In bar lingo, a dram can mean several things. It may specifically refer to 1/8 of a fluid ounce, or more likely to a shot of whisky. It’s also sometimes used to refer generally to a small drink, as in “Shall we have a wee dram?” (To which the answer is always yes.) Spicebush dram is my foraged take on…
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Cornelian cherries (aka Cornus mas) are an under-appreciated fruit, at least in the U.S. In Eastern Europe and the Middle East they are well-loved for their bright color and tart flavor. Considering how many people plant this tree in the landscape (for the pretty yellow spring flowers), there’s no reason you shouldn’t harvest the fruit and make yourself some cornelian…
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Frank Cisneros of The Gin Palace in NYC created The Poinsettia Punch as a holiday beverage that gets its festive color from grenadine. With a few adjustments, I’ve come up with a foraged version I like even better. The Naughty & Nice is a wildcrafted winter holiday punch that is very nice indeed…and do I really have to explain the naughty…
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Last weekend I attended the New Mexico Mycological Society’s annual foray in Taos, NM. We’ve had a generous monsoon season in northern NM this year, something we can’t always count on. When you combine moisture with mycelium and more than 80 mycophiles, what do you get? A lot of mushrooms, some new friends, and a very good time. I added…
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I’ve had my eye on this patch of plums since last spring, when their bright white flowers made them easy to spot at 40 miles an hour. Patience is not my strong suit, and I worried someone might beat me to the harvest. But I waited because that’s what you have to do with wild plums.
A podcast about plants with Ellen Zachos and C.L. Fornari