Eating Local

Sweet grass syrup and blueberry sauce.

Long ago, in elementary school, I tried to make bread from foraged grass. I took the feathery tops, smashed them on a rock, mixed it with water and a little dirt, and let it cook in the hot Texas sun. It was much more interesting than whatever sports game was going on nearby for whichever sibling.

No, it did not make bread, but it is my earliest memory of wanting to know what grows around me. While serious foraging didn't start until my college years, I've wanted to know all the plants and wildlife of the land I was living on. This is where, in my opinion, the foraging community still needs work because truly, who will we learn from better than the tribes and nations who lived here for eons?

Bison meatballs with blueberry sauce.

So when it comes to foraging recipes, my first stop is usually one (or many) of the cookbooks I've collected of Native American recipes. I think one reason for my delay to truly get into foraging is the information was so limited. During those years, I had to rely on some gems like Delena Tull for a smattering of ideas of turning foragables into something unique. Thankfully, since then, we've had voices like Sean Sherman breakthrough and open the way for many more.

All of which to say, when a friend has a million blueberry bushes, and you have more than you can eat raw before they start looking a little sad, you need ideas. 

1. Blueberries, Vaccinium sp. (information)

There are many varieties of blueberries. Of all plants out there, this genus is one of the safest to eat as there is only a single known toxic blueberry: in the cloud forests of South America. There is a story involved here from my old botany professor, of a colleague trapped overnight, consuming some blueberries as, before that moment, it was considered the safest plant to consume. Nature can always surprise us, though, even those who make a living identifying plants. Yes he lived, but the night was supposedly incredibly unpleasant as they waited for rescue.

Sakari Farms and A Feather And A Fork cookbook.

A recipe posted by Crystal Wahpepah long ago has always intrigued me: bison meatballs with blueberry sauce. She recently came out with a cookbook and stated that this recipe is her most requested, and after having made it, I can absolutely see why. My only two changes were to keep the sauce chunky, and to mix in some of the purchased blueberry hot sauce into what I made for a bit of heat.

But the recipe itself is also very intriguing in the ingredients: blue cornmeal, cedar salt, bison, and blueberries. All items that can be found or gathered from the land I live on. Of course, I am not going to be hunting bison, but you can find it for sale here. Bonus for the times? Bison meat doesn't get imported. The smoked cedar salt was tempting to make for myself, but similar to the blue cornmeal, I decide to outsource it and find a place to purchase it that also supported those I want to support.

Navajo Tea, Ch’ilgohwéhí’deí.

No this is not a sponsored post. Again, I write for myself and secondarily for those who want to read along. This is for me to remember down the road, on the chance I forget, of Sakari Farms. The nice thing is, I don't always have to forage for myself. The smoked cedar salt purchase supports a farm with products I want to see more of, and people who have the knowledge of these plants. I can try other plants I may have a harder time of getting such Navajo Tea, a lovely and important plant, which was refreshing and reminiscences of chamomile tea.

All of which to say, this is one of the ways I choose to eat local. These are the cuisines that support local and are good for the environment. I'm certain I'll post future recipes and purchases that help me satisfy the curiosity I have for the place where I live.

So Is It Poisonous?

 

1. Eastern Black Nightshade, Solanum ptycanthum (information)

The word "nightshade" is a loaded term that make most people think poisonous. Some may point out that many of our most common foods are in the nightshade family so not all of them are bad, but those uncultivated ones? Definitely bad, right? Maybe not.

When it comes to the nightshade family, the main concern is an alkaloid known as solanine, hence the genus name of Solanum. Like so many other plant chemicals, good and bad for us, it is primarily produced by the plants as protection from fungi and insects. Sometimes, like capsicum, it backfires and we eat it more, but other times, like solanine, it makes us sick.

From the journal article linked: "Solanine poisoning primarily manifests itself with gastrointestinal and neurological disorders. Symptoms typically appear within the first 2-24 hours. If ingested in very high concentrations, symptoms may appear within 30 minutes. These symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, throat irritation, headache, dizziness, and irregular heart rhythms. In more severe cases, hallucinations, loss of consciousness, paralysis, fever, jaundice, dilated pupils, and hypothermia have been reported."

If the case isn't serious? You'll usually recover within 24 hours. But cases are rare, as most our commercial produce is store properly, and in any case, solanine imparts a bitter flavor, like so many other things bad for us, so most people don't eat enough to cause more than some mild GI distress.

All of which brings me to the question: are the ripe berries of Black Nightshade poisonous? Years ago, I read that no, they are not, you can eat them when they are ripe. Much like green potatoes, you shouldn't touch the green berries, but black and ripe? They're fine.

Or maybe they are not. Maybe they're so toxic you'll drop dead from them. It IS a nightshade after all, right? THE poison of poisons.

In reading another essay about them, it seems there's a high possibility of a mistranslation, not unheard of in the New World, and a mix-up of plant identifications. In addition, there are some reported livestock deaths and a human one from the green berries, but what about the ripe ones?

Once upon a time, an old friend told me she worried she'd find me dead one day on the trail. Which is to say, of course I tried it. I've wanted to for years and some popped up in my yard. Curiosity has gotten us so far in civilization so why stop now?

All that said, I do try to be smart about it, much like the linked essay. A nibble one day, a half berry the next day, a full berry two days later, and another full berry there. And you know what? I'm not dead, I didn't have any GI discomfort, and the berries were quite sweet without a single hint of bitterness.

Given they are the nightshade family, as are tomatoes, I likely should have guessed they'd taste similar, and they do. Small, slightly sweet tomatoes. For all the energy and research we put into trying to cultivate black tomatoes, why are we not putting it into nature's own? Why recreate the wheel?  

From one study I found, the conclusion is practically predictable: the dose makes the poison. Eaten in moderate amounts, the lab rats were fine, and in small amounts, absolutely fine. Higher amounts did seem linked to anemia down the road after a couple weeks, but truly, who is going to have 5-25% of their diet be these berries? But even the higher dose rats didn't experience any distress for weeks.

So I'll keep slowly snacking on them, looking into the research, and experiment with them. I've tossed a few fruits from the random spot this plant sprouted by my driveway into my native garden bed so I hopefully have another harvest next year. I may not be up to making a bruschetta yet as I weed out the bad information on this weed, but my curiosity about these fruits has only intensified.

It's Berry Season!

A variety of raspberries.

Well, technically last month was berry season. I just hadn't gotten around to writing anything up about it. Personally, July is one of my least favorite months. It's hot and humid and I'm ready for it to cool down. That said, on the flip side, it is one of the best foraging months for all the berries you can find.

1. Black Raspberry, Rubus occidentalis (information)

These are prolific growers spread easily by bird droppings. While I do have a patch where I used to harvest, I now finally have my own yard and a berry wall. The black raspberries are native while the golden raspberries are not, unfortunately (but still delicious). There are numerous native berry species in New York alone. My flowering raspberries, while gorgeous in July, haven't been as prolific this year for fruiting. Hopefully I'll have some fruit soon to post about.

A small, wild dwarf raspberry.

2. Red Raspberry, Rubus idaeus (information)

Only a few of these were around to be harvested this year, but the plant still needs to establish itself. Given I do not treat my yard, for some reason the spider mites and other invertebrates have really gone after the raspberry, especially the smaller red raspberry. There are many cultivars of this one as well, but it's the most familiar to most people.

3. Dwarf Red Raspberry, Rubus pubescens (information)

If you can recognize raspberry leaves, you can find other types. I was able to find a small patch of dwarf red raspberries when hiking in New Hampshire, hidden if not for the leaves making me look for fruit. I do regret not taking some seeds home to try to plant in my own yard.

4. Canada Bunchberry, Cornus canadensis (information)

A member of the dogwood family, this short plant goes from beautiful white flowers to clusters of small red berries. They don't have a taste, really, but their texture? Oddly addicting. They're more seed than fruit, but I could see these being used in anything needing a nice crunch to it. These were along numerous of the hiking paths in New Hampshire, but this time, yes, I did get some seeds. Also, yes, I made sure they grew in the area around me naturally, and they do. We'll see if any of them sprout next year.

5. Highbush Blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum (information)

While my lowbush blueberry is still trying to decide if it wants to live (it is growing, but not flowering this year), the highbush was prolific with berries. Mind you, it's because it was already flowering and being pollinated when I bought it at the nursey earlier this year, but those berries developed and I was able to harvest them. Just like with raspberries, there are numerous types of blueberries, but more importantly, they have different flowering times which is important for pollination and fruiting. Thankfully, I have a friend with very mature blueberry bushes so I've been living off my small haul and multiple large hauls from foraging in her yard.

Now I did have one fig in July, but I often have a single fig that grows before the others. My hope is to have the rest ripen in August as they're another reason to tolerate summer heat...

Early Summer Salad Garnishes

 

White clover, plantain, yucca, and a single pansy.

Why forage? Everyone has different answers. For me, it's my best connection to nature besides forest bathing. I don't just need nature, but I need nature. Places like NYC or other cities are a day trip at best for me as the lack of green just makes me feel so disconnected. I need to know where I live, the seasons through plants, the health of the environment around me. Foraging is a great way to do that.

I find it easier to keep foraging if I don't overthink it. I don't need a fancy, overcomplicated dish. Sometimes experiments are fun, and sometimes it's a way to try a completely new flavor, but sometimes? A handful of edibles into a salad work just fine. It's added nutrients, may or may not add flavor, but get me outside and back in nature where I belong.

1) White Clover, Trifolium repens (information)

Not native but highly adapted to the point of being assumed native. New York even has its own type as clover is adapted to the point of having three types (large, intermediate, small). It has a sweet, vanilla-like taste to it, again, from coumarin, and so should not be fermented. It is a pleasant texture, though, and highly recommended to eat raw. On one side, honeybees and some native bees love clover, and it is pushed as a lawn alternative. On the other hand, it fixes nitrogen which not all soils actually want or need. Many native ecosystems are naturally nitrogen poor and plants are adapted to it, but clover can alter that. Where I now live is in a nitrogen poor ecosystem. I'm not sure yet what I'll do with all the clover in my lawn, but if I eat it, at least that can hold it at bay until I decide.

2) Yucca, Yucca sp. (information)

Not to be confused with red yucca which does not have edible fruit. Yucca, with creamy white flowers, has numerous species. I wrote about it years ago on this blog as it also has a fascinating relationship with the yucca moth and a history of being used for cordage in World War II. It is also a favorite of mine when I lived in Texas for eating. The flowers of the species down there were thick, with a pleasant texture, and a taste that reminded me strongly of honeysuckle. For such a desert looking plant, it does surprisingly handle cold well. I don't believe it is so much native up here as moved up here as an ornamental. So I was pleasantly surprised when I came across a patch of yucca at an office I often visit. It's a risk of pesticides to forage in such a place, but given there were bugs inside, I assumed it was fine and didn't have but three flowers. This species, which I haven't fully ID'd yet, isn't quite as succulent as my Texas favorites, but it is still a decent flavor, if thinner flower, and full of nostalgia.

3) Blackseed Plantain, Plantago rugelii (information)

A different link for information here to an old blog that I still value all these years later. This is another difference of opinion. Yes, you can eat the young seedheads raw. That said, these weren't pleasant except for one. Perhaps it's this specific species where it's a bit more bitter, or maybe my tolerance is low. I plan to fry these up instead and add it to another "seaweed salad" or something else, maybe. The texture was fun, but I think I'll pass on trying them raw again.

The pansy is a basic pansy. I have some leftover in a pot from when I had some baby bunnies in my garden bed. Yes, I specifically bought the pansy for them to nibble on, and while they did, some survived (to clarify, some pansies survived, and all baby bunnies survived to leave their nest). Pansy are popular for their color but not their flavor. Another thought to consider for when or why to forage: sometimes, it's just because it's pretty. I bet these would be fun to make candied. 

A Return To Foraging

Disclaimer: I've decided to return to this blog to document my experiences with local foraging. While it's something I've done for nearly twenty years, I find myself wanting a digital footprint where it's easy to type up my thoughts and put in the photo I've taken. None of what is written is meant to be guidance for foraging. These are my own experiments and experiences. While I have opinions on good sources and preparation types, and I'll add some education, ultimately these posts are meant for myself.

Sweetgrass, spruce tips, and linden leaf.

1. Sweetgrass, Hierochloe odorata (information)

Shiny, sweet smelling, and aggressive. The smell of sweetgrass is unmistakable once you've had the opportunity to sniff it. It cannot be fermented due to the presence of coumarin which gives it that slight vanilla-like taste. This is present in other sweet foragables like clovers. These coumarin containing plants will convert to dicoumarol, a stronger blood thinner, if given a chance to ferment. Sweetgrass tea, made from dried or semi-fresh sweetgrass, is common in many indigenous cultures. A very comprehensive account of sweetgrass, including its history, can be found here. 

My experiment this time was to make a simple sweetgrass tea. The sweetgrass was dried over a couple days, boiled and left to steep in hot water, cold infused overnight, and then used with an attempt to make a simple syrup; however, it didn't full succeed. This was due, in part, to enjoying the beverage before it was fully reduced to a syrup. Without a doubt, one of the most refreshing drinks I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. Next attempt will be to actually get it down to a syrup, likely with many more strands of grass infused. Sweetgrass syrup in a simple seltzer sounds fantastic. Thankfully, I now have five patches of sweetgrass growing in the yard. A few different native communities also sell sweetgrass tea which is another possible route to get more syrup as I wait for my patches to spread.

2. Various spruce and fir tips

The neighbor has numerous spruce and fir trees as a natural fence and allowed me to forage them. There's a mix of blue spruce, red spruce, Norway spruce, and balsam fir. A current favorite for all things edible for trees is Justin Davies. Ice cream is currently beyond me, but pickling is easy. I made two batches: one of spruce and one of fir. Rather than make my own brine, I simply reused with heating and some extra vinegar a spicy brine from pickles. So far, very interesting and delicious. The texture is unique, and it isn't too spicy given it is a reuse, but easy to do for spring foraging.

3. American Basswood (American Linden), Tilia americana (information) 

I've foraged from American Linden a few times including the seeds, but that's a note for later. Naturally, as one of my favorites for many reasons, I planted one in my yard. After having to take down a broken branch, I decided to do some minor foraging by making a pickled slaw of the leaves. Like with many things foraging, the community have opinions and many dislike the leaves because they are tougher and taste like basic leaf. My belief is they have potential. Not everything foraged needs to taste special. Treat this like a collard green or pickle it to thin it out. I'll wait until my tree gets bigger before I do more with it, but for now, an basic vinegar slaw sets out fine.

Wild yeast starter and milkweed flower cordial.

4. Wild Yeast Starter

I am a huge fan of Pascal Baudar as he seems to actual understand the basics of foraging and science. I'm dabbling with fermenting and brewing, although nothing too crazy as I don't really drink alcohol. That said, a light mead or a wildcraft soda absolutely are eventual goals. The easiest way to get there is to have a wild yeast starter which is very similar to a sourdough starter but without the flour. Pascal names numerous sources of good yeast in his brewing book, but spruce tips and flowers are well-known for yeast. The latter, especially, due to the sugar content in flowers. I hope to keep it alive and well and clear of mold, but if not, I'll just find some more wild yeast to play with and experiment with it. Maybe I'll try to make a wild yeast sourdough?

5. Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca (information)

This one is interesting due to its popularity and some basic misinformation I've discovered. As mentioned above, yes, flowers are a great source of yeast so do expect this to ferment, especially if you add more sugar. When it was just sugar and water, there was no color change, but once you add an acid? A lovely pink happens. Confirmed by letting it sit in just a sugar water for two days where no color change happened. It was almost immediate once I added a splash of citric acid and white vinegar. That alone makes me curious if it's like butterfly pea flowers and if it's just ignored by the foraging community or not talked about often. Anyways, the flavor is described as candy watermelon and floral which I'd agree, but it's also a little bit... off? I'll try some more, but I'm not too impressed so far except for the color. I may dry some flowers and see what happens as a tea.

A "seaweed salad" made with Plantago.

6. Blackseed Plantain, Plantago rugelii (information)

Plantain, or plantago as I usually call it, is a well-known edible herb... and weed. You'll find as much about its benefits as you will about how to get rid of it. Another shoutout to Pascal, but for plantain specifically, he clarifies that edible doesn't always mean palatable. If you want to eat it, you need to find a good way to prepare it. In The New Wildcrafted Cuisine, he has a recipe to boil and blanch plantago just long enough, or short enough I suppose, to make the texture similar to algae or seaweed. Mix it up with a basic sauce such as soy sauce, sesame oil, and some spices? Yeah, I'll eat this again. There's plenty of plantago around for easy access, too. I see one or two looking to seed soon, so I may experiment with the seeds as well.

Hiatus (Busy)

Feast for the Northern Raccoon.

Work has kept me extremely busy the past number of weeks and it might still for the weeks to come. I'm hoping for this hiatus to only last two weeks, but it will be a waiting game (based on work). If it goes as planned, I may have posts again beginning of July!

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Lepus californicus

Contrary to its name, the Black-tailed Jackrabbit is not a rabbit, but a hare, a separate species, and one that can be found throughout a large portion of the western and central portions of the United States and Mexico. Unlike a true rabbit, hares are larger with longer ears, less social tendencies, are born fully developed, and as they often live on open plains, rely more on their speed. The Black-tailed Jackrabbit is no exception, able to reach 48-56 kph (30-35 mph) over zigzag course and able to spring 6 m (20 ft) at a bound.

Black-tailed Jackrabbit found in scrubland habitat.

Their agility can often be seen during breeding season as males and females will leap and chase after each other with the male hoping to catch, and therefore mate, with the female. They will have 3 or 4 litters per year with up to six young who are on their own after their mother stops nursing 3 days later. Black-tailed Jackrabbits are most likely found in desert scrubland, prairies, farmlands, and dunes, and will consume all types of plant matter, especially as the majority of their water comes from what they consume.