If you've eaten much in Mexico's Yucatan, you're probably familiar with Chaya leaves. Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) is apparently very healthy but as usual, I'm more interested in the flavor. We don't have a large Yucatan community here in Napa so you don't see it fresh and you don't see it frozen. I have heard that it grows in Texas and Florida and I was determined to see what I could do here. Early Spring I bought four rooted plants from a vendor on eBay. I put them in a pot and watched them die one by one, except for one. The plant hung in there and throughout the summer it's been getting stronger and more determined. Our weather is a bit loony here this year and I'm not sure what's going to happen so I decided I'd better harvest some of my 10 or so leaves before someone or something else did. So what do do with so little? I asked my friend Delfina of Semilla de Dioses. She and her sister Elidae make excellent recados and pastes in Merida and I trust them more than most anyone in regards to Yucatan food. Delfina suggested scrambled eggs and of course she was right. I added the chopped chaya to onion, garlic, olive oil and fermented manzano chiles. Habanero would have been the more traditional choice but I had to make do with what I had on hand. I and let it saute a bit and then add the eggs. Once the scrambled eggs had set, I spooned on some tomato salsa I'd made earlier. It was beyond delicious and sent me back to a lovely holiday with good friends. The chaya is distinct but not overwhelming. I don't really think spinach is a good substitute. As for the plant, I think I'll keep it in the pot and protected this winter. It can get pretty cold on my mountain and I doubt the chaya will enjoy it. This was a lot of fun and I think it might be worth it to keep trying to adapt a plant here.