Prosopis juliflora and related species, American plants which are well known for their use as a fuel for barbecues (to which it imparts an attractive aroma), but also providing food from its pods. These may be ground into a meal (flour) which can then be used to make a beverage, or used as a kind of pinole, or as material for bread-making. It is exceptionally nutritious.
Medsger (1972), writing about P. glandulosa, remarks that it is often called honey pod because of the sweetness of the pulp surrounding the seeds. Also, the flowers provide nectar for bees, and this makes a delicious honey. The mature pods may be 15 cm (6″) long. When the pods are still green they may be gathered and cooked whole.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
Medsger, Oliver Perry (1972), Edible Wild Plants, New York: Collier Macmillan.
