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Table 1 Examples of traditional plants mentioned by German and Polish descendants, and their associated uses and memories

From: “If there’s no dill, the taste isn’t right!” A comparison of food plant knowledge between Polish and German descendants in the context of an imagined culinary community in Brazil

Botanical family

Species

Local names

Uses and memories

Amaranthaceae

Beta vulgaris L.

Beterraba—Pt Rotebette*—Gd

Canned beets—Pd, Gd; Sweet and sour salads—Gd; Soups—Pd

Apiaceae

Anethum graveolens L.

Endro - Pt Koper - Pd

The main ingredient of canned vegetables and sour cucumber—Pd “If there is no Koper [referring to the dill used in sour cucumber seasoning], the taste isn’t right; something’s missing.” (63 years old, female, Pd)

Brassicaceae

Armoracia rusticana P.Gaertn., B.Mey. & Scherb.

Raíz forte—Pt; Crem*—Gd, Pd; Chrzan, quichan*—Pd

The root is grated and canned. It is used as a side dish, accompanying recipes made with fatty meats, mainly pork.

 

Brassica oleracea L.

Repolho—Pt

Fresh or canned sour cabbage (chucrute)—Gd, Pd

  

Couve rabano—Pt; Colorabe—Gd

Fresh or added in vegetable soups—Gd

Convolvulaceae

Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.

Batata doce—Pt; Bataten*—Gd

Side dish, accompanying recipes made with pork—Gd

Fabaceae

Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Feijão—Pt; Vasola*—Pd

Bean stew “The beans came to replace the tatarka, and my mother planted a lot of tatarka. I didn’t even get to know it [referring to tatarka] [...] then the beans came, and we consumed it a lot.” (73 years old, female, Pd)

Lamiaceae

Salvia officinalis L.

Sálvia—Pt; Szalwia—Pd

For flavoring broths, sauces, and meats—Pd

Polygonaceae

Fagopyrum esculentum Moench

Trigo sarraceno—Pt; Tatarka*—Pd

Porridge, cooked side dish, haluski filling—Pd

 

Rheum rhabarbarum L.

Ruibarbo—Pt; Rababa*—Gd

Toppings for sweets, especially cuque—Gd

Rosaceae

Prunus persica (L.) Batsch

Pêssego—Pt Fêse—Gd

Pies, jellies, candied fruits, cold soups - Gd

 

Malus domestica Borkh.

Maçã—Pt; Apfel—Gd

Pies, jellies, candied fruits, cold soups—Gd

Rubiaceae

Coffea arabica L.

Café—Pt; Kawa—Pd Kaffe—Gd

Memories associated with rainy days, when families roasted and ground coffee at home—Pd, Gd; “What I liked the most about coffee was the flowers, and when people roasted it [...], the roasted coffee smell would travel far.” (63 years old, female, Gd)

  1. Pt Brazilian portuguese language, Gd German descendant, and Pd Polish descendant. Local names as known by the descendants of each ethnicity are marked with “*”