Osmanthus Burkwoodii, also known as fragrant olive or sweet olive, is a plant that grows throughout Asia. It’s especially popular during Chinese New Year — when it’s traditionally used to celebrate longevity in China — and has been featured in many classic works of literature from the country.
Negative publicity around the plant has led to the decline in its popularity over the years, but this year, it appears that more people care about eating it than ever before. According to a survey by retail trading platform JCI, the brand rose to the top spot among respondents looking for the “2013–2018 favorite fragrances.”
It wasn’t a complete surprise — fragrances are hotly contested this time of year, as people compete to avoid copying each other’s favorite scent. But with many people dressing up for Valentine’s Day in bold, colorful, and overwrought styles, it’s not surprising that oso’s was at the top of the list.
The plant itself isn’t considered as fragrant or pungent as many other plants, so many people believe that it’s okay to eat them. While it’s never a good idea to eat Osmanthus because of its poison-producing properties, you can still enjoy the smell of it even if it’s not a traditional poison. For its part, the sweet variety of oso’s is a great way to use up excess calories (plus, its astringent flavor can be refreshing) and is on sale for a whopping 40% off retail this Valentine’s Day.
Ayurveda suggests that people shouldn’t eat Osmanthus if they have a liver condition or take medications that might interact with poison-making. Also, while it grows in most parts of the world, it grows in only a handful that are agreeable to locals. To accommodate Americans, I personally recommend that people purchase the fragrant variety that has a distinctive scent, so that they can eat it at home in comfort. If you want to impress your friends, the sweet variety is definitely the way to go!
Some people mistake pomegranates for a type of wild fruit. Pomegranates have high levels of vitamin C and make a great addition to your smoothies or to drizzle over yogurt or granola.
In fact, pomegranate seeds grow wild all over the world and are low in calories, so having more mixed fruits is a good idea this Valentine’s Day. While pomegranates lack the sweet juice of most other fruits, pomegranates contain antioxidants they can capture and use as their own vitamin C source.
But it’s not just the seeds that are considered a superfood for Valentine’s Day — having pomegranate-covered hearts on your dinner table can have its benefits. In fact, pomegranate seeds contain manganese and vitamin B6, but they’re also incredibly filling, so this should be a superfood on your list too.
While most people think of it as a warm, rich flavor plant, you can easily make tea with this low-growing, easy-to-grow shrub that can add a very herbal flavor. Its fragrant oils and delicate blooms make it perfect for infusing an array of herbal blends with a little olive oil, basil and pine.
Who knew a street market would have such prestige? It started as a marketplace in Baghdad for sellers of furs (musk) in the 18th century and spread throughout the Middle East into Turkey to France before winding up in London.
Opened at the end of August, the botanical garden in Central Park in New York City is an oasis of greenery and life. Its 11 acres (3.9 km2) include more than 1,000 species of plants around the perimeter and a large main yard filled with trees and flowers, including the fragile lily of the valley. The botanical garden features roughly 1,100 trees, shrubs, bushes and flowers spread throughout a 44-acre (20-hectare) area, ensuring plenty of greenery for residents and visitors alike. An addition to the 10-acre Central Park Zoo that’s home to lions, rhinos, lemurs and elephants, this is another reason to take an afternoon trip to New York City.
While its medicinal properties are well known, until recently, very little was known about its culinary uses. It’s now becoming increasingly popular as an incredible culinary plant to cook with, especially in health-conscious households in France and other countries in Northern Europe.
One of the main benefits of this plant is its antibacterial and antifungal effects. It can help to prevent and treat fungal infections such as athlete’s foot and periodontal disease, according to Kingdom Herbs, which also says it’s a good adaptogen to help with cold and flu season as well as seasonal affective disorder. It has also proven to be an effective treatment for acne, according to Modern Herbal.
But unless you live in Sihong, China, one of Asia’s coldest, dryest provinces, you won’t likely be able to find the fragrant liquid precious enough to use as a home remedy for treating acne.
However, you can still steep some dried sweet olive leaves in hot, milk-based oil to extract their rich array of health-promoting properties.
“Others like to use dried leaves to flavor their food such as stir fry, soups, and stir-fries, when combined with additional oil and vinegar, provide nourishing flavor and more convenient cooking,” Brittany Uhl, an assistant professor who researches weapons science at Shanghai Jiaotong University, told OneZero.
To infuse the medicinal benefits of this plant, dried sweet olive leaves can be infused into a variety of dishes — most notably into a healthy stir fry sauce, which is incredibly easy to make.
Uhl also recommends stir fry dishes flavored with honey, garlic, cilantro, and scallions. She says to season the chicken with a bit of soy sauce, sesame oil, and dried chili before adding the stir fry sauce.
But here in Sihong, the dried leaves can be found in abundance to be used in stir fry sauce.
The liquid is made up of the concentrated olive flavor combined with sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, and bitter orange peels. All of the ingredients are easily obtainable materials from your own kitchen.
“To finish, place the sauce over various cut salad items such as kongfu vegetables, tofu (belly, leftover braised pork or chicken), or scallions,” according to OneZero. “Also, try stir-frying some lightly seasoned dry sesame leaves for added sweetness and fragrance. You can also add the sauce with rice and enjoy a warming, nutritious meal together.