Sarah asked:
"What's betelnut? Is that what stains the half mile strip of Devon Ave between Western and California [Chicago,IL]?"
Betel nut (Areca Catechu) provides a mildly euphoric stimulating effect. But don't get your hopes up, it's also classified as a human carcinogen, though studies seem to be of low quality and rarely focus only on the nut (it's usually consumed with tobacco, calcium paste to help extract the stimulating alkaloids, and a bunch of flavorings). Strangely, betel nut and the betel leaf it's wrapped in to make Paan are not at all botanically related. Criminy, almost all Indian males of every stripe from homeless richshaw wallas to university professors to court magistrates chew the stuff constantly. It seriously compromises the teeth and gums.
And, yes, as expectorant it stains the streets (walls, toilets, teeth, we've even seen one unlucky dog) an unappetizing shade of red. I had my first and only Paan Masala on Devon Avenue with Phil some years ago.
Scott asked:
"Do you guys know if you can you bring betelnut back to the States or is it verboten hier? Always been curious."
Wiki answered:
"In the United States, betel nut is not a controlled or specially taxed substance and may be found in some Asian grocery stores. However, importation of betel in a form other than whole or carved kernels of nuts can be stopped at the discretion of US Customs officers on the grounds of food, agricultural, or medicinal drug violations. Such actions by Customs are very rare."
