This Concord grape mousse is an excellent late-summer, early-fall dessert, capturing the full, rich flavor of ripe grapes in a light and fluffy mousse. And while it’s made with gelatin, I hesitate to call it jello, because when most of us hear the word jello, we remember bright green, jiggling molds filled with mandarin orange slices. This is definitely not…
Read More
Blanching and Freezing: Why It’s Important
If you forage for wild greens, you probably already know how to blanch and freeze. It’s the best way to preserve your leafy harvest, maintaining both the color and nutrition of the plants you’ve picked. If you’re just starting out, this is a preservation technique you’ll use time and time again. And thanks to Harold McGee and his fantastic book…
Read More
The Best Way to Preserve Your Mushroom Harvest
They don’t call it mushroom hunting for nothing. While mushrooms may be perennial, they are never predictable. That’s part of what makes it so darned exciting. When you hit the mushroom jackpot, you could easily go home with 30 pounds of choice fungi, in which case you better know how to preserve your mushroom harvest! Mushrooms are highly perishable, and…
Read More
Why Every Forager Should Have a Steam Juicer
I was in the middle of writing a post about Concord grapes, when I realized that anyone serious abut making quantities of fruit juice probably needs to know about one of my favorite tools: a steam juicer.
Prickly Pear Cactus (aka Opuntia species)
I used to think prickly pear cactus (Opuntia species) only grew in the desert. Now I know better. Different species of this highly adaptable plant grow all over the world, and I’ve foraged them in Wisconsin, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Jerusalem. Foragers appreciate this plant for more than just its good looks and formidable defenses.