Hello horseradish: fiery, stimulating decongesting friend! Make your own potent fresh horseradish relish; it is super easy with our new free video lesson.
Herbal Chocolate Rocking the Kitchen
Herbal Chocolate Rocking the Kitchen
Let your chocolate creativity flow—wild style, and invent your own signature chocolates.
Yup (!), decadence has arrived in the herbal kitchen. Join me today in making dark chocolates infused with herbs & spices. I offer you this master recipe, guiding you step by step in this video lesson, so you can let your artistic herbal chocolate juices swirl. Click here for this free lesson.
CHICKEN MUSHROOM — GLAD TO SEE YOU!
Growing on a dead ash tree trunk about 6 feet from the ground, this chicken mushroom, also called chicken of the woods (cow), scientifically named Laetiporus sulphureus, is a choice edible if you gather it before toughness sets in.
Read moreSUMMER OYSTER MUSHROOM MADNESS (Pleurotus pulmonarius) = Treasure of the woodlands (found on 8/1/19 Hudson Valley, NY)
These beauties were growing on dead ash trees in a forested flood plain (now dry). So many (!) of them peeking out to see us, we left much abundance behind. And still gathered plenty to keep me busy processing for a few hours. I decided to bake them lightly coated with olive oil for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees, flipping them at about 8 minutes. Some we ate right from the oven but the majority (after baking) I stuffed into pint glass jars with a clove of garlic, a pinch of dried ginger, celtic sea salt (1/2 tablespoon per pint); and tamari, org. apple cider vinegar and org. olive oil to completely cover the mushrooms. I’ll store these in the refrigerator to savor over the next couple months.
These saprobic, white rot fungi grow in clusters off dead or living trees (in our case dead ash), see first photo above. Range: North America.
Whitish shelf-like cap can be: 1.2–4 inches across lung-shaped (hence its scientific name) to fan-shaped or semicircular in outline.
Gills: Running down the stem (if stem is present); close or nearly distant; short-gills frequent; whitish.
Stem: can be absent, a nub or very short.
For more identification info check Mushroom Expert: http://mushroomexpert.com/pleurotus_pulmonarius.html
MUSHROOM SERIOUSNESS: A mushroom mistake can be fatal. You must triple confirm your id, and with an experienced mushroomer in person, before you consume any fungi.
Having heralded that warning, what mushrooms have you been finding lately?
Grateful to the fungi!
FIDDLEHEAD MOMENT = CROZIERS OF OSTRICH FERN
Right now these majestic native American ferns, scientifically called Matteucia struthiopteris, are unfurling in the landscape and perfect for harvesting. HOWEVER, SUSTAINABLE HARVESTING IS A MUST!!! As a rule, pick from ferns with at least 4 fronds emerging and take no more than a 1/3 of the emerging fronds. Make sure you have ostrich fern fiddleheads: look for ……
Read moreTODAY’S WILD EDIBLE HARVEST BASKET (Early Spring)
TODAY’S WILD EDIBLE HARVEST BASKET
Contains violet leaf and flower (Viola sororia), nipplewort ……
Read moreHAPPY SPRING, HELLO CHICKWEED! (posted on 3/20/2019)
HAPPY SPRING, HELLO CHICKWEED!
Today brings the vernal equinox (for us in the northern hemisphere) where daylight starts to outshine the dark night. Pulsing green into the landscape, our wild edible friends start poking out of winter hibernation, and guess who’s there waiting for us: CHICKWEED!
Callaloo = Amaranth = ΒΛΗΤΑ
Callaloo = Amaranth: Just passed a store in Astoria Queens, NY where callaloo was for sale among other fresh produce. Love seeing wild greens as part of the food offerings in urban settings.
Read moreGarlic Mustard Root = Wild-Style Horseradish
Garlic Mustard Root = Wild-Style Horseradish
Read moreToday's pawpaw: a visual essay with ice cream option.
Today's pawpaw: a visual essay with ice cream option.