No. 347 - Taro

A guy I work with handed me a pastry box today and said that he bought a half dozen "taros" this morning and offered me the last one. He said they are one of his favorite foods and always buys them when he can find them. I was hungry so I accepted it and thanked him. I also asked what a taro was and he told me that it was a root vegetable.

It was quite delicious. The stuff - the taro - was ground up in the center of a buttery pastry and had a sweet taste.

I learned that taro is native to southeast Asia. It is a perennial, tropical plant primarily grown as a root vegetable for its edible starchy root, and as a leaf vegetable and is considered a staple in African, Oceanic, and Asian cultures. It is believed to have been one of the earliest cultivated plants. It is known by many local names and often referred to as 'elephant ears' when grown as an ornamental plant.