WriterByNature.com

February 1, 2010 7:15 am

I’ve just added Abundantly Wild: Collecting And Cooking Wild Edibles Of The Upper Midwest by Teresa Marrone to my booklist.

Don’t let the title fool you, much of the information and recipes in this book can be found in my local area, New York’s Hudson Valley. (more…)

November 30, 2009 12:04 pm

This seaweed is called Glasswort (Salicornia sp.):

The red color is typical of what you find in autumn. Since the green glasswort was floating in shallow water, which is still comparatively warm, maybe it has not had time to turn red.

The recipes I found were almost entirely pickle recipes. For me, pickling spices are a combination of whatever I happen to have in the house. Here is the recipe I made: (more…)

November 19, 2009 9:01 am

Originally planted to attract birds, some people now consider autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) invasive. They produce berries which range in flavor from sour to pleasantly tart. It’s best to wait until the berries are plump and dark red before harvesting.

I made the following recipe, put it in the back of the top shelf of my refrigerator. I’m still enjoying  a spoonful on toast or nut bread. Here’s that recipe: (more…)

November 5, 2009 7:23 am

My mother had a “No Thank-You” rule at the dinner table. Unless you had a food allergy, you were not allowed to refuse to eat what the cook prepared.

This rule has opened my world on more than one occasion. Thanks to Paul Tappenden, I now know how to make dandelion greens palatable.

Here’s the recipe:

1. Boil 2 cups cleaned, chopped dandelion leaves for 10 minutes
2. Drain, discard water and fill pan with fresh water.
3. Boil dandelion leaves an additional 20 minutes
4. Sauté 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic until golden
5. Stir in cooked dandelion greens, ginger and sesame seeds
6. Cook 1-2 minutes, remove from heat and serve

I started with a “No Thank-You” helping. But I’m a believer now. I just harvested my own batch of dandelion greens and am planning to prepare this to share at my next potluck dinner.

November 1, 2009 7:07 am

I’ve made modifications in a recipe shared by John Gallagher of Learning Herbs.

Chickweed (Stellaria media) is abundant in spring and fall. My favorite place to gather it is our CSA garden.

To make this pesto, blend the following ingredients in a blender or food processor:

1. 1/2 cup olive oil
2. 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3. 2 cloves garlic, chopped
4. 3 TBS pine nuts, chopped
5. 2 packed cups chopped chickweed

John’s recipe calls for 1/4 teaspoon of salt, which I think should be optional.  Parmesan cheese is very salty to my taste buds.

John listed the ingredients starting with the garlic and pine nuts, which he did not say to chop. They jammed in my blender, which I chose to use, both because John recommended it and because it’s easier to clean than the food processor.

If I use the blender for this recipe in the future, I’ll put the olive oil in first.

I’m taking this pesto to a COMA hike pot-luck, so I’ll bring raw vegetables or crackers for dipping. If I were serving this at home, I’d use it as a pasta sauce.

September 3, 2009 6:07 am

A mushroom foray is typically a combination of collection and identification, lectures and educational programs, mushroom tasting and fun events.

Many mycologists who took the initiative to establish mushroom clubs for people like me to join, have passed on. Clark Rogerson was the scientific advisor for the event I attended this past weekend. I never knew him, but am grateful to those he taught, who now teach me.

I had no idea that blewits and lobster mushrooms could be cultivated. That’s what I learned in the kitchen at this year’s mycophagy.

I did spend time in the field, despite the relentless rain. I was rewarded by finding a mushroom I really love, the parasitic bolete (Pseudoboletus parasiticus):

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August 21, 2009 7:26 am

This is an improved version of the blueberry pie recipe I first posted in 2006.

Frozen blueberries (see * below for freezing) often result in a runny pie filling.  I discovered that tapioca starch (sometimes called tapioca flour), works better than cornstarch to control the texture of the filling. Be sure to get powdered tapioca, not the spherical pearls.

Lemon juice also helps to control the texture.

I should have taken a photo, but the pie was a big hit and consumed when it still warm. Here’s the recipe: (more…)

August 13, 2009 6:36 am

Ever since I discovered  Foraging New England by Tom Seymour, I’ve been amazed. There is not a wasted word in this book. Seymour is not only a master forager, he’s an excellent field guide writer.

This is the only field guide – right now the only book – I carry with me.

So there I was, waiting my turn at the DMV, when the photo – and Seymour’s description of Quickweed (Galinsoga ciliata) connected in my brain. I’ve been staring at this plant every Wednesday when I harvest or weed.

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May 26, 2009 5:18 am

Everyone I know is facing some sort of quality of life crisis and I’m no exception. I find it helpful to sort out my thoughts when I can go for a long hike.

The issues I have to resolve have kept me from spending more time in the woods, but most of the nice weather is still ahead of me. So much of what happens is how you deal with things.

I just made a series of decisions that I would have made differently if I had chosen to spend more time hiking. We all lose perspective from time to time. (more…)

May 5, 2009 6:30 pm

It’s one thing to have enough morels for a meal or two – it’s quite another to have more than you can consume in a day or two.

The options are cook them and freeze them or dry them. I have not tried dusting them with flour and freezing them, but I heard it has been tried.

Here is how I dry my morels:

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