Dragon Cypress Buds

original: "龍柏芽" (Lóngbǎiyá). This name literally translates to "Dragon Cypress Buds," though the text identifies it as the Lao-ye-er tree.

Lao-ye-er Tree

original: "老葉兒樹" (Lǎoyè’ér shù). Literally "Old Leaf Tree." In traditional Chinese botany, this name frequently refers to Diospyros lotus (the Date-plum) or certain species in the buckthorn family whose foliage served as a vital food source during times of crop failure.

According to the Famine Relief Herbaloriginal: "救荒本草" (Jiu Huang Ben Cao). A monumental botanical work compiled in 1406 by Zhu Xiao, a prince of the Ming Dynasty, to help the public identify 414 species of plants that could be eaten during famines., the Lao-ye-er Tree grows in the mountains and wilds of Mi CountyModern-day Xinmi in Henan Province, a region historically significant for its diverse temperate flora..

The tree reaches a height of six or seven feet. Its leaves are similar in appearance to tea leaves, but they are narrower, thinner, and have more pointed tips. They also resemble plum leaves, though they are notably longer in shape.

The flavor of the leaves is sweet, yet they possess a slight astringency. To prepare them for consumption:
1. Gather the fresh leaves.
2. Scald themoriginal: "煠" (yè). A traditional culinary technique involving quickly boiling or blanching wild greens to soften the fibers and neutralize bitter or toxic compounds. until they are thoroughly cooked.
3. Soak them in water to remove the astringent tasteoriginal: "澀味" (sèwèi). The dry, puckering mouthfeel caused by tannins, common in many wild plants; thorough soaking is required to make them palatable..
4. Finally, rinse them clean and season with oil and salt to eat.