History and Lore

I have put salsify and scorzonera together because they are closely related botanically (family Asteraceae) and they can be used interchangeably in the kitchen. Of the two, salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) is better known but still woefully under-appreciated as a delicious root vegetable. Native to the eastern Mediterranean, wild salsify was known as a vegetable in ancient times but was not cultivated until the sixteenth century. It was first planted in Italy and France and only later in central and northern Europe. It was brought to North America in the late eighteenth century, and, according to his garden records, Thomas Jefferson planted it at Monticello. Although recipes for the tasty taproot regularly appeared in early American cookbooks, it has nearly disappeared from U.S. gardens and markets in more recent times. Some varieties have a mild oyster flavor, which explains its other most popular common name, oyster plant.