If there was ever a famine in Los Angeles, we could survive on mallow and skunk meat. The common mallow, or malva parviflora, is also known as "cheeseweed," because the leaves resemble a wheel of cheese. This makes it very easy to identify, and then to eat.
It is supposed to be really nutritious, but the taste is a little odd. It's apparently been used for a long time in Israel as a substitute for grape leaves, or cooked in a 'mallow and rice' dish in Turkey.
But what if you put it in a burrito? When I first found out mallow was edible, I went out to the backyard and harvested a bunch of it. I experimented by mixing it with spinach and other veggies in my eggs. And it doesn't taste bad.
There are some definite plus sides to eating mallow. It's free. It stays fresh way longer than greens from the grocery store. And it's super good for you, if the internet is to be believed. But I don't think I'll ever crave mallow the way I crave spinach or red leaf lettuce. It tastes a little foreign.
Would I feel differently if I had eaten it as a child? I'm not sure. Maybe it just goes better with Middle Eastern recipes. I could also see it fitting in well in Indian food.
Another internet rumor is that you can make shampoo with it. I haven't tried this one yet. It would be a fun experiment, but I'd probably have to be in dire straits to not mind my hair smelling like leafy greens.
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