Judy:

> Is manioc like tapioca?  Where do you find it?  I've never seen any in NYC.

Manioc is a root, with a brown skin, white inside, about 1 foot long and
2 inches diameter. Its other name is "cassava". Tapioca is a processed
form of manioc starch (tapioca is almost 100% carbohydrates).

As far as I remember (the last time was 8 months ago), a popular vietnamese
dessert consists of (cooked) mung beans + tapioca + water + salt + (a lot of)
sugar and some coconut milk added at the end. The tapioca, when cooked,
becomes translucid after about 15 minutes; it is almost tasteless in
itself, but gives a pleasant jelly-like consistency. I abused of that
during a short period, but stopped because the high sugar content
induced mental fogginess (and if you put less sugar, it becomes tasteless).

Anyway, as a raw-foodist, I don't find manioc extremely interesting. For
me, it is edible, but not better than rutabagas. But taste is something
personal.

Examples of roots that I am not able to eat: potato, sweet potato,
black radish, turnip. In fact, the only roots I like are carrots and
celery.

Best wishes,

Jean-Louis