25% peat moss. In containers, use a potting mix that has added peat. Coffee plants are heavy feeders of nitrogen, so use a high-nitrogen fertilizer such as a 20-6-6 on a monthly basis from spring through fall.
Water when the plant approaches dryness or when new growth begins to droop.
Make coffee beans by picking the berries when they are bright red and squishing out the seeds that are inside of the fruit. Soak these seeds in water for four or five days, changing the water every two days. This will allow you to remove the pulp that is clinging to the seed. Once the pulp is removed, dry the seeds thoroughly and remove the thin shell that is attached to the outside of the seed. Roast the seeds in a heavy metal frying pan on medium heat, constantly stirring, for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the beans reach the color you desire. Cool, grind and use.
* Curry leaf (Murraya koenigii): This Indian form of curry is easy to grow and is a handsome plant with its evergreen, lacy foliage. It is a tree, growing 7 to 8 feet tall. Although it prefers partial shade, it can often handle full sun. Place in an area protected from winds, as the foliage is delicate. It grows in almost any soil that drains well.
Fertilize with an all-purpose mix monthly spring through fall and feed with a micronutrient fertilizer once during winter. Water when the plant approaches dryness.
Curry leaf can be used in a variety of dishes. Cut up and add fresh to recipes or saute with onions. To make steamed rice with curry leaves, Tina Silber offers the following recipe:
Cook 3 cups of elongated white rice in 6 cups of water slowly over medium heat until the rice is al dente. Cool and refrigerate for several hours. Chop about 20 curry leaves into fine pieces. Saute leaves with 1 teaspoon of mustard seed in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook 2 minutes. Add to rice mixture.
