Salvia Columbariae

Ah, Chia. This seed seems to have risen to popularity in recent years and the health benefits can read like the old snake oil - cures anything. While not exactly true, the chia is an amazing seed. My introduction to the plant came in the early 1980's from the book Early Uses of California Plants by Edward K. Balls. The book appealed to my outdoorsy, Native American, and cooking sides. I was a fan of the Sierra Club and Euell Gibbons, the famous outdoors-man who introduced the masses to wild edibles. Foraging for food in nature. Sounded good to me.

Powerful tiny seeds of Salvia Columbariae

Until reading Balls' book the only thing I knew about chia were those “Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Pet” commercials back in the day. Of course, I succumbed to its fascinating growing hair/fur. At least a Chia Pet was partly alive, not like the other popular item, a Pet Rock! We'll delve into Chia Pets and their history in an upcoming post.

Imagine my surprise when I read that chia seeds were not just for spreading on terra cotta figures. Californian (and other) Native Americans harvested the seeds of the Salvia Columbariae, a member of the mint family. Prepared various ways, they were not only delicious, but also deemeed to give strength and health. The Aztecs and Maya used them extensively. In fact, "chia" is the Mayan word for "strength". I just had to get some.

The name caught my attention. "Nature's Wild Grown."
However, these are not the same seeds I gathered in California.
Stay tuned to find out more about the different chia.

What a great excuse to head out into the dry valleys and grasslands out toward the desert. I took a paper grocery bag (that’s all we had back then, people) and drove on the side roads until I found the chia plants. It was the perfect time of year for harvest. I shook the plants in my bag and collected the seeds. I felt connected to those who had done this very thing for centuries.

Now all I needed was to figure out what to do with them.