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no-bake carob coconut balls

No-Bake Carob Coconut Balls are Delicious & Super Easy

You know how when you’re watching a movie after supper and you’ve already had dessert but you really want something sweet? Just a little something, not a whole pint of salted caramel ice cream. Something to nibble on that won’t make you hate yourself after you’ve nibbled on it.

I give you the no-bake carob coconut ball. There’s nothing processed or refined in this recipe and you can tinker with the sweetness level to get it just the way you like it. The ingredients are so good, I’m sure it’s fine to eat more than just one. Read more

rose hips and whiskey

Roses & Rye: a Rosehip Whiskey Cocktail

Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Fabulous Festivus!

For those of you who appreciate a tasty adult beverage, I’ve got good news. I’ve just published a new online course: Homemade Craft Cocktails: from Garden to Glass. For less than the price of a single craft cocktail at a fancy bar (which is probably closed right now anyway), you can unleash your inner mixologist and serve up some amazing cocktails to brighten up your holiday. And as a bonus for being a loyal blog reader, here’s an extra recipe that’s not in the course. It’s a tasty blend of rose hips and whiskey and will warm you up on a winter’s evening. (Ok, it’s technically not winter yet but there’s snow on the ground here so as far as I’m concerned, winter it is.) Many thanks to Levi White for coming up with the perfect name: Roses & Rye.

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autumn olive muffins

Why I Don’t Eat Autumn Olive Fruit Whole

I almost always prefer to accentuate the positive, but when I come across a technique that doesn’t work, I feel like it’s my duty to save you the time and aggravation of figuring it out for yourself. After reading several recipes that recommended using whole autumn olive fruit (aka silverberries aka Eleagnus umbellata) I decided to see for myself whether this was a good idea. I was pretty sure it wasn’t, but the authors of those recipes claimed that cooking softened the seeds enough to make them palatable. I’m here to tell you, it doesn’t! Don’t waste your autumn olive fruit or your time. Read more

ripe fruit of A. melanocarpa

Chokeberry: Aronia melanocarpa

Many foragers are also gardeners, and as one such forager/gardener, I only grow plants I can also eat. Most passers-by wouldn’t recognize my garden as edible, and that adds to the fun: I have a secret only other foragers would understand. I love seeking out ornamental edible plants that feed both body and soul. It’s also a practical decision since my garden is so teeny, it would be impossible to have separate spaces for food and for beauty. So let me introduce you to the chokeberry, aka Aronia melanocarpa, the newest addition to my edible garden. Read more

autumn olive fruit

Autumn Olive aka Silverberries aka Elaeagnus umbellata

If I were a farmer I might curse this invasive plant. But as a forager, I look forward to its generous annual fall crop of fruit. Autumn olive was brought to the U.S from Japan in the 19th century, and it did so well here that in the mid-1900s the U.S. Soil Conservation Service recommended it as a windbreak and for erosion control. Oops! Read more

spice cabinet

How to Dry Your Wild Harvest

Drying is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to preserve your herbs, fruits, and mushrooms. Dried harvests are easy to store (no freezer space required!) and don’t heat up your kitchen in the middle of summer, like canning does. So if this has been a banner year for wild garlic or blueberries or porcini, why not fill your pantry with beautiful jars of dried, wild produce?

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wintergreen ice cream

Wintergreen Ice Cream: Recipe

Winter isn’t the most productive time to forage where I live. On a February visit to NH, I was able to score some fresh wintergreen, which I brought home and turned into an extract. I love the flavor of wintergreen (think teaberry gum) but it isn’t always easy to use in food and drink. I thought ice cream would be the perfect vehicle for the wintergreen flavor, and I was right, but boy it took a long time to nail this one down. The extract had a strong flavor and fragrance on its own, but my first ice cream attempt was a miserable failure. The eggs in the custard base completely overwhelmed the wintergreen flavor. My second attempt was only slightly more successful. I used a corn starch base, which let the wintergreen flavor come through, but it was far too faint for my taste. Third time was the charm. With triple the original amount of wintergreen extract, I had a delicious, perfectly textured wintergreen ice cream. This recipe is a keeper. Read more

Japanese knotweed sour

The Samurai Sour Cocktail: Recipe

Spring is just around the corner. Actually, it started yesterday, but I woke up to freezing temperatures this morning so it doesn’t feel very spring-like. Nonetheless, this time of year I start thinking about Japanese knotweed, one of my favorite wild edibles. Its pink color and tart flavor make it the perfect ingredient for a foraged twist on a whiskey sour. I named this cocktail The Samurai Sour because originally I used Japanese knotweed and Japanese whisky*. But Japanese whisky can be expensive, so feel free to use any whiskey (blend or single malt) you have on hand. Read more