Originally Posted By: BranShea
A bit late, but I want to let you know that I've put the online book in my favorite list at least. As I still haven't found the herb 'tortocolla' who knows I might need it one day. And I like the look of the old print really.


Are you sure that 'tortocolla' is an herb? I thought it was a kale or collard green, popular in S. America.

São Miguel do Rio Torto is a Portuguese parish, located in the municipality of Abrantes, in district of Santarém. It stands on the left bank of the river Tagus. The parish has a population of 3,422 inhabitants and a total area of 52.25 Km².

The parish is located in the western part of the municipality, neighbouring the parishes of São Vicente, São João, Rossio ao Sul do Tejo, Pego, São Facundo, Bemposta and Tramagal and with the municipality of Constância.

Collards, also called collard greens or borekale (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group), are various loose-leafed cultivars of the cabbage plant. The plant is grown for its large, dark-colored, edible leaves and as a garden ornamental, mainly in Brazil, Portugal, the Southern United States, many parts of Africa, Montenegro, Spain and in Kashmir as well. They are classified in the same cultivar group as kale and spring greens, to which they are extremely similar genetically.

The plant is also called couve in Brazil, couve-galega in Portugal, (col) berza in Spanish-speaking countries and Raštan in Montenegro. The name collard is said to derive from Anglo-Saxon coleworts or colewyrts ("cabbage plants"). It is also said that collard is a pidginized version of colored.

Last edited by R. Eastcourt; 11/13/07 09:29 PM.