In a message dated 3/30/01 11:57:49 AM Pacific Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< Out of curiosity, have you tried grinding them withe the husks on?  I find
 that on those occasions when I get pumpkin seeds and often with sunflower
 seeds, as well, I eat about 1/3 of them as is...
  >>
Yeah, well -- one of the problems here is that I am not quite sure what I am
getting. Do the seeds have husks? No, they've already been removed. Since I
have not gathered the seeds myself, I am often not sure how much processing
has already been done. The depth of ignorance in this is appalling.

Incidentally, I gave some of my sunflower seed cake to my room mate, and he
pronounced it "bland." And then said "you Europeans like this bland stuff."
To which I was mildly offended, but it set me thinking. Judging from his
appearance (double chin, pot belly, only 35 years old), and his diet, which
seems to consist mainly of pizza, pasta, beer, cigarettes and coffee, then
its not surprising that he can't taste anything. All this high sugar and salt
consumption, coming from highly processed foods, which comprise 70% of the
average American's diet, totally kills the sense of taste,

And this is the difference between Europeans (southern ones, like French,
Spanish, Italians, etc.) They are highly sensitive to the taste of food. I
had meatballs in garlic sauce in a Spanish restaurant here the other day --
it was positively orgasmic! (they have a French chef....)

And this leads to another theory of mine -- the reason Americans do not drink
tea is that they cannot taste it. Darjeeling tea is described as the
champagne of teas. That is very subtle, and if you are used to freezing cold
soft drinks, or highly sugared milky coffee, you would never detect this. I
can tell the difference between Assam and Darjeeling teas, but you must be
able to taste properly. Paleo people, and native Americans, would have made
herbal teas, so this is good to drink.

Charles