[permaculture-oceania] Orris root

[Gil and Meredith Freeman]

I haven't done this myself, but an old book I've got says to dig up the
roots, peel them carefully and dry them in the sun. Store them in a dry airy
place for a year or two - the fragrance is stronger the second year. Then
grind or powder the root as needed. In pot pourri, use about a third of a
cup for 4 to 8 cups of (rose) petals.
Meredith

-----Original Message-----
From: Liane Colwell [mailto:lianecolwell at iprimus.com.au] 
Sent: Monday, 4 September 2006 12:26 AM
To: permaculture-oceania
Subject: [permaculture-oceania] Orris root

Virginia wrote 

I have a lovely big crop of orris roots. Does anyone know how to prepare
the powder? Do I just dry them and crush them, or is something more
required?
Cheers
Virginia

Virginia

I have only seen this referenced in beauty care books. One says it takes 4
years to grow this rhizome and TWO MORE YEARS TO DRY THEM OUT BEFORE THEY
CAN BE USED. Wow!

They are used as perfume fixatives, natural talcum powder and a dry hair
shampoo.

Sorry if I missed previous emails about this or you knew it all anyway.

Do you know of any culinary uses of orris root other than in the Moroccan
blend ras el hanout [trsl to 'top of the shop'] which contains as many as
100 plus ingredients [including the neurotoxic Spanish Fly, which is
actually a beetle, ingestion of which does permanent damage].

Kind regards 

Liane Colwell