Asafetida.

To: herbs.teleport.com
Subject: Conversation
From: Stone_Haus_Farm.prodigy.com (MRS PAT E SWEETMAN)
Date: Sun, 03 Mar 1996 18:09:38 EST

Last week someone was talking about "Asafoetida". I wanted to address this one because it is not a common one. I hope to have recipes next month for it. I contacted a friend and she is snail mailing them to me...I con't believe everyone in not on the net (smirk).

Another name for it is "Devil's Dung" (that is the name I knew it as). It is some sort of Gume resin. It is used in East Indian cusine and used in judicious amounts it does add to the flavor of foods. To store it you MUST keep it in an air tight container to prevent it from contaminating its surroundings. It is a member of the Fennel family and is a tropical plant. It is the MOST vile smelling of herbs and it used to be worn in a bag around the neck to ward off germs. Personally, I think it may have warded off people. Ergo no germs could get to you. That is all the info I have about it. Having smelled it once--that is all I care to know about it and as close as I care to get to it. But I will send out the recipes when I get them.