I gathered the cattails from a reservoir, but my test nibbles made my tongue tingle.
Even when I know the plant and the environment, I still test every wild edible I gather.
Cattails filter impurities from water. Something’s up with this reservoir, because phragmites are taking over. Phragmites are generally more salt tolerant and will crowd out cattails. This is not a good sign.
I thought of soaking the cattails in water purification tablets, but that might ruin the taste. I remember that in wilderness survival classes a bit of bleach was put into the rinse water where dishes were washed. But I decided that these cattails would be cooked. In a survival situation boiling questionable water for 20 minutes removes most toxins.
These cattails were rinsed, soaked, boiled in salted water for 15 minutes, drained and rinsed. I ate two shoots, dipped in olive oil. They were delicious, not as crunchy as I like, but 6 hours later, I had no ill effects.
There’s joy in discovering a favorite wild edible and the temptation to dive in. But wild foods are typically more concentrated than cultivated foods. Even with foods I know I love, I test for safety every time.
I’ve already frozen the cattails and most of the nettles. I set aside one portion of nettles, which I still like best steamed until they’re tender. I also set aside one portion of cooked cattails, which I will add at the last minute to stir fried veggies with sesame oil.
It’s humbling to realize that no matter how much knowledge and experience I gain, change is a constant in Nature.