fried polk stalk is really good. You have to cut it when its about 2-2 1/2 feet tall, just before it starts to get the shoots on which the berrys grow.If you wait to long to cut it the outer layer gets woody when you fry it. Cut and split the stalks down the middle. Slice them in about 3 inch sections then make them just like you would make mushrooms. Wash them ,roll in salt and flower then fry them in veg.oil till they are golden brown. They kinda taste like the stem of a morel mushroom. Don't mess with them after they start to get the white flowers on them which turn into purple berrys . I have been told the berrys are poison. I have also heard you can make a salaid out of the leaves. I have never tried this and don't know anything about it so I would not recommend attempting it.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t309/fabfive2001/DSC00706.jpg heres what it looks like

very young poke - the shoots that are up about the same time as morels is okay...but by the time t's the size it is now ...don't eat it! It will make you ill! The berries are indeed poisonious...it's the young tender shootsthat you want...too late in the season now!
here's a link you might like about poke..

http://wilderix.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/poke-aint-no-joke/

very young poke - the shoots that are up about the same time as morels is okay...but by the time t's the size it is now ...don't eat it! It will make you ill! The berries are indeed poisonious...it's the young tender shootsthat you want...too late in the season now!
here's a link you might like about poke..

http://wilderix.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/poke-aint-no-joke/

I have eaten it this late just don't eat the flower shoots. Is kinda woody this late also.I only eat the stalk . This is about the latest you would want to eat it. It is starting to get the hard bark on the outside of the stalk which gets really woody when fried.

Do you trim off the purple part of the stalk? Mom always made me trim of the purple part of stalk....you're right, you can eat it when it's bigger...but Mom always said that you have to cook it twice when it gets older...boil it once to get ride of most of toxins, pitch the water rinse it, boil it one more time for good measure...too much trouble I suspect for her so that's why we only ate it young ...LOL

My buddies tell me that it's okay to eat the leaves now. 3 boil and rinse session changging the water each time gets the toxins out. Then pan fry and mix in some eggs for scrambling. My buddies say "Deelish". They also told me that they thought the stalk kind of tasted like aparagus.

I thought it was POKE berry. Least where I come from...

Now ya know, if it can be eaten...somebody's gotta have a festival involved:
http://www.rockytopgen.com/polksalad/index.html

I vote Poke too...and actually I think it's salet vs salad...salet as in cooked like mustard greens or spinach....but it's one of those regional things don't you suppose?

Now I want a polk salad and cornbread tee shirt...my version of a fashion statement! LOL
more poke info...I had no idea it could be bought canned....

http://www.wildpantry.com/wildgreens.htm

Now ya know, if it can be eaten...somebody's gotta have a festival involved:
http://www.rockytopgen.com/polksalad/index.html

That's down in my brother's neck of the woods. And as gretchensteele pointed out, they also sell T-shirts. What'll they come up with next?