Let me start by saying that even though spruce tips are a springtime treat in my neck of the woods, I’ve harvested them as late as August at 12,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies. It’s less important what the calendar says and more important what the spruce tree says. If the tips of the branches are light green, soft, and…
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Pink Peppercorns aka Schinus molle
I once paid $34 for a big bag of pink peppercorns. That’s embarassing to admit, but I needed the spice for a class I was teaching, and I can’t forage for it where I live. But if you live where winter temperatures stay above 10 degrees Fahrenheit, you may be able to harvest this pricy spice on your morning walk.
Wild Ginger, aka Asarum canadense
Our native wild ginger is a lovely, low maintenance ground cover perfect for a shady garden. It’s also one of my favorite wild spices.
Sweet Fern, aka Comptonia peregrina
I grew up going to summer camp in the White Mountains of NH, where the dirt roads and trails were bounded by sweet fern. To this day, it’s my madeleine. Whenever I smell sweet fern, I think of Camp Huckins and nine summers on the shores of Lake Ossipee.
Spicebush Berries, aka Lindera Benzoin
I just got back from a recon hike, checking on the wineberries (not quite ready), wood nettles (past their prime), and bee balm (perfect) and I was happy to discover a new stand of spicebush, aka Lindera benzoin, to add to my mental map. I’ve come to depend on spicebush berries in so many recipes. I’d feel culinarily lost if I…
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