comparing Phyllostachys species for edible shoots

[Eric]

Has anyone here tasted shoots from multiple Phyllostachys species? Besides size and quantity and shooting times, how do they compare as far as taste and ease of preparation? I ate my first fresh bamboo shoot last week, and I'm eager now to have more.

[Greenpower]

The only P. species I have tasted was Aureosulcata. Just this spring I stepped on a shoot so I thought I would give it a try. Not too bad actually. Had a hint of cucumber to it. Much better than I expected considering what I read about yellow groove having an acrid taste. Not exactly all the info you wanted, but I hope that helps..

[zxylene]

I am also interested in harvesting shoots soon but really have no idea what is good and if they are all safe etc. Thank you for posting the topic this will be useful info. I did try Aureosulcata also and thought it was good also.

[dependable]

Here is a thread from this winter.

http://www.bambooweb.info/bb/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6867

[Eric]

dependable, thanks for pointing me to that other thread. There's a lot of good information there.

One thing I haven't heard from anyone is any negative opinions (i.e. bamboos that are inferior for shoots.) Has anyone tried shoots from any Phyllostachys that he thought was inferior to others in taste or in terms of the time and effort necessary to make tasty?

I've read that bambusoides shoots need to be boiled 2-3 times in fresh changes of water to be any good, but it seems they would have good size, and a later season shooter might work especially well for me, and apparently some people particularly like bambusoides shoots (although maybe these are the same people that like bitter melons and such things that most Westerners would think taste awful.)

Glover bamboo has a whole category of their website for edible shoot bamboos. They say something about the taste for most of them.

From various sources I've read most consistent praise for the taste of P. atrovaginata and aureosulcata. I've heard isolated high praise for bissetti and decora. Elegans, iridescens, and parviflora are also noted by nurseries as especially good. Dulcis seems to be the species most commonly recommended on the basis of the taste of its shoots, although none of the comments I've found comparing it to other species haven ranked it as the very best. Vivax seems to get pretty high marks. Notes about Henon and P. rubromarginata suggest they're good but maybe not as tasty as the others. Can anyone comment on any others or would anyone confirm or dispute any of these rough rankings?

I haven't really seen any taste notes on moso, which is curious because I've read that most edible shoots consumed in the US come from moso (albeit from China.) Can anyone compare the taste of moso to any others.

[johnw]

I've heard Phyllostachys primotina is one of the best.

johnw

[Mackel in DFW]

Parvifolia is the best in Dallas.


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[Eric]

I'm still curious to hear how anyone thinks moso compares to other species and also whether there are species that anyone has tried that he wouldn't recommend.

[quote="Mackel in DFW"]Parvifolia is the best in Dallas.

What have you compared it to that you don't like as well, and how well do you like those others?

[Mackel in DFW]

All of 'em, 'sides Moso.
We have 20 species including virtually everything that gets 3 inches or more in diameter in the phyllostachys genus, except for Moso which we've killed twice due to its persnicketiness. I imagine they're all similar after parboiling, I'm saying Parvifolia is the least bitter, raw. It's even sweeter than Sweetshoot (Dulcis).

[Alan_L]

Does soil/water chemistry have any effect on shoot flavor I wonder?

[Eric]

Thanks for the additional information, Mackel. This may be asking too much, but if you have time and happen to find the motivation, I'd love to see the list of bamboos you've tasted (and anyone else's, too) with scores or letter grades or rankings... I'd be curious which ones you think are almost as good as your favorite, which ones you think are good but not great, which ones you've found to be really inferior.

I wasn't really thinking so much about parviflora, both because I haven't yet heard any reports on how well it would grow in this region and also because it doesn't seem to be available from the nurseries that would be easiest for me to deal with. I have been thinking about adding P. atrovaginata and maybe also one of either P. decora or P. flexuosa (or maybe even P. iridescens) especially for edible shoots. I don't know if any of those really falls into the 3"+ category.

[Mackel in DFW]

I'be been letting our bamboos upsize for 6 years, Eric, so I haven't yet focused on the food part. I considered Dallas a challenging place to grow bamboo initially, because it's hotter here (nighttime + daytime summer daily avg) then anywhere in the U.S., other than the Mojave desert basin. If it does good here, I think Parvifolia would do fine where you're at and iridescens is a must have bamboo aethsetically imo as well. Parvifolia is hands down an easier boo than moso, and it's got the tiny leaves, size, and strength that puts it near Moso in ownership appeal. Dulcis is a
must-have bamboo, as well.

[Mackel in DFW]

Good question, Alan. I have a hunch that it doesn't matter, or perhaps shoots taste better in a poorer, alkaline soil than in a rich, acidic soil. Vegetables supposedly taste better in an alkaline soil if I'm remembering right.

[zxylene]

When is a good time to get shoots ? The first day or two after shooting? Less than a foot in height? If you can prepare them right away should they soak in water in the fridge or can sit on the counter for a few days? And thanks for the link dependable.

[jd.]

Has anyone here tasted shoots from multiple Phyllostachys species? Besides size and quantity and shooting times, how do they compare as far as taste and ease of preparation?

Parvifolia is the tastiest among the few bamboos that survive the winters here.
Fresh parvifolia shoots here are the easiest to prepare simply because they are larger.

If you like fresh boiled bamboo shoots, you may also enjoy any bamboo rated for good flavor such as aureosulcata or rubromarginata.

When is a good time to get shoots ? The first day or two after shooting? Less than a foot in height? If you can prepare them right away should they soak in water in the fridge or can sit on the counter for a few days?

Right now!

Dig up bamboo shoots as they emerge. The longer you wait, the tougher they get. You can toss them in a covered container in the refrigerator for a day or more, but shoots are best fresh.