Edited by CEP, Solabia Group, 29, rue Delizy, 93698 Pantin Cedex Tel.: (+33) 1 48 10 19 40 Fax: (+33) 1 48 91 18 77 Publication Manager: Jean François Molina Editorial Team: Patricia Houy et Carine Lebeau Photo credits NC

- Reproduction prohibited -

- O c t o b e r 2 0 0 2 -

L e Pe t i t Bo tan is te ® A u tu mn F r u i ts

Either you love them or you hate them, but there’s no happy medium with the walnut and walnut tree! The Greeks and Romans believed the walnut to be a food of the gods and the walnut tree a sacred plant. It’s also interesting to note that, according to the Theory of Signatures (Petit Botaniste® No. 34), the walnut was used to treat the brain! I n s e a r ch o f t he Wa lnu t and Wa lnu t T ree

Close inspection of the walnut tree reveals the fruit – the walnut – enclosed its light brown shell and surrounded by a green pericarp, the husk.

Autumn Trend

Take a walk in the forest, back to nature, and you’ll realise it’s autumn, but take a glance at the latest trends and you’ll discover the superstar – brown – the colour of autumn! It’s everywhere – designers and make-up artists swear by it and stylists have already taken it on board. It’s the benchmark! Seducer and master, brown also looks good against shimmering colours such as violet, for instance. A shopping bag made from fabric printed with autumn leaves (Brontibay), an autumn leaf brooch

A short history lesson – the walnut shell has discouraged many people from eating the fruit because it takes quite a long time to break the shell before you can enjoy the walnut! Over the centuries, shelled walnuts have been eaten in a variety of ways – raw, cooked, salted, in wine or in oil, but all of these walnut-based preparations turn rancid very quickly due to their oil content (40 to 50%), which is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. The fruit is thus a highly nutritious, albeit delicate foodstuff with hypocholesterolaemic and anti-atherogenic (affording protection against infarction) properties. This explains why the husk, the green bark and the leaves are mainly of interest. (Christophe Coppens) and a bra and pants set in an autumn leaf print (Paul Smith) – just a taster then, of autumn trends in the textiles sector … As regards make-up, this year, make-up artists cast a radiant glow over the autumn and winter shades with a fairy figure bathed in gold and shrouded in mystery.

The husk, which is used as a hair tint and a dye for furniture, clothing and make-up, delights us with it warm, autumn shades … It’s also used to prepare an excellent beverage known as “Brou de noix” in the Creuse area or “Ratafia” in the Dauphiné area. In fact, it contains tannins, juglandin, and citric and malic acids, which, once combined, have a beneficial effect on the stomach.

As for the leaves, they are also used in the preparation of certain walnut wines or liqueurs. They contain numerous tannins, a main colouring agent and juglone. This bitter substance, which is found only in the fresh leaves, possesses antiseptic and keratinising properties and can also be used in the treatment of tapeworm. Applied topically, walnut leaves are also used to treat eczema, infectious rashes, abscesses and acne.

Warm, velvety and sensual, autumn make-up draws its inspiration from the colours of an Indian summer and the dawning of wintertime: copper, iridescent, smoky brown and wild berries – in honour of Mother Nature … It’s certainly an “Ode to Autumn” with “the flower lady” or even “the gold-leaf lady”. At the same time, the palettes are enriched with equally subtle shades of brown.

-

hat privileged moment of every walk, each year autumn offers nature all her finery with copper

overtones and the slightest hint of melancholy. The transition point between two contrasting seasons, autumn is the ideal time to bolster your resources and take time for yourself. It’s also the season when nature prepares herself for winter. Everyone/everything – man, plants and animals – starts to prepare in their own way, building up energy reserves and waiting to be revived…

It’s time for the return of Petit Botaniste® and making the most of this Autumnal break from our Polynesian adventures, I suggest that, as from next December, you try out a little experiment, which should change the way you look at the world! Go on, see for yourself! Relaxing on a country path, in a public garden or in any other location in which you might find yourself, you suddenly decide to slow the pace and walk quietly and stealthily as if to surprise nature in her simplest guise … Express your feelings. Just one small detail, apparently still insignificant here, will fill each moment with enchantment and wonder and a curiosity that will brighten up your day like a smile. Have you ever taken the time to inspect a hazelnut ensconced in its downy plant shell? Have you ever wondered why this shrub with strong, yet supple branches and oval, heart-shaped leaves could symbolise life and fertility from Celtic times onwards?

Continuing in the same autumn fruits register, have you already noticed that the chestnut tree produces glossy fruits that are sometimes round and sometimes flatter? Why this difference? Is it the same tree? The art of taking time to observe, to get to know Mother Nature better – that’s also part of the magic of the autumn season! From now on, I would like to invite you to join us for a voyage through the woods of discovery. Here and there you’ll discover the incredible treasures of nature in full flight. Enjoy your walk, but, above all, take your time!

T

E t h n o b o t a n i c a l J o u r n a l e d i t e d b y t h e S o l a b i a G r o u p – N ° 4 0 – O c t o b e r 2 0 0 2

EditorialMake the Most of Autumn to Take Time …

- O c t o b r e 2 0 0 2 - - O c t o b e r 2 0 0 2 -

L e Pe t i t Bo tan is te ® A u tu mn F r u i ts L e Pe t i t Bo tan is te ® A u tu mn F r u i ts

he swallows set off in search of warmer climes and the leaves

gently turn red, rust and brown as the sky glows with the last light of day and autumn salutes summer. During the autumn months, everyone conjures up images of various changing hues and of leaves ablaze with radiant colour. It ‘s the ideal time to watch and note the changing colour of the foliage on the trees… Le t ’ s t a ke a wa l k i n t he wood s… Walks in the forest or in the parks are ideal times to visit or revisit our countryside and region. Let’s set off now on a regional voyage of discovery, starting in the countryside and then specifically through the woods. Regardless of your itinerary, you will inevitably come into contact with a wide variety of trees as you stroll along the pathways and trails. And, in the autumn, some of these hardy plant species provide us with fruits that we eat all winter long to boost our defences!

et’s begin our journey with the chestnut (Castanea sativa) – the

largest of the forest trees. A robust, tough tree, it can easily be identified in autumn because, at the foot of the tree, you will find open, pungent burs filled with one or more fruits: the marrons and the chestnuts.

The first is bur filled with a single almond, often large and round. The second has much flatter fruits since up to 3 or 4 can be found in the same bur. But, we are not mistaken – these fruits come from the same tree: the chestnut, and not the horse chestnut! When fruit became more popular during the Middle Ages, it played a key role in feeding our civilisation, to the extent that the “arbre à pain” (bread tree) was cultivated in the Cévennes and Pyrenees regions as well as in the Massif areas of Esterel and Maures and in one area of Brittany in conjunction with certain forestry sites. The chestnut was therefore a major foodstuff. Its high nutritional value, availability in winter and accessibility (it is picked up from the floor) made it the daily rural foodstuff. Unfortunately, ink disease, generated by a parasitic fungus, wiped out a large number of chestnut trees in France. P ip i ng ho t ma r ron s ! Today, going back to Ardèche and Corrèze, and in Corsica, the fruits are harvested between the end of September and early November. After that you can taste and prepare chestnuts … In fact, nowadays, chestnuts are mainly used for culinary purposes. Chestnut flour is used to make pancakes or rolls, roasted chestnuts, steam-cooked, chestnut purée or chestnut cream, whole, natural chestnuts or chestnuts to complement the Christmas turkey.

Chestnuts are very versatile! Therapeutically, the dried, infused leaves of the chestnut tree possess expectorant and calming properties. A decoction prepared from burs and bark has astringent properties. The fruit, which is not recommended for diabetics due to its high carbohydrate content, is reputed to boost physical and mental weakness, to treat anaemia, is ideal for children and the elderly and relieves blood circulation disorders. In cosmetics, the leaves, which are used in coloured shampoos, add coppery tones to light hair, blending in with the autumn shades. A fruit crammed with minerals, the chestnut provides a remineralising course of treatment. A veritable cocktail of vitamins, it contains as much vitamin C as a lemon and is rich in vitamin B3 with a positive effect on circulatory disorders. Finally, its sugars can alleviate sensitive, irritated skin.

ontinuing to fill your lunch bags with seasonal fruits and to

observe nature, let’s stop off and visit another inhabitant of the forest, the hazel tree (Corylus avellana). This branching shrub with dense foliage is only a few meters high and is mainly found on the edge of woods and forests. Unlike the chestnut tree, it grows rapidly. What’s more, the Celts made it the symbol of life and fertility:

Its development has been compared to « underground water that juts forth from the source». It is also strange to note that, although the hazel tree is one of the first to flower, its fruit does not appear until the autumn. This is perhaps why the hazel tree also symbolises consistency and patience. Fact or fiction, a magic stick and a branch of the hazel tree enabled druids to discover pools of water … The hazel tree thus remains a source of numerous stories! In the autumn, you will see the oval, serrated, heart-shaped leaves turn copper brown and small hazelnuts will fall from their husk.

Close up on other autumn fruits…

Let’s go off in search of these more or less well known fruits that delight the autumn markets. Containing lipid and sugar reserves, they protect us and help us to confront winter. The months of September and October are synonymous with harvests – a time when bunches of grapes (Vitis vinifera) reach maturity. It will have taken all summer long for the “golden grapes” to soak up the sunshine in order to possess a sufficient quantity of sugar for future wine production. All year long, you can enjoy grappes, the juice containing a wealth of sugars and, of course, the wine, crammed with polyphenols that possess well-known anti-oxidising properties.

The hazel tree is mainly grown for its nuts, the nutritive and energy value of which is exceptional. The ha z e l t r e e , An i n c r ed i b l e s h rub… The hazel tree is mainly used for its emollient oil, which is particularly rich in unsaturated fatty acids, and for the high-energy value of its proteins. Hazelnut oil is also reputed to soothe the cracked nipples of nursing mothers. The hazelnut also contains polysaccharides, minerals and vitamins, which are a source of vitality! This being said, we should not forget the leaf, the phytochemistry of which is more then remarkable! In fact, in contains anti-inflammatory and vasoprotector substances such as flavonoids and catechic tannins.

The fig also needs the summer months to develop the fleshy fruit we all know so well. With its very high sugar content, it used to be called “manger-doux” (gentle eating) by people in the olden days. Sugar was not yet available and honey was a luxury at this time. Thanks to the wealth of its ingredients, the fresh or dried fig possesses emollient and nourishing properties.

Now let’s enter the world of the Rosaceae with 4 fruits that make mouth-watering delights: compotes, jellies, jams or fruit tarts. The apple (Pyrus malus) and pear (Pyrus communis), both of which are very common, are available in a variety of species, differing in terms of shape, colour, odour and flavour, etc. The quince (Cydonia vulgaris), also known as “Golden Apple” or “Cydonia Pear”, is inedible raw and can be eaten only when cooked…

In an infusion, the leaves of the hazel tree will cure certain forms of dermatoses thanks to their soothing, depurative properties. Apart from the fact that they contain beneficial active ingredients for the blood circulation, the leaves of the hazel tree possess astringent properties and tighten skin tissue. They are therefore recommended for toning and firming up flabby, tired skin, and to refine the grain of the skin, not to mention their beneficial effects on soothing heavy legs.

o conclude our initial journey, we will stop with the walnut

(Juglans regia) – a tree often found in wood clearings and alongside country roads.

Finally, medlar (Mespilus germanica), which is barely known, is unusual in that it is eaten when over-ripe – nothing but softness for fruit lovers! Rich in tannins and α-hydroxy acids, the apple, quince and medlar possess astringent and toning properties. The apple is also soft and sweet because of the wealth of sugars (pectins) it contains. Let’s finish our brief tour of the markets with “plaquemine”, more commonly known as kaki (Diospyros kaki). This extremely fleshy fruit with a high carbohydrate content, is eaten when over-ripe, and has a creamy skin once the first frosts have softened it. It is rich in provitamin A and tannins, which confer astringent properties.

T

L

C

T

- O c t o b r e 2 0 0 2 - - O c t o b e r 2 0 0 2 -

L e Pe t i t Bo tan is te ® A u tu mn F r u i ts L e Pe t i t Bo tan is te ® A u tu mn F r u i ts

he swallows set off in search of warmer climes and the leaves

gently turn red, rust and brown as the sky glows with the last light of day and autumn salutes summer. During the autumn months, everyone conjures up images of various changing hues and of leaves ablaze with radiant colour. It ‘s the ideal time to watch and note the changing colour of the foliage on the trees… Le t ’ s t a ke a wa l k i n t he wood s… Walks in the forest or in the parks are ideal times to visit or revisit our countryside and region. Let’s set off now on a regional voyage of discovery, starting in the countryside and then specifically through the woods. Regardless of your itinerary, you will inevitably come into contact with a wide variety of trees as you stroll along the pathways and trails. And, in the autumn, some of these hardy plant species provide us with fruits that we eat all winter long to boost our defences!

et’s begin our journey with the chestnut (Castanea sativa) – the

largest of the forest trees. A robust, tough tree, it can easily be identified in autumn because, at the foot of the tree, you will find open, pungent burs filled with one or more fruits: the marrons and the chestnuts.

The first is bur filled with a single almond, often large and round. The second has much flatter fruits since up to 3 or 4 can be found in the same bur. But, we are not mistaken – these fruits come from the same tree: the chestnut, and not the horse chestnut! When fruit became more popular during the Middle Ages, it played a key role in feeding our civilisation, to the extent that the “arbre à pain” (bread tree) was cultivated in the Cévennes and Pyrenees regions as well as in the Massif areas of Esterel and Maures and in one area of Brittany in conjunction with certain forestry sites. The chestnut was therefore a major foodstuff. Its high nutritional value, availability in winter and accessibility (it is picked up from the floor) made it the daily rural foodstuff. Unfortunately, ink disease, generated by a parasitic fungus, wiped out a large number of chestnut trees in France. P ip i ng ho t ma r ron s ! Today, going back to Ardèche and Corrèze, and in Corsica, the fruits are harvested between the end of September and early November. After that you can taste and prepare chestnuts … In fact, nowadays, chestnuts are mainly used for culinary purposes. Chestnut flour is used to make pancakes or rolls, roasted chestnuts, steam-cooked, chestnut purée or chestnut cream, whole, natural chestnuts or chestnuts to complement the Christmas turkey.

Chestnuts are very versatile! Therapeutically, the dried, infused leaves of the chestnut tree possess expectorant and calming properties. A decoction prepared from burs and bark has astringent properties. The fruit, which is not recommended for diabetics due to its high carbohydrate content, is reputed to boost physical and mental weakness, to treat anaemia, is ideal for children and the elderly and relieves blood circulation disorders. In cosmetics, the leaves, which are used in coloured shampoos, add coppery tones to light hair, blending in with the autumn shades. A fruit crammed with minerals, the chestnut provides a remineralising course of treatment. A veritable cocktail of vitamins, it contains as much vitamin C as a lemon and is rich in vitamin B3 with a positive effect on circulatory disorders. Finally, its sugars can alleviate sensitive, irritated skin.

ontinuing to fill your lunch bags with seasonal fruits and to

observe nature, let’s stop off and visit another inhabitant of the forest, the hazel tree (Corylus avellana). This branching shrub with dense foliage is only a few meters high and is mainly found on the edge of woods and forests. Unlike the chestnut tree, it grows rapidly. What’s more, the Celts made it the symbol of life and fertility:

Its development has been compared to « underground water that juts forth from the source». It is also strange to note that, although the hazel tree is one of the first to flower, its fruit does not appear until the autumn. This is perhaps why the hazel tree also symbolises consistency and patience. Fact or fiction, a magic stick and a branch of the hazel tree enabled druids to discover pools of water … The hazel tree thus remains a source of numerous stories! In the autumn, you will see the oval, serrated, heart-shaped leaves turn copper brown and small hazelnuts will fall from their husk.

Close up on other autumn fruits…

Let’s go off in search of these more or less well known fruits that delight the autumn markets. Containing lipid and sugar reserves, they protect us and help us to confront winter. The months of September and October are synonymous with harvests – a time when bunches of grapes (Vitis vinifera) reach maturity. It will have taken all summer long for the “golden grapes” to soak up the sunshine in order to possess a sufficient quantity of sugar for future wine production. All year long, you can enjoy grappes, the juice containing a wealth of sugars and, of course, the wine, crammed with polyphenols that possess well-known anti-oxidising properties.

The hazel tree is mainly grown for its nuts, the nutritive and energy value of which is exceptional. The ha z e l t r e e , An i n c r ed i b l e s h rub… The hazel tree is mainly used for its emollient oil, which is particularly rich in unsaturated fatty acids, and for the high-energy value of its proteins. Hazelnut oil is also reputed to soothe the cracked nipples of nursing mothers. The hazelnut also contains polysaccharides, minerals and vitamins, which are a source of vitality! This being said, we should not forget the leaf, the phytochemistry of which is more then remarkable! In fact, in contains anti-inflammatory and vasoprotector substances such as flavonoids and catechic tannins.

The fig also needs the summer months to develop the fleshy fruit we all know so well. With its very high sugar content, it used to be called “manger-doux” (gentle eating) by people in the olden days. Sugar was not yet available and honey was a luxury at this time. Thanks to the wealth of its ingredients, the fresh or dried fig possesses emollient and nourishing properties.

Now let’s enter the world of the Rosaceae with 4 fruits that make mouth-watering delights: compotes, jellies, jams or fruit tarts. The apple (Pyrus malus) and pear (Pyrus communis), both of which are very common, are available in a variety of species, differing in terms of shape, colour, odour and flavour, etc. The quince (Cydonia vulgaris), also known as “Golden Apple” or “Cydonia Pear”, is inedible raw and can be eaten only when cooked…

In an infusion, the leaves of the hazel tree will cure certain forms of dermatoses thanks to their soothing, depurative properties. Apart from the fact that they contain beneficial active ingredients for the blood circulation, the leaves of the hazel tree possess astringent properties and tighten skin tissue. They are therefore recommended for toning and firming up flabby, tired skin, and to refine the grain of the skin, not to mention their beneficial effects on soothing heavy legs.

o conclude our initial journey, we will stop with the walnut

(Juglans regia) – a tree often found in wood clearings and alongside country roads.

Finally, medlar (Mespilus germanica), which is barely known, is unusual in that it is eaten when over-ripe – nothing but softness for fruit lovers! Rich in tannins and α-hydroxy acids, the apple, quince and medlar possess astringent and toning properties. The apple is also soft and sweet because of the wealth of sugars (pectins) it contains. Let’s finish our brief tour of the markets with “plaquemine”, more commonly known as kaki (Diospyros kaki). This extremely fleshy fruit with a high carbohydrate content, is eaten when over-ripe, and has a creamy skin once the first frosts have softened it. It is rich in provitamin A and tannins, which confer astringent properties.

T

L

C

T

Edited by CEP, Solabia Group, 29, rue Delizy, 93698 Pantin Cedex Tel.: (+33) 1 48 10 19 40 Fax: (+33) 1 48 91 18 77 Publication Manager: Jean François Molina Editorial Team: Patricia Houy et Carine Lebeau Photo credits NC

- Reproduction prohibited -

- O c t o b e r 2 0 0 2 -

L e Pe t i t Bo tan is te ® A u tu mn F r u i ts

Either you love them or you hate them, but there’s no happy medium with the walnut and walnut tree! The Greeks and Romans believed the walnut to be a food of the gods and the walnut tree a sacred plant. It’s also interesting to note that, according to the Theory of Signatures (Petit Botaniste® No. 34), the walnut was used to treat the brain! I n s e a r ch o f t he Wa lnu t and Wa lnu t T ree

Close inspection of the walnut tree reveals the fruit – the walnut – enclosed its light brown shell and surrounded by a green pericarp, the husk.

Autumn Trend

Take a walk in the forest, back to nature, and you’ll realise it’s autumn, but take a glance at the latest trends and you’ll discover the superstar – brown – the colour of autumn! It’s everywhere – designers and make-up artists swear by it and stylists have already taken it on board. It’s the benchmark! Seducer and master, brown also looks good against shimmering colours such as violet, for instance. A shopping bag made from fabric printed with autumn leaves (Brontibay), an autumn leaf brooch

A short history lesson – the walnut shell has discouraged many people from eating the fruit because it takes quite a long time to break the shell before you can enjoy the walnut! Over the centuries, shelled walnuts have been eaten in a variety of ways – raw, cooked, salted, in wine or in oil, but all of these walnut-based preparations turn rancid very quickly due to their oil content (40 to 50%), which is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. The fruit is thus a highly nutritious, albeit delicate foodstuff with hypocholesterolaemic and anti-atherogenic (affording protection against infarction) properties. This explains why the husk, the green bark and the leaves are mainly of interest. (Christophe Coppens) and a bra and pants set in an autumn leaf print (Paul Smith) – just a taster then, of autumn trends in the textiles sector … As regards make-up, this year, make-up artists cast a radiant glow over the autumn and winter shades with a fairy figure bathed in gold and shrouded in mystery.

The husk, which is used as a hair tint and a dye for furniture, clothing and make-up, delights us with it warm, autumn shades … It’s also used to prepare an excellent beverage known as “Brou de noix” in the Creuse area or “Ratafia” in the Dauphiné area. In fact, it contains tannins, juglandin, and citric and malic acids, which, once combined, have a beneficial effect on the stomach.

As for the leaves, they are also used in the preparation of certain walnut wines or liqueurs. They contain numerous tannins, a main colouring agent and juglone. This bitter substance, which is found only in the fresh leaves, possesses antiseptic and keratinising properties and can also be used in the treatment of tapeworm. Applied topically, walnut leaves are also used to treat eczema, infectious rashes, abscesses and acne.

Warm, velvety and sensual, autumn make-up draws its inspiration from the colours of an Indian summer and the dawning of wintertime: copper, iridescent, smoky brown and wild berries – in honour of Mother Nature … It’s certainly an “Ode to Autumn” with “the flower lady” or even “the gold-leaf lady”. At the same time, the palettes are enriched with equally subtle shades of brown.

-

hat privileged moment of every walk, each year autumn offers nature all her finery with copper

overtones and the slightest hint of melancholy. The transition point between two contrasting seasons, autumn is the ideal time to bolster your resources and take time for yourself. It’s also the season when nature prepares herself for winter. Everyone/everything – man, plants and animals – starts to prepare in their own way, building up energy reserves and waiting to be revived…

It’s time for the return of Petit Botaniste® and making the most of this Autumnal break from our Polynesian adventures, I suggest that, as from next December, you try out a little experiment, which should change the way you look at the world! Go on, see for yourself! Relaxing on a country path, in a public garden or in any other location in which you might find yourself, you suddenly decide to slow the pace and walk quietly and stealthily as if to surprise nature in her simplest guise … Express your feelings. Just one small detail, apparently still insignificant here, will fill each moment with enchantment and wonder and a curiosity that will brighten up your day like a smile. Have you ever taken the time to inspect a hazelnut ensconced in its downy plant shell? Have you ever wondered why this shrub with strong, yet supple branches and oval, heart-shaped leaves could symbolise life and fertility from Celtic times onwards?

Continuing in the same autumn fruits register, have you already noticed that the chestnut tree produces glossy fruits that are sometimes round and sometimes flatter? Why this difference? Is it the same tree? The art of taking time to observe, to get to know Mother Nature better – that’s also part of the magic of the autumn season! From now on, I would like to invite you to join us for a voyage through the woods of discovery. Here and there you’ll discover the incredible treasures of nature in full flight. Enjoy your walk, but, above all, take your time!

T

E t h n o b o t a n i c a l J o u r n a l e d i t e d b y t h e S o l a b i a G r o u p – N ° 4 0 – O c t o b e r 2 0 0 2

EditorialMake the Most of Autumn to Take Time …