Around the
South Tyrolean village of
Altrei (Anterivo),
L. pilosus was historically grown. The seeds were roasted and mixed with malt grains and infused in boiling water to produce a coffee-like but caffeine-free hot beverage,
Altreier kaffee ("Altrei coffee"). Since 2006, a local initiative has been reestablishing
L. pilosus cultivation in the Altrei region to revive this culinary specialty. In the
geographical region of Palestine, the plant is numbered among the few
wild edible plants, but the seeds still require leaching in boiling water several times (with replacement of the water) for the seeds to become palatable. The seeds are then roasted in a skillet with a dash of water, salted, and eaten. The prepared seeds may be pulverized and mixed with wheat or sorghum flour for bread. ==Gallery==