Value of the Chufa

Nut

THIS excellent little edible nut is pro duced, in a big bunch, at the roots of a small, grass-like plant; and the nuts are ready to eat in about two months from the planting of the seed.

Few other crops will bring such joy to the kiddies as these little Chufa, or “tiger” nuts; while a four-square-yards patch will be a boon and a blessing to the housewife.

First, the nuts may be eaten raw, as they come out of the soil. They are like large, wrinkled, green-brown peas. The nuts are the seed, and may be planted for future crops.

Second, the housewife will love the creamy consistency of the expressed “milk” from a pint or so of the nuts, that have been put through the family mincing machine. The rich, walnut-like flavour of this “cream” is delicious when used with a fruit salad, or when poured over some diced Avocado-pears, or even tinned fruits.

But the cream can be used in dozens of ways. It can be used as a superb ice cream, as a shortening for cakes and biscuits, and for beating into mashed potatoes (or yams or cassava). When roasted and ground, the Chufa nut makes a very excellent cereal-coffee.

As with the peanut, the Chufa is sweet and nutritive. A child can grow the nuts by merely sticking the seed-nuts into the soil, at about six inches between the seeds, and about eighteen inches between the rows.

The plant resembles ordinary grass when it comes through the soil; but the nuts soon begin to develop, and become brown and crisp, when mature.

Chufa seed is perhaps best obtained from seedsmen in USA. A 10-cent package will plant about four square yards of garden soil— H. C. R.