h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Borage (Borago officinalis) - A18393384
Author: Big Al - Keeper of Mnemonics, the renowned Glowing Pickle and Monobrows. Patron Saint of Left Handers - U723247

One of my favourite flowers which appear in my garden every summer. Been meaning to write about them for some time. I want to get it out of the way so that I can discard a scrap of paper (containing info. about it) that's been littering my desck for some tme. Also, it seems fitting to be mentioning (the)Madonna at Christmas time. (However, I've been searching for ages trying to dig up more info about her blue robes, but to no avail

Interesting, and something I've never heard of before.

it is believed that the borage deters tomato worm., --> lose the full stop

when planted in drifts with ox-eye daisiers --> either you mean dasies or you need a footnote saying what a dasier is

"either you mean dasies or you need a footnote saying what a dasier is"

You know what I meant to write...

Done that, Alex

Nice entry: covers everything that I know about borage, anyhow. It definitely deserves a blob as well.

Good, compact Entry, though I don't understand why you've chosen to refer to the plant as *The* Borage - each time you mention it, and it's mentioned many times, I stop and wonder why you use the 'the'.

Typos & suggestions:

(sometimes pink too: http://blog.kitchenmage.com/2005/10/weekend_herb_bl.html )

[an intense blue colour that is highly attractive]

(I read somewhere that the blue colour pertains to the House of David, but I would have to search again for back up - and anyway, the footnote is already quite lengthy.)

[one's]

[its]

[purpose.]

[while]



Suppose I'd better go and eat some more...

FM Merry Christmas to you

Hi Yes, I had looked at my wording of 'the borage' and wondered whether it sounded a bit pompous. So, now you mention it, I'll revert it bavk to just 'borage'

I've dealth with all your points

The blog linked to above mentions that the plant can be used in cooking. Any more information on that? That's the only suggestion I have (except, perhaps, a link to that blog page on the word /pink/ in your entry, to provide evidence for your assertation that it can grow pink).

TRiG.

Well, I thought I'd included as much info (about culinary uses) as that blog ...

I might try and put some more info iin tomorrow.

Ref the pink flowers - I think this might be due to different soil pHs. Certainly, if you extract the die into an acidic solution, the colour goes from blue to pink.

However, I didn't really think it was worth goung into that sort of detail ... ...

die > dye, of course

"I didn't really think it was worth goung into that sort of detail ... ..." And I've just found a site packed with info, including photographs of borage in blue, blue & pink, pink, and even pure white: http://www.maltawildplants.com/BORG/Borago_officinalis.html

By the way, are 'we' still calling the entry *The* Borage?

And did you know that 'borracho' is the most commonly used Spanish word for ppsssd.......intoxicated?


But back to business:

Medicinal and Culinary Uses mid 3rd para [while]

Note 1 [symbolising]

Note 3 [and a well-travelled and dedicated gardener.]

I've made those amendments .

I had also seen that site, so I've put it into 'Reference' tags between 'Guide' and ''Body'. (I think this is how one does it, even though nothinh has appeared on the page at the moment).

I've inckuded a traditional recipe for 'claret-cup' which includes borage.

PS I am intending to leave 'the' in the title, as it is just like writing an Entry on 'The Poppy' or 'The Primrose', etc

Hi Big Al!

"PS I am intending to leave 'the' in the title, as it is just like writing an Entry on 'The Poppy' or 'The Primrose', etc"

The reason I'm pressing the point is that 'borage' sounds like an uncountable noun - it would be rather like having entries entitled 'The Grass' or 'The Salt' or 'The Porridge' or even 'The Spinach'...if you see what I mean. I haven't any proof of this, but the fact that borage is listed as 'Borage' in all reference material I've seen gives me some degree of confidence.

[If you'd like me to shut up about this, just say the word.]

Oh

I've just googled 'the-borage' and everything oyt showed up had it linked as 'the borage family', so I'll change it to 'Borage'.

(Reasin I was reluctant to do so is that (IMO) 'The Borage' makes it sound more interesting than just plain old 'Boarage'. The name just doesn't do justice to the attractiveness of the flower)

Well, 'The Borage' sounds more like some sort of curse or torture to me...

Please don't feel pressurised, Al. I'm not really sure whether or not borage is countable - Gnomon'll know (for sure, for sure), and, in the unlikely event that *he's* stumped, the eds are bound to have the answer at their fingertips and will certainly have the final word.

Much more information about borage can be obtained "http://www.maltawildplants.com/BORG/Borago_officinalis.html">this site Nah. That won't work. You could put that in as a paragraph in the body of the Entry:

Much more information about borage can be obtained at the Wild Plants of Malta site.

You have more information about culinary uses than that blog. But the blog has an aside that the plant is used also in cooking, which you don't mention. If you have any information about that, it would be nice to throw it in. That's all I was saying.

TRiG.

I've slightly re-organised the 'Culinary Uses' section and provided a link to a site which has Recipes for cooking with borage.