Mmmmmmmm . . . gotta love the pasta alla vongole. I grew up eating it with the canned stuff, but you’re right: gotta have the fresh (it’s all about scooping out the meat from the shells).
What’s amazing about this dish is how much flavor it has–I mean: a little olive oil, a little garlic and pow: you’ve got the tastebuds reeling.
Thanks, it’s been fun learning how to photograph food. I just use a crummy little digital point-and-shoot, but with macro and the right light you can get pretty good images. So far the oyster po’ boy and the fried razor clams are my faves.
This is bringing back memories about my own Cajun travels. In the late 80s my sister, brother-in-law, and I took a drive from Atlanta to Nawlins wedged into an early-model Honda Civic (via Mobile, land of oysters “fried, stewed, or nude”). On Easter morning, right in the middle of the damn parade, my sister insisted we grab a bunch of po’boys before we left town–I thought she was out of her mind . . .until I took my first bite. Yummmmmmmmmm.
Your photo brings it all back to me. Maybe next time you’re down on the Bayou you’ll skip the 4th Bloody and opt for the ‘boy instead.
Pepper, welcome back! You’re a regular now. And thanks for sharing your po’ boy story. I need to get back to that town if only to eat… and maybe to go frog gigging…
Kenan, see the last paragraph. Admittedly, I was a little worn out by then and might have skimped a bit. I should also mention that besides Jane, I owe you a debt of gratitude for inspiring this meal, as your Beef Bourguignon was my first taste of it.
I was lucky enough to be included in this feast, this was one of your best – spectacularly fresh and simple and delicious, fortunately we ran out of pasta before i overate too much. Knowing you had gathered each and every one of those clammies by hand just 12 hours before made it even more delectable!
Welcome aboard. The “learning curve” will have prepared you plenty for the “finding curve” as well. There is a bliss and innervation that will propel you to ever more eager states, and for me, a small, dense bubble of probabilities.
And yes, I would say those buggers in the photo look a bit over the hill. But isn’t it awesome that they’re out there? Just waiting? And the gibbosums, mmmm… but where are they?
Alright now. I’m in the process of getting a semblance of a blog together. Fun, Fun. Reading your blog a few weeks ago inspired me to rethink the necessity of filling our niche. Really good stuff BTW, the writing I mean.
Thanks for sharing.
Now bring on the morels!!!
(Someone reportedly found morels along the Columbia already!)
I read quite a bit when i returned home from my first nettling of the year. The Wikipedia entry states “The nature of the toxin secreted by nettles is not settled. The stinging hairs of most nettle species contain formic acid, serotonin and histamine; however recent studies of Urtica thunbergiana (Fu et al, 2006) implicate oxalic acid and tartaric acid rather than any of those substances, at least in that species.”
This plant blows me away. The things it does for us fit right in to the cycle of seasons… I get serotonin just when i need it most. And the juice of the plant, internally, helps lessen the effects of any stings by virtue of it’s ANTI-histaminic action !? “Bioflavonoids in nettle leaves and roots are generally anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine.” -from the article you linked to.
COW, your fungal insights are always welcome here at FOTL. Now that I’ve finally found a truffle, I see the germ of an obsession forming–but I might have to visit you Orygun types to see its full fruition. Seriously. I’m thinking about coming down for the April 5 NATS foray. Will you be around?
So I’m sitting here nursing a nagging sore spot on my finger where I just tested some of my drying nettles. (There were still bits of duff on the screens from last year’s morel crop.) Anyway, the nettles are apparently not FULLY DRY because they still sting!
Have you heard that some people deliberately sting their joints to prevent arthritis and other nasty symptoms of aging? I suspect we’ve barely scratched the surface of the mighty nettle, scientifically at least.
I love the idea of foraging in your own backyard (or local park, vacant lot, etc.) Who needs herbicides!? All you need to do is get out there and harvest in the early spring, then dig the suckers up right before they’re ready to bloom–save yourself some money, add a little oomph to your salad, and keep the yucky chemicals out of our rivers and lakes. And they taste at least as good as any lettuce you can purchase for $2+ a head at Safeway.
What a great idea! I can taste it now. After reading your recipe I was thinking “as soon as spring comes…, but then realized that I could use some of my dried nettles from last season. I think I might also make the noodles. Have you ever done that?
Thanks for sharing and enjoy the gifts from above.
Definitely make your own noodles if you have the time. As Marcella Hazan says, “…there is nothing packed in a box that can lead to the flavor of the lasagna you can produce in your kitchen.” This is pretty good advice about food and eating in general, as I discussed in this post. Besides, making pasta can be an event in itself. Invite a bunch of friends over to help and drink lots of red wine!
V. cool. Come back and tell us how you do—and remember, hunting morels is a learning curve. Don’t be disappointed if your first year on the hunt isn’t met with bushels of morels. They’re elusive and hard to spot. Your eye will get keener with practice. Good luck!
I’ve been eating nettles from my next door empty lot for a few years-mainly because I like their taste. I keep harvesting them until the get too buggy, around June in the NW. This year my fav nettle recipe is a rustic italian torta made in a skillet on a burner (and flipped over). I’ll blanch the nettles, add some leeks or onions, maybe some spicy sausage and then some cheese or egg to glue it together. Made it last night.
Also discovered it’s a favored egg laying place for butterflies.
Thanks for the inspiration! I made what i called dandelion flower “fritters.” I threw in some rosemary leaves and flowers. Mmm! So easy and delicious, and how nice to eat from the garden thats otherwise predominantly bolted kale! I’ll have to try the other recipes too.
Valereee, the reports coming out of the entire lower Mississippi drainage have been very promising–you picked a good year to get started. The key factors are temp and soil moisture, and with all the flooding you should be in good shape. Unless you have a home in the flood plain…
Check out my recipe for morel cream sauce over veal chops/steak. Simple and delicious.
But I’m gonna have to start checking before I blog. In addition to the synchronous Chris Matherly issue, I was considering posting about crawfishing as a young boy, in Louisiana… yee-haw!
Crawfishing? I want to hear it! Years ago I had the great fortune of losing an alternator in Chacahoula, LA, during a x-country drive. My friend Warpo and I stuffed ourselves silly on local crawdads for the next 24 hrs while waiting for his unlicensed and uninsured Funky Fresh Seville to be repaired. The mechanic even let us tent out on the property.
Keep surprising us with all that weird & wonderful stuff on the ChickenBlog!
Ha! Great minds think alike (also warped and sick ones, but I digress) – I too make something like Shad on a Shingle (great name), except I use a Spanish aioli.
Sounds tasty HAGC, I’ll have to try it this spring. One of the reasons I like to get half my shad catch canned professionally is that the high heat and pressure renders all those pesky bones moot (for lack of a better word). There’s a place outside Portland where I go right after a day at Bonneville. Just drop off the whole uncleaned fish (all 20 of ’em or so) and they’ll take care of the rest.
I’ll have a lot more to say about shad and shad fishing as we get closer to the run.
I’m makin’ this. The ketchup won me over, also the turkey in spite of a lifetime of meatloaf made almost exactly like my mother’s. And it’s a good thing I don’t read blogs with a fork in hand – my screen would be a wreck right now.
It’s great to hear of a modern kid doing something old fashioned like digging clams … what a great education in food for her. Hope she enjoys her share of the catch too.
Here’s a brief write-up on this page, about 2/3 down. In Oregon they call them “gapers.” I’ll be digging these this weekend as part of a wild edibles workshop I’m attending on the Oregon coast. Will report back on the gaper action.
So, I smell an accountant in the early stages of development. Might she be available for some work next April? Awesome capture of a beautiful little person in action. Thanks for sharing.
“Awesome capture” is a great way to put it. So often I see my kids doing something hilarious and wish I had the camera rolling–and on this particular occasion I was prepared and it was perfect.
Okay, so the spot prawns DID haunt me, but not in the way you might think (belching or sour stomach, etc.). What happened makes more sense after reading your post: it was the evil spirits, for sure. I mean, it was like the shrimpies invaded the core of my being and decided I shouldn’t have a good night’s sleep (since, of course, they weren’t either). Indians know about this shit–you shouldn’t be foraging in sacred/bad juju places. But yeah, once I ate ’em with the heads off in the a cioppino–man were they good (and no bad dreams).
I grew up around Hood Canal and this brought back some very fine memories of seafood foraging. I haven’t thought about Dabob Bay in years. Thanks for the memories…
Nice work! I have never gone shrimping before, and it looks like a lot of fun…although I’d use a rowboat with a bit broader beam. Can’t wait to go looking for clams on the North Coast soon near Point Reyes.
Holy moly does that ever look good. I’ve always wished it were easier to buy head-on shrimp – they are so much more flavorful than their beheaded brothers and sisters.
I have to say this is one of Lang’s signature dishes–we supped al fresco on a rare warmish evening. I was off to an M’s baseball game, but I couldn’t resist sticking around for seconds. Usually at games I’m jones-ing for just about any junk food within throwing distance, but I noted my unusual disinterest in Dippin Dots and Rally Fries after this superb stew. Nothing beats a home-cooked meal, esp one involving scallops, mussels, and shrimp!
As a recent convert into the absolute deliciousness of sea urchin roe, free-diving holds a certain attractiveness. All those “dead zones” we hear about get overtaken by urchins, which seems to be a delicious, if unfortunate circumstance.
Ah, lingcod. Neither a ling (which is a relative of the hake), nor a cod. Odd fish. Some have iridescent blue meat. They are one of only two edible greenling species in the world (thus “ling”), and love nothing more than to eat the rock cod on the end of my line.
Mmmmmm… shad roe! I had to let my boyfriend go shad fishing without me last time (I’d dropped all my spare coin on a pig hunt), but I was there for the cleaning, and they’d gotten female after female after female. TONS of roe. Very yummy stuff!
It’s…shadtastic! I have posted all kinds of shad-er-phernelia on my other website, such as how to fillet them (tricky business), recipes and a good way to deal with all them bones.
We have a few more weeks left in our season. Gotta get out one more time…
On our many trips to, through, around the Columbia Gorge, my grandmother would describe in detail what it all looked like before the damn damming. She had experienced it, fished there often, bought fresh salmon from the Yakima Indians, once caught her own enormous steelhead, known orchardists who had lost their land to the dam. Seeing you on the scene there makes me think about the changes, both in the river’s flow and in the fish of choice now. Most recent experience were many visits with my high-wind sailboarding spouse. Visit the Maryhill Museum sometime if you haven’t already. Thanks for the video which brought it all back.
I can’t wait for bolete season here. I’m like you, I dry them, but I’ve bought frozen whole ones in Italy and their flavor persists although their texture isn’t as good as fresh, in my opinion. With just erupted perfect boletes I like shaving them thin, shaving fennel bulb then, and shaving parmesan and layering them in a salad. So good. Like I said, I can’t wait!
Fungaldom! What a great word. I loved the video showing the habitat and then SURPRISE! the little kings hiding out in the understory. You make it seem so easy, but of course you probably spend hours finding that prime spot?
Hey, thanks for the comments everyone. I’ve been out in the high desert canyonlands going after huge trout with huge salmonfly patterns and leaving the posting to “Draft Blogger.” If you don’t know about the scheduling tool in Draft Blogger, check it out–a great way to keep comment fresh even while you’re hundreds of miles from the nearest wifi.
Laurie: I’m looking forward to a post on Alaskan boletes. I can only imagine the fruiting is epic, like everything else up there.
Hank: I’m down with that!
Brother Leech: You’ll be interested in my next post. Will let you know how the frozen buttons turn out.
Marty: If anyone knows about my hours invested, it’s you…
Beautiful trout! Here in the northeast we get similar hatches of insects on the swift rivers – and likewise the fishing can be excellent at these times.
Amen to this: “If you’re willing to hook fish after fish in the mouth and play them till near exhaustion, you should have the nuts to give at least one a rock shampoo…”
And nice lookin’ fish!
I’ve never gone fly fishing for trout. Caught a rainbow out on the lake at 4-H camp once. But I’m heading out w/my boss later this month to see what the allure is…
Many summers spent at Quesnel Lake in B.C. when I was a kid. Fishing was always good and I thought the Salmonfly just a nuisance. Little did I know. But I did know enough to love freshly caught and fried fish for breakfast in the morning. Yours sounds perfect and I wish I had some. Sally
Survivaltopics: I’ve been enjoying your site. Thanks for visiting. Years ago I fished Vermont, where the mosquitoes were bigger than the fish!
Holly: I’ll look forward to your report. Somehow I think you’ll dig it…
Tom: Just checked out yr Steens story. Very nice! That’s some rugged country too.
Sally: Is Quesnel in the Kamloops area? If so, that’s like ground zero for big wild rainbows. And as it happens, I’m working on an story right now about the comforts of breakfast trout; these tastes and smells can take one waaaayyyy back…
Bushwhacker: When my friend Warpo is involved, it’s always an adventure. Hopefully he’ll chime in once he figures out this Blogger sign-in deal. Thanks for visiting.
i’ve heard mixed reviews on this one and your explanation of the flavor tells me why. i have never found or tried to find the prince, but i will keep my eye out this year, i love trying new shroomery! thanks for the post.
hells yeah finny! my skin is crawling and my mind racing to grasp all of the memories from my one and only salmonfly day on the big D two years ago. thanks for the post and the vid…outstanding!
Not sure about other names. It’s closely related to the supermarket ‘shroom, Agaricus bisporus. Another relative of the Prince–with an even stronger flavor of anise–was once domesticated but lost out to A. bisporus. In any event, some folks absolutely crave the anise scent/flavor, and it’s considered a choice variety in general–just not by me. Like t-mos says, finding new wild edibles is fun regardless.
Quesnel’s in Kamloops – you drive to Williams Lake, head east on a long windy road and eventually you get to the lake, my childhood summertime stomping grounds. And oh yes, rainbow trout.
I read this essay in draft and laughed my ass off. I have to say it’s one of Finspot’s best. There’s laughter, indeed, but there’s just enough gravitas to make it more than a ha-ha piece. Don’t be a cheapskate: go out and buy the issue! Not only do you get to read a great essay, but the author photo is . . . quite revealing, shall we say.
Oh man, how can a person not help but smile! That was awesome! “what do you think? “I want him for lunch!” That’s classic! What great times to be able to share with your children!
I have these delectable fishing memories from childhood, the catching, (sometimes the endless waiting) and later the panful of fried fish. You’re cooking up some good ones for your kids that they’ll remember too. Sweet.
Oh indeed, my first fish were brook trout taken from the pasture brook that is only 6-inches deep and a foot wide.
We would bring the trout, still flopping on the hook, into the house for my grandmother to take off the hook. She put them in the kitchen sink with running water so we could watch them swim.
Fried in bread crumb batter, the crunchy tail is the best part!
The Berkshires, SW Massachusetts, 1973, Green River in late summer when the flow stopped, leaving the fish trapped in pools — that’s when I learned to tickle brookies and catch them with my hands. Subsequent efforts in the Swiss Alps (1975), the Rockies (1985) and Eastern Oregon (1995) established that trout tickling can be done with the right conditions: small stream, abundant cover, gentle touch. We enjoy reading your blog; it brings memories. Blog on!!
Val, I do that method with chanterelles, but I’d heard you can freeze the #1 porcini buttons on the grading scale (i.e. the buttons that are still hard, with concave caps). My next experiment will be broiling the porcini right out of the freezer. Stay tuned.
When I cook frozen porcinis, I cook them at relatively high heat in small batches. The goal is to avoid all the moisture being released at one time which results in the mushrooms stewing rather than browning. That is what happens when there are too many in the pan at one time. What you want is for the water to evaporate as quickly as possible to help prevent sliminess.
it’s interesting to read your blog and results of this “experiment”. I have some nice buttons and I’m wondering if it’s worth a shot to freeze them or should they head to the dryer…that is, what I can’t eat fresh now! I did make a nice raw salad of sliced porcini button with shavings of Parmesano Reggiano and a drizzle of a good extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper.
Your best bet is to chop the mushrooms, then put them in a good saute pan dry over medium-high heat. Shake the pan a lot and dry-cook the ‘shrooms until they release their water. This’ll take about 5-8 minutes.
Then, use ’em as you would in the rest of the dish.
Ladyfish: As we all know, fresh boletes and dry boletes are two entirely different critters, especially in the kitchen. I’ve got plenty of dried from years past, so my goal is to find a method that enables me to use porcini in recipes that call for fresh, regardless of season. Of course, sliced raw in a salad will always be out of the question except with the most primo just-picked specimens.
Hal: Lacking a cleaver, I’m afraid chopping up the frozen porcini right out of the freezer is a trip to the ER waiting to happen…
So far I’ve been pleased with Experiment Two, and Experiment Three looks promising. Will elaborate soon…
finny, a thoroughly excellent post from top to bottom…that video is classic! i learned to fish back in northern MN, and brookies were the game…the video brought back a lot of good memories. your son made an excellent choice…”i want him for lunch!” thanks for the post!
I love these food blogs right around lunch time. I was thinking I was pretty hungry, then after looking at those pictures – man that looks good! I’m going to eat lunch – it won’t taste anywhere near that good, though.
Ladyfish: I froze only #1 buttons. The biggest was about the size of a cueball and the smallest was a bit larger than a thimble. All had concave caps and white pores. Let us know how you do.
Audrey: I got the wild boar sausage from Da Pino on Rainier S–but he’s moving, apparently to Ravenna. When I worked downtown near the I-District I used to get my sausages and gorgonzola at Salumi before or after the lunch crush; that option seems nearly fruitless now from my last couple sandwich runs there…
Great post & video. Nice fish, too. You guys really lucked out on that late hatch! I caught a little piece of the end of it up there (below the Black Canyon, though) in early June a few years ago, in a low water year.
We had crab cakes at my brother’s house on Orcas a few weeks ago. The crab was part of a trade with a friend with a crab pot. I’ve been thinking about that fresh crab ever since. Do you have a good source for those of us without the ability to catch our own?
Like you said Hank, I was going to suggest to Poppy to try setting a pot off a pier–but then you have to hang around for a while waiting. Not nearly as exciting as grappling with ’em underwater. I’ve also heard of a spinning rod technique: you chuck out a baited & weighted birdnest of monofilament and wait for the crab to get entangled, then reel in.
Otherwise it’s top dollar at the local market. You might find better prices with a back alley I-District fishmonger, but you never know how long those crabs have been sitting in the tanks…
Man, that’s hard core! I had crab rings I used to use but diving in is really the way to go cuz you can see what you’re getting and pick the big’uns! Right on!
This seems to be a bumperyear for blackberries, herein the UK i’m not the only person to notice that they seem quite a bit ‘fuller’ than last year. Any ideas why that would be? Regards SBW
Hi SBW, When I lived on SW Oregon in ’04 we had a bumper crop of fruits in general: orchard fruits like cherries, pears, and apples, as well as the wild berries, etc. That spring was a mild one, with lots of bees and lots of blossoms. I remember the mercury reaching 90 in March–and this was in the coastal mountains. Also, we got at least one mid-summer soaking, which doesn’t always happen. At the time I attributed the fruit bonanza to those two factors, but I’m no crop prognosticator. Anyway, enjoy your plenitude! Cheers, Fin
A fresh crab of your own, eaten within minutes of capture, has to be one of the sweetest experiences, culinary and otherwise. We’ve snagged a few from time to time up north from our sailboat, checked their size and gender and then proceeded. Your comment about the ‘screaming’ reminded me – one of the funniest ever movie scenes has got to be Woody Allen’s attempt to cook lobster in “Annie Hall”.
Audrey: I always say the trip to/from the foraging grounds is the most harrowing, especially if it involves stressed-out commuters trying to pick up their kids at camp.
Seth: I use a 4mm wetsuit, which keeps me plenty warm for an hour and change. As for destinations, I’ve gotten crab all over the Sound, including right in Seattle. Depends on time of year and what the crabs are up to. Right now they’re in a mating frenzy, so look for structure. In the shoulder seasons you might try more open areas, including eel grass beds.
your killin me with all this crab action! i need to get out to the docks.
i don’t have a suit, but for future reference, what are the requirements for suitable free-dive locales? is the sound a special situation or is it doable off the oregon coast as well?
I am a big fan of your blog and added your blog link to our blogroll and we would love a return link back. Our blog url is: http://www.eastcoastangler.blogspot.com/
You’re lucky you were within honking distance! I grew up eating dungies my dad gathered and my mom always boiled them, so so did I. About a year ago, a friend convinced me to try steaming them, which I did, and now I’m never going back to boiling. The flavor is better wth steaming.
Nice Post! I work at Madison Market in Seattle on Capitol hill (16th and Madison). The butcher here (Wayne) can give you free fat to render lard if your interested, stop by. He’s here early on weekdays.
Great post, sez Mrs. Finspot. It was a long, hot drive down to Heaven, but now all I can remember are those views of Helens and Adams . . . and eating berries straight off the bush. And who woulda thunk it, but huckleberry cobbler is even better than its blackberry cousin. To die for!
Stumbled on FOTL from Living with Bird-dogs — and what a nice surprise. I used to live in Portland and spent a fair amount of time in Indian Heaven. Thanks for great memories — and a growing rumbling in my gut.
Chris: I love the Mad Market! Thanks for the tip, I’ll stop by.
Jon: The huck pancakes were indeed awesome. I’m still tweaking the batter recipe to work with the berries, but will post one of these days.
Marty: Thanks for driving home! I was all picked out.
Andrew: Portland is definitely an easier hop over to Indian Heaven than Seattle. Would you go via Hood River and Trout Lake? Mt. Hood has its own share of renowned picking grounds, although I think the local tribes are still trying to negotiate an acceptable prescribed burn plan there.
Wow, those are the biggest, fattest hucks I’ve ever seen! Here in Montana we have much smaller berries but they pack a good punch. Heading out tomorrow to pick some and should get some vids if all goes well.
We saw lots of those yesterday while picking huckleberries, but they were so ripe they just disintegrated on your fingers on the way to your mouth.(mush city) Picking for later use would have been impossible. Hey Fin, do you have a recipe you like for huckleberry jam? Also have you perfected your huckleberry pancake recipe yet? Wanna send it to me???
Hey Mary! I’ll be experimenting with huck jam recipes soon and will let you know. As for pancakes, I confess to being unhappy with all the pancakes I’ve ever made–they’re never good enough to post. My friend Kenan, when he’s not subsisting on dry martinis and cow, is an expert pancake man and I plan to draft him into a guest FOTL spot. Stay tuned… BTW, how’s the Montana mushroom picking???
Last week while hacking back a neighbor’s intruding brambles I spotted one plant with a few ripe, tasty pink berries that disintegrated just like you describe. Any idea if thimble berries grow in the city? Needless to say, I left the plant growing there.
We’ve had absolutely NO rain in my neck of the woods so no mushrooms at all around here. I know west central MT has had plenty of recent rains so they may be starting to find some shrooms, but nada around here! I’ve just been fishing and berry picking. I have an invite to go pick chanties in WA (east side) but I can’t decide whether to do the fly Fishing Retailer show in Denver or go pick chants. Such a dilemma…need to do the show for biz but need the chants for winter!!! hmmmm
I think I may have seen a few blackcaps on the sandy bluff trails at discovery park; definietly not enough to fill a coffee cup. A few weeks ago I encountered a few sparsely loaded canes on the road side as I waited for a sub to pass the hood canal bridge in Jeff county.
We have a few blackcap bushes in our yard near Woodinville. The season this year was roughly mid-July through mid-August. I guess we have enough at peak to collect an espresso cup, but who knows? My 2-1/2 year old son and I compete to see who can stuff them into our mouths faster. OK, that’s not quite literally true, but certainly they get eaten as fast as they are picked. I have the advantage because blackcaps are climbers, so much so that some of the berries were well above my reach.
Audrey: I like your optimism. It’s been a tough couple weeks weather-wise.
Hank: Take a page from Audrey; while we’re done with chanties by Turkey Day, you’re just getting going, with mushrooms to be had through the winter, when they’re needed most in stews, stuffings, and comforting sauces.
WT: I’ll admit my first silver of the year was about a fifth the weight of yours, which is why editing skills are a must in this bizness.
LTH: It’s one of my favorites, and ridiculously easy. Love this time of year! Thanks for tuning in everyone.
Chiefseth: From what little I know, sandy bluffs sound like reasonable habitat. I tend to find them more often in the mountains, on open slopes, but don’t see why they wouldn’t be at sea level like most other Rubus berries. Just wish I could get more quantity.
Paul: Did you plant the blackcaps? That may be the way to go. Cultivated blackcaps and raspberries. Though it’s fun to find them in the wild. Good to hear your son is getting his fill!
fin, been in MT for a week and a half. i’ve clearly been missing out. ‘cept for the blackberries, we’ve got enough to feed a town in the backyard. anyways, nicely done! the berries, the recipes, the fish, the chantys…all around top notch action.
I’ve been checking out your blog for a little while but this is probably my first time commenting. Glad to see all the fun and explorations your family had on Vancouver Island – as a resident, I love it every day.
(and yes, I do occasionally bike over slippery logs, surf on the west coast, and enjoy the deep white stuff!)
I have successfully grown a good bunch in a native plant restoration berm on our property at Hyak. Wide open sun all day with good drainage and have been munching on them all summer although they are not as abundant lately. A better year for them than huckleberries!
Look for relatively new (2-4 year) clear cuts with good sun exposure, which are not that common this day and age. Immature plants will be tall and spindly, with greenish silver leaves. More mature and fruiting plants will be thicker, with dead canes around the base. I have had good luck on both East and West slopes of the Cascades, from 2,000′ to 4,000′. Absolute best simple freezer jam in the world.
Just got back from Gifford Pinchot today, with 1.5 gallons of higher elevation (4,500′) huckleberries. Picked only the bright, shinies, didn’t pick the dull blue ones. Not a good year, but I have enough for pies and pancakes this winter.
This brought back very good memories of picking huckleberries with my grandmother on the slopes of Mt. St. Helens before the eruption. I haven’t had them in years (well, I’ve had lots of Alaskan high-bush blueberries, but I don’t really count those as huckleberries…) Thanks for the memories!
I have to say, I sampled this jam and had no idea there was any pectin parsimoniousness afoot. It made for a superb peanut butter and jelly sandwich, in fact. I’m telling you, there’s nothing like that huckleberry flavor. I would strongly suggest (though I know Finspot and others prefer sweet over tangy) cutting back on the amount of sugar the recipe calls for, just to make sure you keep intact that signature hint of tartness. With each bite you’ll be recalling the beauty of the forest where you foraged–oh, so sweet.
Huckleberrying with my grandparents took me into the mountains around Mt. Adams and northern B.C. when I was a kid. And then the pies we made. A bunch of my extra pounds started way back then, a fresh pie every other day all summer long. Those were the days. I looked for huckleberries when we hiked in the Canadian Rockies recently, but no luck. If I’d found some I suppose I might have shared mine with a grizzly or two who love them about as much as we do. Huckleberries slightly sweet tart oozy, the best jam imaginable on a piece of toast. Num.
do you usually try to identify the lobsters host? I just found a nice patch of lobsters with no other mushrooms around to use as hints. Every field guide ive seen urges caution.
Chief, I’ve never seen a lobster that didn’t use a Russula as its host, although in other parts of the country it’s apparently common to see Lactarius hosts. In any event, neither genus will kill you. The real danger would be a lobster parasitizing an Amanita; as far as I know, this has never been documented. Also, keep in mind that thousands of tons of lobsters are bought and sold across the globe every year. As a general rule, mycologists err on the side of caution. I wouldn’t be overly concerned.
Dude. I will SO be able to top that one! My friend is giving me an eight-pound spiny lobster she grabbed on a dive in SoCal! I am picking up the monster tomorrow. You can have you lobster shrooms, I gots the real deal…
…any suggestions on cooking him? I’ve always been a steam-and-butter (or olive oil) guy…
Eight pounds?! Good thing those suckers don’t have claws like Maine lobsters. With that much meat you should be able to cook whatever you want and then some. How ’bout lobster chanterelle pasta? You could freeze some for later too. The real question is how good a lobster of that size will taste–it might be kinda tough, requiring some novel technique… I’ll expect to see a post with results in any event!
Hiking in Canadian Rockies recently we saw zillions of mushrooms of different varieties. Took many photos, dazed by their beauty and the still life, literally, surrounding each one. Didn’t pick a thing. Can you recommend a guided walk in these parts, any organized group that introduces the basics about finding edible mushrooms? May not be able to manage it this fall, but it’s on my list of things that I want to do. I look forward to reading your article in Seattle Magazine.
Sally, check out Puget Sound Mycological Society. They offer a monthly meeting, beginner classes, and free weekend forays with experts. The PSMS annual show is coming up next weekend (usually it’s at the UW Horticultural Center; not sure where it is this year) and I can’t recommend it more: real specimens on display with common/Latin names, cooking demonstrations, ID experts on hand to identify whatever you bring in. Totally cool.
The top picture reminds me of eating da bin lo growing up — a big pot of water boiling at the table and diners dunked the raw ingredients right into the hot pot. At the end of the meal you’d drink a bowl of the amazing broth made from all of the ingredients.
There was an interesting article in the New Yorker last year about matsutake hunters.
I looove the bear’s head fungus. It’s so pretty, and I like the texture. I find it often in my area, and it’s a custom to go a little out of my way to look for it when I’m out doing things like squirrel hunting in the fall.
Plus it’s fun to describe it to friends as a ‘white porcupine looking growth thing’.
You know, Finny, I’ve heard about this A.muscaria relationship, but have yet to see it in the field – But last year, on my way to one of my spots, I happened on a steep hillside, and as I glanced up, near the top was the largest concentration of A.muscaria I had ever seen! Didn’t notice any boletes among them, but then I didn’t look closely either. But I think I’ll retrace my path back up there soon, and climb up that hill to investigate. I’ll let you know what I find. drfugawe
I’ve noticed precisely the same thing myself… just returned from a week long elk hunting trip… Amanita Muscaria and Boletes abounded in the same areas…
Good work lately… I feel ashamed of my own quasi-hiatus…
Finny, I share your love of white chants, but our season here in SW OR never did get going this year. We had an inch of rain in late Aug, another 2″ a month later, and then no more rain! That created 2 false starts with mininal bloom, but no real fruitings. Some are still waiting, but I think chants are not showing this year in my neighborhood. drfugawe
I love this shrub (evergreen huckleberry), but more for its physical beauty than for its berries, which down this way (SW OR) are very small and killers to pick. But I’m convinced that it has an affinity with white chantrelles – in my fav spot, you litterly have to move through the shrubs on your hands and knees to pick the white chants.
For the past 5 years or so, I’d always dig up a shrub or two and haul them back to my yard where I’d try to get them to grow – but they never would. Then I recently read that when you take them out of the forest, you need to bring back a piece or two of rotting log, and plant the huckleberry near them – perhaps another part of the mysterious puzzle that we know so little about!
fin, coastal boletes are not showing in any kind of quantity at all this year. I was over a week ago and found only a handful. The rains, just as drfugawe said, have come too little too late. It’s not a good edulis year here unfortunately. It is for sure damper to the north than southern Oregon. They have had he least amount of rain.
The Rogue is a bit south of my reg pickin ground, but if it’s similar to up here, the boletes are more plentiful nearer the coast. I met an old guy last year who said that years ago he was a pro picker near Agness (an interesting town about 25 miles from the coast), he said that the hedgehogs were huge around there! But they show after it gets colder, and you’d rather have a warm week while you fish – right? doc
I’ll try this recipe with chanterelles, golden, from my Farmer’s Market. Sounds absolutely delicious. Dinnertime photos, ah yes. It gets tricky in the winter doesn’t it? Do I cook mid-afternoon in order to photograph w/a little light, or when we’re actually ready to eat it? Almost always the latter, so I understand your low-light lament.
Drfugawe & Ladyfish: Thanks for the reports. Maybe it’s a wrap for the southern OR coast this year; then again, a late flush is always possible. Dr., yer stomping grounds are just a drainage over from mine. I’ve never experienced the hedgehog season there b/c by the time hogs are popping, the pass is under six feet of snow and the cabin put to bed for the winter. Do you eat Amanita calyptrata, also called A. lanei? It’s all over the Rogue, and very tasty–provided you’re sure of yr identification.
Sally: How much are you getting chants for this time of year?
Hi Audrey, yeah it’s really quick n’ easy. But one warning: don’t get heavy-handed with the pine nuts or they’ll overwhelm the ‘shrooms; you can see in the image that I was a tad too generous with the nuts. You should be able to find lots of hedghogs in the markets now.
I finally broke down and bought some lights that are pretty inexpensive and very portable. Given the lack of light we’re headed for and the inconvenience of cooking dinner at noon just so I can photograph, it made sense. Hope you get a digital SLR because your photos are already awesome and will only get better.
Damn Fin, are you guys getting hogs already up there? I think ya’all have had a much better pickin season than we down here. Hey, want to make that Arora recipe even better, throw some shirmp in while sauting, and serve over pasta – might need a little white wine or chic broth too! Oh yeah, I just read the latest fishing report here, and the Chinook are on the move! Your timing couldn’t be better. doc
Hi Audrey & Sally: I would recommend sticking with matsutake for this recipe. The unique aroma and flavor of the mushroom are what makes the dish, simple as it is. One thing I’ve noticed, however, is that the matsutake I’ve picked recently haven’t been quite as fragrant as those picked at the height of the season in October; not sure whether that’s normal or not. Try Uwajimaya. Even though these Japanese delicacies command a high price per pound, you don’t need a lot–and you’ll know right away whether or not you’re a fan of this distinctive ‘shroom!
My colleague turned me on to your blog–I love it! Thanks for all of the mushroom posts and recipes; I’m a certified fungus junkie. We’re still eating this season’s chanterelles, while happily looking forward to this Spring for a foray “over the pass” to go camping/morel hunting (Bellingham gal here).
A truly mystic and beautiful area! – last year during our west Mex winter sojourn, I met an old guy named Jack, a retired college professor, who said back home they called him, The Bard of Agness, because he kept himself busy writing poetry and cutting wood. Amazingly small world. doc
Never eaten a steelhead — people flail around for them in the American River, but the real fishery for them here is up your way. And I am not much for catch-and-release…
My tentative forays into mushrooming don’t even start to contemplate eating an amanita. I’ll stick much closer to the “fool-proof four”. Nice photos, as always, and an interesting post!
my nefew died because he ate an Amanita Phaloides and the liver transplant didn’t work…Since then I can not try wild mushrooms, because I’m scare to pick “the wrong one!”… And I love mushrooms! the smell when they are releasing the juices on the hot skillet… mmmmmmmmm
Amanita Eater, what a sad tittle for me… (And don’t worry, it is not your fault)
Dolores, that’s terrible. I’m sorry for your loss. It’s a reminder to anyone who picks wild mushrooms that the consequences of misidentification can be dire. As Mdmnm says, sticking to the “fool-proof four” (which ones are those anyway?) or a similarly narrow group of easily ID’d mushrooms is probably the best route for most folks, but if you really want to branch out, make sure you do so under the tutelage of a seasoned veteran who knows your local conditions.
First of all, thanks for coming to my rescue on the group regarding mushrooms.
Amanitas are for advanced mushroom collectors. I don’t recommend eating them in my upcoming book since it is aimed at beginning and novice collectors. Beginners should aim at recognizing them by genus (as a group)so they can avoid them completely. Leave them be.
That said, some can be eaten and I eat Amanita jacksonii, the American Caesar. It was a great year for them in Maine. They are actually quite easy to identify. They are very tasty too. There are others too but I am not going to experiment with new species. It’s just not worth it to push the envelope in that arena.
Amanita phalloides is responsible for most poisoning deaths. Sorry for your loss.
Sticking with the easy, safe species is the way to go. There are more than four but if you learn just a couple of species a year, consider it good progress.
A few years ago, I came on some beautiful ‘shrooms which I thought might be matsutakes (I had at that time never been in the company of a matsutake). They were everywhere – so I picked a bucketful and took them home – they keyed out as Amanita smithiana, and I pitched them. I later learned that except for the smell, they are easy to mistake for matsi, so I didn’t feel so bad. I’m still at the stage where I’m not ready to eat an Amanita, but then I’ve never found a batch of A. calyptrata either!
You can add the chopped vegetables right to the roux, rather than adding it to them as they saute in a separate dish. The veggies will stop the roux from darkening much more as they release liquid and you’ll save a step and a pan.
The grocery store scene, love it. Great story. In my mind it’s become an episode on some TV sitcom – Seinfeld could run with this one. Rat droppings be damned, sounds like it was a worthwhile run to the store. Oh, and gumbo sounds good too.
mmmmm mmmmm. A few years ago my mom started making gumbo for Christmas Eve. It’s turned into a tradition that we all love. We use little rock shrimp from the fisherman out of Coos Bay (where Mom & Dad live) Dungeness, and local rock fish. It’s most delicious…
Thank you for priming the taste buds. I can hardly wait.
Now that’s a serious project! Great story about your grocery store visit. Sounds like there are plenty of good reasons to go back but if you’re ever looking for an alternate supplier we get file powder at the Madison Market co-op.
Wow! Fin, my man, you’ve opened the flood gates – especially for those of us whose roots were pulled out of the fertile soil of the southland to come out to the NW! Not enough room here for proper comments, but I invite you to pop in to the CMS forum and contribute to my “foodie” question.
Oh yeah – a flood of memories, not the least of which is a never-to-be-forgotten visit to Lafayette, LA, just a few years ago. Good stuff Fin.
going razor clamming tonight in ninilchik (alaska) and came across your blog – very nice. but i’ll add that in alaska vernacular “crab” (singular) is typically used to refer to one or more of the edible crustaceans. “crabs” is, well, that little inconvenience some experience below the beltline…..
FANTASTIC RECIPE!!! Made it Christmas morning. I had a stash of frozen softshell clams and Empire clam (Coos Bay, OR) bits from some of the really great low tides in early July. I don’t know if the quantity was right according to your recipe. It was about a cup of clam bits.
I was worried the peppers would overwhelm my lovely clam flavor, but proceeded according to the recipe. It was just perfect. The chipotle comes on slowly after the initial sweet clam flavor.
The dip was made up, refrigerated from 10am until about 11:30 and it was devoured by 1pm.
I’m definitely marking those tides on my calendar and making sure I’m putting away more clams. MMMMMMMM.
TroutGirl (is that the same TroutGirl from Burning Pram???), I’m thrilled the dip worked out so well for you. I was a little worried about the one chipotle pepper too; those suckers are hot! But as you say, the flavors marry well. Enjoy your low tides–I’m hitting the littleneck clam beds tomorrow…
Trixi, I snuck that in there for you. Thx for paying attention!
Nice looking haul Finny. I’m not much on the mussels or oysters, not for a lack of trying to like them, but clams mmmmmm. Happy New Year to you and your family.
New Years Eve at your place sounds delectable. I’m making a fish chowder on Sunday – I’ll check your archives. I bet you have a good chowder lurking in there somewhere. Happy New Year. Sally
Sure wish I had the Spanish Table in my back yard. Great stuff. Maybe not, I’d cheese and chorizo out. Should try a bottle of Txomin Etxaniz txakoli with the paella next time. Great Basque wine.
Hey, Finspot: It’s not that we don’t eat well at my house, but if I lived in your neighborhood, you’d have me knocking at your door come dinnertime, regularly. That looked fantastic, although, most everything you prepare does.
Paella over a charcoal fire is the best way I’ve found to do it–we have a really big cast iron pan that works great for that. With the coals spread out all around the bottom, it cooks very evenly.
One question: Just how does one “forage” for squid?
Thanks for the wine rec, Bascoe. I’m sure you can add some pointers on cooking paella as well.
Brett, you’re invited over any time! We catch squid off the local piers at night with troutrods, spotlights, and jigs. The jig is a lure with lots of j-shaped hooks radiating off a glow-in-the-dark cigar-shaped body like the ribs of an umbrella. The squid attacks the lure and gets tangled up on all those hooks. Very good action!
Abundant New Year to ya, Fin. Another find article, reflecting your sincere love of both your resources and your preparations. And special thanks for your instruction on jigging squid – I must try that soon.
Are you a “smelt dipper” as well? That’s another endeavor I’ve not tried yet, but would love to. I’m also sure that dipping (for which I’m ill equipped)is not the only way one catches smelt – Yes/No? doc
I always have nettles in the freezer (they’re among the easiest wild greens to harvest), but I’ve never thought of drying them. I’ll have to try it next year. Do they lose much (if any) flavor when dried?
Laurie: Texture is slightly different but the flavor is the same. Plus, with dried nettles you can toss a tablespoon into any old dish if you’re looking to get that vernal shot of spring.
Mdmnm: It won’t be long before those nettle shoots are poking through the earth again. Happy blending!
Amen on the immersion blender. I have an aversion to owning too many gadgets, too much stuff everywhere, but this one thing is a performer and it’s smallish and I love it. Dried nettles is a taste I’ve never experienced. Until spring arrives with a fresh supply, I wonder if PCC has them in bulk. ??
I have a secret stash place very close to my house, in a little riparian corridor. I freeze mine in pesto form – easy to use if frozen in ice cube trays! But I guess powdered would be easier still.
Great idea. I’ve always thought potato leek soup was just a bit bland. Adding nettles sounds like just the trick, especially when you’ve got hippie friends at the co-op. Your soup is beautiful.
Sally – I’m pretty sure you can get dried nettles at PCC. Look in the tea section.
Heather – Love the ice cube pesto idea. I freeze nettles too, but in chopped and blanched form.
Audrey – Give it a shot and tell me what you think. Definitely has more zip than a standard potato-leek (although the color is a bit on the pukey side; maybe a drizzle of Franks Red Hot sauce would brighten it a little).
Navita – Thanks for stopping by. Let me know how yours turns out!
Hi Lo, thanks for dropping by. The beauty is my finicky 8-year-old boy just threw a tantrum a few minutes ago when he discovered he’d polished off the last of the soup. Obviously a keeper recipe, and I can feel good about those nettle nutrients doing their magic.
BTW, I found Burp! the other day and am looking forward to digging in more.
Fin, my good man – Let us begin this first day of the rest of our lives with congratulations to the American people for their collective insight and intelligence (something I had feared lost!), and much hope for the promise of tomorrow.
Hey, I’ll trade you some Coos Bay cockles for some Hood Canal littlenecks. doc
Hank, this is the Age of the Hairshirt. Anyway, it says serves 2 *as an appetizer*–but I hear you. The little buggers go down easy once you get rolling… On the other hand, the cream and bread sopping conspire to slow down even a true glutton, so be warned.
Oh, gosh… I’m loving the looks of this. Of course, I secretly wish I lived on a coastline so that I could forage my own seafood. I’m a cream & butter girl myself… but I’d totally go for this.
On a big minus tide last summer, we walked out on the Charleston flats to find cockles everywhere! They were just sitting on top of the seaweed; in five minutes, we had a limit – it was silly-easy – I felt bad for the cockles.
Try them in a red clam sauce for pasta for another tomato fix.
Finspot, you are making me seriously reconsider my choice of place of residence. I can smell the sea breeze and feel the wet sand beneath my feet from your post. And, yes, of course, I want a bowl of that chowder, RIGHT NOW!
The cockles I’ve had, from fish markets here in Minnesota, or on trips to Brittany in France, have been small, sweet, and quite tender. Are there different kinds in different areas?
Congratulations to Marty, that’s excellent news! And I’m glad you were able to celebrate rightly, with cured pork, chanterelles, and a good glass of wine.
Sometimes, when it’s very quiet and still, I remember being much younger and stupider and sitting in a $1 movie at 2 in the afternoon watching “Play It Again, Sam”. There was only one other guy sitting in there – and all afternoon I sat there listening to my own singular laughter – he never laughed! And all I kept thinking was, “Why isn’t he laughing?”
And sometimes now, when it’s quiet, I still wonder why he wasn’t laughing. It’s the kind of thing that can bother you forever.
Audrey – Thanks. Sometimes you celebrate with what you’ve got, and those ingredients ain’t bad!
Doc – Classic Woodman story. Thanks for sharing. BTW, I neglected to mention that my first date with Martha was “Shadows and Fog” in the theater and we were so disappointed that we went straight back to her place and rented pretty much the entire ’70s and 80’s stretch, which required holing up for an entire weekend. Not a bad date strategy, eh?
Lo – You most certainly can freeze chanties (much better than drying). The method called “dry saute” involves sautéing them without any butter or oil in a super-hot pan, stirring constantly until they release their water. Then get them out of the pan to cool and vacuum seal. You can use ziplocks too, but the former is preferred. Read more here.
Well, shucks! And I know how hard it can be to arrange schedules and sitters for a night out. But it sounds like you managed to get some celebrating in.
Congratulations to your wife! There’s nothing like having your work recognized.
Was glad to get home, see the house hadn’t burned down, and learn that the kids got a little fresh air and brought home some dinner!
Those black bean clams sure look yummy. Much better than my jar sauce w raddiatore, which is basically what I ate for three nights. But I’m not asking you to get out your tiniest violin . . . actually I just wanted to say thanks . . . and I sure hope there’s a few more of them little necks sitting in a bucket out front — I am not gonna sit right until I have me some of those!
Looks really (really!) delicious, but alas, my boys (kid and hubby) won’t touch clams (or mussels or oysters) so I never make them at home. What did I do to have such bad karma?
These are experience that will stay with your kids forever. And hopefully they will carry this on with there kids. Good Job!
Now as for this delicious meal. What fun and tasty. I bet the black beans add an interesting texture to this dish. I live just North of you in Vancouver Canada. So, I know what fun and rewaeding Clamming can be.
I’ve been eating these since I was a kid too and I love them with fried Japanese eggplant. I’ve prepared them using jarred black beans and dried fermented as well and don’t honestly think there’s too much difference in flavor. It’s nice not to clutter the fridge with yet another jar though.
Innocently strolling through Bon App recently and there you were, a familiar face in the middle of a famous magazine! You’re a fine voice for the concept of place, of a locale and its indigenous foods. Congratulations Lang.
I am new to your blog and was excited to see your article in BA. I have recently purchased a cabin in the Gifford Pinchot and have tons of nettles. I have not used them in food in fear of poising myself, do you recommend any resources for newbies regarding nettles for consumption? Thanks!
Great job on the gnocchi! As for the oxtails, I’m glad unctuous isn’t an over-the-top description for oxtails since indeed they are. Now you should take your leftover oxtails, assuming there are any, and use them for stuffing ravioli. I recently did this and they may have been the best ravioli ever.
Holy cow tail.. this looks awesome. I have only ever tried to make gnocchi once – and well, they could have easily broken windows.. no scratch that, they could have cracked pavements.. I am still not ballsy enough to try again…
I like the revisions to the ragu a lot – certainly when I do the ragu again I am going to follow your modifications – they sound lovely.
Is there any left? It looks incredible… I didn’t have the guts to go for the whole gnocchi extravaganza when I made oxtail in January but now I wish I had 🙂 You managed really good pictures of that ragù, mine look so sad by comparison!I thought there was no way oxtail could look glam, but I stand corrected 🙂 (btw – the word verification for this comment is “boyeater”, can you believe it?? :-D)
Matt – After such beginner’s luck, I may decide to never make gnocchi again. As for the ragu, now I want to try it again with red wine and do a taste test. I figured the white would lighten it a bit and bring out the flavor of the mirepoix.
Colloquial Cook – Thanks for stopping by. Like making gnocchi, getting a decent picture of meat is up to the Fates. But I wonder who’s at the controls of the comment verifier?!
When we were in Italy last year, we were surprised at how sub-par some of the gnocchi were. The carbonara too! I figured it must be really hard if the Italians can’t get it right.
I just saw a clip on the Today show on how not to be afraid of gnochhi and so I’m beginning to think I’ll try it soon. One of my favorite meals of all time was served at a now closed restaurant in Twisp, WA. called the Fiddlehead Bistro. They served me a ricotta gnocchi with braised short ribs that was truly unforgettable. If I could replicate that recipe I could die happy.
Heather – More evidence that I should quit while I’m ahead… Like that will happen.
Darlene – Give it a go. 101 Cookbooks lays it out in simple terms. Maybe a sacrifice at dawn too…
Jenifer – Thanks for stopping by. I remember the Fiddlehead in Twisp. Definitely one of the best places for miles around while it lasted. Now you’ve got me thinking about ricotta gnocchi. More sacrifices…
I love nettle as much as carrot/turnip/radish leaf green! It is wildly underrated… The first two things I bought on my arrival to NY were a immersion blender and a cast iron pot 🙂 first necessity, right?
You can’t learn everything in school. If your son can’t spell a word, he can look it up in the dictionary. That’s what they’re for, right? But I’m sure he’ll remember this adventure when he’s old and grey.
You’re on the list for best parent in the world. The recipe looks great – I do something similar with salmon, pecans, butter and real maple syrup. Delicious@
Thanks everyone for your comments. I’ll keep them on file in case CPS is notified. Riley was back in school today, ready to deliver his presentation on “Ants of the Amazon,” so ice fishing is just a good memory now.
WANF – Thanks for stopping by. I’m really curious to see how the ones I popped in the freezer turn out. I forgot to research that part of the gnocchi equation…
I’ve never fully understood why people think that gnocchi are so tough. The only ones I have screwed up badly were made of kabocha squash (I shudder to remember those disasters). But potato gnocchi have always been kind to me. I do the cut-and-flip-off-the-fork deal with mine, so they look pretty different.
As for oxtail, with you and Matt doing them, I may have to whip out my tatin de cua de bou recipe…
Lang, great idea to deglaze the pan, I’ve made a similar recipe many times but never thought of that. Photos look excellent, btw. Looks like you’re getting the hang of that fancy camera.
Huckleberries? Now? The best I can do is rhubarb sauce which makes it into the freezer, but rarely lasts past August. I can see that a little discipline with these delectables would feel very good mid-winter. Beautiful meal.
I love all things huckleberry. My parents live in Northern ID so I always make sure they get me some. I have a lovely pulled pork sandwich with huckleberry bbq sauce on my blog.
I’m splitting a quarter local grass-fed beef with a friend, to be delivered this Sunday. I can’t wait!!! I can already tell it’s going to be the highlight of my weekend 🙂
If we could get NY strips here for $7.99, we’d eat steak every night! The only two places to get grass-fed beef close to me charge $14.99 normally. $12.99 on sale. As such, we stick to the “cheaper” cuts (although still flavorful) and save the more luxurious cuts for special occasions. Sigh.
I think the cooking time difference is down to the composition of the fat – grass fed has more O3s, which makes it cook faster (or something like that.. Skagit River Ranch was telling me a while ago).
A morel sauce is just the thing for the shack-nasties. I serve it with venison whenever I have either morels or venison…Too bad you live where it actually gets cold enough to have them. I am heading out looking for mushrooms manana…
Oh my goodness that looks and sounds awesome! I am always such a chicken at doing my own Ravioli, but I just need to get over that and make this! Great Lang!
One, “shack nasties” is now in my vocabulary of snappy sayings, and two, I am completely jealous of your jars of dried morels–mine were gone ages ago. Looking forward to being a more prolific picker this year.
“… with more butter for those of us not hung up about fat content …” The older I get, the more I believe medical science(he he) has this fat thing all wrong! I’ve always been one of the world’s butter lovers, which my doc knows well – so when I recently had an angio-gram which came up entirely negative, he just looked at me and said, “I won’t bother you anymore.”
I love scouring the woods for nettles. They look so ‘green’ right now, so young and vulnerable, but I swear they’re more toxic when they’re young. I was ‘stung’ recently and it lasted for days. The nettle tea was worth it though, and the ravioli even better. Thanks for inspiration.
Cool. I just started a free subscription of Bon Appetit and this was the first issue.
Having just finished reading Omnivore’s Dilemma and being intrigued about “foraging”, I had subscribed to your blog. Very cool. I look forward to seeing you on p26!
Is this the same sauce you made for Carolyn and I last summer? It was yummy and now I can make this myself once I get some morels. I enjoy beef, but am concerned with the sustainability of it, it is nice to see people coming up with humane and sustainable ways to provide it.
Love it. And yeah, lets just call anything with broth and seafood fish stew. When I posted my Bouillabaisse recipe a year ago, I got more emails from people saying it wasn’t “authentic” than I did comments!
Love the look of this. Love that it is full of seafood you caught.
Considering that I did a “Tales Of Bouillabaisse” on my blog this week, I’m beginning to wonder if we moss covered souls from the Northwest aren’t sharing a group craving. I made my version easy but your version, with the Dungeness Crab, sounds fantastic. My motto is everything tastes better with Dungeness Crab.
New years Day tradition at the Bascoes household. I add a little salmon and cod to mine and serve in a sour dough bread bowl. No matter what the ingredients are this is a simple, great to serve and eat recipe.
Great blog and congratulations. Happy to have found it through B.A. I’m excited that the Miners Lettuce is popping up now here in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Lang, Do you guys up there have more than one type of wild mussel? Ours is predominantly, Mytilus californianus, found on beach rocks. But since ya’all have such a history of other introduced commercial types, I’ve wondered if they may have naturalized?
Jenifer – I left a comment for you. Beautiful soup!
Peabody – Thanks, that means a lot coming from such a good food artist!
Tim – I hadn’t considered the hangover cure angle…
Doc – We have the big California mussel on the coast and the smaller blue mussel in Puget Sound. Most clammers don’t seem to target the mussels much, but I love ’em.
OM Goodness, that looks awesome Lang. We usually go down to Tomales Bay a couple times a year and buy oysters and put them on the BBQ. This stew looks incredible!
Lang: Perhaps you can (ahem) give us all a little education about the different species of oysters. Shigoku is all the rage right now in Seattle. That’s a Pacific oyster, correct? 🙂
Lovely. I’m envious of your access to such beautiful and fresh oysters! You might try a few whole cloves in your oyster stew- my mother’s recipe from New Orleans calls for several and they add a nice note.
Jon – Oysters on the BBQ are awesome–and smoked are even better! Tomales is a special spot–and a great white breeding zone, btw.
Becky – Ha ha! Isn’t marketing grand? Here’s info on the “ultimate” Shigoku oysters (and, yes, “it can be a Pacific oyster,” to quote our waiter that night, but now after reading the Oyster Guide’s article, I kinda understand what he meant; theoretically you could give kumamotos the same treatment).
FoulHooked – Give it a go and report back. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Remember to serve the stew immediately after the oysters curl.
Mdmnm – I’m always ready to try any twist already approved in Nawlins.
okay, but I’m still confused. A shigoku is a Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)-right?- that is treated differently to get the deep cup, correct? You could treat the Kumumoto (Crassostrea sikamea) that way but it still wouldn’t make it a Pacific. Right?
Becky – I’ll have to look at it more closely, but from what I understand “Shigoku” refers more to a process than a species. Yes, they’re using Pacifics, but Pacifics account for something like 98% of the West Coast oyster trade anyway. My point was that kumomotos (diff species) could be subjected to the same process and be called “Shigoku.” Just a speculation. Don’t quote me!
Lang, gorgeous pictures! I’ve eaten some of the tastiest raw oysters right off the beach on Hood Canal. Is there an season for oysters or is that a year-round daily limit?
I just had oyster stew for the first time at last American Thanksgiving. I liked it, which was surprising since I am not a huge oyster fan. Your stew looks yummy, just like the kind I had.
VERY pretty stew, Lang. I especially like the drizzle o’ hot sauce. I used to tong oysters on Long Island, and once ate more than 100 Blue Points at a sitting (I lost count…could have had something to do with the case of Moosehead I was polishing off at the time…) Ever eat cornmeal-crusted oysters fried in bacon fat for breakfast? Killer.
Audrey – I usually forego the oysters during the warmest months of summer b/c they’re spawning and all the good meat gets siphoned off to reproductive causes–making them watery or milky (though not necessarily unpalatable, if fried up for po’ boys, say).
Peabody – Next Thanksgiving: Raw on the halfshell!
Hank – My first was probably a blue point, since my grandparents lived in Oyster Bay, L.I. when I was a kid, though I’m sure you’re aware of the blue point controversy, how they shifted from east to west side of the island thanks to early shellfish marketing.
You live in a blessed place, Lang, and you clearly know how to make the best of it. I’m only able to contain my envy and oyster-lust because I’ll be visiting the west coast of Vancouver Island at the end of the month, planning to lay waste to a decent portion of the shellfish population! Thanks for whetting my appetite!
I eat (and freeze) nettles by the grocery bag during spring, but hadn’t thought of making pesto. Thanks for the fresh idea! And yes, the nettles are just peeking here in the foothills. Once this recent snow melts, we should be ready for harvest.
Don’t dump the squeezed out liquid down the drain! Ever heard of nettle tea? It’s a wonderful spring tonic and tastes pretty good as well, although it’s fairly intense.
John – Thanks for stopping by. I do make nettle tea, although in a more traditional process with dried pulverized nettles. I’ll have a chance to try your method momentarily since I just got back with a couple grocery bags stuffed with prime nettles and plan to boil and freeze batches for the off-season.
Stinging nettles have been coming up, literally, lately. This is a great idea. I’m excited to try it. I have a friend that has been trying to get me into them for a while. Time to go for it. Thanks Dana Zia http://danazia.wordpress.com/
Wow, wish I’d seen this before we pulled up the stinging nettles growing in our side yard last weekend.
We got stung pretty good before we figured out what they were – found the remedy growing right alongside them – curly dock; rubbing the leaves over the stung areas relieves the painful itch immediately. Curly dock looks kind of like a dandelion and grows right near the nettles.
very interesting – i really like that you made pesto w/ the stinging nettle.
i’m usually a purist when it comes to making traditional food with authentic techniques but, i have to say, making pesto by hand (ala mortar and pestle) is a real pain in the a–. i’ve tried it many times and i’ve also done the blender/processor way. i notice a VERY slight difference… not enough to get me to pound my pesto every time!
i’m really curious about the taste of stinging nettle. what would you say its flavor is comparable to?
Absolutely trying your de-tox smoothie! I’ve been making semi-naughty strawberry smoothies lately. Ok, they’re really more like milkshakes. Yours sounds delish and nutrish. Thanks!
LC – been following the blog for a couple of months now; you’re doing exactly what I would do if I had the motivation to blog about my foraging and cooking. You have a small but devoted following up here in South Canada. 🙂
If you haven’t already tried it, the “tea” left over from cooked nettles is more like a vegetable broth than an herbal tea, as it has the “cooked” flavor that dried nettles wouldn’t. It does seem to be very phytochemically active however, so I doubt many of the nutrients and other good stuff are destroyed by the cooking process.
In response to the last comment, nettles taste similar to domestic greens – probably the closest analogue is mustard or turnip greens – but a bit “wilder” and not quite as tender.
Sounds like a great day with your son, but with serious consequences. The de-tox sounds great, but for a moment it did evoke memories of the old grapefruit diet. 🙂
I think one week can be beneficial, just as shedding a mere 10 pounds can be beneficial. Now that Spring’s upon us, it will be so much easier to eat healthy.
Brilliant. I have always been far too chicken to try something like this myself. We have already decided to cut back on the fatty pork this spring (not good news for the guanciale in the fridge). The smoothie sounds great BTW.
Like you, as soon as a book mentions healing inner energy, it normally goes out the window, but I am a firm believer in the healing properties of food.
I too don’t buy the “safe levels of contaminants” crap – er, it shouldn’t be in there folks, that aint the stuff our bodies are designed to have.
Hope your back gets better soon mate. Bummer about having to cut out squash 🙁
you’re very right about the importance of detoxing. and this is the perfect time to do so. well, i’m going on a big vacation in a few weeks so i’ll do an official detox after that!
I’m in the mood for a purge too but I think I’ll clean my basement instead. Nothing like a good spring cleaning to help you remember what is important.
Fin, Long ago I decided that the secret to long life – and therefore more eating experiences – was diversity in one’s diet. So, in lieu of detox purges, I advocate eating a wide variety of mostly natural foods on a regular basis.
Strangely, that habit has led to developing a taste for things I once couldn’t eat, such as bitter foods! Fresh dandelion greens, sauted with garlic and olive oil, is now a passion! Think I’ll go pick a mess right now.
I’ve always just blanched and frozen them in the past, but this is the year that I’m going to dehydrate them. Do you think the flavor combination of elderberry juice and nettle tea would work? That’d be a real flu elixir!
It’s my favorite thing in the spring… I like the suggestions for drying, especially so that I can drink it throughout the winter. I usually just use tongs to push the fresh leaves into a french press and then infuse with hot water for about 5 minutes. I noticed the other day, strangely, that if you use the purple tips of the type of nettle that has that color, the infusion is bright blue. Very weird and, uh, not exactly tempting to drink.
Saara – I’m always in favor of mixing and matching. Do you have preserved elderberry juice from last year?
Esmaa – Thanks for reminding me of the lemon balm–we have a tenacious patch that survived my excavations for a raised veggie bed.
Becky – I want to taste more of your nettle concoctions. You’ll love the dried stuff b/c it’s so easy to toss a couple tbsps into a Potato Leek Soup or similar dish in the depths of winter.
Matt – Fresh is good too, esp. this time of year. Everyone should experience the tasty stinging nettle elixir.
When doing your detox/cleansing diet a great anti-oxidant is Mangosteen and can be used with Green Papaya Powder to facilitate a cleanse (available at http://royaltropics.com). And while getting cleaned out on the inside be sure to clean yourself on the outside with a Bathroom Bidet Sprayer from http://www.bathroomsprayers.com. You have never felt so refreshed and clean.
FOTL–I was in desperate need of a de-tox after a very sedentary winter in D.C., and your blog helped me immensely! I lived off of miso soup w/veggies, fruit + soy smoothies, and white bean/kale soups for 7 days and threw in some Bikram yoga–I feel like a new woman. Thanks!
Greetings LC! I too have just finished a spring detox, but instead of using nettle tea, I made nettle infusions which are stronger in their nutritional concentration.
Nettles abound! I just blogged a nettle dinner myself. I thought of you when I made it (though I didn’t have any wild clams or porcini to enjoy with my bounty). 🙂
My partner David made them last week and they were delicious! We’re living in a place in Oregon where the nettles are abundant and we’ve found much inspiration in your blog. Also, united on the butter front!
I’ve been delinquent in my responses–sorry! But a little R&R away from the Interwebs has its own nutritional value…
Poppy – When you’re done at your place I’ve got a whopper of a basement mess if you want to continue the purge.
Peef – Thanks for stopping by. Good luck with your spring cleansing!
Doc – It’s all about finding our own rhythms in this mysterious cosmos, right? Diversity of diet strikes me as a very sane approach. Enjoy those dandelion greens!
David – Thanks for the tips. I’ll check out those sites.
E. Lee – So glad to hear it! How inspiring to hear everyone chiming in about their own experiences. I’ve always found fasts and cleansings to be much easier in the company of friends and community.
I can’t wait to start reading your blog, it looks terrific. I live in Rome, in the city. Foraging stinging nettles (or anything else for that matter) in the public park just can’t cut it, just too much pollution. But on the weekend I shall scamper off to the countryside and harvest me some. It grows incredibly abundant in this period. Thanks for the great tea idea, ciao. (word verification: morel !)
Hey Danny, very cool–thanks! I encourage everyone to go check out Food Bloggers Unite! (link above) to see a bunch of tempting shots as well as really useful tips for food bloggers.
A rather delicious looking combination I have to say! Perfect for these remarkably crap Seattle days.
The little beurre blanc over the top makes it for me.
Always good to hear that Mutual (my favorite Seattle fishmonger) is being responsible, and a great lesson in always talking to those who sell you food.
I really should be pulling the dandelions out of the backyard.
Hi LC, Just found your blog as I was searching for nettle pesto recipes. If you want to maintain the optimum value of the dried nettle, don’t pulverise them before storage, keep them whole. This goes for all dried herbs I always pack the dried leaves into a glass jar which I then use for soup or other cooking during the winter.
Damn Fin, if this is the way you cook for lunch, when do you eat your dinner leftovers? – I’d hate to think you’re one of those “perfect” cooks who never have leftovers! You risk getting kicked out of the club, you know!
Oh god oh god. Lasagna, of course! Why not? It’s a perfect way to use spinach (poor man’s nettles), and nettles could benefit from the occasional blanket of cheese and sauce. I am on this like sting on nettle.
I was browsing for a halibut recipe on Taste Spotting and I must say, Wow this looks pretty incredible! I’ve never made dandelion greens. I’ll have to give it a shot.
Have you tried making lasagna without first boiling the noodles? As long as there is plenty of liquid, it works well for me and makes assembly much, much more easy.
LC – not really on topic, but do you collect verpas (verpa bohemica, sometimes referred to as ‘early morels’)? They are just starting to emerge up here.
Old, out-of-rotation t-shirt for you, time-honored favorite for many. Lasagna is comfort, lasagna is (for some, including me, heritage; lasagna is what we ate for Christmas dinner as a kid growing up in Jersey). And with nettles and porcini, no less! This sounds delish!
Mdmnm – You know, I haven’t, although I’ve heard similar reports. Next time I’ll give it a try.
John – I sometimes go looking for the verpas to get my eyes screwed in right for morel season, but I don’t eat them much. Lots of contradictory info about those little buggers, so I play it safe.
Anonymous – You’re right, the t-shirt analogy is unfair. Lasagna should always be in the rotation.
Great local/seasonal take on lasagna. It’s nice to see that you use dried and frozen ingredients too. Any tips on drying nettles bought at the farmers market?
I had the privilege of tasting this at the potluck last night, and I can verify it was killer :). John – funny, I asked Langdon the same question about verpas – and decided not to eat them.
At the risk of completely hijacking this thread, a bit more on the verpas. As noted, most guides advise against eating them and some classify them as outright poisonous, but I believe much of this is based on second-hand information and general caution toward any of the non-morchella species in the morel family. In any case, parboiling them prior to use seems to leach out whatever ill properties they may have. (As they boil, they’ll turn the water a cloudy grayish-brown and even release a bit of oil.) I won’t eat them without parboiling but know several old-timers who have eaten them straight for years with no apparent short- or long-term ill effects. They’re considered a prize edible up here in the north counties.
Jon – Bake and take is the ticket for good potluck. If you like spinach lasagna I’m sure you’ll like it with nettles.
Audrey – Spread the nettles on a screen in a sunny room and use a fan to blow off the moisture. It’ll take a couple days in our climate. You could try the lowest setting in the oven too.
Michael and John – I posted about verpas last spring here and here. John’s correct about folks eating them all their lives with no trouble, or at least no trouble attributed to the verpas. I’m always tempted, but since they don’t taste nearly as good to me as true morels, I almost always pass. It’s worth remembering that the science of edible mushrooms isn’t much more than folklore with some species. If you’re comfortable with the level of scientific and anecdotal info, then go for it.
I find each year I am more tuned in to the taste of bitter greens – and in the case of dandies, the early season stems are prime raw salad add-ins, and the later mature stems are great as cooked greens (with oo, and garlic of course).
I never thought to pick my own greens. I think I may just try that. Great looking salad. My mother in law picks her own grape leaves, and they taste much better than the store bought ones.
Jon – I kept my dandy leaves whole, but if you get some bigguns I’d recommend a rough chop. Enjoy!
Doc – Anyone who likes kale should be making use of this free and highly nutritious resource right now. And a simple green salad benefits from just a few torn leaves. Stay tuned for an all-forage salad soon…
Nooschi – Thanks for stopping by. Give it a try and report back.
Hmm, interesting! There are some dandelion greens around my community garden plot, maybe I’ll throw a few into my first salad greens harvest. Do you have any pictures of what a “too mature” dandelion plant looks like, or is it entirely about whether there’s a flower stem or not?
GraduallyGreener – Thanks for dropping by. I’d say it’s mostly about the flower stem/bud. Maybe later in the season this is less true (?). For salad greens, look for the rosette of leaves that hasn’t budded. That said, the buds are delicious in their own way, particularly in omelets, and the petals make a bright addition to bread.
Thanks for identifying which fern here locally is the one that should be harvested! Some of our locals get the bracken fern, but I wasn’t willing to take chances with that one (thiaminase) and I wasn’t going to run across any ostrich ferns in these parts. Now I can add another spring treat to the list!
Saara – I hear ya re: bracken. Some folks get heated up about that one. It’s true that Native Am. & Japanese have eaten bracken for hundreds of years. Also true that certain populations w/i those groups have higher rates of stomach cancer. ‘Course, with longer lives, a form of cancer gets most of us. I don’t eat bracken myself.
Wyldthang – Thanks for stopping by. Where in Oregon? I’ve spent some time in the Rogue River Canyon, near Merlin. Enjoy those fiddleheads! I made a total failure of a f-head recipe last night, which I’ll be posting about in a few days.
Hey there, thanks for the new ‘lesson’, while I live in the Netherlands (as an expat, I used to live in North Idaho), I am seeing many of the same plants here as in the Pac NW. Now that I’m looking for Nettles, they are EVERYWHERE here, and still not too tall. We had some great pesto last night, though the blender method of prep was tedious, might be time to invest in a processor. All the best, thanks for sharing! Monica
Unique, distinctive and totally cool as usual Lang. Thanks for another great alter-recipe. We don’t get a lot of fern down here in the upper Sacramento valley – too dry and warm. But I do suppose if you headed to the SF bay area there would be plenty to choose from.
Monica & Mike – Thanks for visiting from across the pond. It makes sense that you’d see a lot of the same temperate plants. I’m not sure what species of fiddlehead would be there, but I’d bet there’s a choice edible nearby. Let me know what you find.
Jon – SF, or what about the Sierra foothills? You and Hank aren’t far from excellent morel and spring porcini habitat to the north…
For years my biologist former hubby & I made nettle quiches, nettle everything! My dad started collecting them on fishing trips again, recalling he’d eaten them as a kid in Milwaukie.
In seaweed & herb a class with Ryan Drum up on Waldron Isl, his young son delighted in showing us how to eat a nettle leaf raw – (involves FIRMLY stroking the leaf several times from stem to tip, then rolling. you just need to break down the silica ‘hairs’ that hold the formic acid), & I’ve had raw nettles juiced with carrots – rich & green!
I’m with the others on saving the blanching liquid – I’d use the spinner in a stainless steel bowl.
I often use Susun Weed’s sug. of nettle (or other herb) infusion, steeping the herbs for 4 hours or so, then storing in the fridge. I often use some of that liquid in cooking 🙂
As a kid my favorite vegetable, maybe my only vegetable, was my grandmother’s wilted lettuce salad, made with bacon, bacon drippings and vinegar. I’ll try to harvest dandy leaves according to your instructions and have at it again. Thanks for inspiration.
Hi again,I’m in the coast range of Oregon, west of McMinville. Lots of the same plants as in Wa where you are(I grew up in DesMoines), but still just a teeny bit different…fraternal twins rather than identical kind of differences(well,at least it seems to me) . Really enjoying looking back through your recipes, I really want to get your book! BTW, back in the 70’s I remember in 6th grade(outdoor school year at Camp Waskowitz in North Bend), at school there was a small woods in the back of the grounds. We foraged stuff–chewed fireweed stalk, made salal and oregon grape jam(not very exciting), and pineapple weed biscuits, ate the new tips of oregon grape(wow! sour!). Probably couldn’t get away with that today…
That’s a beautiful plate of twirly food, Lang–thanks for the preview of coming attractions. The earth is still thawing…very…slowly here in MN/WI, garden chives just barely poking up. Cheers~ Brett
Poppy – Maybe a fiddlehead post for Mixed Greens? I’ll look forward to yr photos…
Wyldthang – Love that area. Last time I took the road over to the coast from McM. we stopped for a rest and watched a bald eagle hunting steelhead along a small stream.
Brett – You have a lot to look forward to. A few morels are being found in southern Mich.
Matt – They are around longer for us b/c we can forage higher in elevation as spring progresses, even if the commercial harvest is mostly over.
Kimi – Thanks for stopping by. Give ’em a try. New tastes are invigorating!
Chief, I’m near Seward. Where are you? Maybe we could meet. There are a few nettles there but not much. Decent blackberry action in summer. Love the remnant old growth. Haven’t looked for fiddleheads in Seward but would be game…
yeah; lets meet up. I read that lady fern shares habitat w/ skunkcabbage and devils club. Theres definetly skunk cabbage at seward. Did yo know about the mushroom action there? Lots of chanties and a few princes from what I’ve seen. I’ll probably head out to the park sometime this afternoon. I’m at Rainier and Charles. Seth [cell]360 990 0121
LC- I visit your blog nearly every day. I’m from Vancouver, BC- basically the same climate as you- and have been following your forage prompts. I even found some lady ferns in Stanley Park, though I didn’t pick them cus they were not so plentiful.
Chief – Couldn’t make it on short notice; I’ll give you a holler next time.
Camille – Thanks for reading! Next time you find some lady ferns look around b/c there will usually be more, especially if along a water course. If you take 40% of the fiddleheads the plant will be fine; I’ve heard others say it will be fine if you take all of ’em, but I always leave more than half.
Becky – Lotsa weeds go by peppercress. There’s a mustard in genus Lepidium, field peppercress (Lepidium campestre). Also a few others found in sandy soil or near beaches. Where’d you find it?
Great post. From the looks of it we just ripped out a big patch of Cardamine, though undoubtedly more will be back soon. And cat’s ear — I’ve been waging a losing battle with that plant for years. For weed control I once tried cooking them with boiling water, but maybe eating will be the trick.
Michael – I just checked the entry for poison hemlock and then re-read entries for other carrot family plants (cow parsnip, sweet cicely, etc.) and only under water celery did it caution about poison look-alikes, so I guess the answer is “no.”
To be honest, some knowledge is necessary–common names or families–to make this book useful. The illustrations are b&w. I’ll do some research to recommend a beginner book for those who come to this w/o any prior experience.
Audrey – You’re right, the bittercress will be back in no time. Also, I think it’s supposed to be a good cover crop (nitrogen fixer), so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. As for cat’s ear, I’ve waged my battles and given up. Even tried vinegar. Unless you’re willing to use commercial herbicides (please don’t!), they’re here to stay so might as well dine on ’em.
Any suggestions on flax oil substitute? I can get the seeds in France, but the oil is banned because it goes rancid too fast.
Also, for your back, it’s not the weight or the squash. Check out Pete Egoscue’s book “Pain Free” (www.egoscue.com) for drug-free, surgery-free options.
Ladyflyfish – That stuff is wicked nutritious (was just talking to a friend from Boston) and tasty too. Should be popping up soon around Seattle. How do you like to prepare it?
Hi! I was going to ask if the bittercress is also peppergrass(funny to hear different name variations, I can’t see your photo well enough to tell). Was munching on peppergrass when I was weeding my garden. Thanks for the cat’s ears info.
I always call bittercress peppercress instead because it actually tastes a bit peppery. I think it’s my favourite tasting edible weed, but not that great for texture as it can sometimes be stringy. I realllly like sheep sorrel. It grew around my parent’s yard when I was growing up and I called it “sour grass”. Apparently curly dock and plantain are good raw too, but I’ve never bothered. I’m sure I’ll get around to it eventually.
Wowza, this is fantastically inspiring. Found you just now from Food Gawker, and boy am I ever going to look hard for someone who could give me a tour of local (Bay Area CA) edible wild plants. What an overlooked resource.
Like your other commenter, I’m nervous about mistaking something edible for something dire — even with a good photo, I’d love to find someone knowledgeable who could point out the nuances in person.
Thanks so much for getting my head pointed in this direction!!!
I have tons of the cats ear! I’ve been pulling it and throwing it in yardwaste, but this weekend I’m going to pull it and eat it! Between that and the purple dead nettle that’s growing, I should have a tasty tasty salad.
Camille – I’m still not sure if bittercress & peppercress are the same thing–that’s why botanists are always urging us to learn our Latin! But I took French in HS… (sigh).
Carroll – Thanks for dropping by! You raise a good point. I can’t say enough how important it is to learn first-hand from *another person who knows what they’re talking about* and not just from books. Books are great, but when it comes to IDing plants and fungi, get out into the field.
Esmaa – Thank YOU for being a regular part of the discussion ’round here!
Patricia – My advice for the first go-round: braise your cat’s ear leaves (garlic, chicken stock, olive oil, apple jelly, soy, whatever) and eat with a piece of fish or meat or tofu. Then try raw, first in small doses with other domestic greens, then perhaps in an all-wild salad if you dig it. Report back!
JEE-sus, Lang, you are afoot with your leafy greens! How in the heck did you have time to harvest how many kinds of watercress this and salmonberry that–before or after chomping down waaaaaaaay too much kettle corn at the M’s game???? My favorite description: cat’s ears as succubus (or would that be succubuses? succubi?). Oh, and gotta love the way you arranged those blossoms on top of those luscious greens. I wanted to dive right in. Must be a really nice camera. Did you get it as a present or something?
Yum – the detox-smoothie sounds delish – & miso soup, nettle tea, . . . One of my new favorites is coconut oil & milk – coconutoil research. com is one good site – I’ve added it to smoothies (with the pinapple would taste like pina colada!) the medium chain fatty acids in OVC (organic virgin coconut oil) don’t stress the liver or pancreas, & are burned rather than stored – so great cleansing tool. Also anti-viral, fungal, bacterial; so start slow if you have candida overgrowth! . . .
One of my favs. is chapparal cleanse, a la Lalitha (10 essential herbs) – tastes better each day!
You’re right – this is heavenly!! Had to make a second batch a couple of days later. For nuts, I cracked some local hazelnuts. I took a wee bowl along to a Red Hat tea – got some rave reviews! thanks again for a new favorite!
Damnit, Lang! I just “ate my lawn” last weekend and was going to post on it. Oh well, as we are more than a month ahead of you in the growing season (our bittercress is WAAY bitter now with 95-degree heat), I will post anyway. We have a different set of plants here I can take note of…
Wow!! i really think you should visit Nepal to find out more about wild experience in food. Stinging nettles, ferns, leaves of many wild plants and much more were cooked and served for decades in this Himalayan Nation. I was surprised to see stinging nettle news on WSJ.com. Thanks !!!
Oooo, I LOVE chimichurri, so strong and full of flavor. I’ve not had it with tuna, but will try now. My fav is to have it on a nice rare thin slice of flank steak hot off the bar-b-q. Very nice.
Last year chickweed took over about a 50 sq ft section of my virtually unmaintained lawn. I didn’t know what it was. I’m so happy to find out that it is edible, too. It is just starting to come up.
Susun Weed calls Chickweed ‘star maiden’ stelleria – star 🙂 I love chickweed – I have some in the plants on my front porch, doesn’t seem to want to grow in my garden, tho I have a bunch of mache (corn salad) there . . . & there’s a nice bunch under a cedar at my neighbor’s house!
Check out my nettle pesto recipe (on Vestella’s Vale)- another ‘who would have thought to try this – YUM!!!’You blanch the nettles first (~ a minute) – & could use it in chimichurri, too 🙂
I enjoyed reading about the Irish-Argentinian origin of chimichurri (whether it’s true or not!). And a recipe using chickweed with poke is something I never would have dreamed of, and I live in the center of the poke universe. I wonder how it would go with a little limu seaweed. I’ll have to go looking for chickweed soon.
Jon – Good point. I should have mentioned the post that a chimichurri is traditionally used with meats, and being of Argentinean origin, the preferred meat would be beef. Flank steak off the BBQ is idea for chimichurri.
Craftydabbler – Thanks for stopping by. Sounds like you have dinner waiting to happen on the lawn. Good deal.
Dia – Under a cedar? That shows how adaptable it is. How do you like the coconut oil in the pesto?
Matt – I was wondering about that too after reading your post. Oh well, you don’t have to worry about weeds staging a comeback! ; )
GraduallyGreener – Lots of uses for chickweed too! You can add it to a salad or try the chimichurri for starters. Good luck.
Sapuche – Thanks for dropping by. You *do* live in Pokeville. Give it a try and tell me what you think–it’s definitely a changeup from the usual ceviches and soy-based marinades. Add some seaweed too.
You’re joking: Someone SELLS chickweed? PT Barnum was right. It grows everywhere in Sacramento at least, and in a rainier place like Seattle it must overrun places. I use it as a salad green to balance the more bitter wild lettuces and chicories.
HI! I’m going to make this for supper–I’ll marinate some chicken thighs and skewer it with onions, grill and then put it in tortillas with black beans(and more sauce).
Except it’s funny how scarce some of these weeds are when you live in the woods! Hardly any chickweed here, so I’ll slip in some Siberian Miner’s Lettuce and some Peppergrass instead(and some fresh oregano). Thanks!
Mdmnm – The Gray’s is out? Dang, my copy hasn’t arrived yet.
Hank – Now, now…not everyone is comfortable identifying wild plants and fungi–and I’ll take this opportunity to reiterate that you should never eat anything that you don’t recognize with certainty. That said, it’s easy to learn and fun too. A couple books, an edible plant walk at the botanical society or field trip with an expert is all it takes.
Wyldthang – You’re making me hungry! Glad the miner’s lettuce worked out; it’s very similar in taste to chickweed. And that reminds me to check on a miner’s lettuce patch over by Lake Washington…
Albert – Thanks for stopping by. Yeah, chimichurri is a versatile little sauce. And easy to make.
I love the taste of tea with fresh nettles — at the risk of soundy cheesy, I think it tastes like ‘spring’! Do you have any idea how the taste of nettle tea made with dried leaves compares to tea made with fresh leaves?
Just read your post (as I was searching the web for advice on tracking down fiddleheads here in the Northeast). Heading out to the woods (swampy) behind my house to search right now and looking forward to making your recipe. See you in a few weeks.
thanks for the recipes…our Farmers Market is opening their doors May 6th and will have Fiddleheads avaialbe. I posted a link to your blog for our readers to find more info. and recipes. thank you!
If you are harvesting petals, do you use them in cooking without washing or rinsing them? I imagine that trying to rinse dandelion petals would just result in a big soggy clump.
I can’t wait to try this … thanks for sharing this … I ate my first dandylion last year when Julie, a Vietnamese woman in our allotment told me they were sweet and I should try one!
I made some sensational chimichurri from your recipe and the wad of chickweed you found outside of our office yesterday and so generously gifted to me! Sooo delicious — Eating my weeds might change my life! I’ll be harvesting the chickweed like crazy and looking for more recipes from you. Thanks for the inspiration!!
Emily – And now you know where a good supply is! I don’t think we have to worry about that store clerk absconding with any… So glad you got turned on to weeds. And nice meeting you the other day!
Bravo! Excellent pics as always and you left me with a line that will stay with me all day: “almost as cool as hurling a prehistoric projectile at an oversized elephant having a bad hair day.”
PhD-ed buggers! Pop ’em into yer mouth like shrimp balls, which is sorta what these tempera dandy blossoms taste like. You won’t even know you’re missing meat, I swear.
wow, this is so great. I got to your blog post from Tea & Cookies blog (she linked to you). I love this idea of using dandelions instead of fighting them. Would it be safe to use the ones in my backyard? I haven’t used chemicals in the lawn for the past 3 years…
Wow – I love dandelion greens in salads, but I didn’t even know the flower heads were edible! I will definitely by trying this. I’ve never understood why people hate dandelions on the lawn – they’re one of the prettiest flowers around, and fun to play with too!
I had no idea… As I get more and more into foraging of wild foods, I am amazed at how much is out there that most people don’t know about. So nothing about the dandelion then is toxic, cooked or fresh?
We’ve let our back yard go to hell in a handbasket, but now I’m happily looking forward at actually using some of those dandelions out there for something practical. Thanks for this!
Oh wow, I didn’t realize you were a writer (I just followed your blog from the PSMS link you sent earlier about Verpas). And the book that you’re publishing looks to be EXACTLY what I was looking for earlier (I found plant foraging, or berry foraging, but not an all-around foraging book, especially for this region). Thanks for writing it! Any ideas on when it’ll be available?
Ra – Thanks for you interest in the book! It comes out Aug. 30, although it’s available for pre-order now–there’s a link above right, just below my “False Morel Poll.”
If you click the link you’ll see the book cover, which was just finished.
This sounds terrific. I love edible flowers but living in NYC I am very careful about sourcing them. All your dandelion recipes are making me wish I had a yard full of them. I bet this would be good with chickpea flour too.
Thank you for that lovely recipe… now, you made me think of Tempura Dandies stick out in the garden waiting to be pluck and dip in tempura sauce!!! (imagined herself holding a bowl of dipping sauce, running around the garden with hashi!)
I love reading your blog and the interesting infos. Thank you for sharing.
i really want to try these, and i have a huge backyard full of them, but i’m afraid of missing a tiny bug or two and eating them. how do you clean yours? i would be so tedious.
Been out digging clams and shucking oysters–thanks for all the comments in my absence!
Tiny Banquet – Probably a good idea to exercise caution when foraging in very urban places. This is an issue I plan to research for a future post, so stay tuned.
Pixen – Grazing on the lawn with dipping sauces is certainly an option!
Cynthia – Moms try hard to keep us out of trouble, but sometimes the received wisdom is a tad off…
T – Hooray for eating weeds. Well done!
Liz – Delicious & healthy forage is waiting right out the back door…
Slow-one – Looking forward to a Crawdad Boil post this summer!
Wifemothermaniac – Excellent. Please report back.
Vicki – The pee factor is a consideration. Choose spots wisely!
B. – No cleaning, really. And you probably don’t want to know the stats on how many bugs each of us eats accidentally per year…
it seems suddenly dandelions are all the rage. I had a friend recently hunting them down for wine making, tea is making muffins, and now you are frying up tempura. who knew?! not me… i was going to tell you to just get rid of that lawn, but then you’d lose your dandies. hmmm… what to do? what to do?
OK, now that’s just cool. Me likey. Only suggestion I have on the batter is to switch out for club soda or seltzer water — you get an even lighter, crispier tempura that way.
HI! I have a question for you if it’s ok, I have that yellow spotted dead nettle and was wondering if it’s okay to eat for greens. I can’t google up any info that it is okay–other than people in Germany and Sweden do eat the white version for greens. I also see it’s an invasive weed in Seattle(so they don’t like it). Just curious what you thought–if it is indeed fine to eat, maybe we could help eradicate it by eating it?
My 7 year old daughter and I made this bread today and it is really good! It does taste a lot like cornbread. We will definately make it again and try some of the other dandelion recipes too.
I cannot wait to have a copy in my hands. Please forgive, for I know I will write in the margins and dog-ear pages before I’ve had my copy more than a few hours.
Congratulations! The cover looks great and I love seeing the crab which to me helps illustrate the broader view of foraging not just in the woods, but in the water as well.
jealous. grey with envy. hungry after reading that, too.
I feel like I can’t find a decent foraging beach in Vancouver. I should hop over to the islands or Gibsons I guess. Even North Vancouver probably has some.
Mary – Day after tomorrow I jump over the mountains. Morels are finally popping up here.
Jen – It is fun! Australia must have clams…
David – Thanks pal! When are we going fishing?
Leslie – The great thing about clamming is you can do it pretty much all year. Ping me…
Camille – Get outside the city. There must be clamming options w/i an hour of Van. So much fun, esp. when the weather cooperates. Next time we’ll cook right on the beach!
Hey! Recently found your blog and love it. Here in cold Norway the nettles have just started peeking out of the ground. As I live in a big city (Oslo) I wonder how far off the roads I should go before I can be sure that the nettles don’t contain any toxins from street dust, car fumes, etc ?
Grew up in New Orleans and absolutely love ACME Oyster House (FYI – Felix’s [right across the street] is good too). Their oyster po-boys are one of the best. Held my wedding reception at ACME’s & enjoyed many an oyster that night…
Wow, I didn’t know they had seabeans around here. I’ve only had them once but they were delicious. I thought they grew underwater, but I guess not. I will have to look into how to identify them (any hints??), as I frequent the shores of puget sound pretty often as a diver. Thanks!
Oh, that looks incredible! We’re currently foraging the treasures of northern Michigan hardwoods in the form of morels and wild leeks galore….but this makes me want to live by the shore:)
I absolutely LOVE sea beans! I so need to look for some next time I hit the beaches. I pickle them in brine and that salty, slightly fermented kick rocks. Need to go chase horse clams soon…
Jesse – The Dandy Bread seems to have piqued some interest. Give it a whirl and then proceed on to the next weeds on your lawn…
Wandering Owl – The host was into it and I think we’ll be back later this summer. Hooray for foraging!
Poppy – I hope we entertained a few folks stuck in traffic. Thanks!
Saara – That one puffball is food for a week!
Julie – Thanks for your support. I’m bowled over by all the kind words.
Matt – I plan to saute and freeze some of the puffball, so you can get a bite. Half of it I gave to Patrice, the prez of Puget Sound Mycological Society, since today’s monthly meeting will involve a cooking demonstration.
Matt – Swing by Mt. Baker hood and I’ll gift you some…
Garrett – Seems to me Sacramento should be a good locale for puffballs, although maybe it’s too late. You might try logging clearcuts up in the Sierra Nevada. They like openings, meadows, disturbed areas…not shade. BTW, so cool that you’re growing lemongrass.
Aw – & with that Alien Egg title, I thought you were in my neck of the woods, where the 2nd largest Alien fest in the nation begins Fri!! (only topped by R. New Mexico!) . . .
A 10-pound shroom?! Yikes. Datsa alotta food…You can freeze or dry them, right? And yes, it is far too late for puffpalls in Sacto. They come around February and March here…
Oh, I’m so delighted to have found your blog and to see you have a book coming out this summer! I just bagged a punch of fiddleheads at the Portland farmers’ market this morning and think I’ll pull some lamb chops out of the freezer.
Julia – A giant puffball, when sliced open and in mint condition, smells a lot like your typical domestic market ‘shroom. When cooked the taste is a little more subtle.
DP – Portland probably has a few of these bad boys loitering around somewhere unexpected.
Dia – If you arrived at your Alien Fest cradling one of these, I guarantee you’d get some looks.
Hank – I’m guessing a quick saute and freeze job will work. Will report back.
Codfish – Yes, though more delicate. It’s no morel or porcino, but it’s good when used properly and there’s a lot of it!
Peabody – If I served you this miso you might eat all the “tofu” and not realize it’s puffball. That’s how similar the “look & feel” are.
Semolina gnocchi – right up my alley. I can’t believe I never tried this. Adding mascarpone cheese to the sauce is interesting – I don’t use it enough in savory dishes. Do you think creme fraiche would work as well?
Garrett, head up to Bassi Falls in the Eldorado National Forest. Quick. I was up there last weekend and saw at least 30 puffballs growing right alongside the dirt road leading to the falls. Picked about 10 of them, left the rest.
You only want to eat the nice firm ones whose flesh is white all the way through–no yellowing.
Turnoff to Bassi Falls is directly opposite Silver Fork Campground on Ice House Rd. Then follow signs to falls and keep your eyes peeled. Even if you don’t find any table fare, the falls are spectacular right now.
wow man! i have been off in la la land between looking for a house and getting ready for my first child. i’ve clearly been missing out on some ridiculously solid content! congrats on the book too! can’t wait to get a copy. nice coverage on the morel\falsey debate.
This dish looks fabulous! So many wonderful wild mushrooms in the Northwest farmers markets right now, especially in Portland, it’s great o have ideas for using them. I usually make potato gnocci so also good to be reminded that there is another option. Nice site!
Peabody – This was my first attempt on the semolina front. Easier than potato, I’d say. Different flavor/texture. V. tasty.
Julia – I’m wondering why I’ve never made it before!
Linda – Your gnocchi is crazy delicious looking. I recommend the wild shrooms.
GraduallyGreener – It is…er…was.
Garrett – Gnocchi of all kinds is about texture, isn’t it.
Allison – I’m a bit of a heavy cream freak, but the nice thing about mascarpone is you don’t need to worry about reducing or thickening or separating. When the mascarpone has melted into the sauce you’re done.
Matt – Madiera is indeed a key ingredient in this dish. The sauce depends on that extra kick.
T-Mos – Now I know where you’ve been! Congrats on the future new addition.
LunaCafe – Thanks for stopping by. We’re rolling in good food in the PNW right now. Porcini on it’s way too…
Fascinating!! i’m not new to forageing – and have made both dandelion honey (using the petals) and salads (using the greens), but not dandelion bread. Bookmarked!!
A delicious sauce, indeed, and worth all the effort, though maybe not a dish to perfect at 5 pm on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend . . . that said, I licked the bowl clean.
I love the idea of pickling! (I just pickled some ramps in the same fashion). The fiddleheads here are starting to show up in the markets slightly unraveling… I wonder if that means the season is nearing the end.
One of my readers posed this question, and maybe you know the answer: “Are all ferns OK to eat as fiddleheads?”
Garrett – Might be time to relive some of those childhood memories.
Matt – I’m thinking they’ll be extra good right around the end of the BBQ season, when spring will seem like a distant shore.
Julia – Yeah, those unravelled fiddleheads are to be avoided if possible, at least with lady ferns. Maybe ostrich can hang on a little longer before turning bitter.
A foray we went on with an nice popular hungarian lady (mushroom picker) let us have some of her pickled fiddleheads. Ever since I have wondered which ferns to pick from. The pictures look so close. Just need someone to show me. I have 6 acres of ferns it seems and they do not appear to be the right species? What you have looks so nummy. CookNgrl
I've been pickling like crazy and making oshinko sushi with some select pickles (like radish and burdock). I'm actually right in the middle of writing a post about it.
I think the best edible ferns (fiddleheads) are lady and ostrich. The ones I collect in BC are Ladies but I think Ostrich tastes better. Bracken can be eaten-I love the texture
I usually steep pineapple weed without drying first; same with berry leaves. Do you think drying improves flavor? I'll have to do a taste test sometime.
Do you know if pineapple weed has the same sedative properties as chamomile? There's plenty of it near me and I love the fragrance but I've never wanted the sleepytime effect.
Ruralrose – The tea most definitely has an essence of pineapple. Subtle but good.
chiefseth – My references suggest both approaches. Since it was so hot, I figured I'd dry. But fresh is fine too. Will try both methods back to back for taste test.
Julia – Now now, don't sell yourself short. You'll be surprised how easy it really is. And then you'll try
Wanted to say thanks for sharing this little treasure with us all. I spotted several patches of pineapple weed on my walk to work yesterday between Beacon Hill and Downtown, picked some of the flowers, and steeped them when I got to work. The flavor is subtle, but definitely reminded me of chamomile – but I didn't feel sleepy from it (though admittedly, chamomile doesn't really make me
Just discovered your site and saw that you have a book coming out. I look forward to reading it!
Also, I'll share a few tips re: herbs. Drying herbs concentrates the essential oils, (flavors), by eliminating the water. Then when you make tea you only have one dose of water instead of the additional plant water and therefore a stronger brew.
With so many food blogs covering the same old ground, it's refreshing to find one so completely different. I've never heard of pineapple weed in my life, and though I don't plan to forage for it anytime soon, I'm glad to have learned something new.
Thank you for posting this. Pineapple weed is one of my favorite plants. Native Americans have used pineapple weed for a number of things….. a pillow made from dried flowers to treat headaches, a strong tea given to a new mother to bring in her milk, even perfume and insect repellant. The list goes on. Just wanted to share a few. Happy foraging.
Oh wow. Mouth officially watering. Thanks for the explanation about worms. I remember buying a gigantic, beautiful spring porcini at the Olympia farmers market last June and being disappointed with how wormy it was. Maybe next time I’ll choose a few smaller ones instead.
Throw us a bone, Lang – west side, east side, both? About what elevation right now? And do they tend to fruit in the same areas/conditions as the fall porcini?
GraduallyGreener – Smaller ones are a better choice all around–unless you plan to dry them. The small buttons are firmer, with a nice crunch to them, and they usually have fewer or no bugs. Next time ask the seller to slice the porcino in half before you buy.
Ciao Chow Linda – Wait til you see my Porcini, Pancetta, and Tomato Cream Sauce over Fettucini. Truly to drool over. Future post…
Hank – Bugs love porcini, just like us. This year has been particularly buggy in the North Cascades b/c of the heat wave.
John – The east slopes of the Cascades and Sierra Nevadas are where it’s at. I did a circuit, driving Stevens Pass to Blewett Pass and home over Snoqualmie Pass. Picked btwn 2500-4000 feet, with better specimens at higher elevations. Look for less disturbed forests than where you would normally find morels.
Lisaiscooking – To be honest, I had to do some driving. Spring porcini don’t fruit on the west slopes of the Cascades, so it took me a couple hours to get over the mountains and into the hunting grounds. That’s why I try to combine a camping trip with a porcini hunt.
Matt – You’ve got lots of spring greens in your garden, right? Grill up some sliced porcini (1/4 inch thick), brush on a solution of olive oil, garlic, and herbs, and serve over tender salad greens with your favorite dressing. Perfecto!
Thanks for the tips Lang. I was over in the Methow last weekend looking at higher elevations for morels (no luck) and also had my eye open for the spring kings but didn’t see anything. They have received a fair bit of thunderstorm-produced rain over the last week or so – the ground is quite wet in areas that got rain – so I expect that is a good sign for them. If I have time this weekend I’ll run over that way again and concentrate on the spring kings instead of morels…
Oh, yum, that sounds delicious. Porcini won’t come out in my region (southern Finland) for a little while, but I’m definitely going to try this when they do. Thank you for the recipe!
Lang, have you ever used nepitella (Calamintha nepeta) to season porcini with? Apparently it is a close relative to catnip with a flavor profile somewhere between mint and thyme, and is the traditional Tuscan herbal accompaniment to porcini.
That’s exactly the recipe I was looking for since buying some freshly foraged porcinis and wild watercress at Kookoolan Farms yesterday. Thanks, Langdon!
Wow, I’ve been picking the flower heads off these since I was a little kid on my grandparent’s farm in Ontario. They grew everywhere but especially in the center of the hard-packed wagon tracks between fields of sweet corn. The smell can still take me back to my childhood. I never tried tea made from them but I will now.
Hey Lang! Looks like you’re easing into summer in fine fettle – I may have already told you I don’t let a few bugs scare me from a porcini feast – but my bravado was challenged a few years ago when I picked up a pound of dried porcini at Costco (China, of course). Put ’em in my pantry and when I went to use them sev months later, all that was left was a webby powder – apparently,drying doesn’t kill the hardy buggers.
Michele – Thanks for stopping by–and all the way from Finland! I hear there’s good mushroom hunting in your neck of the woods. Have a bountiful season.
John – Haven’t used nepitella but have certainly heard of it. The mintiness would add a nice jolt of spring to the thyme flavor. Sounds like a winner.
NW Palate – Glad to be of service. Enjoy your meal!
Ciao Chow Linda – Thanks, I’m glad you think so, since it was hard under the circumstances (hunk o’ meat, bad light, too much wine already) to get a photo that fully expressed the enjoyment we got out of this particular meal. Good friends, good local seasonal ingredients, lots of laughter at table. What a meal should be.
Julia – Me too! Almost everything goes better with morels.
Grilling porcini really is the one of the best ways to eat them. I love catnip for cooking but haven’t successfully grown it without a stealthy feline finding it. Sounds like a good combo with porcini though.
I have been loving Porcini’s, and actually never thought of drying my own. Makes sense, the price for dried is ridiculous (even more ridiculous than the price of fresh).
Love the story of the worms.. you should do some other color experiments with them!
OMG! We found a rex-veris growing in the greenhouse last night and just fried it up. It had been half-eaten by a mouse but no worms, but we salvaged what we could. Most fantastic mushroom. We need a years supply of these buggers! Advice? 🙂
I always thought that was just a type of chamomile. So glad to know about pineapple weed. Wonder if it might work in a cocktail? I may give it a try – just trying to keep it local.
Matt – I don’t have a regular lamb spot. Sometimes the Columbia City butcher (Bob’s Meat Locker, or something like that), sometimes the guys in the Pike Place Market, sometimes the local QFC if pressed for time. It was all-natural, but not sure of the provenance.
Doc – Hopefully I’m making the case that anyone–including a guy who finished schooling not knowing how to chop an onion–can cook a decent meal with honest ingredients. Also, when you forage some of those ingredients yourself, you want to give them the best preparation possible.
So funny that the worms migrated to the book cover. That book was a good read wasn’t it? Thanks for adding me to your blog roll. I’ll return the favor in the next couple of weeks when I update mine too.
Well, I’ll have to admit to not being 100% sure on the ID, but I checked 3 books and the interwebs and nothing else fit. I did consider taking a pic, but didn’t. If I run across the same bolete again, I will. Spore print was brown, gills didn’t stain, flesh was white, and it was otherwise velvety brown.
I think the meaty fish go especially well with mushrooms — tuna, cod, salmon, scallops…. and this dish looks great! I love the Asian influence from the marinade.
Mushrooms and fish is a classic combo in Italian and Spanish cooking — mare e monte — shellfish and shrooms is even better. Lobster with lobster mushrooms, anyone?
Went to take the recycling out today and what should I find but a happy little crop of these guys living in my alley. Since I have a cold today, took a small handful inside and steeped them in a coffee mug for about 4 minutes. They really do smell pineappley but the taste was very subtle. A teaspoon of honey made it really good (and good for the throat!). And a shot of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka really spiced things up!
This is making me drowsy, just looking at it. And I mean that in the best way possible. It’s a great recipe for homemade pasta (because who wants to go to the trouble for just any old sauce?).
Anyway, I found you on TasteSpotting and am writing to say that if you have any photos that aren’t accepted there, I’d love to publish them. Visit my new site (below), it’s a lot of fun! I hope you will consider it.
Ciao Chow Linda – Where do you think this *former* prejudice of ours derives? Is it because one so rarely sees the shroom-fish pairing in restaurants, the arbiters of taste? This is changing in Seattle, I might add, where the combo isn’t so uncommon these days.
Julia – I’d like to try thinly sliced matsutake with seared tuna. Will give it a go this fall.
Hank – The double lobster extravaganza needs to happen!
Dried shrooms are a staple in my pantry. Yes, I buy them at the farmers market and I’m not in debtor’s prison. Yet. I use them in small amounts in risotto and polenta, and sauce – a couple of tablespoons make everything sing. I’d love to collect and dry some of these.
Your tales of the Aspen bolete remind me why I’m scared of mushrooming. I do have one friend I go out with, and trust him enough to distinguish the edible from the poisonous.
We found Aspen Boletes last year and a couple of weeks ago, but the info from the CO Mycological Society kept us from trying any. Might have to nibble a bit of one to see if I fall into the allergic category, although “severe gastric distress” and a hospital trip don’t seem quite worth it.
Ciao Chow Linda – The stuffing *was* delicious, and very simple to make. Store-bought shrooms can be substituted, but as you know, the wild stuff is superior.
Julia – Fear not. Plenty of wild mushrooms don’t come with an asterisk like the Barry Bonds homerun ball. Chanterelles, morels, and porcini are easy to ID once learned, and very few are allergic to those species.
mdmnm – A small nibble of a cooked Aspen bolete shouldn’t result in severe gastric distress even if you are allergic. It’s the full meal you want to avoid the first time around. Now, with suspected deadly poisonous species, you never test for edibility. Theoretically, this same advice should be applied to commonly eaten wild shrooms. You never know what you may be allergic to.
I’m usually underwhelmed by trout on the table (tastes a little too much like its last meal, plus I’m much in favor of catch and release), but this version was a welcome exception. If a fish has to die, it deserves to be stuffed with wild mushrooms and a hearty dash of crisp bacon, then laid atop a pile of steamed asparagus. YUM!
The morel sauce looks delicious and I will be trying it as soon as they are available again. Your recipe calls for adding some herbs, but they are not listed in the ingredient list. Which do you use and about what quantity?
The morel sauce looks delicious and I will be trying it as soon as they are available again. Your recipe calls for adding some herbs, but they are not listed in the ingredient list. Which do you use and about what quantity?
I’m in the Puget Sound and blackberries are NOT in season until late summer/early fall (never have been earlier). How on earth do you have blackberries already???
Blackberries are available in fall, yes, but they’re at their best during the hottest days of summer. My first collecting missions are almost always end of July/beginning of August. Most years mid-August in my opinion is the peak for flavor (and often production). Remember, berries will keep ripening on the vine, but the first flush is worth catching.
Oh, and to answer Anonymous’s question, I do most of my picking for Himalayas in the Mt. Baker & Seward Park ‘hoods of Seattle, but in the last 24 hrs I’ve spied ripe patches in W. Seattle, Beacon Hill, and Wallingford. Those closer to salt water are still green, mostly. Look for patches in sunny spots & near fresh water. Bottom line: blackberries *are* in season.
I’ve collected them near PLU the first week and second week of August and they are perfect.
Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to try it.
I also make a quick easy Blackberry Cobbler each August–
EASY BLACKBERRY COBBLER
2 c. sugar 1/3 c. butter 2 c. flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 c. milk 2 c. blackberries 2 c. boiling water
Cream 1 cup sugar and butter then add flour, baking powder, salt and milk. Mix well and pour into 12 x 8 x 2 inch pan. Pour the blackberries over batter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Pour the boiling water over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot or cold. May be served with cream, ice cream, or whipped cream.
(Actually, I serve mine with whipped cream AND vanilla ice cream).
I also have a rockin’ Apple Brown Betty recipe I make when the apples are ready. It’s the absolute taste of fall.
I collect them right by Magnuson park, and will try your cobbler hopefully soon. I made some granita with them and it was just plain tasty, as well as eating them fresh off the vine.
Oodles of blackberries where I live in Magnolia, but they’re not ready yet (though I’ve been out of town all week – maybe they are now). I’ll try this when they are. Do you have a good blackberry jam recipe? I’d love to make some this year. Last month I made strawberry (freezer) jam for the first time; so satisfying to do with the kids and so delicious!
I live in the southern Willamette Valley in Oregon. Our blackberries are just ripening. We have about a 200 foot long area at the back of our property full of the H. blackberries, 3 raspberry plants and 2 other kinds we aren’t sure about. Last Sunday there were only enough ripe berries to add to the fruit salad or maybe garnish a dark chocolate cake. I think with this heatwave, when I check tomorrow, there might be enough for cobbler or crisp (I use the cobbler method/recipe that Kells posted – great with any fruit but, really, apricots are the best with blackberries a real close second). So glad I read your blog today. I’ve been hiding in the house or at the creek all week. I forgot all about keeping an eye on the “crop”.
We have such an abundance of blackberries here to pick freely, but the weather this year has produced the fondest of crops. This crumble looks SO good!!!
Ciao Chow Linda – We are lucky on the blackberry front here in the PNW, but you must have some sort of berry to drool over too…
Kells – Thanks for the recipe, will check it out. If you’re into butter worship, here’s another easy cobbler from last year’s blackberry crop.
Tomilyn – Thanks for stopping by. I bet Magnuson is loaded with berries. Next for us is blackberry wine!
A Day That Is Dessert – Thanks for the visit. Yeah, seems like those patches closer to salt water are greener. Do you get morning fogs? We made blackberry jam a few years ago–I think we used a simple recipe out of “Putting Foods By.” Kids loved it.
Jenny – Yes, check the crop! Blackberries love this hot weather. They get plump & sweet during the dog days.
Jennifer – Indeed, heat waves are good for blackberries if not humans. But I don’t want to complain. We pine for sun 10 months out of the year in Seattle. Turns out we got it in spades this year.
Lang, I’m sure your blackberries are even more prolific than ours, but they thrive on our land in Wisconsin, too. Ours are nowhere near ripe, we’re just getting to the end of the raspberries. I just put a recipe for Gooseberry and Raspberry Fool (berry puree and whipped cream) up on Trout Caviar. It would be great with blackberries, too.
Here in Connecticut, we are just getting the blackberries started. The awfully wet weather was very bad for black raspberries, many molded on the canes. Wineberries are at peak now, so we pick them and throw in a few blackberries as we come across them. Mostly the blackberries come in better in August.
We refer to the trailing blackberries as dewberries here, and those are also ready now. The 3 Foragers from Atlasquest.com
I remember an old commercial variety which my great uncle and grandfather both grew, called the Cascade Berry. It was created from the tiny, native wild blackberry and larger berries (loganberry?). I lost the cultivar some years ago and I wonder if it’s still out there…
That looks mighty delicious. I had a friend give me some huckleberries once but there were so many little things to clean off of them I got discouraged and never used them.
We do get a lot of morning fog. Blackberries are now ready; picked a bunch yesterday and today and made jam tonight. (photos of some picking yesterday are on my site today)
Hmmm… My first thought is partridge, as you mentioned, but if I were to use that sauce with fish, I’d go for mackerel or, better yet, bluefish. Oily, rich fish might do better with such a powerful sauce. Try it with those pinks you’re catching now — bet it’s good!
Oh, and a compote is a warmed maceration of something in something — like a look preserve, an unjelled, uncrushed jam, or an extended marination. It’s typically served at room temp, although the heating brings out the flavors.
My daughter and I just returned from a three hour hike foraging red huckleberries near our home on the north coast of CA. They’re beautiful! I can’t wait to try this recipe it sounds great. Thanks, Ala
This soup looks terrific. Nice use of the “throwaway” fish parts. I wonder if all the spent ingredients you are straining out can go straight into the compost — cooked fish heads sound perfect for that.
Thanks for the shout-out! Soup looks terrific. Those are pinks you’re catching, right? How many pounds do they run; they look like they’re only about 2-3.
Never had them fresh. How do they compare with kings, silvers or sockeyes? They have something of a reputation, as you know…
Wow, congrats to your son! Such a feat to catch a salmon. Growing up in New York, the only fish I caught were fluke and flounder. Not really much of a fight, but exciting nonetheless. My recent trip to Oregon was my first experience with super fresh salmon – there’s nothing like it.
Julia – I’ve got some video I might post soon of the boy catching his second salmon. Unfortunately, it doesn’t contain the same decibel levels. The first was one of those “had to be there” moments, and I’m glad I was.
Jon – Steelhead heads would be just as good. And of course the time on the water with your kid is priceless.
Alisa – You know the feeling! Soup was way better than I hoped for. Will post it to Foodista.
Hank – If you look closely at the heads in the bowl you can see that one is a silver and the other is a pink. The silver’s flesh is more bright red, with orangish tones. So it was mutt soup. As for pinks, they’re mostly used by the canneries, but they run in huge numbers and they’re good biters, esp. on the fly. Most of the pinks we catch in the Sound are 3-5 lbs, although 6-7 isn’t uncommon and the record is something like 14. I smoke most of mine.
Allison – Being a native East Coaster myself (CT), I had the same conversion moment when I tasted wild king salmon at a BBQ soon after moving to Seattle; realized, sadly, what impostors those farmed Atlantic salmon had been all through my childhood.
Hey Lang, Thanks for this motivation – been meaning to do fish stock for some time now – what’s the skinny on pulling the gills before cooking? Not a big deal? Or, Yes?
I love sea beans because they are so salty and crunchy. I remember seeing a competition on the Food Network a few months ago, and the judges complained that the chefs had done enough to tame the salt. I thought that was crazy.
Now pickled sea beans: crunchy salt! What could be better! I’ll have to look around the Boston markets to see if I can find some.
Not surprised one of your few choices was Asian – they pickle everything that grows – Euell Gibbons, of course, treats Glasswort/Samphire pickles in his, “Stalking the Blue-Eyed Scallop”: pack washed Glasswort stems into pint canning jars(3-4?) vertically – boil a quart of white vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 Tbs mixed pickling spices, 1 sliced onion, and 6 dried Bayberry leaves. Boil for 10 mins and pour over jar contents until covered – seal and wait 3 weeks before trying.
Lang – you big tease! How dare you tempt me with a blog title “Duck Hunting”. Although it was not what I had in mind, it was a great story and I am so glad you were able to grab that little sucker in the last moments.
As an early aficianado of Gibbons, I’ve eaten a lot of non-mainstream things in my life. But at some gut level it really bothers me that you are killing an organism that could be 100 years old. It seems as wrong to me as eating a Galapagos tortoise or cutting down a redwood. Not that I would mind eating snapping turtle.
I guess it’s a question of sustainability. We’d have to eat a lot of snapping turtle to start impacting their population. How many 100 year old geoducks would have to be taken to push them to the brink? Seems to me that they are an important part of the ecosystem. Especially with the Japanese involved (remember sharks and whales), how long will it take to see an impact?
Anonymous – How about using your name? I’m no geoduck expert, but clearly you aren’t either. The geoduck in the photo is estimated to be about three years old. Geoducks are neither endangered nor threatened. It’s legal to dig for them, and it just so happens that there are only a handful of tides during the year when digging, for all practical purposes, is even possible. Could it be that you’re anthropomorphizing the ‘duck simply because it has a potential lifespan similar to a human’s? Just asking.
Thanks – I can tell the difference between a mollusk and a bird.
You didn’t say “This is a three year old geoduck”, you said “Secreted deep within their sandy lairs, geoducks live long lives (in excess of 100 years) and grow to tremendous size, with reports of ‘ducks weighing as much as 14 pounds.”
I think I asked a reasonable question. At what point does it bother you? Eating pigeon – ok, eating passenger pigeon (or ortolan) – no. Eating camas – maybe, eating salep orchid – no.
You’re right, I don’t know much about this particular organism, but here is what Wikipedia says:
“However, due to a low rate of recruitment and a high rate of mortality for geoduck eggs, larvae and post-settled juveniles, populations are slow to rebound. In the Puget Sound, studies indicate that the recovery time for a harvested tract is 39 years.
Geoducks are one of the longest-living organisms in the Animal Kingdom. They have a life expectancy of about 146 years, with the oldest recorded at over 160 years. “
I can honestly say I have never seen Kung Pao Geoduck before! and then you go and throw in some lovely wild foraged mushroom (with perhaps the best darn mushroom name ever?) – and wow, you have a pretty unique dish here mate!
We’re on weird wavelength issues again, you and I: I made seared California halibut with chanterelles last night. Not as exotic as kung pao geoduck, but it sure was tasty!
I always thought they were chamomile, they grow in my gravel driveway, and I’ve seen them poking out of the edge of sidewalks in Seattle. But I hat camomile tea, so I never made any.
I’ve always preferred the flavor of the Fall porcini; the texture of the spring is great, but I usually have to add some dried Fall ones in order to actually taste anything.
Ugh, I’m so disappointed that UPS didn’t leave my book today. I understand not leaving insured boxes and whatnot, but this was a book… why didn’t they leave it!? Another day of impatient waiting…
Looks great – just wondering, how much of the information is specific to the Pacific Northwest, and how much will be of use to me in Northern Michigan?
I have had Salmon Head soup in some remote river camps in Alaska and on Kamchatka Russia. In all cases it was made very simply, with few spices or special ingredients other than what was locally available; a mix of garden greens, onion, potato, salt and pepper etc. It was served with the lightly cooked salmon head, somewhat intact, lying in a bowl full of the rich broth and staring right back up at me. One eats that with a combination of spoon and fingers- sucking the flesh from the soft cartilaginous salmon head “bones” and it is so succulently good it is hard to believe. I am looking forward to trying your recipies. Heard you on KUOW this morning and I am so glad you spoke up about our last Wild Steelhead in decline. By the way, I hear that Sculpin tastes just like Rockfish…no kidding. Regards, Bob Triggs Little Stone Flyfisher Port Townsend, WA
We’ve been looking forward to your book. Congratulations Lang, and enjoy the hectic and awesome authorly experiences of the next few weeks. What an achievement!
Thanks for your comments everyone! To Brad, Patrick, Julia & anyone else who wonders whether the book will be relevant to their area, I give you a baseball analogy (sorry if you’re not a fan): Think of “Fat of the Land” the way you might about a book-length account of the 1975 World Series. Your city and team might not have been in it, nor your favorite players, but it’s a classic worth your time/study just the same. If you’re a reader and you like food and the outdoors, I think you’ll enjoy the book. I can safely say there is no other book like it on shelves anywhere.
Lang, I can hardly wait to get my hands on a copy. Give yourself a big pat on the back for all you’ve accomplished. Can’t imagine how you’ve been able to keep the blog going at the same time. Well done!!
Ciao Chow Linda & Allison: I’ll be coming east to the “tri-state metropolitan area” over x-mas holiday to see family. Maybe I can set something up. Suggestions for where in NYC?
My wife and I have been enjoying your foraging blog as a supplement to our own effort of growing our own food (www.eattheyard.com) — though mostly vicariously since a lot of your foraging is region-specific. But it’s a good read, nonetheless. Your pictures always look great. Anything in the book that might be helpful to San Diego gardeners looking to add a little foraging to their menu?
I haven’t bought a cookbook in years and years. I’ve been excitedly waiting for this one for months. I’m going to see if I can get it tomorrow, or at least get my little local bookstore to order it for me.
Hey if you plan to tour bookstores in the canadian coast lemme know, you could promote it at our local gulf island bookstore. Congrats! I’ll be ordering one for sure.
Langdon, I’m not a forager though I might like to be. I can’t seem to get past my hesitance that something might be poisonous or toxic. For example, I think I have elder berry growing in my yard. I was finally excited to maybe try harvesting something wild, then I saw your comment about the stems, leaves, etc, of elderberry being toxic. Is that a common leap that people have to make — trusting themselves to get it right?
Do you think they’re still out since the rain dried up? I collected some not long ago but was wondering whether or not I’d have to wait for another good rainfall to find more.
I did find 6 large Admiral Boletes in great condition just yesterday. Not a ton but enough for a good-sized meal.
Colette – Discretion is certainly the better part of valor in the world of foraging. It’s best to know exactly what you’re eating before you eat it. That said, it’s not hard to learn. With elderberries, as long as you take the time to remove stems and other debris that tags along, then cook your catch, you’ll be fine. People all over the world have been making elderberry syrups, jams, cordials, etc for centuries, so try to overcome the intimidation factor and enjoy a delicious treat from the wild.
You should consider just drying the wormy boletes as long as theyre more bolete-than-worm-tunnel. It always drives me crazy when I find sliced and discarded boletes in the field. It gives away your patches AND its just plain wasteful, especially with buttons. Whats a little added insect protein?
Rachel – That 5-day deluge was hard on the boletes–froze them in their tracks. Hopefully they’re popping again but I haven’t checked patches lately. Love those lemony Admirals.
Anonymous – That’s his last name. Everyone calls him that. He’s a character in my book, too, if you want to get to know him better. 😉
Michael – I still get the chills from a pile o’ pristine porcini too!
Paul – C11, third level, X parking garage. Unmarked satchel filled with golden chanterelles.
Linda – Any sources in the old country?
Perry – I do dry the dryers that aren’t too far gone. See this post about drying spring porcini.
Dude, bring some down to Sacto when you come to read FOTL. And that recipe is nearly identical to one in the Terre Vivante preservation book, one I intend to use with matsutake mushrooms…
Very cool. I’m living in a city covered with scrubby little roses with huge early hips, and really want to make use of them. I’ll have to see how a syrup cooks up.
I’ve also seen reference to people cooking rose hips like vegetables, but I’m not sure precisely how that would work. Do you have any more specific recipes you use?
awesome stuff. kid’s really are petri dishes of germs aren’t they! I am sure I have walked past rosehips, thinking they looked cool, but not knowing what they are.
Hank – Better yet, maybe we should do a porcini hunt on the coast while I’m in Cali…or perhaps I could witness a duck hunt…
Albert – I love the Everglades, but for fungi I’m afraid you’ll want to head north. Then again, nearby Georgia has excellent morel picking in the spring.
Trever – Kings in my state are more of a late Oct deal on the coast; not sure about other areas. I know in the coastal mts of OR you can find them well into Nov., and probably later in CA.
Oh yum! Thanks for sharing that recipe–can’t wait to try it.
We pick many varieties of porcini here in Finland (and I’ve also unfortunately learned the hard way about worms!) and usually store the excess by slicing them thinly and drying them in a sunny window. It works very nicely!
Gwen – I’ve dried hips before to make tea, but this is my first experiment cooking them. You might check the jam & jelly recipes on Simply Recipes, or search for rosehip desserts.
Matt – You’d love working with hips–beautiful to look at and really good flavor.
Multivitamins – Thanks for dropping by and glad I could be of service.
Tiff – A rose is a rose is a rose, as Gertrude Stein famously wrote. Some are more flavorful, but as far as I know they’re all edible, whether wild or cultivated.
Oh, I think I’ve seen them around, but since I know close to nothing about picking food from the wild, or a city bush, I’m afraid to touch those and lther “things” that look like berries and such. I really should join a foraging club or somehting…
Goodness. I saw some foraged porcinis at the market this wekend, they were $20 a pound! I didn’t buy any 🙁 I should have. I never had a fresh porcini. Yet.
Very cool fishery! 6 weights or heavier to get down to the fish?
Good video, too.
I’ve had good luck dry-brining salmon in a mix of 2 parts salt, a part black pepper, and one part brown sugar, essentially doing the rest as you describe. Those barbecue grills with two chambers are nice for smoking, too, as a little playing with the vents and you can keep a consistent and not-too-hot temperature going.
Don’t forget to return to your patch in the spring for flowers! Elderflower cordial is lovely with a little Prosecco and a few drops of Peychaud bitters (I call this cocktail the “caddisfly nymph”). Plus you use it to make a nice salve for bee stings and nettle bites.
Oooohhhh That’s so much simpler that so many recipes I’ve seen calling for removal of the hair. Thank you. Now I just need to find me some rugosa roses…
Are there any plants that are easily confused with blue elderberry? Like Colette, I’m a bit paranoid (and I have a bit of a botany background even!). I also have access to HUGE elderberry bushes… I just want to get it right.
I had my first face-to-face encounter with chanterelles a few days ago… 15 minutes away from a busy road in Vancouver! Incredible scent- like you said- apricots and vineyards.
I ended up with 5 big guys and can’t wait to fry em’ up with some butter, white wine and fresh herbs.
Ever tried honey/bootlace mushrooms (armillaria)? Definitely not as delicious, but plentiful and rewarding to hunt. I’ve got a recipe posted on my blog if you’re interested.
I agree: Chanties Everywhere. In two outings I’ve pulled in 10 lbs this year. At least, once the rains finally came! Didn’t think it was possible to get tired of them… 🙂 But it’s given me plenty to play around with, next project is a Chanterelle Beer.
It’s starting to get cold in the lower Cascades though, I’m worried it may be near the end of the season. Some of the ones I found last weekend were a bit sad.
Locally (Eastern Appalachians) this was a banner year for Chanterelles, though the season was in August, as is typical for around here. I have never seen so many get so huge. Probably because it has been an extremely wet year, too.
So far I’ve been limited to foraging them at the farmer’s market and PCC, and it can be frustratingly hard to find enough that aren’t slimy or shriveled. Speaking of the fruit combo, this is one of my faves: http://bit.ly/5o8B0 .
Ciao Chow Linda – We can form a chanty support group!
jfwells – You haven’t lived until you’ve had corn on the cod.
Camille – Nice to have a chanty spot just outside of town. I don’t hunt honey mushrooms much but will check out your recipe.
Russell – Keep a lookout for those low-elevation microclimates where the early frosts don’t penetrate. It’s usually possible to get chants well into Nov in such spots.
Speakfreely – A friend who has property in Maine said it was a banner year for chants. Do you get them in the same numbers as here in the PNW?
Michael – The stuff at the markets sits out all day and gets nasty. On the other hand, even chanties that look dried & shriveled can cook up nicely–certainly more nicely than the slimy stuff.
I wouldn’t know; mom tells me I was conceived in British Columbia, but I’ve never been back to visit;-) So I can’t compare with the Pacific NW. It seems that your mild, wet climate favors a lot of mushroom species. But Chanterelles are certainly among the most prolific of the edibles around here.
LC – Yeah I agree with you there. Someone told me yesterday that she had started finding them on Bainbridge Island, and I’ll be watching for them at my in-laws place out near Woodinville. They don’t know whether they get chanterelles, but they’ve never really looked for them. A Wooly Chanterelle popped up there last week (I got the semi-blurry “What is this?” photo in an email.) so maybe the good kind will show up too. Think I may give the mountains one last go-round this weekend though. That’s it though, I spent an hour and a half yesterday cleaning, cooking down, and freezing last weekend’s haul for Winter. Chantied out. Got some nice posts (and dinners!) out of the season though.
Big fan of chanterelles, especially the black trumpets that come later. Equally big fan of Goin’s book — only Los Angeles chef I know of who’s more like a NorCal chef, meaning less lobster and filet mignon, more local-seasonal. Great book.
Ciao Chow Linda – I might have overdone it a little there, but who needs sleep?!
Chickenless Chick – Totally not my idea but will enjoy the results.
mdmnm – Heavier weight rods mainly to fight the fish, which tow you around in circles. Also to fling heavier flies. You could use a 5-wt, but I wouldn’t go lighter.
jfwells – Thanks! Trying to get the word out…
Paul – Indeed. Nice to catch salmon a mile or two from home, eh?
Peabody – Thank you! I aim to inform & entertain. And learn along the way.
Live to Hunt – When do yours pop? Closer to December?
Speakfreely – I want to do more mushroom hunting in far-flung places. Saw pictures of chanties fruiting in Florida!
RUssell – Did you eat the woolly? Some people do, but I would advise against it.
Hank – Black trumpets are one of my favorites. Not so many around here. N. Cal is the strike zone. Goin’s book is amazing and I’ve only made a few dishes so far.
Kimberley – The fig & chanty crostini is a crowd pleaser for sure. Porcini over ricotta is another nice crostini I’ll be posting soon.
Heather – I did not know that. Cool. Did you get any yet?
Oh, chanterelles are my weakness. I love the idea of combining it with figs—perfectly woodsy, as you say. Your blog is making me miss the Northwest something fierce.
I have great success with frozen porcini by partially defrosting (soft enough to cut, but still firm). Defrosting collapses the cell structure and allows natural sugars to escape.Cooking partially frozen allow the water to evaporate, leaving the sugars behind to caramelize and become delicious.
making me miss west coast chanterelles! im a recent california transplant to maryland. chanterelles here are tiny and often worm ridden. the abundant 5+ pound hen of the woods are a decent consolation prize though.
I’ve had a hard time finding a lot of chanterelles this year in Whatcom county. It’s been so dry, until this week, hopefully i will find more before it gets too cold.
I prefer to use burdock root or gobo instead of carrot. It can be harvested or purchased locally and adds a clean subtle flavor to matsutake gohan, while absorbing the fragrant essence of the mushroom. I look forward to this meal all year 🙂
Thanks for this post. I just bought a nice bag of Chanterelles and wasn’t quite certain how to use them (we’re on a try something new kick). Unfortunately I can’t get into the woods in my wheelchair but when we saw these mushrooms and smelled their delicious aroma I got out my homemade apricot preserves and a couple of slices of serrano ham and made a grilled sandwich on homemade ciabatta bread. To DIE for. Can’t wait to get some fresh figs this weekend and some nice bacon. Thanks again.
Thanks for this post. I just bought a nice bag of Chanterelles and wasn’t quite certain how to use them (we’re on a try something new kick). Unfortunately I can’t get into the woods in my wheelchair but when we saw these mushrooms and smelled their delicious aroma I got out my homemade apricot preserves and a couple of slices of serrano ham and made a grilled sandwich on homemade ciabatta bread. To DIE for. Can’t wait to get some fresh figs this weekend and some nice bacon. Thanks again.
Oh wow – you have created a dream of a dish with two luxury items. I don’t think I’ve ever seen lobster mushrooms here in the east. How I’d loved to have been a fellow diner at the table.
Aha! You have discovered Vermentino! ONe of my favorite white wines, one I am contemplating making in 2010; I know two growers who will sell me fruit. GREAT wine with seafood.
Still have not cooked with lobster mushrooms, though.
Linda – It’s a keeper for sure, although it need not be East meets West. I’m pretty sure lobster mushrooms fruit on the East Coast. The host shroom may be different (a species of Lactarius, I think) but the overall effect is similar.
Hank – Yes, it was delicious. Can’t remember having a Vermentino before but I’ll be ordering it again. Crisp and just right for the lobsters. BTW, time is running out to cook with lobster shrooms in ’09. Do you ever see them in the markets down there?
Kimberley – Please stop by and say hello. Or join us for post-reading revelry. I’m expecting a few of my sketchy Bay Area friends to be in attendance, so should be a fun night.
If I’d had ANY idea we were going to have the hot summer we did, I’d have covered my p-patch up in okra. Such a beautiful plant (as if the okra pods, be still my heart, weren’t enough),
Great post Langdon. I’ve only had chanterelles once… not really easy to come by out on a desert island. 🙂 But we have have a new neighbor who has introduced us to many new mushrooms foraged in the PNW and now were hooked and wanting more!
Comment of the lobster stock. Boil is a bad word, although by low boil you may mean this. Stocks should be simmered at 180-190 F, it should not be allowed to boil for any length of time. Boiling is bad because it stirs up the contents, lowering clairity.
I can lobster stock, using a pressure canner, and we have both a ‘plain’ and a roasted body stock.
Great to see you highlighting the Cauliflower mushroom… what great and delicious fungal rarity… I’m always looking… find one or two a year… and it’s a cause for celebration…
nice recipe, i want to try this! i have been using szechuan peppercorns alot lately myself. it is a nice change from the norm. and i have always wondered about that restaurant, now i have a reason to try it..
Love the floral aroma of the Szechuan peppercorn… bet they were just stellar paired with mushrooms. Of course, now you have me wishing I could get my hands on a few of those Cauliflower mushrooms!
Hey Fin! I’ll bet that restaurant is the one I found many years ago during a conference up there – I don’t remember the price, but the only thing they had was pot stickers, and they had an interesting machine in the middle of the floor churning them out like mad. Brought ’em back to the hotel, with a little Chinese BBQ, and watched Sunday football – couldn’t stop wondering how in hell anyone could make such good stuff so cheaply!
Farmer – Same here. The cauliflower is always a bonus. More mature forests are the best bet. It’s one of the best.
Nettletown – You’ll dig it. This was my first try with Szechuan peppercorns. Now I have a nearly full bag of ’em so it’s time to go deep into the Chengdu catalog… BTW, will be trying that Lobster Shroom Bisque on yr blog.
Lo – I think I could spend some quality time in Szechuan Province. Need to get Fuchsia Dunlop’s cookbook.
Doc – Not sure if that’s the same place but it’s a good deal for sure. I’ve always had a weakness for potstickers. Lazy Sunday football and bag full is a good combo.
Meghan – Long way fer sure. See ya tonight at Omnivore!
Just finished the book and I absolutely loved it! I have to admit, your blog has been an enormous help and inspiration to getting me started on mushrooming, and the chapters in the book have new recipes for all sorts of goodies I already collect or want to collect. Will there be a sequel? Perhaps a chapter on kayak bottom-fishing? Or Oregon truffles? Kelp? I can’t wait to continue reading the blog and continue to learn from you.
Thanks for the post. My husband & I both enjoy your blog. He’s the main forager in our household, but that season is long past. Do you have plans to visit Alaska?
I, like Lo, just learned a great deal about boletii (?), and now have greater sympathy with the prices of fresh porcini State-side. That said, if these West Coast varietals are rivals in taste why are they not sold more widely across the country? I would certainly buy as many as i could afford!
Years ago I made dandelion wine. Did not realize you were suipposed to use only the petals (or rather, read that, decided it would take too log and put the whole flower heads in there). A little … bitter… shall we say. Undiscouraged, I added oranges, lemons and honey… and ended up with something quite palatable.
Never done it again, as the petal plucking seemed a bit much. But love the FOTL method, twist the petals while collecting.
I think there is dandelion wine in the future again.
Beautiful country! Northern California is definitely the place for craterellus, two seasons ago i found nearly 80 pounds overthe course of the season. This should be a good year as well if the rain keeps up.
bikegirl – Been dreaming of Alaska for years. One day…
r. hurd – Love Rogue beers, some of my favorites. I’m biased toward the river; it’s one of the greats.
Jonny – Good question, one that I’m not sure how to answer. Certainly on the West Coast there’s a semi-vigorous trade in porcini (boletes). You might not find them as much on the East Coast because they don’t travel well (can get wormy, among other things). Of course, you have your own populations of porcini back East, such as Boletus edulis, though maybe not in the numbers that flush in the coniferous forests of the West. As you pursue this question, let me know your findings.
Perry – I’m envious. The black trumpet is superb, and though I never find it in quantities for putting up, I hear it’s quite good dried.
Dried craterellus are nearly as good as fresh, and quite a bit more flavorful.
to elaborate on your reply to Jonny’s comment;
B.edulis on the east coast are pretty uncommon (mid-atlantic) but might be more abundant closer to new england, still nowhere near like they are west of the rockies. Mushrooms here also tend to be wormier than their west coast counterparts (even craterellus) which is a major issue for commercial guys. The mushroom buyers here (even at the farmers markets) get a lot of their fungus from west coast suppliers. The main exceptions to that are morels, maitake and chicken of the woods.
Sounds delish! Where did you get your farro from? I haven’t looked, but I don’t remember seeing it in the bulk section at Madison Market, and they seem to have a fairly good variety of ‘hard to find’ grains.
Just got into some steelhead on the Trinity River in California. Caught three, kept two hatchery fish (one 6, one 7 pounds) and had a blast! Will be eating them over the course of this week.
I had the pleasure of the version of this dish that you brought to the Penny event, and it sure was good. Re farro, it is important to note the difference between semi-pearled and the whole grain. I much prefer the pearled – the whole grain can take *forever* to cook and sometimes never really reach tenderness. Oh, and that reminds me, I’ve put farro with chanterelles before too… lovely combination.
We live on the edge of the escarpment (Afro Montaine) Forest in Limpopo Provine South Africa. WE find Boletus by the basket after a really good electrical storm. Best place – under +/- 20 Pinus Patula. Uses at home; Fried with Butter Pickled in Olive Oil Frozen after being VERY lightly sauteed in olive oil
just back from clamming Copalis Beach New Year’s weekend 2010. Found your site from Martha’s – a fellow poet. Great synchronicity…. and yummy clams.
The only quibble I have about the clam gun is that you miss the rare, heady feeling of being on your knees in the mud, up to your armpits in a hole, trying to outpull a mollusc. That awakens some primeval emotions!
It can be said about nettle that it is one of the wonder plants that nature has gifted us with. It is renowned because of its astringent, expectorant, tonic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic properties and as an important source of beta-carotene, vitamin A, C and E, iron, calcium, phosphates and minerals. All these qualities recommend it as a powerful remedy against hepatic, arthritic or rheumatic conditions, and as an adjuvant in treating allergies, anemia and kidney diseases.
I love truffles but I’ve never come across ‘local truffles’ in Vancouver. Do you think I could find them in BC? I know some places that look exactly the same as the habitat in your video. You’ve got my wheels turning- more projects! Yay!
Renai – Give ’em a try. Big differences btwn Oregon white & black truffles. You’ll either find them revelatory or wonder what the big deal is.
Ruralrose – I’m not sure about the Selkirks. Might be too high in elevation. Look for second-growth Doug fir in the foothills. Report back!
Sylvie – The weighing bit makes it feel like an elicit transaction–kinda fun.
Nate – Thanks for the offer. I’m a little behind and probably missed the deadline. Will go check now…
Cameal – Southern BC should have truffles. Temperate rainforest is the ticket, where the frosts aren’t too long or deep. Talk to your local commercial foragers at the farmers markets or just get out there and see for yourself!
I happened upon some fresh truffles at New Seasons, but I don’t think they were that fresh. The jar of rice they were stashed in weren’t keeping them that dry.
I’ve always heard that raking is destructive to delicate mycorrhizae and soil fauna, but I know you guys were careful. Next time take me, too! I won’t be 8 months pregnant this time. 😀
I was fortunate enough to spend an October week in Italy’s Piemonte region, in a small town near Alba, which is “ground zero” for the white truffle. One day our little group went out with a truffle hunter, and his dogs found several white truffles. It was extremely interesting to see the dogs work…they are highly trained and very, very expensive.
That same night we had the truffles shaved over a pasta dish at the inn where we were staying,expecting the culinary experience of a lifetime in the “home” of white truffles. But I must say that I was quite under-whelmed. The aroma was that of beets, which probably has something to do with why I was turned off (that’s one childhood aversion I never outgrew). I guess there was a truffle flavor to the pasta, but it was very, very subtle and not very exciting.
As a result of this experience, I really think that “the emperor has no clothes.” I believe that people are aware of the ridiculously high prices one must pay in order to taste truffles, and so they automatically say that they are great. I’m probably a minority opinion, but I really think they are “much ado about nothing.” But, hey, at least I won’t be tempted to waste alot of money on the things!
Heather – I’ve heard the same about raking but I figured Jack, whose livelihood depends on a good truffle crop, would know more about good hunting techniques than me. It was clear that the area we hunted had been hunted in years past. Evidence of past raking was all around in the form of thicker layers of duff. Interestingly, these thick layers were also quite productive. Mushrooms were fruiting all around us as well. But you’re right, the raking probably disturbs the mycelia to some degree. We were careful to rake only the duff and not tear any tree roots. A truffle dog would probably be the lowest impact.
Calhoun – You’re not alone. Many come away from their first introduction to truffles thinking the emperor has no clothes. In some cases this is because the flavor and aroma just don’t do much for them; probably even more are served unripe truffles. Give ’em another shot. Ripe truffles served the right way can be a transcendent experience for many. If you you’re not one of them, oh well, you’ll save your money for something else!
I already see a number of improvements that could be made to this recipe that would yield better results. I’ll send them over to you. I should probably disqualify myself from competition since I’m a former pastry chef 🙂
I’m not much of a baker either, which is why I love making crisps – they’re a more forgiving baked good. I have a recipe for huckleberry crisp that I love, but it uses fresh berries.
My family and I have used that BHG coffeecake recipe for years and faced the same challenges–sometimes runny, always needs more baking time. Never good when you want that coffeecake NOW. I always blamed the berries. Thanks for inspiring me to try to fix the problem once and for all. We’re blessed with an abundance of mature evergreen huckleberries in our “yard” so have plenty of berries with which to play.
Here’s our family recipe for “Aunt Ethel’s Cobbler” (which is actually pretty cake-like) Enjoy!
Batter- 1/2 Stick Butter 1 1/2 c. Sugar 2 c. flour 1 c. milk 1 tsp. salt 1 tbsp. baking powder
Fruit- 1 1/2 c. blueberries – fresh, frozen or canned (or just about any fruit) 1 tbsp sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 11×7 (or similar size) casserole dish in the oven. Remove and let butter cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, flour, salt & baking powder well.
In a separate bowl, measure out your berries or other fruits (if using canned, drain them well before measuring) and sprinkle them with the tablespoon of sugar. Toss well.
Finally, add milk to the flour mixture and mix well until a thick batter forms. Pour the batter into the buttery casserole dish. Some butter will come up over the batter, that is ok. Lastly, sprinkle/drop the sugared berries into the batter – do not stir. Bake @ 350 degrees for about 1 hour, checking every so often to ensure that the top doesn’t get too brown before the middle has had a chance to set-up. If you see this happening, you can put a piece of foil over the top to slow things down a bit. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
This tastes AMAZING with vanilla ice cream, but is pretty fantastic all by itself.
I have a pic of the finished product over on my blog, if you’re curious. 😉
It might be too late for your contest, but I have a 2 part suggestion for you for a quick and easy Blueberry Coffee Cake. The first part is to check out the recipe for Quick Mix on the King Arthur Flour site. This first part does take a bit of measuring, but is easy. I make it with part white whole wheat flour and 3/4 cup each dry milk and buttermilk powder. After you make up the mix you are all set to make quick muffins, pancakes, scones and… coffee cake!
Blueberry Coffee Cake 2 c. Quick Mix 2/3 c. milk 2 tbsp. sugar 1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries 1 egg
Spray an 8 inch square pan with Pam. Mix above ingredients except blueberries. Spread in pan. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over batter. Make sure frozen berries are drained very well. Put topping over berries.
Topping: 1/3 c. Quick Mix 1/3 c. sugar 1 tbsp. cold butter 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Mix topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over berries. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve while warm.
We used the Quick Mix to make dozens of fresh, foraged, service berry and blueberry muffins during an NH BOW “Cook Like a Wild Woman Workshop” last August. It saved a lot of time and they were delicious!
yes, warm weather just in time for the winter olympics! You’re so right about the amount of flour needed for gnocchi – it varies each time. I love the idea of using stinging nettles with this – something I haven’t tried but would love to.
Ooooh yum. This looks and sounds wonderful. I’m thinking that this year will be my first venture into harvesting and working with nettles- so I’ll keep this recipe in mind!
Early for nettles here in NorCal, too. Lowlands are already done, unless you find wood nettles in the shade. We’re moving onto fiddleheads now.
On the gnocchi, you ever try using a russet potato? I always use floury potatoes in my gnocchi; I get lighter results that way, but I know each recipe is different…
Ciao Chow Linda – Never tried Nettle Gnocchi? Don’t you have an Italian grandmother?!
Renai – Make 2010 your Year of the Nettle and soon you’ll be wondering why it wasn’t 2009–or earlier.
Megan – No doubt many of the weeds are loving this new climate regime. Time to broaden our food horizons…
Stephanie H – I wonder if this big snow year on the East Coast will delay the ramp harvest. I’ve been wanting to get in on that.
Hank – I like Yukon Gold because they’re flavorful and they deconstruct well. Both YG and russet are good choices on the floury front. But to be truthful, for this gnocchi I actually used a mixture of 1 russet and 1 Yukon Gold because that’s what I had on hand. Next time I want to fry them to see how the nettle-infused gnocchi stands up to the pan. Gnocchi is good action, n’est-ce pas?
*drool* I guess this means I’ll be getting jealous of your nettle finds early this year. Starting… now. Gorgeous gnocchi… will definitely keep it in mind for that point in time when I find myself some fresh nettles.
I know this looks long, but it’s not complicated. You can do it, I know you can! 🙂
This is a delicious, moist coffee cake with a ribbon of berry filling. The vanilla sugar is essential for flavor.
Berry Ribboned Coffeecake
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract) 1 3/4 cups sugar 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, huckleberries or blueberries (6 ounces) 1 tablespoon lemon juice (only if using blueberries or huckleberries, cranberries are tart enough) 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided 2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, divided 2 large eggs 1/2 cup whole milk Confectioners sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Generously butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment.
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a food processor with tip of a paring knife (reserve pod for another use if desired). Add sugar and pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl. Or pulse sugar and vanilla extract together to make vanilla sugar.
Pulse blueberries or huckleberries and lemon juice with 1/2 cup vanilla sugar in processor until finely chopped (do not purée).
Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together 1 stick butter and 1 cup vanilla sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down side and bottom of bowl. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour, until just combined. Do not overmix.
Spread half of batter in pan, then spoon berries over it, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge. Spoon small bits of the remaining batter over the top of the berries and smooth them with as gentle of a hand as possible.
Blend remaining 1/4 cup vanilla sugar with remaining tablespoon each of butter and flour using your fingertips. Crumble over top of cake.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted into cake (not into berry filling) comes out clean and side begins to pull away from pan, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 30 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely, crumb side up.
OR — you can salvage the broth and drink it as a tea or use it for a soup instead of letting it “vanish”. All that iron and yummy nutrients~ deserve a good home.
Its been a weird winter in Northern CA as well. Rain was on time, and then never took a break. I started finding repandums in mid december. I typically dont find any until at least the first or second week in January at the earliest. Nettles are up here too, wacky…
Hey, Sat in on your talk down here in Tacoma the University of Puget Sound. I’ve been a mushroom/clam/fish gather-guy but finally transcended into nettles! Thanks for the motivation, gotta try the gnocchi soon. I used Euell Gibbons method and threw them in rinsed with some butter in a pan. Fantastic! Thanks for the great read!
Thank you for posting such as descriptive article on truffles. I do agree with many of your viewpoints on truffle, notably having access to ripe fresh truffles in America.
I just returned from truffle week in Provence and learned many the details in you’ve outlined. The tip on truffle is invaluable!
Langdon, It’s a long time since I considered nettles as a food source and even then only two examples spring to mind. The first being the use of nettles in a sort of broth that we used to make using nettles but primarily whole sheep heads, eyes, brains and all. This rather smelly dish was not for the family but for the many racing greyhounds that were once trained by my father many years ago. The second use of nettles that I remember (rather more fondly) was the nettle wine made by my Nan along with a whole host of home produced foods ranging from jams, wines and preserves. Sadly, with the passing away of my Nan when I was still a shallow youth, this knowledge has been long lost. I look forward to the green shoots of spring, armed with knowledge that you have kindly shared, and the reintroduction of nettles to mine and Clare’s pallets. Regards, John
Delicious looking pesto! I do the same thing with my nettles, except that I just quickly boil them to get rid of nitrates, and then freeze the leaves in icecube trays, to be used in any dish that I like. Nettle is my favourite plant! Did you know that it can be used to make yarn too?
You’re a great guy with a lot of good ideas, habits and information; your daughter’s cute, well fed and should grow up with good values; but your ideas about baking are totally screwed up. In your gnocchi dough post you talk about getting a feel for the dough. That’s all there is to baking as well. You should get the books artisan bread in 5 min a day and healthy bread in 5 min a day. You’ll make great bread with little effort. Watch the video to see how to cloak.
As for your coffee cake, if you learn what te ingredients do, you can alter your own. Shortening is dense (and tasteless). You want fluffy, go with less dense. Try half the amount of butter and half corn oil. Or all butter. Eggs make things fluffy. Before measuring out the water put a large egg in the meauring cup then fill to the right amount (so you have 2 eggs in the recipe). Add some vanilla to the measuring cup after the egg and the cake will taste even better and you’ll still have the same amount of liquid. At the end, if the batter’s too runny, add more flour. If too thick, add milk or water.
For the topping, flour as a thickener deadens the taste. Corn starch is better. You have to mix it with cold water so it doesn’t form lumps. I hate cinnamon with blueberries. Coriander and/or a little cardamon are much better to my taste. I’l g back to the recipe and se if there’s anything else. Also,you could start over and go to epicurious.com or foodtv.com or sunset.com and get any coffee cake recipe and pair it with any blueberry topping recipe.
And for heaven’s sake, just dump in all the non flour ingredients, mix well, then add the flour unsifted little by little.
I’m heading down to the crick this weekend, weather permitting! I think I’ll pack the sprog with me. Haven’t decided. I don’t want to accidentally upend him into a patch of cold mud and pain.
I just picked nettles for pesto yesterday, & as you say – so delicious! I use coconut oil in addition to the olive oil, & used almonds I’d soaked ~ 6 hours. Freezing in ice cube tray is a great idea – thanks for sharing! I just got some water kefir ‘grains’ & have my first batch brewing, thinking of adding nettle to the second ferment when I have enough for an ‘experiements’ batch as well 🙂
& for those interested in nettle fiber – I picked up some ‘Aloo’ from Nepal at our local yarn shop – a coarse, traditionally processed nettle fiber! A ‘bast fiber’ plant, like hemp & flax, the fibers are as long as the stem (so up to 6′!) & the softer fibers need to be ‘retted’ off. It can be lovely fine yarn (Ramie is a nettle relative), or coarse & hardy! We once let nettle stems ‘rot’ on our lawn, but didn’t proceed with the process. I made a ‘soap bag’ for my preschool granddaugher’s soap (she breaks out from those nasty ‘antiseptic’ ones!) & sprouting bags for larger seeds from the ‘Aloo’ 🙂
Murphyfish – Now that I’ve made blackberry wine it might be time to experiment with another prickly source. How much did Nan use in a batch? Enjoy your reintroduction into the world of nettles. It’s worth the occasional sting.
Ciao Chow Linda – I used to get stung by nettles every spring of my youth in CT, so I’m guessing you’ll be able to find in NJ.
Peabody – Haven’t heard a peep from the neighbors so far. Guess they don’t read the blog.
goddessofcake – I freeze nettles too, in vacuum-sealed bags, usually in 2-cup amounts which is just right for soup.
Claudia – As a pesto fiend you owe it to yourself to try nettle pesto. MN has plenty of nettles I’m guessing.
Heather – Who knows, baptism by nettle might be just what the kiddo needs to cope with this world.
Dia – Good call with the coconut oil. Thinking about Murphyfish’s Nettle Wine…
Thanks for all the nettle information, we’re starting to see a lot of the little green leaves in the Willamette valley. My girlfriend and I are trying our luck at nettle enchiladas today. Looking forward to picking up your book!
I just made your gnocci recipe. It was wonderful and the nettles were growing right out my front door (literally 15 feet…talk about local!). I only have one small injury on my ring finger from harvesting! And, you were right…cognac makes a nice addition to the cream sauce! I only wish that I had picked the miner’s lettuce for the accompanying salad!
Cool! We ate a mess o’ nettles when I was a kid. This looks good. But the second-to-last photo looks like you (or possibly a ruminant) ate it two days ago. Oddly, it STILL looks good.
A good post, good reminder. Thing is though we have more silverbeet than you can shake a stick at at this present time. But we could freeze them as you say. Le Loup.
Someone commented that they’d had nettle pesto made without preblanching the nettles, that the food processor destroys the stingers too. Have you heard this?? It seems unlikely to me, and I’m really content with the flavor of the pesto from cooked netles. It’s the best pesto I’ve ever made.
Anyway, curious to hear what you know, and if that commenter was off base. Thanks for your blog, and I’ll post some links to these entries at the next nettle post I put up. 🙂
Well, I guess the next best thing since I can’t go get my own, is to buy some from my local market that has them fresh. Cheaper than driving myself to the coast and buying all the gear! Now if only I could train myself to do this with mushrooms, look how much money I’d save! ; )
I think you made the right choice – as you say better to be a participant than an observer. Even though you missed an exciting game, you can always catch the highlights on the internet. Besides, unlike the US team, you did come home with the gold!
Somehow we never got the memo from Fish and Wildlife that the weekend was open. Otherwise we would have risked tsunami waves ourselves! Clam fail on our part!
Dawn – Sometimes a blog post comes together as easily as the events it portrays. After missing so many razor clam openings this year, this day felt more like a win than any of us could have predicted.
Mary – Have you been razor digging before? A similar thrill to mushroom hunting. You’d love it.
Linda – True, though by all reports the game was a doozy. I’m supping with some Canadian friends tonight and I’m sure they’ll have a few things to say about it. Plus they’ll put me under the table per usual for my pals to the north.
Tiffany – Bummer! I check the WDFW web site regularly for such memos. P.S. There’s a tentative opening for end of March.
Perry – Two words: ROAD TRIP!
Bpaul – And I’ve got a couple bags of clams in the freezer too, to help relive the action another day.
Excellent looking sushi. I’ve been itching to go out for Razors but I’m having a hard time justifying the time/effort/drive. They’re delicious no doubt, but they’re only $14 a pound shucked at the fish shop near me…
Yay, I’ve been eating it for a couple weeks now. Foraged and Found has been selling half pound bags at the Farmer’s Market, and I scarfed some on the Oyster Dome trail last week. It’s one of my favorite trailside snacks this time of year. Making a mixed salad of Miners Lettuce and Dandelion Greens to go with St Patty’s Day dinner. My lawn is going crazy with dandelions right now, time for some ‘weeding’…
Saw morels at the market Sunday, you heading up for them soon?
I totally love miners lettuce, however I have never gone out and foraged for me own, rather rely on the lovely folks at farmers markets. Just mixed in to a simple salad it is lovely too, perhaps with a little frisee for texture. Great post mate. Love the little video there.
I’ve been picking a bit when I go out the Grange Hall for the weekly Square & Round dance classes – there’s a lovely mass growing under the OLD Doug Firs, & even some in the little garden in front of the Grange! I keep thinking I’ll bring a bit home & see if I can find a place it’s happy in my yard!
This is one of my favorite wild greens. Several years back I found seeds for it in a gardening catalog and got them to add to my winter shoulder and winter season plantings in the p-patch I had at the time. It was such a faithful grower and it just kept reseeding itself. I’m wanting to get seeds again for my new p-patch to have on top of what I find out on walks and hikes.
We’re growing Claytonia for the first time, and it is so odd-looking that I had to double check to make sure weeds hadn’t taken over the row of greens. We haven’t done much with it yet, so I was really happy to see your post. Time to harvest and eat these before the heat wipes them out here in Houston.
Linda – Indeed it is. Not sure if you have an East Coast variety…
Russell – I’m guessing those morels came from California or maybe even Georgia. But we’ll be into ’em soon.
r. hurd – Purty, I reckon.
Matt – We need to get you into a wild patch, mate.
Josh – Really? Have you seen an increase in urban miner’s lettuce? That would be cool.
Dia – I heard good reports of seeding miner’s lettuce in the home garden. Go for it!
Maurie – Now you’ve got me thinking about my local p-patch. It’s a great source for weeds and would be even better with a native green.
Heather – Yeah, well, we can’t all be intrepid foragers. 😉
Vegetable Matter – The leaves change shape through the season as the plant grows. Don’t mis out on those tender early leaves (though it’s just as good when the flower stalk forms).
The Foraged and Found guy told me that they were local landscape morels, but that they were selling California ones to restaurants. I think maybe that worries me a little?
I love me that gobo. Though I have to be surreptitious when I use it, since my New England-born-and-bred husband refuses to consider it a food (rather like your groundskeeper, I suspect). So I throw it into soups and stews and stir-fries with abandon where it becomes (visually, at least) just another root vegetable. Maybe someday I’ll tell him he’s been eating burdock all along. But not just yet.
I love the concept of your blog. The most exciting thing in the world to me is happening upon a gastric pleasure in an unexpected place. I can’t wait to try to rustle up some of these finds! And…I can’t wait to figure out what it is these people pull over on the side of the road and fill bags with here in the “way north” on Highway nine between Lake Stevens and Arlington. Perhaps you’ve already explored this??? I find your writing style very engaging, as well!
I thinkmost of what we have in W WA lowlands is Claytonia (Montia) sibirica, which stays more lanceolate/egg-shaped. I’ve seen C. perfoliata, but normally more in CA and OR, only occasionally hereabouts. It’s still tastes great, with dandelion greens as mentioned, a little early sheep sorrel, and some salmonberry shoots.
kab – Shhhh…what hubby doesn’t know can’t hurt him–in fact, it can help him in this case.
Ruralrose – Give it a try, you’ll dig it, so to speak.
Bpaul – Thanks!
Donata – What time of year are you spotting all these “roadkill foragers” on route 9?
gabrielamadeus – I hear you. Everyone’s comfort zone is different. Try to locate patches free of chemical spraying or agricultural runoff. Legacy soil contamination in urban areas is harder to evaluate.
Matt – You’re a root guy. Try some from Uwajimaya, then we’ll go get some from my spot, which is close to you.
AndrewM – Yeah, I find lots of C. sibirica in the Cascade foothills too. The young specimens tend to be even more lanceolate than C. perfoliata and have a more succulent look. The patch shown is C. perfoliata; some of the leaves in another nearby patch were starting to develop the characteristic round leaves, but it’s still early. On the eastern slopes of the Cascades I see a fair amount C. perfoliata, and down in OR & CA as you mention.
Not yet played with burdock, although there’s no real reason. Funny you should mention artichoke heart taste, as I get that feeling when I eat salsify roots.
Maybe I’ll do a big ole’ farewell-to-winter root fiesta with burdock, salsify et al…
The stalks are wonderful too–my favorite wild forage (tho they do get your hands messy.) Now is the time to make a nice stir of gobo, evening primrose and wild carrot roots.
have you tried the siberian miners lettuce? Ive found that siberian patches around the sound outnumber the round leaf 10 to 1. Anyway; the siberian always gives me a slightly sore throat but the round leaf doesnt.
Lang- I just finished making this chowder with the razors we got yesterday. If my first taste test is any signal of what I’m going to enjoy in my bowl in moments then I’m excited.
Thanks for your generosity of spirit here on your blog and in your personal interactions.
I just made this, but instead of blanching the nettles in water, I sautéed them very quickly in the olive oil. It seems to have worked well, and the smell is heavenly.
Be glad you missed the snowstorm which went through recently.. Welcome to Akieland..
What sort of environment does the bittercress grow in? I have been educating myself on the wild edibles in the Oauchitas (near the Ozarks), but that one has not come to my attention, so any help would be appreciated.
The henbit is particularly good this year as well for whatever reason..
Storm – Yeah, our timing was impeccable for once. We missed the big Ozark snowstorm of last week and this week’s nasty weather in Seattle. But I fear our luck is running out because it looks like we’ll be heading home just before the first flush of Arky morels. Anyway, look for bittercress…er…Cardamine…near human dwellings. My bro-in-law has it growing around his home in Silverdale; it’s also in Lake Fayetteville Park. Do you eat pokeweed?
I have not had poke yet, but if I am back in time (I have to travel to help family for a month) I am definitely going to get some this year. I identified it last year, but by the time I had a positive identification, it was too old to harvest safely (from what I understand).
Been looking for morels, or even some locals who can take me around to various ‘shroom spots, but no luck so far.. That said I have spotted some puffballs (the remains of them) and though it took me too long to positively identify, a false chicken of the woods which is edible..
I only moved to the area a couple of years ago, so I am still learning about what is available here.
Wow, Fayetteville! I just moved here in October, and then we had a baby in November, so I haven’t been out foraging much.
What would you say is most prolific here?
Or maybe the better question is, where should I start? I was getting pretty familiar with what grows in southern Michigan, but I’d hate to head out for a walk and miss the easiest plants around here just because they’re unfamiliar.
Any idea if this would be growing up in Whatcom County? I just picked some fiddle heads up here and I’m thinking to find some miner’s lettuce as a nice side.
At this time of the year, I can’t *not* find miners lettuce of whichever species. It prefers more open deciduous forest, along paths, partly to mostly shady, pretty much everywhere except more salty/coastal, deep woods, or open meadows. You can also buy seeds for growing it, or maybe sneak a few plants from the woods. And it reseeds itself… generously.
it seems like that weed is available year round in seattle. and Ive noticed in my nibbling that some seem more bitter than others; but I guess that might be due to the season when picked
Langdon, The hoary bittercress is pretty much done for here in Alabama. It’s in the mustard family. It’s one of the prime winter edible greens here. Whether you are in the city or country, you will find it. Some have big leaves, some have small ones. Restaurants here use it as a micro green.
Oh and I got your book as a Christmas present. Loved it!
If you are ever down in the deep south let me know.
mmm. Cardamine. Isn’t watercress a member of this same family? I’ve been seeing a plant that looks like a cross between watercress and bittercress growing out of the cracks of pavement in alleys. It tastes just like watercress but spicier and it has yellow flowers. PS: I found a gigantic morel today! I’m in Vancouver, BC.
Love this post. Burdock is the bane of my fields (I live on a farm, and it shows up in paddocks, chicken coop, open field, you name it) but I have always loved gobo in Japanese restaurants and wondered if my annoying burdock could be redeemed. So happy you’ve given me the answer (not to mention yet another spring project.)
Mike – I’m no expert on the foraging possibilities in Arkansas but here are a few suggestions: If you’re from Michigan you no doubt enjoy a morel mushroom from time to time. Get out there RIGHT NOW for morels. Other local specialties include pokeweed, pawpaw, persimmon, and several species of nut. Plus you’ve got great panfishin’! Good luck.
Laughblog – I hear that. I got a bad case of poison ivy this trip but no ticks or chiggers, thankfully.
Seth – It does seem to be a year-round option in Seattle, which makes it especially important to those of us in the Northwest. As for taste, you might be eating more than one species–or maybe it’s a function of season. I haven’t taken tasting notes so I can’t say for sure. In any case, I haven’t found a Cardamine that I didn’t enjoy.
Farmer boy – That’s cool that Alabama restaurants use Cardamine as a micro green. I don’t think I’ve seen it on Seattle menus. BTW, I might be in your neck of the woods for a little boar hunting at some point…
Cameal – Yes, both Cardamine and watercress (genus Nasturtium) are brassicas, which includes some of our best tasting and most nutritious vegetables, wild and domestic. Your sidewalk cracker is probably bittercress, which is spicy and reminiscent of watercress. Congrats on the morel! I got goose-egged in Arkansas.
That’s a heck of a haul of bass, Lang, and it’s amazing how much they look like stripers. I like your minimalist approach to the tacos, too.
They fish white bass on the wide slow part of the Wolf River near Fremont, WI. The boats are practically side by side, and there is no daily bag limit.
Oh, jeez. That’s what that weed is that is growing all over my entire yard. And I can eat it? Even better. I thought it was called turnip weed. Cooked or raw? I guess I’ll figure it out! Thanks!
Heayll yeah! I used to whack ’em and stack ’em on the Rappahannock around this time of year. The old timer is right – on good days it is every cast! I used red wigglers as bait and it was money.
Few better fish to crispy-fry whole, and the fillets off the big ones are a lot like their cousin, Mr. Striper.
amazing…. I have never cooked with fiddleheads and only eaten them at restaurants, it is only after the fiddlehead season is over that I remember I can forage them myself…and then I feel silly buying them. Hopefully I am not too late this year.
Le Loup – These are lady fern fiddleheads; in the eastern U.S. you usually get ostrich ferns. Neither is considered carcinogenic. As for bracken fern, while studies have linked their fiddleheads to higher rates of stomach cancer, they’re considered a delicacy in Japan and were routinely eaten by Native Americans. Since charcoal grilled burgers are also carcinogenic, I suppose it comes down to one’s comfort level.
Your Frittata looks awesome, we’ll have to try it. We love fiddleheads, usually just steamed with a little lemon butter, but we’re still a few weeks away from their season in the Northeast. Ours are the ostrich ferns.
There’s a great, big patch of eastern fiddleheads (ostrich fern, as you noted, Lang) along a river near us here in Vermont. They probably won’t be up for another week or two. Thanks for the reminder to check soon!
When I lived on my farm in upstate New York (Watertown area), we gathered and cooked fiddlehead ferns (along with LOTS of ramps) every spring.
However, my experience with the northwest variety of the fiddle head is that they are rather fibrous and not nearly as tender as the northeast variety.
Le Loup – As you’re in New England, I’d encourage you to give the ostrich fern fiddleheads a try. They’re the most choice of all and don’t pack the carcinogens found in bracken fern.
Sherry – The Frittata was killer. I’m envious of your ostrich fiddleheads–those are the best.
Tovar – Have you tried freezing fiddleheads? I pickled a bunch last year but might try freezing this time around. If you have a nice big patch nearby you might consider putting some up.
DocChuck – It’s true that the lady fern fiddlehead of the West Coast is not the equal of the ostrich, though I wouldn’t call it fibrous. Blanched and sauteed it’s still fairly tender, though it can be slightly bitter. I’ve never tried a side-by-side taste test, but that would be a worthy experiment.
I had the chance to taste bracken and ostrich fiddleheads side by side last summer–prepared by wild foods author Teresa Marrone at a farmers market cooking demo. The ostrich fiddleheads were good; the bracken ones, absolutely fantastic, really a delicacy. So, while while I wouldn’t make a steady diet of them, I would take the risk.
We’re just a few days away from fiddlehead season here in MN/WI.
hey there, I’m happy to have found your blog — I’m your latest follower. I found you via the nettle ravioli with sage butter recipe, which I may just have to try out this weekend. Your recipes look fantastic.
I love your site! Though we haven’t been living off the land too much yet (besides my own garden), I’m looking forward to summer camping trips and fresh fish tacos.
Was just searching for a recipe, spotted on on a blog a long time ago. Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to harvest some sunny yellow blooms and give this a go!
Ciao Chow Linda – The little littlenecks are super tender and delicious. You see them even smaller in restaurants, but for us recreational clammers we have to abide by size restrictions. In any case, I love ’em.
Emily – Thanks! There’s nothing better than a wild food feast by the campfire.
I love falling down the Internet’s culinary rabbit holes. I learn so much that way. And speaking of, I just remembered Malayasian food from another post I looked at today. There’s some near me, and now I’m jonesing (though you may have inspired me to just try my own hand).
I’ve only had cockles and soft shell clams and found that I preferred the cockles. Now you say the cockle is chewy, which I don’t find it to be bad, but I usually just eat it in chowders. What other clams are less chewy?
I’m always struggling to come up with ideas for fiddleheads, and last night I served them with a Korean-style dressing… I had no idea until reading this post that fiddleheads are also part of the Korean food culture. It makes sense — the salad was delicious.
Banu – In researching this dish I ate it three times in two days. I’m still hungry for more.
Heather – We’ve got Malay Satay Hut nearby, which is decent. Singapore is calling you…
Curtis – Well, littlenecks for one are less chewy. Also, it’s easy to overcook cockles, at which point they’re like rubber. But as I say in the post, they more than make up for this with tremendous flavor. Cutting up the cockles helps.
M – Good call on the tomato paste. I’ll try it next time.
I never thought about what dandelion wine might look like but yours is beautiful, and how great that your story turns on the intelligence of a wizened Lao woman. (Plus I like the old Lao guy and his eye-opener.) Thanks for posting on in-city foragings.
My wife and I made our first batch of Dandelion Wine (5 gallon) this year too. However we didn’t pull the petals out, we just destemmed and removed any stray leaves that we happened to pick. We picked over 5lbs! I do want to say the color of yours is just wonderful, whereas our is an ugly yellow-green…we used the recipe from “Stalking the Wild Asparagus”
LoveMeKnot – Go for it. I made jelly with 2 cups of leftover petals and will be posting about it soon. The jelly is like honey. So good.
Audrey – Picking dandelions in the neighborhood always results in meeting interesting people. 😉
Anonymous – I was pleased with the color too. My petals were mostly green-free plus the raisins added a rich depth to it. As for taste, we’ll know in nine months.
Can’t wait to hear about the how it is. What kind of special gear are you using for fermentation? Just a glass carboy and a one way water valve on the top?
Jaunty is one of my favorite words. The noon hops beverage is almost always a good call, esp when it’s a neighborly gesture and you don’t have a pressing PM docket. I can’t wait to taste some dandy wine!!
Curtis – Very basic setup: carboys, airlocks, the usual plastic tubes and pump. A bucket. Nothing too fancy. I’ll take a little sip when I rack it in three months and give an update.
Evalyn – Funnily enough I’ll be posting a recipe for Dandy Jelly in a couple days. Stay tuned…
im not sure if i could find enough dandelions is clean ground to do anything with them. this is cool looking though. reminds me of that country song “pickin wild flowers”
I am definitely going to make this! I bet it kind of tastes like honey. Maybe I’ll add some orange rind and star anise. I was up in Sqamish the other day- not a lot of dandies left but I found wild ginger by the bucket. I’m thinking of making ginger marmalade.
Hey Lang, Hoping your spring goes well! Ah, you have discovered the shocking secret of preserves – that jellies are not quite the simple and lowly members of the clan, but rather the most challenging – especially those w/o pectin!
Yes, jellies are challenging, but totally do-able! I think it’s great you made this, and loved the NYT article as well.
I just made dandelion honey–so called because it set so soft. I used pectin (you have to have pectin) just not commercial pectin. I used the natural pectin found in apples. But however you make it, dandelion jelly is delicious.
Fabulous! So glad you were inspired by the story to make it yourself. It’s a real labor of love, as you know, but well worth it. I read your dandelion wine post with great interest too, as I have some fermenting in a friend’s basement right now (any tips for a newbie?) Looking forward to reading more of your wonderful posts.
Extracting apple pectin? It’s basically simmering tart chopped apples (skin, seeds and all) then straining and saving the juice, which will be high in pectin. There are more details, of course, and there are many recipes on line and in preserving books for making apple pectin stock. Here’s a link to a jelly I made using apple pectin: http://whatjuliaate.blogspot.com/2009/11/earl-grey-tea-jelly.html I’m not a great step-by-step recipe giver, but it gives you the general idea. Hope this isn’t too dull; I’m sort of a jelly geek!
The one and only time I’ve ever had dandelion jelly was at my aunt and uncle’s ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, when I was 7 years old. It was like golden sunshine on toast. Amazing and unforgettable. I’ve often wondered whether it existed outside of my aunt’s kitchen. Thanks for sharing it.
First, what a sweet story about your son. Second, I LOVE dry-fried whatever.
I’ve had the same problem with the recipes that call for chicken breast… I’ve given up, and just chicken thighs. Always juicy, and it widens the cooking window so that I can fry it until it’s really crispy.
I like your Sichuan experiment! Agreed that chicken thighs are the better cut for stir-fry. (Chicken breasts are affectionately known as “white guy meat” in our house.) You could mix the chicken chunks with a generous pinch of cornstarch ten minutes before frying, to crisp the outside and keep moisture in.
Also I’ve abandoned my wok for the cast iron skillet … many of the woks you get stateside don’t get hot enough to do the toasty exterior you want without burning.
YESYESYES! I just read her article too, and also tried my hand at dandelion jam. A great day we had foraging for this “weeds” and making a delectable treat.
Julia – Thanks, and I’m with you: Out with breasts, in with thighs.
Barnaby – Dry-fried green beans are just about my favorite too, but the fiddleheads are a change-up that you’ll enjoy.
Audrey – I have a Joyce Chen wok, which is supposed to be decent, but what do I know? I like the corn starch idea. Maybe that helps to seal in the juices better. Thanks!
Heather – A black bean sauce might be better. One thing I was thinking was that the slight bitterness of the fiddleheads needed something else as a counterweight. More experimenting necessary…ha!
I’ve picked 1 1/2 cups of flowers and headed out to pick more! (I have a neighbor who’s got tons and rarely mows). I made violet jelly yesterday from all the violets in my lawn… it’s wonderful! And a lovely color as well. It may be something you want to try…similar recipe – 2 cups flowers (with violets you don’t need to remove the green!) 2 cups of hot water to infuse… up to 24 hours, 2 cups of sugar, 1pkgof liquid pectin. I did 4 cups of flowers (lots of violets in my lawn!) so ended up with 11 1/2 pints of jelly. Realy good.
And btw – did my first dive for spotted shrimp last night. We didn’t see a lot (apparently there was more on the opening Saturday), but we did get the ones we saw and it was a blast!
“2. Reduce heat to medium, stir in dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, and cook until fragrant, a couple minutes.”
You forgot “Turn fan on warp speed and don’t breath!”
And some traditional recipes have you marinate the chicken/shrimp/pork/whatever in rice wine with ginger & green onion, then use a egg white & cornstarch wash to seal the meat. Then remove, proceed with the rest and add back near the end.
I was so intrigued by the idea if ‘gelified honey’ I foraged some gold(en flowers) and made my first jelly! It was very tasty! I flubbed the pectin a bit and got some lumps but other than that all went as planned. I skipped the canning part ( thought I did put the jelly in canning jars) and put in the fridge. We will eat it within a day or two, so spoiling shouldn’t be an issue. I’m taking half of the batch with me to the Sustainable Capitol Hill meeting tonight. Some one from the Transition Town movement will be tking about Transition Seattle. As I have mixed feelings about the whole Transition Town thang , I’m interested to see what they have to say. And to share my Dent de Lion Jelly too! 🙂
Hello, My name is Amanda and I am a Food Safety Advisor/ Master Canner/ Volunteer with the Unniversity of Idaho. I would advise against making this kind of jelly. Dandelions are a weed, I know alot of people eat them, but canning them is differnt. There isn’t any tested recipe for dandelion jelly. Here is a link to a website of tested recipes from the University of Georgia. You should only preserve foods from tested recipes. http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html
I’m not trying to upset anyone here so I hope you understand where I’m coming from. I wouldn’t want to hear about someone getting sick from Clostridium botulinum from unsafe canning metheds.
I found an 8-9 lb. one yesterday in West Seattle. It’s about 15″ x 13″ and 7-1/2″ high! It’s beautiful and barnacled. We sliced it open and made some 1/2-inch thick “steaks”. One steak filled each frying pan. We fried them in butter and sprinkled with garlic salt, cooking until the outsides were golden. Yum! Tasted like soft buttery super-tender sauteed chicken breast. Kind of melted in your mouth.
I’ve got a question. When we sliced it, scattered in the dense white flesh were small translucent “stripes”, reminding me of a few random-placed, severely-underdeveloped gills. These seemed to weep out moisture when fried. Do you know what these translucent “stripes” could be? They definitely are part of the mushroom, not worm-holes. And they seemed to be located in the flesh nearest the outer edges of each “bloom”, not in the flesh at the center.
Hello again, though a friend at the U of I ext. We found a publication where it say’s it’s safe to can dandelion jelly! I’m sorry if I hurt anyone’s feeling’s with my other post… Hear is the website that has the jelly plus other wild berries you can make jams and jellies with..
Yeah, I second that comment from Linda! About the mapple blossoms–can you eat then whenever ? Or do you want to gather them when the blossoms first open? A little more info. would be much appreciated. 😀
Ciao Chow Linda & Amber – I’m just starting to experiment with maple blossoms. Can’t remember where I first heard about them as edibles, but I doubt they’ll ever become a major food source for me–more of a novelty. The taste is subtle. Not sure how the flavor of the blossoms changes over the course of their flowering. I’ve seen pictures of harvested blossoms that run the gamut from mostly closed to fully blooming. Also, I wonder about other species of maple. I’ll post more info as I get it.
As I child in SF, I had Hangtown Fry for Saturday lunch ever Saturday at Jack’s. Now that I am on the east coast, I have not been able to convince anyone of the correctness of this combination. Your post has strengthened my resolve. Janice (from gigabiting.com)
Pretty dish! Ron from Herbfarm had been talking about big-leaf maples, which we don’t get this far south. Need to get up there at some point and try them.
I just made this. Excuse my language, but holy shit! Where has this recipe been all my life??? It’s perfect! It tastes like the most amazing honey ever, just as I was hoping it would.
I picked some wood sorrel for my Feasts and Festivals hermit’s supper here in Cornwall last weekend, then chickened out of eating it – wish I’d seen your post first!
After tasting a piece of sorrel at the Olympia Farmers Market opening day a couple of months ago, I remembered how much I like the tart flavor. I now have a row of sorrel growing inbetween the spinach and lettuces. I didn’t have much of a plan of what to do with it when it is ready, but of course (!) it sounds great with salmon. Now I have a recipe. Merci.
This looks fabulous! I love that you added fresh morels and bacon in with the oysters. Your pics of the Hangtown Fry make me hungry. I have been learning about Pacific Northwest Oysters and didn’t know that there are at least 70 varieties available. Do you have a favorite for cooking with -vs- raw? Chef David – http://www.chefs-resources.com/Oysters
weirdo dandelions havie healing properties and been made into lots of wonderful eats and canned for many moons before you go boast your food safety w/e try old skool, grammas know best!! been making dandelion jelly and canning it for years its good for the body mind and soul,,food safety phsfft…
Thanks for the recipe! I really enjoyed collecting the flowers and had a nice walk through the neighborhood. Although a bit labor intensive, plucking all the tiny yellow petals, it was totally worth it. It DOES taste like gelified honey! I enjoy it on my homemade mini raisin-fennel seed ciabattas….toasted, of course. Delish!
I see that you’re interested and fascinated in food stuffs. This is awesome Spring Risotto with Morels, Fiddleheads & Asparagus. You see, we have this food site Foodista.com (http://www.foodista.com) that is a food and cooking encyclopaedia that everyone and anyone can edit. Maybe you are interested in sharing some of recipes to us or share your knowledge about food stuffs and techniques. Don’t hesitate to check us out. I hope to see you there.
I agree, the name of the recipe really says it all. Do you have any idea how long morel season will last? I was out this week and didn’t see any after finding pounds…
For the last couple of days I’ve been searching for Pineapple Weed Express and finally I stumble into your blog, it has great info on what I’m looking and is going to be quite useful for my studies. BTW is amazing how many generic viagra blogs I manage to dodge in order to get the right site and the right information…lol Thanks for the post and have a nice day
See, I have this problem with your blog…..everytime you make something that looks REALLY good, I can’t just go out to my grocery store, or heck, my backyard for that matter (and trust me, it’s a BIG back yard) and replicate it. It’s not fair–now for the next week I’m just gonna be thinking about risotto w/morels, fiddleheads & asparagus! ; D
I had similar thoughts as Anonymous up there. I read the recipe and just have no idea where to find fiddleheads. I guess I’ll need to put some effort into my quest.
Recipe sounds perfect for this overcast May day. Fresh veg and comforting risotto.
I have been reading you for a long time because I love your subjects. But can I just say that this is some of the most beautiful writing you have done since your surgery? Really, more than the regular pleasure to read.
What a wonderfully seasonal meal of freshly foraged, local goodies. The combination of flavors with these three spring gems is unparalleled. Thank you!
I just read about horse clams in the tidal flats in Edmonds. I assume they’re not edible. True?
Good to read more about the bounty of Hood Canal as we are trying to justify purchasing a (super cheap) getaway near there. It would be a great opportunity for a glorified clam shack as we did NO razor clamming this year b/c we didn’t have time for the drive from Seattle and back.
blimey, that is work isn’t it! So I saw on an episode of River Cottage a rather interesting way to catch geoduck – find the little blow hole in the sand, and pour in a little salt. Apparently it irritates the clam, and makes it surface. Seemed to work on the telly anyhow!
The most fun I ever had at the ocean was when I was 8 or 9 digging for geoducks with my dad on the WA coast, lying flat out on the beach with my arm suctioned deep into the sand feeling around for geoduck. Just like Laurel. And then the feast later which my dad took full charge of and which you obviously do too. Lang, your photos and meals are gorgeous. Really! Along with the spinning of great stories, it’s a pleasure to visit.
Christine – Big fan of Foodista here. I’ve contributed a bunch of wild food recipes and will add this one as well. Thanks.
Julia – The season really depends on where you live. Morels are winding down now in most parts of the country, but up here in the PacNW we’re just getting started. It’s been a cool & wet spring, so the morels are a little late. I’ve been getting them since early May and will continue to hunt through June at higher elevations and even into July in some parts.
Amber – So sorry to put these thoughts in your head…but they’re good thoughts after all. If foraging is out of the question, maybe try your local farmers market–or there’s always mail-order…
Jennie – Click on the “fiddlehead” label at bottom of post to see my other fiddlehead posts. You’ll learn about species, habitat, cleaning & cooking. Since this is a blog and not a web site (I know, a semantical division) I don’t bother to explain the how-to stuff in each post, but you’ll find relevant info by poking around.
Matt – I’ve used gapers for chowder. They might be too tough for sashimi but give a try and report back your findings.
Carbzilla – Alas, I don’t think there’s any clamming open around Edmonds these days. If you get a little retreat on Hood Canal you’ll be buying into one of the great shellfish factories of the West Coast, this despite the best efforts of residents who refuse to install updated septic systems and other abominations that are heaped upon the water quality on a daily basis.
Matt – Were those razor clams on River Cottage? Once a baby geoduck burrows down into the substrate it’s pretty much stuck there three feet under for the remainder of its life. Unlike a razor, an adult geoduck’s foot isn’t strong enough to dig. Anyway, you’re right: It’s a lot of work–but worth it!
Sally – Always glad to have you stop by. Your memories of geoduck hunting with your dad are priceless. I hope my kids feel the same way when they’re older. Sometimes they think their dad is a little nutty…
To quote another famous Seinfeld episode: “No soup for you!” OTOH, food ethnology & cultural interchange are wonderful, and nowhere is that more visible in the ultimate melting pot of the US. Kudos for a brilliant adaptation/creation.
This Sunday’s low tide will yield: neck sashimi with lime/chile/nuoc mam sauce, belly fritters gone Asian, and quick grilled Korean marinated mantle
That geoduck is incredible, I had never even heard of such a clam. Also, love what you did with it. Is a lot of your food asian influenced? Anyways, thought you should check out my web series (weekly videos) about local food, foraging, hunting etc. http://www.theperennialplate.com – last week’s episode is about the wild edibles all around us here in Minnesota. Anyways, keep up the good work.
Twice the dandelion petals, and a teaspoon of ginger really brought out the dandelion flavor, but I need more ginger in order to actually taste it against the much stronger dandelion flavor.
As with verpas, my opinion is the danger is overblown. While I agree that it is probably not a good idea to eat large quantities on a regular basis, I doubt these are much of a safety risk for people who don’t have a sensitivity/allergy to them and don’t overindulge.
Most years I eat a few meals worth. I find the taste much more assertive than you described, with some bitterness, but I’d guess that might be due to a difference in preparation. (I parboiled, but didn’t let them sit in the water until it cooled.)
On a related note, a friend found some snowbank false morels (gyromitra gigas) this weekend. That’s another area of extreme controversy in the forager world, although David Arora gives them the thumbs-up as a safe edible. I doubt our friends in Eugene share this view. 😉
I’ve been privileged to come across a plate of deliciously butter-laden bracken just once in my life — and it was a delight. Each spring I vow to have the experience again… though fiddleheads seem more difficult to come by here than you might expect! So, no, I’m not too frightened. Everything in moderation, I say!
I’ve eaten them in Japan and a few times in PA, where they are the most prevalent plant in the surrounding woods. As you say, it’s a short season and I feel safe eating a limited quantity.
Personally I see no point in eating something like that unless I have to. 2-3 weeks without food and I am starving, fine, eat the ferns, but otherwise why take the risk however small. Just makes no sense to me. With respect and regards, Le Loup.
Bracken is eaten just about every day in South Korea. Deelish. It always cracked me up that I was eating something that sounded like it comes from the bottom of a swamp.. I’m quite confident that the intestinal cancer rates in S.Korea and Japan are much lower than in the US, probably due to lower rates of meat consumption and higher rates of wild food consumption! I had many an amazing meal of ‘mountain herbs’ while living there.
I absolutely love fiddleheads, but given the variety of ferns available in my area, I won’t eat the bracken. Too much cancer running in my family to risk it. I also wouldn’t want them growing near my well.
a couple months ago i took a bike ride to my secret bracken addled greenbelt on mercer island and every inch of that acre had been picked clean; every nook and cranny. makes me wonder if those fiddleheads I bought at Uwjamaia were bracken and not ladies like I assumed
Lang – predictable this one would bring me out of the woodwork! Been a busy year and I haven’t been able to get as much foraging in as I’d like to. I’ll send an email with some morel info (mostly on more places they aren’t, ha!)
Thag – thanks for the link to your post, you did an excellent job of addressing the subject of risk factors in foraging. Great blog as well, I will be following it!
Thanks for this post. I’ve been thinking about whether or not to start eating bracken again…I grew up eating bracken by the handful every spring, raw and cooked, not at all in moderation, until my parents heard about the carcinogen angle and made us all stop. I miss that flavor.
So glad you posted this – I had swapped messages with Jon about bracken fern we’d had in Hawaii in March and was a little freaked about it. We didn’t prepare it in the way you’d (or he’d) suggested, mostly because we didn’t know how to prepare it – but maybe if we get another chance we’d try it this way instead. Great, great article though. I think people see this all the time and wonder if it’s edible like a fiddlehead.
I made a meatloaf with a modified version of this recipe. The base recipe from Fat of the Land is terrific, and was a large part of my success.
I substituted a 50:50 mixture of ground venison and pork for the turkey and replaced half of the Chanterelles with black trumpets (Craterellus cornucopoides). The woodsy pungency of the black trumpets was a great match to the gaminess of the venison. Delicious.
I recall the flavour of bracken fern as something like a slightly bitter almond. It kind of freaked me out a bit because that’s the supposedly the flavour of cyanide and bracken have a bad reputation for being cancerous. But then I consider car exhaust, cellular radiation, deodorant, cigarettes, alcohol, plastic, scented candles, etc etc etc which I’m exposed to almost daily and think: if I’m spending a day out in the wilderness and eating bracken fern, I’m still probably avoiding many other forms of cancer by getting out of the city and not using deodorant. At that point, all my concerns about it melt away and I munch the fern happily.
Rather than taking a risk of stomach cancer, we should enjoy the non-toxic Matteuccia struthiopteris, which is a native of vermont and can be easily grown in the NW! Almost too easily, as it likes to take over, but grows very well in the dry shade.
Kirsten – The tight canyon u-turn that followed had my passengers even more on edge. Luckily they well understood the impulse…see below…
Hank – So how *did* you feel about that heel-toe work in the trusty VW? We’ll shake up some eldertinis next. The Rainier cherry garnish is genius; unlike other annoying garnishes that bump your mouth or poke your eye, the cherry just spins on its axis, never getting in the way of a good gulp, until you’re ready to dispatch it. And it looks purty too.
I made this a couple of weeks ago, v similar recipe- it’s perfect for ‘improving’ cheap sparkling wine, adding to gooseberries, diluting with fizzy water, flavouring ice cream and cheesecake, and the hedgerows here in Cornwall are thick with it…
I made elderflower syrup and an infused elderflower liqueur this year – I actually liked the syrup better than the booze. From now on I’ll just make syrup and use it as a mixer.
My next batch of syrup (there are some wonderful blue elder trees right down the street from my house), I think I will go a little heavier on the lemon zest – it got lost in the powerful aroma of the flowers.
We’ve been drinking elderflower syrup in home-fermented kombucha, or with a simple tonic water. Delicious!
Oh now I do wish I had jumped on the nettle season at our farm. We probably have 1/2 and acre in shady “cultivation”. I wonder, does the food processor allow for older nettles to be used?
I can’t hear about elderberries without thinking of the Monty Python taunting Frenchmen, “I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and you father smelt of elderberries!”
I do eat fern shoots a lot and I guess I’m not going to worry about it. My wife is Korean and I don’t know any Koreans who don’t eat it. We stir fry the fern tendrils that we buy in the Korean market in packets of brine with other vegetables much the way one would cook snow peas or snap beans. When I hike in fiddlehead season I often put a little salt water in a plastic nalgene bottle and pick the shoots as I walk placing them in the bottle. Later, even days later, I can pull them out of the bottle and peel the hairs or tiny leaves off of them and heat them like beans in a pot over a fire with whatever else I have as flavoring. I’ve never worried much about the toxicity but then again I’m not a botanist or an expert of any kind. The only time I ever even thought about the toxins was on a recent 10 day hike in the Pasayten wilderness where there were so many shoots that I began to worry that maybe ten days of bracken might push me over the edge into some super toxic category of danger. Happily that was not the case or doesn’t appear to be yet…
I live in “Old Hangtown” but my favorite rendition is two and a half ours west of here in Point Reyes Station at the Pine Cone Diner…fresh oysters are key.
Pike (XXXXX) Stout.. once shipped across the US, now unknown (to me anyway) anywhere outside of the Pacific Northwest.. A wonderful stout, and about as far as you can get from a pilsner! No wonder it was a shock to the taste buds!
A four-pounder, eh? Wow. And aren’t horsenecks and geoducks two different clams? We don’t really get geoducks in California, but we have horsenecks all the way to SF.
Storm – I was only too happy to take care of the half-finished stouts myself!
Hank – You’re thinking of the horse clam, also known as the gaper. Geoducks are sometimes called horsenecks but really neck is not the piece of equine anatomy that comes to mind…
Your recipe looks great I will try it. I’m from the Boston area and if you have never tried New England fried clams you don’t know what you are missing. I know you couldn’t duplicate this with a large “chewy” clam. You need small tender clams and the Ipswich river has the best.
Anonymous – I cut my teeth on Cape Cod clams as a kid, steamers and quahogs. My first clam digging memory is watching my dad wade into the bay near Eel River up to his neck and feel around the bottom with his toes. Those are some good clams!
DocChuck – Check out Taylor Shellfish. They farm geoduck and sell abroad, so I’m guessing they could get you some overnight. Enjoy.
I noticed the same thing when I lived in Kodiak – freshest, most wonderful seafood I’ve ever tasted, but nowhere to get it already cooked. A little fish shack like the ones in every small town back home would’ve been a perfect fit.
I was with you until the last paragraph. I made a batch of this last year, and found it less “tart edge” and more “weirdly bitter”. Works with lamb, but not on toast.
Is this a procedure you’ve refined over the years, or just a matter of taste? I’m wondering if my food mill didn’t let in too many skins.
Maria – I would call our spread slightly tart but definitely not “weirdly bitter.” Were your berries at peak ripeness? Maybe the food-mill is suspect. Ours did a bang-up job of culling out the seeds and skins. Give it another go this summer.
Garcon – Rudy’s organic white, Trader Joe’s creamy organic peanut butter, and wild Oregon-grapes from behind my daughter’s pre-k. Simple and good!
Now that you’ve taken up hunting, you’ll be able to see just how well oregon grape jelly goes with venison. Delicious. Also, we use a berry comb to harvest:
We have a cabin up in Quilcene area, Hood Canal. We have lots of oysters and clams but I have never tried to find geoducks before. Our beach has a lot of rocks, pebbles so I was wondering if we can still find geoducks here. I’m going to try looking for the geoduck lairs the next time I’m out there.
i’ve seen oregon grapes around the city, but do you know they aren’t using pesticides or just don’t care? i’m just wondering how paranoid i need to be about foraging for things around the city
We had some Oregon grapes growing in the backyard this year, but it seems the chickens are less willing to wait for full ripeness than I am. Every little berry has been expertly plucked right off the stem.
Guess that just means I’ll have to keep an eye out for them elsewhere (and fence them off next year).
In the meantime, I plan on exploring some recipes with wild (actual)grapes which grow abundantly in some of my favorite late-summer camping areas. I’d assume a similar jelly can be made?
I’ve always enjoyed eating those wild berries whenever I’m in Europe and I wish they grew around here. Lucky you live in a place where you can find them.The tartlets were a great idea.
They say they have Huckleberries here in the south but I have not seen them besides you are likely to find snakes with them. Of all the huckleberries I’ve picked, from Priest Lake to Sisters in Oregon, the best were the grape sized dark purple ones we got, every other year, near Mt. St. Helens, when it was a mountain.
I am going try your tartlets using blueberries and homemade creamcheese and honey.
The berries do seem a bit slow this year, probably from our long cool spring… However, I just spent a week in North Idaho in the Priest Lake area and was able to pick about a half gallon of huckleberries at lake level. While I’d hesitate to say they were “abundant”, I did see a lot of green berries, and even a few bushes still in flower. There should be much better prospects in the next couple of weeks.
Strange – This year, the red huckleberries on Bainbridge Island are some of the biggest I’ve seen – Maybe our microclimate is just different enough? They’re not weighing the branches down in numbers, but I’ve found more than a few almost blueberry-sized huckleberries in the last couple of weeks.
I love fruit tarts but have never tried to make them. Thrilled to start.
Your pictures are beautiful. Im always surprised by the delicious bounty right in our backyard. With your blog and theperennialplate.com (they did an episode on which greens –previously looked at as weeds– are edible), my food world is expanding. Very exciting. Thank you.
Ciao Chow Linda – You might look for wild blueberries in your hood. Domestic varieties were bred from those East Coast Vacciniums long ago.
3rivers – I like those purple mountain hucks too! Vaccinium membranaceum, the thin-leaf huckleberry, is the one you find on the roadside stand and farmers market, and probably the one you remember from Mt. St. Helens. It’s still around, post-blast.
Cloxdog – Priest Lake is a place I need to spend more time at. Do much mushrooming around there?
Hank – She takes after her mother!
Rebecca – Another excuse to hop a ferry to Bainbridge… Those microclimates have a funny sense of humor, yes? Be happy with your bounty because a professional forager I talked to said he was having a miserable year with red hucks.
Mila – Tarts are not my everyday fare. I was skeptical until my daughter took the first bite, then relieved as she pronounced it worthy. The sweet cheese balances the tartness of the berries well. Glad you’re enjoying the adventure in wild foods.
LC – No, I haven’t done much mushrooming myself as I lack the knowledge to be comfortable doing so… but I have eaten and bought Morels from the locals in the spring. I’ve also seen Matsutake being harvested during the fall.
I plant weeds too :). My neighbours hate it– I have a garden full of dandelions, lambs quarters, nettles, yarrow, and mallow.
Purslane is my favourite though, I just love the flavour of it. I saw a big bunch growing in a flower bed about a week ago, but I didn’t know whether the flower bed owner used weird chemicals or not… do you just pick yours from anywhere, or are you careful about pesticides and road fumes and stuff like that?
I grow it in my garden, but honestly can’t say I’ve seen it here native. Maybe I’m not looking hard enough, but it’s certainly not the weed that lamb’s quarter is, for ex. Whatever the case, it’s really nice, and I’ve made a lot of purslane fans simply by introducing it in salads to guests. Very underrated green, no question.
I’ve always wanted to try this and now that I’ve come back from vacation to a weed-infested garden, I have more than enough of that ingredient. Purslane – It’s what’s for dinner.
Rebecca – Good for you! We’re driving down the real estate values of our respective ‘hoods as we eat. I finally mowed the front lawn the other day–there was a collective sigh of relief up and down the block. Re: chemicals: I’m careful about where I pick. Luckily the stigma of using nasty lawn chemicals seems to be taking root in my area.
Kevin – It’s a good “starter weed” for sure to hook in the unsuspecting.
Jelena – You might ask around. Purslane is pretty wide-spread. I think it originated in Eurasia–it’s been used in India and Mediterranean countries for centuries. Good luck.
Ciao Chow Linda – I’m confident you’ll love it. Wish I had some of your juicy Jersey tomatoes to go with.
i just saw a neighbor with barrels of this growing on their stoop, and i wondered why they needed so much of a rather undistinguished-looking plant. now, i may have to steal some.
I believe I have purslane trying to crowd out my new asparagus bed I planted this year (I have been bad about weeding). What I am wondering is if purslane can get so large that it is no longer tasty. I have some very large stems on my weeds.
I was so excited by this post that I went out for some native blackberries and whatever else I could find! Along my drive I found a few fantastic spots of thimbleberries, too. Instead of corn starch, I just used some salal berries to thicken it up. Delicious!
I am a big fan of purslane – I’ve grown the fat-leaved German variety as a garden plant many a time. It is one of the best hot-weather greens out there, too.
We call ’em service berries, and we just made jam with a little rhubarb in it. Yumm… I also read somewhere awhile ago that they used to be called poor mans blueberries. Perfect for me, I have about 5 quarts frozen in my freezer.
Here in NYC we picked the first two weeks in June. With sumac berries they make a delicious jelly. Such a big harvest this year, I’m brewing my first gallon of Amelanchier wine.
great timing, we were out today and found about 6 pounds of kings, delicious. Will definately try to add them to chanterelles in our next “cream of” soup.
Much different than the kings ive been getting in the Yukon. Still amazing though! I get all giddy reading posts like this. Boletovoire or chanterelle…for me boletovore for sure!! LOVE THOSE KINGS! lol
Tasty looking boletes! Looking forward to the fall flush. I’ve found B. barrowsii in Northern CA before, they honestly did not taste different than the kings I find under live oak in the fall. I think both of these have more flavor than those growing under pine though. Nice CO finds! I would love a few fresh boletes, sometimes the dried ones just don’t cut it.
Update: My boy has demanded a porcini omelet for breakfast and dinner every day for the last three days in a row. Good times.
Jeffrey – Tell me more about Yukon kings…are they spring kings (Boletus rex-veris)? Boletovores unite!
Ciao Chow Linda – We’re lucky to have big fruitings in the West, but I’m told you can find them back East too…
Perry – A friend of mine swears he finds B. barrowsii under the same tree in Seattle every summer. I’ve never seen it in the PNW, or anywhere else for that matter.
Avenger – Thanks for the visit. Definitely take note. There’s an entire kingdom awaiting discovery.
Hey, I did a post about the Yukon kings a couple of weeks ago. see here —> http://nose2tail.blogspot.com/2010/07/yukon-porcini-season.html Not spring kings or borrowsii. Color from reddish orange to almost buff/off white on sun affected ones. Very nutty and meaty. Worm free for the most part. Growing around birch, aspen, alder, dwarf birch/willows and white spruce. In troops with amanita muscaria. I cant get enough!
Hi! Wild huckleberry crop in most of the northwestern US, especially in the northern Rockies (Idaho, w. Montana, e. Oregon, ne Washington, w Wyoming)is down from our bumper crops of the past two years. Primary reason is the low snowpack. The berries grow primarily on the current years growth on the bush. With lack of snow, the tips get hit badly with spring frosts, and don’t grow as well or at all. We had some hard frosts in early to mid May this year. The reduced soil moisture from low snowpack is also a factor… however, the cool wet spring did help with moisture, but made the berries about 3 weeks late, like two years ago. Unfortunately, the very hot weather for about 3 weeks in July into early August often “fries” the developing berries. All those things combined probably contribute to the lower wild huckleberry crop this year. If you want to forcast a great crop, 2009 was perfect: heavy snow pack, some spring moisture, moderate summer temps. Of course, there are always microsites with great berries in any weather combination… if you know where to look. But 2009 was the best year since 1994… wish we had that one again!
Interesting. Up in Whatcom county we’re having a great red huckleberry season, at least in some areas. Also, I was in far north Idaho (NE of Priest Lake but the same general region) last weekend and we did quite well with the blue hucks, although not nearly as well as the outrageous abundance from 2009. As Malcom pointed out, they are running late and the ripe ones were a couple thousand feet below where we found them at the same time last year.
As far as mushrooming is concerned, in the same area last year I found the largest fruiting of porcini (as well as at least 15 other varieties of mushroom) I’ve ever seen next to a lake at ~5000 ft. This year, my trip didn’t line up with their fruiting schedule and it was too early/dry – not much fungal life on display anywhere in the 2000-5000′ range. Should be good in another couple weeks though as they have been receiving regular showers and thunderstorms over the last week or two. I just wish it didn’t take 9 hours to drive over there.
Landon- If you try to hit the barowsii, don’t go in July, wait until August when the rains are well into their cycle. We hit a bunch a week or two ago, as did Steve Bodio south of us and Chas Clifton in the southern Colorado Rockies.
Interesting that there appears to be less porcini-mania there. I know Steve Bodio just blogged about hunting porcini in the Southern Rockies (click here and scroll down to the Aug. 8 post).
How would one go about finding a purslane plant? (I’d like to put some in a pot on my apartment balcony, assuming it will grow in pots.) My neighborhood is one of those overly manicured types, so I doubt I’d find any “wild” purslane to pilfer :/
You inspired us to go hunting. We were on the Western Slope (near one of the areas you mention) yesterday and gathered 50 pounds of these beauties. I must say, there were cut stems, elk foraged caps, and there were quiet hillsides offering bounties of these lovely wine-red boletes.
Now to finish processing our harvest! (I came over here to get recipes, after all. ;o))
Thanks again for the nudge and all the great info you provide.
A neighbour gave us some about eight years ago and each summer they pop up in various places around the garden. The fruit never makes it indoors – I eat it as I garden. The tiny berries are deliciously tangy, juicy and refreshing, especially on a warm day.
Nice haul! You need to have a porcini tasting someday, to see if you can discern the flavors of all the various types. Guess you’d need to do it with reconstituted dried ones, though.
We think they taste like a cross between grapes and bubblegum. And are thrilled that they do indeed popup all over the place. We’re high desert, so honestly, we’re happy with anything that’ll grow. 🙂
In my opinion, the Queen of wild forage is the wild strawberry, both the ground variety and the “bell” variety that grows up on a stem with the fruit hanging down like a bell.
I once tried to bag them and bring them out with a bunch of huckleberries, and they didn’t keep well. They seemed to almost melt by the time we were back to the house. Ever since… I eat them on the spot when and where I find them.
The last two weeks we spent in Rocky Mountains National Park and hiked more than 150 miles at the elevations around or above 10,000 feet above sea level. Each day along the trail we saw many, many beautiful bolets, some as big as 12 inch in diameter. In total, we saw at least several hundreds of them. That was really incredible 🙂
Great post – I recently tried fennel pollen and, while not becoming a junkie myself, liked it and was wondering about collecting it as I know of lots wild fennel around in Seattle.
Also noticing that the ‘invasive’ passion flowers have fruit on – not ripe yet but I imagine it can’t be much longer, so keep an eye out!
Fennel does grow weedy all over the damn place around here – mostly near train tracks and in other wastelands. I have bronze fennel in my garden, and have used the nectar-sticky flowers many times (they taste like Good N Plentys!) but haven’t ever collected the pollen. I may have to.
But I am glad that there is no “commercial culture,” just as I am glad that Pueblo was settled more by Slovenian and Italians than say, Germans and Lithuanians and Russians
Porcini may be an Italian word, but the northern Europeans seemed to take their mushrooming more seriously.
I live in Dunedin, in the south of New Zealand. I had thought the outbreak of ‘plants’ were a weed until today. A stall at the Farmers Market had some ‘Miner’s Lettuce’ for sale and explained how to use this as a vegetable. I will no longer be pulling it out of my garden but rather encouraging it to grow so that we can eat it!
hey Lang; lemme know if you need any tips on plant/shroom specific foraging locations for your class. I’ve taken inventory in just about every greenbelt and park in town. Although my Prince patches will remain in the vault for now theres some healthy watercress a few minutes east of your fennel. Seth
I sampled purslane at a farmers market in NorCal last year — purslane tossed with a tomatillo/green sauce and tucked into a cheesy quesadilla. I’ve been wanting to add it to our garden, and your beautiful pictures are all the more motivation. We’ll have to try your simple salad with tomatoes — sounds deluxe.
Ciao Chow Linda – To be honest, after the collecting plus the week or more of cajoling pollen from its hiding places I’m not ready to do the cost-benefit analysis, but at least I know its provenance.
Vincent – Thanks for the visit. I’ll check out Petitchef pronto.
Heather – I was always a Good ‘n’ Fruity fan, which may explain my love of the chanterelle. Speaking of which, it’s time…
Seth – Would love to hear more about your inventory. Did you get some nice prince mushrooms this summer?
On an outing in San Diego the other day I harvested a few bags of what I thought was dill, but after reading your post and doing some additional research, I’m certain what I actually found and harvested was fennel.
not sure why this thing doesn’t use my username …sorry Lang…will try this again…funny video. Looks like you had a good time. I emailed you that DNA report.
Great video. Thanks for the laugh. Unfortunately, yours may be a rare experience in the coming years as bat populations in North America crash due to an insidious fungal disease called White-nose syndrome. It is attacking bats in their wintering caves and is believed to spread from site to site by cavers who carry the spores on their unwashed gear.
One of the daily pleasures of rafting down the Colorado R. these past two weeks was the evening appearance of bats by the thousands who then stayed busy until well past first morning light. I kept wanting to see them emerge from their hiding places. So . . . loved this video and your going batty over bats.
Ah! I am having a Montana/Idaho adventure and see that our berry-picking and internetless, river-centric dog-days are sort of mirrored. Haven’t found any saskatoons in Idaho and am regretting not picking any for jam while in Montana, where they abounded. Anyhow, tonight I’m on a mission to find your elderberry and huckleberry jam recipes, which I’ll be making before heading back to California.
PS. Having never seen “sarvisberry” written, I had always heard it as serviceberry, which seemed so pedestrian.
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I imagine pollen from bulbing fennel flowers would give you the same results. I just cut a head yesterday, with some leaves, and am using it to infuse vodka.
Thanks for posting this! I had never heard of using fennel pollen before, and after reading this I noticed huge patches of fennel growing wild right along the route I take every day to get to town. I am excited to try this out! I’m really glad I met you at IFBC and remembered your blog.
Found one giant Puffball today,I live in Scotland,so them thing have to be searched out,I am planning a soup,with the puffball,chantrels,oinions,fried in ghee,the rest is for you guy’s to decide,its a good start though.
If you haven’t already, you should read “Across the Olympic Mountains: The Press Expedition, 1889-90” by Robert L. Wood (it’s out of print but available at libraries). Their expedition went up the Elwha and down the Quinault back before there were any trails. It took them 6 months and after reading the book years ago a buddy and I did the same trip in 6 days…
Beautiful country and the Elwha fish were rumored to be some of the largest anywhere.
Sweet little Bog you have here. We are volunteering at the Olympic NP greenhouse transplanting seedlings and sorting seed intended for the Elwha River replanting. Hope you get to forage some of these plants when the river valley returns to a natural state. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Dude, you’re lucky your truck was still there. A backpacking trip like that in most parts of California and you’d return to see your vehicle on blocks.
Now THAT brought back memories. I could smell the dampness of those forests that I used to traverse before moving to the dry side of the Cascades. I did the Bailey Traverse many years ago now; if only we could have eaten as well as you managed to.
Well done, I just completed the Bailey Traverse and I hope it remains the untouched trail of the Olympics. It is a beautiful thing to not see people for days. It’s a rare treat so let’s keep it that way (right). I enjoyed your writing, keep it up.
I like your style of combining the fresh and dried porcini. Dried porcini have such a strong, amazing, funky aroma. They don’t really seem like the same shroom at all.
I love featuring wild mushrooms in risotto! I have a question for you that is basically unrelated to this post, although it is about mushrooms. Have you ever dried chanterelles? If so, how’d you do it? I read another post of yours that explains how you saute and freeze them. Is that the preferred way to store them? After all this rain I took a morning walk to my secret picking spot and was all smiles to see the first chanties poking up through the duff, glowing golden and lovely… aaah.
Thanks, I loved this post, a vicarious treat since my chronic achilles and plantar fascia issues don’t allow me to get that far into the backcountry any more. Reminded me of backpack trips in the Olympics as a teenager many moons ago. Nice, evocative writing.
Jodi – Don’t bother drying chanterelles–rehydrated they’re chewy and lose much of their flavor, unlike porcini. Saute your chanties in butter and freeze. Or try the dry-saute method. Read more here.
M – Some of those pictures are old but useful as illustrations. The risotto was made & photographed last week with freshly picked porcini and dried porcini. Those boletes in the picture at top were picked this August in Colorado. Same species as here in WA, though with redder caps. I liked the picture. If you’re asking whether it’s possible to have a bunch of porcini like that right now in the PacNW, the answer is yes. I’ve got 2 dozen prime boletes in my fridge from a foray yesterday (Sept. 14). Thanks for reminding me to get some new photos!
can you give a general indication of where you’re finding the boletes? Mountains or coast? I have foraged chanterelles (almost too easy – they’re always around) but have never found b. edulis. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong places. I certainly don’t find them in the lowland Doug fir forests where I find chants…
good job in describing him lang. i knew he was someone you needed to hang with. i certainly havent dealt with all his shenanigans over the years for nothing. if only he was a businessman hed be a millionaire, though then he wouldnt be who he was.
What a gorgeous post! Love the writing – simple but paints a strong portrait of both Doug’s connection to the woods and your respect and admiration of him. And I wish I could have tagged along!
Your descriptions of Doug and the world he lives in are pure poetry. Reading your post, I only wanted to know more about these men and women like Doug who make a living bringing the forest’s bounty to our local and sustainable tables.
great post! i am just getting into mushroom foraging and enjoying it so far. do you have any tips for how to cook cauliflower mushrooms? i found a big one today, and thought to just saute it with butter and some chanterelles i also have, but if you have other suggestions i’d love to hear it. thanks.
Great post! I wish I could talk my husband into dropping everything and doing the same thing. Alas, he is a people person, and I am a tree person. I would love to see more about this guy.
Thanks for the comments everyone. I enjoyed writing this post.
Mike – Thank you. Respect was an important part of this post.
Bikejuju – Stay tuned. Doug will return…
Jeremy – Wait til next post…
Hubert Hubert – I’ll look forward to reading about the UK angle.
Matt – I’m working on it!
Kirsten – Thanks. Anyone who tags along needs to be able to move FAST through the brush.
Martha – My interest is piqued. I want to learn more about the pickers too.
K – Click on the mushroom labels in the navbar or use the search box. If you enter “cauliflower” you’ll find a couple recipes. I’ve braised cauliflower shrooms in a beef stew and then used them in place of egg noodles. They’re wonderful simply sauteed in butter. Also pickled.
Berly – Doug will make another appearance–and others…
Love to here about local pickers, most are as elusive as the mushrooms we seek. There probably the least acknowledged purveyor, that can make a restaurant shine. PS if you ever need any company picking…
I just came over from girlichef to find out what purslane is. It IS the weed I have growing in my garden. I wonder if I can get my husband to eat it? Maybe if I show him your post?
Beautiful boletes, Lang! I think the mushroom foraging chapter of FOTL is probably my favorite although your experiences of lantern squid fishing were pretty awesome too. We’ve had such a dry summer back east that we’ll be lucky to get any wild mushrooms at all. Even now it’s cooled down a bit, it’s still pretty much bone dry. All of which is a shame because I had earmarked next weekend for a fungi hunting trip upstate. Still, it’ll be a nice walk in woods.
every penny is exactly right. A day’s pick is earning these folk a few dollars while those in the middle and at the restaurant end are making substantially more. That kind of inequity drives harvest practices towards unsustainability. Ah, the sweet poetry of capitalism…
This is the kind of story I am looking for. I am a film/mycology student trying to make a documentary on mushroom hunting culture. I just got back from Crescent OR where Mushroom Camp was a ghost town but Kings and Matsi were abundant.
Prices have dropped for the pickers to 5-6 dollars p/p (for #1’s) yet costs have risen 10 times for camping in Mushroom Camp (where harvesters are ‘forced’ to stay).
Forgive my unsolicited request of fellowship, but if helping a student make a (short) respectful documentary is of any interest please email bromax30@evergreen.edu
Dear Readers: Thanks fo your comments. I’m camped up in NW BC (and currently poaching wifi from a nearby ranch) but will respond to your comments when I get back to Seattle. Cheers!
These are great and well written articles. I know a few spots in the Cascades, both East and West where I can find the kings, but never 35 lbs unless it several 4 pounders which, not quite No. 1’s. What I’ve learned from you today? The short growth period; I’ve always thought they had a similar fruiting to chanties. No wonder I find them wormy. I have also suspected that spring and summer/fall Kings were two different species, their habits and appearance, the spring being deeper in the ground and more knotted, always led me to believe that they were not the same thing, though taste wise, they’re very similar. You are the first to tell me they are not the same. And a Sitka Spruce? That’s news to me. I guess I should think more coastal.
Thanks for your wisdom and sharing a bit of the stories of the people you spend time with.
I’ve often wondered if I quit my day job, could live like Doug? I’m afraid I’ve romanced it much more in my mind than the reality.
Am I reading it correct that the 2’s are valued at less that the 3’s? Is this always the case or based on availability and need? Thanks for the interesting post.
Hello! I’ve recently started foraging and enjoy checking in with FOTL every couple days to see what’s new. Thanks for all the good tips!
Regarding ostrich ferns, if I’m not mistaken they grow in abundance on the road to Fragrance Lake (north of Mt. Vernon and Anacortes). Have you ever been out that way? I’d be curious to hear if I ID’d them correctly.
I’ve always wondered how wild mushrooms make their journey from the woods to grocery stores and restaurants. Like anything else, the more I know about the people and processes involved, the more I appreciate them. Thanks for an informative post!
Great post, Lang. You’re right. Something about kings gets my blood pumping quite a bit faster than most other fall species. As to this piece; very cool-great concept. You could do an entire book following the life of these guys, season to season. Americana at it’s best! Well done!
I appreciate the honesty of your reports. Buying direct from the pickers helps both the pickers and ourselves but we have to be willing to pay a price that compensates the pickers for the picking and the selling time and the overhead. This makes wild mushrooms more expensive than the cultivated ones but provides a wonderful eating experience. We can’t afford to dine out at the restaurants that serve wild mushrooms so we are grateful to the pickers that sell to us direct. We look forward to your next post and thanks for this blog.
I think you might be over-hyping this pickers to buyers hierarchy. I know two mushroom buyer/sellers who by no means are making all that much money. A modest income, yes, but not with huge overhead (in particular driving from BC to Idaho to California and back again) to buy from various pickers, and if it were broken into an actual hourly wage, it might be as low as the pickers receive in some instances. And the restaurant business is hardly known for the business to get rich in. Most restaurants (especially the ones selling foraged mushrooms) fail or are barely hanging on. I think it is actually an uneducated consumer who doesn’t know the difference between a good mushroom and a bad one, a good price and an inflated one who is to blame in these inequalities. And for that I applaud your blog in educating more of us about foraged foods.
Ruralrose – I hear that’s one of the more productive areas this year. Unfortunately I won’t be coming through. Next year!
Mike – It’s like buying salmon off the docks. There are many ways to skin a cat on this one, and pickers will no doubt find new avenues for their goods.
Rumblestrip – I don’t mean to over-hype anything. You’re right that the field buyers aren’t getting rich either, and I didn’t mean to suggest that they were. But like any other goods, there’s a fairly significant jump by the time the wild mushrooms reach the consumer and it’s unlikely in most cases the pickers benefit from the high price of what they pick.
It turns out ‘Matsutake’ and other similar Tricholomas are not as rare as once thought. New sources in China, Korea and even Finland have brought the price down considerably.
For example one can buy (localish) #1 Matsutake at most asian grocery stores for about 7 dollars a pound (around the Olympia area which is not known for its Matsi abundance).
This article reflects what I experienced in Crescent OR this fall. I went down there to gather interesting stories from mushroom hunters and found a ghost town. Perhaps that is the story…?
Check out these short Matsutake interviews on vimeo
-this one is with Kouy Loch of 2007 New Yorker Mag fame
LC will you or other FOTL readers be at the UW PSMC show? I will!
MPB – I’ll be at the show on Sat. You’re right about the supply/demand issues surrounding matsi–check out this post of mine from two years ago: http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/2008/10/pining-for-pines.html Send me an email if you want to talk about your project. Cheers.
Carcinogens are found EVERYWHERE. Hell, even celery has them! Sure, it’s just another reason not to eat the evil celery but that just goes to show you that you can’t avoid them all, even if you’re trying your hardest.
I think the issue Sherry is how much of the Carcinogens are present. As you say, certain vegitables that we eat today contain something, but generally not enough to be a threat. Regards. http://livinghistory.proforums.org/
Wow. I haven’t made it over the coast yet, but I’m sure if I should be deflated or motivated. On the one hand, why bother scouting out a new area that’s so completely mapped out by regular pickers. On the other, I can’t deny myself that thrill of a fresh bolete find either. I’ve never sold nor spent money on wild mushrooms. Yet…
I met some “Russian” peasants foraging for nuts in a state park several years ago. Most were elusive, but one woman who didn’t speak English showed me how she cracks walnuts with her bare hand.
I would remind you that many immigrants are in this country illegally and have good reason to be elusive.
Kirsten – I enjoy talking to people in the woods. I also like to remind them that it’s not okay to dump their trash. It would seem some of the mushroom hunters need to hear this.
Bikejuju – Thanks for the link. I’ve read it but have yet to try eating A. muscaria myself. Amanitas are dangerous and even potentially edible species require excellent identification skills and careful preparation for the table.
Anonymous – My guess is that most Eastern Europeans are here legally, though I haven’t bothered to research this assumption.
Big fan of slippery jacks peeled, dried and powdered. When I first encountered them I thought they were boletes, but was soon disabused of that. But they smelled soooo wonderful…
I’d heard the Soviets (Russian, Moldovans, whatever they’re calling themselves now) ate them, so I dried and powdered the shrooms. Great aroma. Dust it on venison loin!
We have a large Russian population here in PDX and they are a tight group, but that’s what makes it so interesting if they are willing to talk to an outsider.
There’s a Polish deli (“George’s”) on First Hill across the street from the Sorrento Hotel on Madison Street that has a variety of bottled mushrooms. I remember seeing slippery jack on one of the labels.
They also have great home smoked deli meats and fantastic sandwiches.
Lang, I’ve tried and tried to like matsutake and I just can’t seem to get my taste buds wrapped around them. It’s one of those things you either love or hate or love to hate lol. I do love to find them though…but I give them all away.
Brings back great memories. When I was in grade school in the late 40’s early 50’s just North of Boston we had many immigrant families. The children would come to school speaking no English and by mid-term they spoke good English but with an accent of course. They bacame friends and I would visit the homes. Rarely did you get invited inside but their children were always interrogated about who this blond headed boy was waiting outside. They used to pick dandelion leaves and roots as well as mushrooms and other things I couldn’t identify and many of them favored grape leaves to wrap golumpkies.
I live on the West coast now and you take your life in your hands encountering a mushroom picker in the woods. They are territorial and have been known to shoot someone they think is competing for the mushrooms.
I find them under tan oak in northern CA around new years. Not really one of my favorites either but I like them in miso soup; sliced very thin and added a minute or two before serving. A friend of mine likes to put them in tea (though I’ve forgetten what kind which is probably really important), definitely a unique flavor.
I recently did some tempura matsi buttons cut into quarters (or eighths if they were large). They got a little szechuan pepper salt in the batter and a sprinkle after frying, and I ate them with a soy sauce/chili oil/rice vinegar sauce. They were much to my liking but a little strong for the girlfriend.
Thanks for the new link to this, good writing here. I put up 5 pounds of these this year – usually I find 3 or 4 mushrooms – still didn’t have the courage to try the boletes – maybe next year when you come picking – peace
Mary/Ladyflyfish – Maybe I was a little hard on matsi in the first graph of this post. I should admit that they’re growing on me and each year I think I like them a bit more. The preparation is key. They have great texture, hold up well in prolonged cooking, and if you choose your ingredients well, that spicy cinnamon-like flavor is like no other mushroom. Will try Sichuan prep next.
Perry – I’ve found them under tan oak in SW Oregon but there was always Doug fir nearby. Thin-sliced is good way to go because they’re still really meaty. Tea would be interesting.
Anonymous – Love that recipe and will be trying it!
Do you know anything about Matsi being a folk remedy for cancer? I have read several articles concerning their anti-tumor properties and have heard the same thing from some Japanese and Laosians.
Will you be going back to the Peninsula this fall?
Great! Try some potato or corn starch and maybe cake flour in the batter. I’ve also done a pretty rich dish with lotus leaf wrapped dim sum style sticky rice that has a chunk of braised pork belly and a slice of matsutake in the center of each-give that one a try too.
Right on! I grew up picking mat’s but never ate them as a kid. Never even crossed my mind. Just looked at them as money in the ground! lol Know im lucky to sell any I pick at all because of my love affair with them. I enjoy them a variety of ways, but yes, grilled is very nice, especially over open red hot coals! Yum, i like to use equal parts sherry vin, soy sauce and just a splash of Yukon birch syrup. I want some mat’s now, but will have to settle for my “Mocksutakes” instead! lol thx for the great write up, ive been enjoying your blog. 😉
I found a 50+lb patch of scaber stalks in mid-September near my home in Ithaca, NY. There were some truly gargantuan specimens – these things are heavy and satisfying to pick. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of ripping off the spores to let them spread in the wild as we do for most of our bigger porcinis. By the time we got home, the mushrooms looked like they had taken a bath in a coal bin. They have a dramatic black staining reaction which is quite unappetizing looking. As you say, even perfect, in tact specimens still turn black upon cooking, so it seems drying and powdering truly is the best option for this species. I am shocked they are considered such a delicacy in Eastern Europe, but I am glad they get so much enjoyment out of them. Perhaps I should try pickling them?
Just ate at the Mycologist’s Dream dinner at Herbfarm the day the mushroom feast opened. It was such an amazing feast of flavors. I loved how they incorporated all types of mushrooms into their dishes, included some sweets!
I’d love to photograph some of the ‘shrooms one of these fine days. They are fabulously “imperfect” models. I would not want them to be “uniform” and it would seem anyone who did has way too much time on their hands.
An interesting dichotomy in chefs. It is a very challenging job, no doubt about it. Some people just can’t rise above the stress.
Wow, amazing to hear of the petulent chef. Too bad he’s just paying lip service to wild and local foods. I’ve got a tip for him, Walmart sells some fab produce, which is absolute plastic perfection, cheap too.
I live in the Rockies and haven’t seen a mushroom in months, but those boxes look to contain riches to me. I get a little jealous reading about all of the mushrooms in the pnw right now.
Where are those beautiful boletes coming from? I was hiking up near Darrington a few days ago and found just one – albeit perfect – porcino. Are those from the coast? It’s getting pretty cold up in the mountains.
Jackie – Jealous! The Mycologist’s Dream menu at Herbfarm is testament to fun with fungi in the kitchen. They’re fun to photograph too.
Theadalynfarm – That would be iphone slash calculator. Ah, the new millennium.
Butterpoweredbike – I realize that cooking for a living can be incredibly stressful and don’t want to minimize that. Maybe the guy just needs a vacation.
KLambert – Mountain boletes are basically done in WA and northern OR Cascades. These pictures showed the last gasp of the WA coastal bolete pick. I was in Rockaway Beach, OR, this weekend and they’re pretty much done there too. California should be starting.
LC – Thanks for the info. I’m heading to the Siuslaw forest this week so hopefully I’ll find a few boletes, maybe some chants if I’m not too late. I did find a huge boletus edulis right in Discovery Park yesterday. Weighed two pounds and in great shape. Tasted great, too.
I’m beginning to wonder if we moss covered souls from the Northwest aren’t sharing a group craving. I made my version easy but your version, with the Dungeness Crab, sounds fantastic. I love this blog thanks.
A discovery this year is the Admirable boletus (boletus mirabilis) has a very similar texture to eggplant when cooked, and in a strongly flavored dish like Parmigiana, it is nearly indistinguishable. Try the same recipe, using thickly cut slices of mirabilis instead of eggplant, with or without the addition of kings.
Will be trying this recipe out this week! CA Kings have just started coming up, season is off to a great start. Hoping the freezes hold off and we can get them up through December. I like to put them in lasanga but use slices of large bolete stems instead of lasagna noodles.
Lang, are you by any chance a member of MSSF? There has been a lot of chatter on their Yahoo Groups page (you have to be a member to view it) regarding a comment Connie Green made about par boiling (blanching) chanterelles prior to sauteing and that the practice which has been used in France for years and years helps reduce the amount of water from the mushrooms in the pan while sauteing. The end result is for more browned mushrooms. The blanching helps firm the mushrooms. They use the same procedure with other mushrooms like boletes that are not real firm etc. It is common practice in restaurants in the know.
Hi ladyflyfish – I received an email yesterday from a member of FFSC to this same effect. The short answer is no, I’ve never tried this technique. Definitely intrigued! In fact, I have some specimens just begging for a test. Thanks for chiming in.
I recently roasted a big pan of soggy chanterelles for the freezer instead of sauteing in batches, and it was pretty successful. I used some neutral oil, and a super hot oven (maybe 475 or 500) until most of the water had been exuded, then salted and turned the temp down to 400ish. There was some nice browning when they were done, and pretty decent firm-tender texture as well.
I must try this soup. I live outside of Colville and we’ve been trying to find chanterelles here for six years and we’re told they aren’t here, closes places is the Priest Lake area where we found tons. Just two days go my husband came home from a walk about 5 miles from our house and found 2 1/2 gallons of huge chanterelles. We have had many frost/freezes but they weren’t damaged. Many were found deep in the duff. Needless to say we were thrilled. Hopefully we’ll find them next year. JoAnn
as long as its relatively dry out and I’m not planning on picking every shroom I see I’ll take wads of plastic grocery bags along instead of lugging baskets and buckets. Even stuffed tight into a backpack the solid button shrooms do fine. Plastic grocery bags also work great for dry nettles, watercress and chickweed. The bags usually have little holes in the bottom which can help with draining and breathing.
Definitely wouldn’t eat it. Thankfully, there are currently plenty of things to eat, in the Western world, without resorting to bracken.
Countries like Korea and Japan, where people routinely eat bracken, have far higher rates of stomach cancer (http://www.aicr.org.uk/StomachCancerFAQs.stm), so one cannot help but suspect a link.
Given the choice, most (other) animals avoid eating it, too, unless they’re literally starving and have no other alternative; so I think that should really tell you something!
I guess foraging while you weed isn’t really multi-tasking, but I try to impress myself now and again just the same…I live on the Aegean coast and my garden is full of nettles. I found your recipe as I couldn’t remember just what to do after I picked the pricklies before the pesto process. BTW, I use my magic electric wand – whirrrrrrrrrrrs away into a lovely paste. All that said, thank you for taking the time to share – I’ve been on the lookout for a good foraging/cooking/bit-closer-to-home blog!
I made rose hip wine for the first time last year and it’s coming along really well. I also fell about 1/2 cup short on rose hips for my recipe, so I made up the difference with half of an apple. It seems neutral enough for my purposes and the apple and the rose are botanical cousins after all. 😉
Michelle J – Seems like a lot of folks make use of the botanical cousin connection–there are tons o’ recipes all over the Interwebs for rose hip-apple jam. Nice effort with the wine!
Buttercup and Bee – Good on ya! Report back.
cauldrons and crockpots – I believe in the elixir. Vitamin C for what ails ye.
Laurie – It is a comforting color. Looks almost too good to eat…nah.
I harvested a bunch of rose hips just yesterday and thought all I needed to do was appreciate their stark beauty. I see that there’s more. Your jelly is gorgeous.
i just discovered your blog last night and have devoured the archive! there don’t seem to be many people blogging about wildcrafting (particularly in the PNW), and your recipes look delicious! i am going to try your chanterelle soup this weekend! thanks for all the great ideas.
I have a massive amount of rose hips that are ALMOST red in the back yard and have been looking for a good recipe.
When you say a “marmalade-like jam” do you mean that you would leave some of the hips in (like you would bits of citrus rind)? I’d imagine you have to seed them somehow? Work-intensive, that.
I’ve used hips in addition to other ingredients in recipes, but never as the main flavor. Might have to remedy that soon.
I just finished reading the book – devoured it actually! I posted a short but very positive review of it on my site – thesausepan.blogspot.com and became a follower. Funny thing – while clicking on the follower button I happened to notice a randomly chosen thumbnail pic of one of your 400+ followers below. He looked familiar – and he was! A long lost friend from the past! Thanks for the reunion!
I went out this weekend to pick some rose hips and noticed quite a few of them had small black spots. Should I avoid these or would they be ok to use for the jelly recipe?
I love the pic of Cooper so much I borrowed it for my photo-binge (with full kudos back to you!) Hope you don’t mind but please holler if you’d like me to remove it. Keep up the good work, janie x
Rose hips are a survival food. Here in the Willamette Valley wild roses are everywhere and it isn’t uncommon that a single bush would have over a quart of rose hips on it. Check back in Fedruary and MArch and April and you will still see those rose hips on the bush. They will be slightly wrinkled but still edible and loaded with sugar and vitamins. With a little practice you can pick them popping them into your mouth and seperating the seeds scarping off the fruit and spitting them out. You won’t get fat doing this but with half an hour of foraging you can get full. I always partake of the wild foods in season but rose hips are in season when almost nothing else is.
My rose hip jelly and syrup taste just like tomato soup? Not what I was expecting at all. I’ve made rose hip tea for years although I add other flavorings so maybe I just didn’t notice the tomato-like flavor. Someone suggested eating them raw right from the bush but on several occasions I have gotten the little hairs that are inside of dry rose hips caught in my throat and it isn’t a very pleasant sensation. Maybe some rose hips have fewer of these?
AWESOME!!! Love Mendocino, love David Aurora’s books/knowledge and loved your post here. Where I live there is so many amanita muscaria that you could fill up a truck! Reading this brings me back to Mendocino and foraging for delish edibles. thx!
Great post. So fascinating-and liberating-to think that there is so much more to all those beautiful amanitas than an object lesson in fungal toxicity. Bravo for bringing this to our attention. I look forward to trying them out next year.
This is very bold thing to do. Isn’t there a saying about bold mushroom hunters and old mushroom hunters ? : ) They are a beautiful mushroom to behold though.
That article of Arora’s is a favorite of mine, and I’m envious that you went to the annual Thanksgiving festivities.
I don’t think eating Amanitas properly prepared under the watchful eye of an experienced hand like Arora is “bold,” any bolder than eating scarlet runner beans.
Did you forward this link to your friends from the Cascade Mycological Society? I have a feeling you won’t get such a positive reaction from them, you crazy risk taker you.
Thinking I’ll give the muscaria a try next season – I’ve read Arora’s article several times and this first hand account helps seal the deal for me.
Jeffery – It’s been years since my last visit to Mendo, and all I can say is, been too long!
Weareallantropologists – Nice handle. Probably doesn’t need to be said, but I’ll say it anyway: Use caution and do your homework first.
Tofutti Beast – Part 2 will include a look inside Mr. Arora’s rather interesting home…
Sean – See my comment above.
JoAnne – I hear you. Then again, probably the boldest thing most of us ever do–and routinely at that–is drive on a highway. At least with A. muscaria, any mistakes in processing are your own.
Bikejuju – I’ve never eaten scarlet runner beans–do they require careful prep?
Ellen – Sure did!
John – I figured this post would pull you out of the woodwork…
Interesting….when I was a kid, I swore I would NEVER eat wild mushrooms after a grim dinner party was all over the news in Portland. A group went out and foraged wild ‘shrooms (not sure what they were seeking and got)and after their subsequent dinner, I think 4 of them died quickly, another had to have a liver transplant. (in the 1970s I think.) I have outgrown that phobia and enjoy morels and chanterells, but haven’t ventured much beyond. This one sounds a little more exciting than I would venture to taste. but cool post and photos! And yes, I’m sure there are a lot of things we eat commonly that have nastier cumulative effects on our health.
Enjoyed meeting you up at NCI ELC in November! jill
“…need for Americans to cease trying to fill the voids in their lives with stuff and instead reconnect with immaterial things of true and lasting value.”
utterly delightful post, a poor substitution for participating, I’m certain, but thanks for sending the note. It made my night and renewed my faith that I will find similar folk, even in L.A.!
Very cool to see a truffle dog out there. I put down a deposit for a pup about a month ago. She’s a Shiba Inu and her name is Kinoko, Japanese for “mushroom”. I hope to train her to hunt truffles here in WA, but not exactly sure how successful that’s going to be yet. But if that doesn’t work, there’s always matsutakes to go after 🙂
So, what did you think of those Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis? I cooked some up this past Summer , and they tasted like dirt, in a bad way. But these are the Eastern ones; maybe yours are different?
Well, that looks like a mighty fine time. You’ve inspired twinges of envious longing for forage-based community. I’ll have to find the other “mushroom people” around here. I know I can’t be the only one.
Okay, couldn’t abide my typo in the last comment. Great post, now I want to join the Puget Sound region mushroom people. Now I just need to pry myself loose from the computer keyboard long enough to go outside and look at the ground. Happy holidays!
wow great i have read many articles about this topic and everytime i learn something new i dont think it will ever stop always new info , Thanks for all of your hard work! no nonsense muscle building ebook
nice write-up; cant get enough. Hey, I’m thinking about taking a road trip south to alleviate my withdrawal symptoms. Do you know if the huntins still good in Cali? I’ve never shroomed beyond the wa. border. Seth
nice write-up; cant get enough. Hey, I’m thinking about taking a road trip south to alleviate my withdrawal symptoms. Do you know if the huntins still good in Cali? I’ve never shroomed beyond the wa. border.
The image at the bottom, holding the mushroom and eating the others is perfect. Showing the divide between fear and food. I do a fair amount of mushrooming but keep to the standards. Coming out to CA this spring/summer. would love to make a video with you. Here are a couple of my mushroom episodes: (morels http://ow.ly/3wHcU chantarelles in boundary waters: http://ow.ly/3wHdo )Thanks again daniel (www.theperennialplate.com)
Hey Lang, I didn’t know you were going to be in my neck ‘o the woods…glad you got into fish. I’m going out in the morning as we have a great tide around 8am so will hope for redfish and speckled trout and whatever else comes along.
Thanks, No Shrimp, for the journey, diagonally from OlyPen Land. Warm water and lots of fish on sounds mighty sweet right now in the cold north. By the way, never too many mushroom posts!
I and some friends did well on Razors this past holiday weekend and during cleaning, we had some soy and fake wasabi in a bowl for the digger of the smaller clams. Amazing. So tender and sweet. I’d like to try it nigiri style as well.
Ladyflyfish – Dang, I forgot you were down there. Expect a visit in the future–we’ve got relatives on both sides of the family in the area. I’m sure you’re familiar with forager Green Deane’s web site too; he’s in FLA.
Mike – Yeah, no worries about the rod guides freezing up in SW FLA, though apparently it got down to the 30’s before our arrival, which is unusual.
I thoroughly enjoyed this post! Amanita muscaria is extremely common in the Ithaca, NY area where I live, but we have the yellow var guessowii instead of the red version you have out West. I have heard it contains the exact same toxic chemicals, so I assume the same parboiling method would work. Still, I’m a bit afraid to experiment without confirmation – has anyone tried parboiling the yellow capped A. muscaria? By the way, I totally agree with David Aurora that this species is worth eating, assuming you know how to safely prepare it. The much riskier form of mushroom hubris is eating a pretty mushroom whose identity you are only 98, but not 100 percent sure of. That can result in death in the worst case scenario. A. muscaria, on the other hand, is extremely safe to ID, and even in the worst case scenario described in Lawrence and Tonya’s article, the results are far from fatal.
If you are unfamiliar with A. muscaria var guessowii, or are interested in learning more about the Amanita genus in general, check out this article from my blog, The Mushroom Forager. Cheers! – Ari
This is such an amazing entry and I love to read more of it so that I will be able to look over and have it as an inspiration for further articles to write about when it comes to updates on fly fishing stuffs and it’s pros and cons too. I do hope you will get to visit our official website and let us know what you think about it. Here is the link http://www.sammaka.com/
Thanks ahead and happy new year to you and the rest of your family. 🙂
i sooo loved the posts with Arora. I live on Gualala ranch, a source of the mighty river in west sonoma county, near cazadero and jenner. i learned to i.d. mushrooms with Arora’s, All That the rain promises and More…’ and have been a mushroom fool ever since. i live in a 32 foot yurt, in the coastal hills, 4 miles, as the crow flies, from the ocean, and literally walk out my door to moretti’s, porcini’s, cocorra’s, matsutake’s and of course, tons of chanterelle’s. I dry them on my woodstove and powder all my mushrooms and eat them almost every day throughout the year in a variety of delicious ways. i’m also making mushroom jerky and tapenade. i love this blog so much and took your advice on cooking matsutake’s and have made the most exceptional reduction sauces, just for me, with matz, sake, rice vinegars and soy. thank you for your consciousness around food. i LOVE to eat from the earth and am one of the luckiest people in the world to be able to harvest from my own driveway. peace brother, tina
I have, after reading this and your link to Arora’s research on A. Muscaria several times through, now successfully detoxified the mushroom myself on three separate occasions. They are amazingly delicious. Not unlike scallops in fact, just way cheaper and less environmentally taxing. Thanks for the good work.
Hey there, I’m a senior in high school doing PNW ethnobotany for my project and I’ve read about half of Fat of the Land (the other half will come soon!) and just so you know, we had the stinging nettles recipe in there :] Pretty good stuff surprisingly! Stinging nettles are so versatile– it’s amazing ! (plant dye, rope, food, medicine!)
love your book, love the blog– I plan to keep reading
Shigoku, meaning “Perfection”, is the name assigned to the Pacific oysters that go through the tumbling process conceived by Bill Taylor, patriarch of Taylors Shellfish. I’d bet they have it trademarked by now. Pictures of the technique can be found in flickr if you search under Shigoku. Pacific oysters grow much faster than Kumamotos, and hence a market size oyster can be gotten from this technique in about 1.5 years. The youth and large exposure to plankton results in a special flavor for these. Kumamotos would take at least 2.5 years to come to market size using the same technique…they are quite slow growing, and they are small to begin with. This is from experience with Kumos, in a rich high flow environment near Deception Pass. We’re growing them in grow bags, attached to bedrock at about a minus 2 tide level.
Oh, and the Kumamotos were brought to the US after WW2, when Pacific oyster seed was rare, due to war damage. Subsequently, due to slow growth and availablility of the Pacific seed again, west coast oyster farms switched back to Pacifics. Decades later Taylor’s searched for, and found, some roughly 50 year old Kumos on some beds they own in south Puget Sound, and with their expertise in oyster hatchery work they were able to induce spawning in these old oysters. Purebreds, from the US, are now going back to Japan, where the Kumamotos were pretty much wiped out. My uncle, John Glude, was on the 3 person US team that brought in the Kumamotos way back then.
In autumn everyone in Lithuania goes to forests for mushroom hunting. Unfortunately each year few people die, after they had wrong mushrooms. Last autumn one man has died – he wanted to prove, that he could eat agaric and nothing happens to him. Oooops, he was wrong.
I enjoyed reading this post and comments. Picking mushrooms is great fun in our part of the world. We collect much in autumn and put them into jars and freezers for winter. Delitious! I have few recipes with wild mushrooms in my cooking blog, but it is in Lithuanian. If you are interested I could translate. maybe this one http://www.7ravioli.com/pyrageliai-su-grybais-2/ ?
I just found your blog and I love it so much. Thank you for sharing you videos and your luck in truffle hunting. How cool is that? I hope you continue to post.
Lang, how I would love a forager’s walk in the woods with you sometime in the future. In the meantime, rhubarb is popping its nubs out through its own compost again this year. Not a field trip, it’s in the backyard, but spectacular just the same.
Langdon – That burning typewriter totally used to be on a ramshackle business card I made back when I was a fledgling reporter freelancing for a tiny small-town weekly. Just had to mention that! The irony!
The recipe needs some improvement – all that flour needs to be cooked, otherwise this turns into gravy with a very pronounced raw-flour aroma. However, that’s hard once the mushrooms and onions are already in the pan.
The Escoffier mushroom soup (e.g., here) involves making a veloute so that the flour is well cooked before the addition of stock.
In any case: thanks for posting the recipe, but as written this ends up being floury and gravy-like, not worthy of good mushrooms.
OK, I’m the person that posted the Anonymous comment immediately above. I’m retracting my overly harsh criticism.
The flour aroma goes away eventually, and the soup is not at all like gravy – it’s quite nice. It just takes a while.
I added some cream sherry and sherry vinegar (~3 Tbsp and 2-3 tsp respectively) to brighten it up (and conceal the uncooked flour taste), and that went well.
Another tip is that I used the immersion blender again after the addition of cream – it “whipped” the soup a bit, added air, and gave it a velvety consistency.
Awesome post. Had a blast pickin blacks and mudpuppies with you. Once you left the rains brought the blacks back from Santa Cruz up through Mendocino. Can’t keep a tasty mushroom down!
I recently discovered that the juice inside the stinging nettle stem STOPS the sting from stinging nettles! I didn’t believe it until I tried stinging myself, then split a stem open, rubbed on the gel-like stuff from inside and it worked!
Love the black mushrooms, just darn asethetically appealing in photos (and taste). Had some wild black shrooms featured in a paste dish at the newish 5-Corner market in Ballard a few weeks ago, hmmmm.
It’s a happy morning that begins with a new FOTL blog post about mushrooms.
I’d love to try that risotto recipe. Seeking clarification on that last step though. Should the arugula be cooked in with the rice or is the dish done at that point and the arugula is being added fresh on top after the heat has been shut off?
Kristen – Thanks for pointing that out. Will clarify asap. I stirred in the cheese and arugula off-heat, so that the arugula has a half-cooked look in the served risotto. It’s still very green but withered. I bet it would be good piled on top at serving too. One more thing: this risotto was even better the next day, a little more savory and less sweet.
Wonderful! Thanks for the extra notes on the recipe Langdon. I can’t wait to try this one out.
Also, do the yellowfoot and hedgehog mushrooms live in the same sort of places that the black trumpets do? If not, I’d love a tip on where these two might be found. Mushroom hunting gives me such a charge. I got all fired up again thinking that there might be more to pick while awaiting the morels and chanterelles.
Kristen, all three species of winter mushroom seem to like decayed wood. Often you’ll see the blacks in areas with lots of deadfall. The yellowfoot will grow out of nurse logs and stumps, and the hedgehogs often fruit in areas with *very* decayed wood that looks more like soil. Mixed hardwood and conifer forests. Good luck!
I am so happy you posted this topic. My dogs have gone nuts chomping up our pineapple buds. They love it! But the main reason I am writing is to let you all know that it is also a dominating weed and does not tolerate taller plants/weeds. I have done “selective weeding” in my yard the last two years and now have a full yard of nothing but pineapple weeds and no other kind of weeds by killing only the non-pineapple weeds and allowing a few of the pineapples to remain untouched. I am amazed at how, when it’s time for the weeds to crop up again, only the pineapples have come back. So now I am going to plant them on the hard to reach areas like my hillside and kill the other weeds in hopes that next season, only the pineapples will grow back which makes for a beautiful natural landscaping without the uglyness of tall raspy looking weeds. These look like natural ground cover and smell amazing, even when you don’t crush them. They have a sweet smell especially in the warm sun or in the morning dew.
After having just tried your Nettle Gnocchi recipe for the first time last time, I’m very excited to pick more nettle and try this Paneer recipe. Kudos on the gnocchi! Made a hell of a mess of the kitchen counter but what a dinner!
I love cooking wild food, love cooking curry, and love nettles, so will definitely try this. Just need to figure out a safe way to pick nettles with my 2 year old…
You’ve totally reeled me in this time — nettles & saag paneer. I’m sure I’d be in heaven. Now, I just need to find that elusive source for local nettles… know of anywhere to get them in WI??
just got back from seattle with a salmon and at the fish counter the fishmonger asked me if i wanted to keep the “throwaway” parts. i was almost insulted when i realized that most people probably say no… you’re right. it’s a dishonor to waste a single delicious morsel!
i found this post by looking for a recipe to inspire some salmon head soup. starting it right now! really enjoyed this post.
Just finished this dish and was not disappointed. I used full fat goat milk yogurt in place of cream, and added a bit more fresh ginger and got a fantastic tangy taste out of it. Wonderful combination!
Where do you buy paneer? I will definitely try this. I’ve made your nettle gnocchi and nettle pesto and loved them. Thanks for the continued inspiration!
Hi — I heard on Splendid Table (APM) this week that even our native big leaf maples can be tapped for sugar. Have you ever tried this? I’m ready to go out and buy a bucket and whatever else might be needed — what do you think? Thanks!
Just bought a bag of nettles from my favourite forager. I also just discovered your blog. And Gnocchi’s are one of my favourite things in the world. Today is a happy day! Cheers!
Wonderful recipes! I made spanakopita last night with stinging nettles harvested from my wee property in the gulf islands. This, plus your nettle saag recipe reminded me of a dinner I had years ago while travelling in France – a crepe filled with blue cheese and cumin. So now I’m going to try another “nettle-kopita” using a bit of blue cheese and cumin (perhaps mellowed with some local chevre added to the mix). When it comes to forager cuisine, creative ideas abound!
Jennifer – How did the Nettle-kopita turn out? Love that idea.
Calhoun – The black mustard seeds are very distinctive, with a smoky flavor. Try to get some if you can. As for the hot pepper, that’s an error. I made the recipe twice, the first time with fresh chili pepper, the second time without. I didn’t notice much difference, but if you like your food hot, by all means add a diced chili pepper or two! (Gonna fix that typo now…)
Hi Langdon, The cumin-blue cheese nettlekopita was exquisite! I used some locally made blue cheese, which melted nicely with the carmelized onions and nettles. Yum! Now I want to try making gomae out of shocked stinging nettles…looking for a good sesame sauce. Jennifer
Have you ever considered nettles with crab in some recipe? Freshly cooked nettles have always given off a sweet briny aroma reminiscent of crab. I think it is a similar mineral content.
recipe looks great. but i have a question – does stinging nettle grow in South Florida? I’m in zone 10b. let it grow ‘wild’ in my yard, or use containers? any links would be helpful. Have a nice day.
Thank you for this post. I think this is something even I could do. *smiles* but wondering something: does stinging nettle grow in south florida? I’m in zone 10b. would I let it grow ‘wild’ in my yard, or use a container?
Any links you can provide would be helpful. Have a nice day.
Nerfer24 – Alec, did you swipe mom’s laptop again?
Kirsten – Try it yet? Now’s the time!
Jason – Eat the weeds, my friend.
Jamie – Wish I could say our sausage was home-cured.
Dustin – Thanks for stopping by.
Dawn – I’m not sure of the southern terminus for nettles. They’re a wide-ranging weed found throughout much of the world, but according to the feds it doesn’t occur in Florida.
Thanks for the recipe! Is it possible (or wise) to use the flowers from a red elder? The flower clusters are smaller and are popping out now in the Seattle area (as I’m sure you’ve noticed!) and I’m very tempted by them. Don’t want to poison myself though! Thoughts, tips? Thanks!
Just had my second slice of nettle pie today. Made it last night and it is wonderful! Dense and delicious! I ended up shy of 20oz of nettles and used 12oz of veggie sausage instead of a pound of meat sausage and still despite these lesser amounts ended up with almost more innards than fit in the 10″ pie dish. Next time around I will mince up the nettles a bit after blanching (I left them intact with their young stems this time). Tender they are but sometimes pull out chunks of the pie when you catch one in your mouth. This is my first experience cooking with nettles and I couldn’t have gotten a better recipe to kick off my interest. Thanks LC!
Hi, I live in South Georgia. I remember the pineapple weed when I was a child living in Minnesota. I am looking for somebody who could ship some live plants to me. I can be contacted via 229-450-3932 or lagamorphfarms@gmail.com.
On a search for fiddleheads, I found some that looked perfect, coiling tightly just above the ground. But these are furry, and they don’t want to remove their coats anytime soon, even with a good soaking.
The mature fronds look much like ostrich ferns, and may be the very thing. I’m not sure. I found them near Seattle. They are a more dull green when mature though, more like an Army green.
I wish I had a photo, but the camera is out of batteries at present. Does it sound like I’ve got anything edible here or should I keep searching?
Hi Kristen – Lady fern fiddleheads will shed their coats fairly easily with a little water and thumb wrestling. In my classes we’ve had the good fortune of seeing lady ferns, buckler ferns, sword ferns, and bracken ferns all growing from the same patch of ground for easy comparison. Send a photo if you get a chance.
Fantastic! Something about deep fat frying that makes everything tastier : ) It works great with Turkish towel seaweed too, no tempura necessary(if you guard against splatter).
I’m so excited to find your blog! I appreciate your knowledge around this and look forward to reading future posts if not just for the awesome recipes! Thanks 🙂
Nice dish! Love Sichuan cooking, and that is a perfect wild sub-in for the beans. Might have to borrow that one someday…
BTW, I’ve now eaten both Lady Fern and Ostrich Fern and I have to say the East has it on us — just not a fan of the Lady Fern. Too tannic and bitter for me.
It’s easy to clean fiddle heads first pick them dry put about 2 quarts in a large stainless bowl using a air compressor blow straight down into the bowl and all the brown skin will blow right out of the bowl then use your outside water spicket and hose them 4-5 times. will be clean as a whistle!!!! enjoy
Loved reading this post! My sister-in-law and brother-in-law took your class and could not say enough great things about it. They brought us some of the clams, which were so fresh and amazingly delicious that I had to write about them on my blog. Looking forward to trying the spicy thai basil recipe soon.
Look out, someone’s going to call the food cops on you! (But I won’t tell as long as you let me in on where your going to establish a local ‘naturalized’ ramp planting…)
I love your blog! I checked on a favorite ramp spot in Ithaca, NY yesterday – the leaves had all died back and they were putting out flower stalks. I have about 20 containers of ramp pesto in my freezer right now – hopefully should be enough to hold me over until next spring. Check out this recent article about ramps from my blog, The Mushroom Forager: http://themushroomforager.com/2011/04/21/the-ramp-ritual/
Great article – I’m inspired to try to go to the festival next year. I grew up hunting morels, then got away from it when I moved to the city. Anxious to get back out there and find some!
theadalynfarm – I thought about planting some of my smuggled ramps, but in the end I couldn’t resist eating them all! Apparently they can be tricky to grow from seed.
Ari – Mmmnnnnn…ramp pesto. On my way to check out your link.
I grew up eating bracken, boiled, fried, steamed, dried etc.. and being Korean it was almost a requirement. Every spring my parents hauled us off (my 2 brothers and I) up into the Cascades to forage for Bracken by the buckets.. This wasn’t so bad, but it was the processing of the ferns that always got to me. Traditionally the Bracken are boiled first to remove the “hair”, then set out to dry to preserve them because of their short season. This way it can be enjoyed any time. It was just the smell of boiled and drying Bracken during the 4 days was a bit much. My mother still goes out every spring into the woods where they live to forage and sells what she doesn’t have room for since there’s a market out there for Bracken in the Asian community who don’t want to go do the work themselves!
So, it’s getting a little late in the season for fiddleheads, and I’m wondering just how tight the fronds need to be to be edible? I was out today and only found two still neatly furled, about 3 and 5 inches tall. There were still a number of ones mostly curled, about 10 inches tall, but with the very lowermost leaves present on the stalk. They’re only tiny leaflets. Are these still okay? BTW, I love your blog, tons of great information!
Thank you for this. Growing up my Mum wasn’t sure they were edible so she told us, “Don’t eat those.” I recently learned my jam-making mother was missing out on tons of free berries. Oregon-grape is everywhere I turn where I live.
We will be picking this summer and trying out the jam recipe. Couple questions. I have read that they are at peak ripeness when they get the dusty look on them. Is this true?
Also, I was a bit confused about adding the sugar. You mention adding equal amounts and later say to add the sugar a bit at a time. I am assuming you do add about equal amounts, but not when you first mention it, but rather add slowly later. Yes? Thank you for the recipe. Excited to try it.
Have you tried making pancake syrup out of the berries?
My family makes Elderberry Jelly and it is delicious. We use a juicer to get elderberry juice, which can be canned up to make jelly now or at a later date.
I did not know the stems, leaves, etc. are toxic. Glad you mentioned it. Will be sure to keep them out of the steamer, but we have had the stems and a couple leaves in there before and not had any problems. They get strained out, but I imagine they could be an issue if left in the juicer. So…no more stems and leaves.
One trick to share. To easily remove those little stems from elderberry, huckleberry, blueberry, etc.
Just place your berries in the freezer for just a bit (30 minutes or so). They should be slightly hard. Then roll them across a clean kitchen towel (no fuzzy towels) and the stems stick to the towel and removes the majority of them quickly and easily.
I had recently moved to Washington and I’d love to learn more about the foraging scene up here! I hope to be able to be a part of one of your classes soon!
Lucky! I’ve always wanted to pick ramps, but until then I make do with cooking them whenever I can. Found two stalls selling them in Pike Place about three weeks ago. Made up a Ramp Pasta and Ramp, Nettle, Watercress, Parsley and Wood Sorrel Soup. Called it “Drink Your Greens”.
So many beautiful mushrooms! I have never seen b.edilus in the spring before. Is that normal there? This is the start of our second year in Sandpoint and we have only found a handful of morels.
Yep, normal for the NW. We get a species called B. Rex-veris or “Spring Kings”. https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Boletus_rex-veris Last year I found six pounds near Lake Wenatchee, and last weekend I found two pounds. Only found two morels though, it’s been a weird year.
cool post, love the cleats! did you ask them or otherwise hear about any reports of violence at this camp? i’ve heard the matsi camps can get pretty ugly but haven’t heard of much nastiness at the spring morel/bolete camps. though, i have heard of some occasional problems at fire morel camps.
Geno – As Russell mentioned, our spring variety of porcini on the West Coast is Boletus rex-veris, which receive species status a few years ago. Keep looking. Sandpoint should have both morels and spring porcini.
Russell – I’d be out there this weekend…
t-mos – No violence. Much of what you hear is hyperbole, or not mushroom-related. Everyone was pretty friendly.
adalynfarm – It’s a strange mix of campout and work. Some of the pickers are just hanging out & partying, but others are trying to pay off debts, put away some cash, etc.
Brian – Not a good year for naturals. Mostly singletons.
So if my dried porcinis have mold, I need to throw them out? I had them in a container and all was well until about a month ago when it rained for about 2 weeks straight. Now I discovered mold in the container. I have quite a large amount…I would hate to have to dump them.
This sounds great! I recently got some Himalayan pink salt and organic peppercorns from Sustainable Sourcing https://secure.sustainablesourcing.com and I’ll have to try them out in this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Just looking at these photos is making me crave these two dishes all over again. Would it be possible to reconstitute some dried morels for this occasion? Or would the texture not quite be the same?
Your recipe is pretty much what I learned when growing up… but I like to kick it up a notch with a some thin sliced aburage (fired tofu), thin sliced fish cake (tempura type kamaboku), dash of hot peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and bit of hijiki seaweed. Put this over a bowl of hot or cold rice and enjoy it with a cup of green tea.
same here. Korean ancestry and we eat bracken ferns fried with onions in soy sauce and sesame seed oil–yum. Bunch of junk about all the cancer stuff–especially when you compare longevity along with obesity rates…anyhow, was wondering if anyone knows if the ferns can be transplanted so I can grow them. My mom picked them late March or so each year but not sure where. Since losing her, I would like to continue to pick them but not sure where to look for them. Haven’t had much luck…so anyone has info on where to look and how to grow them my self, please share. I don’t have an URL or account so submitting as yet another anynomous.
I really hope that someone proves you wrong about the lack of clam shacks on the West Coast. Perhaps opening a clam shack to end all clam shacks should be your next undertaking? I bet that many a displaced East Coaster would thank you. 🙂
If you want a straight replay of the Clam Shack as described, you probably won’t find it ( or them).
Long gone, you used to be able to find small, informal, SEASONAL places about where you would expect: Astoria, Ilwaco, Long Beach,South Bend, Grayland, Westport, Shelton, Olympia, LaConner, Anacortes, along Chuckanut Drive, and Coupeville.
Still, in each of these locations, you still can find at least one place that operates year round, and serves some damn good seafood.
Say, for example, Toby’s Tavern in Coupeville. On Chuckanut, stop at Taylors. Buy and shuck your own. Or grill ’em. They provide the tables. They also sell clams, crabs, mussels.
Hi Lang, I agree with everything you said regarding a lack of clam shacks (with oysters too!). Didn’t Ivar’s start out in that direction? A question, what parts of the clam did you use and what parts did you target for exclusion, if any?
Kimberley – I don’t think I have what it takes to run a restaurant. Huge props for those who do.
Ross – I think I’ve been to Toby’s and had the mussels. Nice place, but if I’m thinking of the right place it’s not exactly a clam shack (as you say), more of a casual dining spot with some shellfish on the menu… Years ago we sampled the Chuckanut Drive oyster houses with limited success. Haven’t been to Taylor’s, though I’m a fan of their shellfish. There used to be a half-decent fish ‘n’ chip shop in Ocean Shores but I think it closed. Some of those other locales have succumbed to the usual pressures of Walmart USA. The franchising of America is a sad spectacle.
John – I processed the horse clams like geoducks: boiled in water for 10 seconds, removed the shell, cut out the stomach and gills, butterflied the siphon (removing the siphon sheath was the hardest part), and salvaged what body meat I could. Definitely less meat on a horse than a ‘duck.
Okay. Try Pacific Oyster in Bay City, Oregon. 5150 Oyster Drive Bay City, OR 97053 (503) 377-2323. Call before you make the trip.Crab as good as you get at my house.
On Chuckanut, the Oyster Bar is the best of the lot. At lunch. At dinner, it is much more upscale. The Web Locker in B’ham is also pretty good for fried fish or oysters. Ditto for the Conway Tavern. Rexville Grocery has its fans, esp. for Sunday breakfast.
There isn’t as much meat on a horse as a ‘duck and they don’t taste as sweet, but they’re *far* more prolific, only buried half as deep. And you can screen for the big ones by the hole and/or siphon show. And you can harvest 7. And they occur higher on the beach…
Sorry but just a different culture out here, so don’t expect it to mimic the East Coast food scene. Growing up here for me it was about salmon bakes after my dad went deep-sea fishing, fresh boiled crab, and kippered salmon. Also the cold poached whole salmon at the Top of the Ocean Sunday brunch, oh my! You don’t taste salmon like that much anymore with the decline of our local salmon fisheries. Try the alder-plank roasted salmon at the semi-annual Brown’s Point Salmon Bake for an authentic Northwest local food experience. Not happening this year though.
BTW, Ivar (properly pronounced EEE-var) originally started out with an aquarium rather than the seafood biz. Just very good at self promotion. He was my grandmother’s first cousin and sang at my parent’s wedding…
Being a New Englander myself (originally from Vermont) I can really appreciate good clam chowder now that I am also living on the west coast in Vancouver. You would think it would be easier to find since we are so close to the water! Thanks for the recipe I think I will definitely try it soon.
Jill – Maybe so. I love a good salmon bake as much as the next PNWer. But with our wealth of shellfish it seems like we should be able to enjoy those too in a down home way.
I’ve never heard of Morel’s and found this so intriguing to read. Thanks for all the info! The meal you prepared also looks delicious, I’ll definitely have to try making something like that myself! Looks like you were in a beautiful spot!
Those morels look delicious! Glad you met up with the Perennial Plate folks and showed them around the Cascades. Did you happen to take them geoducking?
Emily – Morels are among the most delicious of wild mushrooms. Give them a try.
Ron Kaufmann – Daniel and I went for geoduck dig that involved all kinds of drama. Tune in to a future webisode of Perennial Plate to find out what happened…
Have you ever thought of going to Hawaii for some foraging? There are strawberry guava trees, wild taro, exotic fruit etc. I would love to see what recipes you would come up with. I live on the big island. There are also river shrimp, coqui frogs, and small crabs here.
I’ve been told that red elderberries are poisonous, while blue ones are not. I have a huge red elderberry in my yard and I steer clear of it. Does cooking it change this?
Langdon: wow, what a perfect combination! When we come down off of Mt. Hood we often stop at Cascade Locks to get some of the fresh Columbia River spring chinook. This will be tried next year, for sure. Thanks for a great idea.
This is definitely something that I’ve never tried. But the recipe sounds interesting! If I can ever get my hands on some Geoduck I’ll definitely give it a try!
Thank you so much for this recipe. My children and I gathered red huckleberries from the woods around our property today. We made your compote and served it with tilapia. _Oh_my_goodness_… it was the best thing I’d tasted in a VERY long time. My husband says, “restaurant quality!”… and he eats in lots of restaurants when traveling in europe on business. Thanks again!
Real New Englanders don’t use bacon, they use salt pork. And they don’t thicken with flour either. If you must thicken rather that reduce, use instant mashed potato.
Former New Englander myself, currently living in Virginia Beach. I have to agree with you, with all the great seafood around here, no good clam shacks. The Hatteras clam chowder isn’t even a creamy soup. I always make sure I get a lobster roll and some fried clams when I go visit my parents.
I make Oregon Grape jelly every year, and I use my steamer pot..I just throw the grapes in, no crushing or anything..they steam for about 3 hours and the juice comes out clear, skin and seed free and not bitter at all…the pot I have has been a godsend this year it is called the Mehu-Liisa Steamer/Juicer from Lee Valley..made in Findland. I also make syrup as well from the juice… cheers from BC
What a good idea this was. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I decided to biol it for longer time, then removed the skin and bones, but some of the smaller bones cooked and became part of the soup. I am not sure if this is OK, tasted very nice though.
We picked enough grapes to make 11 1/2 cups and I added 10 ounces of sweetened raspberries and the one for one cup of sugar, it was superb!! Thanks for a great recipe.
I read your posts about fishing and clam digging and I’m so jealous. I’ve convinced Hubby we should try fishing ourselves and he’s agreed. Mind you, we both haven’t fished since we were kids, so this is going to be interesting. Luckily, we have a friend who knows about fishing and is willing to take us out. I’m so excited!
I recently watched a video with Lincoff, and I think, Evans about mushrooms and an older Telluride festival on youtube, it was informational, comic and sweet at the same time. I love magical mushrooms, but the time is not right for me to partake right now. I am just beginning my education on all mushrooms, besides the edibles. Telluride is a future destination, along with the assorted NEMA forays in New England. Lovely post!
Sounds like fun, but… If you ate the Silver the night you caught it, you were about three days too early. It would have still been in Rigor Mortis, which makes a salmon tough and strong flavored. This also applies to freezing; should let them relax first. Rigor usually goes after a day or so, flavor improves over the next couple days.
As to it being sedative…more likely than not. Chamomile and Pineapple Weed are in the same genus, and the active flavone (Chrysin)is in both. On the other hand, it’s never simple with plants…so try it out, see what it does. I think it made me a bit relaxed
actually, the amanitamobile runs fine, and didn’t break down. we just don’t run its monoxide engine when we’re parading down colorado avenue — no sense poisoning our patrons… shroompa
Awesome to see you on the show! Especially since I’m pretty sure that I never knew what a geoduck was until I read about them on your blog. They’re even more, um, suggestive on video than they are in photos.
My very first mushrooming experiences were in Telluride (hi Art! Can’t believe the shroom-mobile is still going!). Inspired by the festivities we went up to Lizard Head and came home with pounds of chanterelles, which we cooked up with chicken and cream and all went ooh!! aah! One of my happiest memories — 20 years later, and I’m off this weekend hoping the porcini haul near Helena is as good as it was last year. It was the mushroomheads of Telluride who convinced me that you could pick your own …
I have a soft spot for the red huckleberry because we used to pick them in old clearcuts when I was kid at Hidden Valley Camp, back when Granite Falls was WAYYYYY out in the boonies. There was even a “Huckleberry Hill.” I didn’t know huckleberries were anything but red until years later.
We’d take the old big coffee tins, fill them up, and take them to the camp cook. I recall the most amazing fresh huckleberry pie that she concocted. Food memory is strong! She topped the delicate crust with a sweep of sparkly sugar, oh my was it delicious. Thanks for the memories. BTW, congrats on all your press, saw you in Sunset. I’m blogging away in obscurity but honestly I do it because I love doing it. period. Keeps me writing and seeking “blogworthy” experiences.
Neil – Red huckleberries are still out there, and mountain huckleberries are just hitting their stride. Go get some.
Jill – No way! My son went to Hidden Valley Camp for the second summer in a row this year. He came home singing the huckleberry song and talked about picking berries up on Huckleberry Hill. Granite Falls isn’t quite so far out in the boonies as it used to be, but it ain’t the city either. Thanks for sharing your huck memories and good luck with the blog.
The 3 Foragers – Thanks for stopping by and sharing your mushroom thoughts. Definitely get to Telluride if you can. Beautiful scenery, fun people, and good hunting.
Tim – Get yourself copies of Arora’s books: “Mushrooms Demystified” and “All That the Rain Promises.” And what do you mean by the “right” kind? Be very careful with Amanitas.
Art – It was a pleasure to meet you at Tride. Maybe next year we can get Billy Joe over for the fest.
Feral Boy – Good resource.
Charlotte – Thanks for chiming in. Tride’s shroom fest is 31 years strong and continues to churn out new mushroom people year after year. Good action!
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The soup looks amazing! I’m happy you chose to make it and I’m even happier you found another way to use fish bones and throw away vegetable parts. So cool!
I vote this the best recipe title ever! (Too land-locked to actually give it a try until my next summer on Cape Cod, but could taste it through your words–thanks!)
Just a note that the otters you saw in the kelp beds in Washington are river otters and not seas otters. Sea otters are extremely endangered and only abundant in the north Pacific.
You have never said truer words. I look forward to a fall trip, weather permitting (and often not), into the Northern Cascades for some high-mountain huckleberries. I always bring a bit of bacon and some pancake mix. Best breakfast ever.
Gabriel – This is the best time to be in the mountains for an extended backpack. Mushrooms, berries, fat trout… And not so many daytrippers. Hope your excursion is bountiful.
Megan – Love that area. High plateaus with miles of easy walking through the huckleberry patch. Haven’t been there in a few years. Might be time for a return trip.
Good luck with the berries. I also have found the hucks aren’t very sweet this year – last week on Pilchuck, while some of the blue variety were plump and ripe, they weren’t very sweet. Same for some reds that I encountered over on Bainbridge a few days later. But still. More character than the domestics!
We had a good early season on the hucks here in Sandpoint but the later high mountain ones just don’t have the quantity. but on a better note the raspberries, blackberries, and Eldar berries are loaded! We have also got pretty heavy into Lobster mushrooms and a few Chantrelles.
I just got back from being away for a few weeks and was trying to find out if the huckleberries were worth a trip up to the mountains this year. Glad you’re blogging about berry picking! Hope they’re still decent this weekend.
Glad you had a fruitful 2011 run. I really thought my first try at Pacific salmon would be as amazing as I’d always heard it could be. “Just throw something pink out there, and you’ll land one every cast!” Well, let me tell you, nothing could keep me from leaving my wife and young children each weekend to go and lose all my [admittedly cheap] gear on the rocks. But after four long days on the beach: zilch. I’m from the south, so I’m totally out of my element here, but to me catching a salmon is like winning the lottery. I don’t discern any noticeable element of skill involved. At least, no one is going to just tell me if there is anyway. Everyone seems to just run up and down to beach to wherever they seem to be hitting and put on whatever they seem to be biting, usually to no avail. If I’d brought home some fresh wild protein I would be singing their praises, but until 2013 me and the pinks are on the outs. Now bring on the fungi.
daddisan – It’s raining right now. Bring on the fungi, indeed! You’ll get the hang of this salmon fishing thing. There’s no skill involved except learning how to count yourself among the 20% who catch 80% of the fish. Now go get yourself a land fish! Mushrooms are a-poppin’.
Wish we had Salmon out here on the East Coast. I’ve greatly enjoyed your informative posts. Check out my blog at http://www.AnthroHemian.Blogspot.com for a smattering of what’s going on in the out of doors on the East Coast. Keep up the good work!
bahahaha…ornery 6 yr olds are funny….so are rabid 4 yr olds with the wild black raspberries we have taking over our property!!! I have a big need to get informed on wild berries… I was back at the in-law’s hunting camp near Parham Ontario and spied a bazillion berries and have no idea what they are…so i only took pics for future reference…
the young leaves are surprisingly tasty and easy to gather. They taste like a mild sheep sorrel. Its a spring thing. I’m slightly skeptical about consuming them by the bushel though; as there doesn’t seem to be alot of info out there. I assume they contain a decent amount of oxalic acid?
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I use salal leaves in my herbal antiseptic spray. If you chew a leaf, you’ll find that your mouth gets very dry. That’s the medicine of salal. It dries a weepy wound or sore and promotes fast healing.
Thanks for the recipe! I’m saving it for next spring. Meanwhile, what about a recipe for rose hip syrup or jam? Many years ago I spent a winter in the Argentine Andes and someone suggested I make pancake syrup from rose hips, and I followed her recipe successfully. The syrup was brilliant orange, tart, and sweet. It’s been so long, I can’t remember what I did. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!
My 5 year old son had Friday off from school so we headed to the hills and found the best chanterelle patch I’ve ever seen. Beautiful fresh mushrooms. Grilled coho filet Friday night with them sautéed. Making mushroom soup today. Go get ’em.
bummer about the bad shroom conditions. I just returned from Italy, where I had the most amazing porcini dishes ever in season….porcini with tagliatelle and cipolline, porcini risotto, porcini bruschetta, etc. Divine!
The season has been a bummer for us out in Vancouver, BC, too. You may recall my photos from last year… that simply won’t be happening this season.
However, yesterday was my first mushroom gift- gigantic patches of shaggy manes all over campus. I am hoping for more luck, but it’s been tough to make the perfect timing after the rains as I’m trying to finish my degree.
How interesting! I love that you got to be a part of the SE Asian community/festival. A pop singer! I’ve heard wonderful things about Laos. Anyway, I noticed last year driving between Arlington and Darrington that the pickers along the roadside seemed to all be Asian.
That said, I still recall a terrible story when I was a kid in Oregon – a party from Portland went picking mushrooms, had a dinner party, then 5 died that night the the other had to have a liver transplant. This was way back in the 1970s so I don’t remember the details, but I swore i would never eat a wild mushroom. I’ve relented over the years and enjoy chanterelles, morels, porcini, etc. and haven’t heard any similar horror stories for years – have you? BTW – another HVC mention on my latest blog post…
Wow! Not as fishy as the name implies. I used my homemade kim chi because I found no radish and added mushrooms because I dig fungus! I also did leftover basil stems in the second boil. Fantastic!
Jill – Many of the pickers on the PNW mushroom trail are of SE Asian heritage, presumably because they come from cultures in which foraging is a regular feature of life. As to poisoning deaths, it’s important to remember the forager’s golden rule: never eat anything you can’t ID with 100% certainty. Glad to hear you’re enjoying wild mushrooms despite your initial trepidation. It’s not difficult to learn a few delicious species.
We found a bounty of beautiful white chanterelles on Friday, but we are really bummed about fall boletes. We found three very soggy, buggy sad little kings… spring is too long to wait.
Great post Langdon! I’d be keeping your Tuna Noodle Surprise recipe for our fishing trips as well. I’d say it’s pretty easy to make and looks pretty delicious as well! Thanks!
I just found your blog after hearing you on KUOW this morning. All I can say is that I think I have found a new favorite read. I am nursing a terrible cold this morning, my cabin is cold, my four sons are ornery, and it is gorgeous outside. I am so grateful for such a great read this morning to take my mind off of all the things I am missing. I live in the cascade foothills out of Snoqualmie (rattlesnake mountain). We are the only people on this side of the mountain, and we love to forage. Thanks for all of the inspiration.
For 10 years I lived in Seattle where foraged mushrooms are available in favorable seasons at the closest farmers’ market. When I moved to Providence, RI last July, nothing of the sort was available here. As I have started selling vegetables at the market, I have had the opportunity to market a little bit of fungi as well. The maitake season was pretty great this year, and I made them available for a good month at the market I sell at.
Ha Ha Ha this is so cute. Another friend of mine has several chefcrushes and her husband is not that thrilled either. But biscuits? Better than her buns, I guess 😉 But everything I’ve heard about this book and the recipes I’ve seen really make me want to buy it. Fabulous. And peaches with pork is stunning! And LOVE sweet potato biscuits!
congratulations!! what a rough season for matsutakes in washington. your dish looks great. i made a sukiyaki with a hedgehog mushroom found in quilcene. hedgehog is probably better used as a water-soluble ‘shroom, no?
Loving your blog! I hope its okay that I plan on sharing you with my blog readers as much as possible! I do seasonal local Northwest and West Coast foods and you are quietly my hero!
JacLynn – The zombies don’t care for shrooms, except for the poisonous false morel aka brain.
Greene Treats – I think of hedgehogs as more of a fat soluble shroom, in the same category as chanterelles. In fact, any recipe with chanties can substitute ‘hogs–and now is the time to get them in WA.
Anna – By all means! Share and share alike. Cheers!
Does the picker you profile have an agreement with the private landholder to pick mushrooms on their property? Also, I have never found hedgehogs in WA state, but I gather they mostly grow on the coast?
K Lambert – The timber companies have a color-coded road system: green-dotted gates are open to recreation, red-dotted are closed. I’m not sure about the rules specific to commercial mushroom harvesting within that system. A permit might be needed. Hedgehogs mostly fruit on the coast, but I have some good mountain patches too.
I love that you’re cooking from Land of Plenty – It’s my favorite cookbook and I’ve made dozens and dozens of dishes from it.
I’m curious: What do you use for Dou Ban Jiang?
It’s very hard to find good Dou Ban Jiang which uses fava beans instead of soy here in Seattle. The one brand I knew of seems to have discontinued the fava bean version – so I went to every market in the ID and bought every single jar I could find!
Other than that I’ve used Youki brand which you can get at Uwajimaya, but it’s VERY expensive.
I will have to keep an eye out for hedgehogs, then. On the east coast (NJ) they appear in the late summer in oak/maple forest. Probably too late for the mountain patches, as I’m sure it’s all frozen up there. Thanks.
I love the abundance of this variety but have had poor luck in ever finding any that weren’t just coated with one form of dust, insect debris (most often with the insect in residence) or other form of undesirable. I’ve often just given up, correctly assuming it’s going to take hours to sort through the resulting mess I end up taking home. I must be picking in the wrong kind of forests!
VGCHM – Look for winter chanterelles (yellowfoot) at low elevations in the coastal ranges. I’ve found them in the Cascade foothills and mid-elevations in the old growth, too.
I used to regularily get salmon heads and other leftover bits in the supermarket as they are cheap: my favourite is creamy pasta sauce. Boil or rather, steam the head until done, pick out the meat – there is usually a large amount in the neck, cheeks some but not so much – mix with slightly fried, finely chopped onions, cream and seasoning of choice, fresh dill, chives and/or parsley for example, garlic, black pepper, lastly add lemon juice to avoid the cream separating. Stuff your face with this and pasta. Om nom. Am cookinga head at the moment, not sure what will come of it.
I’m out in the Chicago area, but we get excited about winter harvest, too … found three large clusters of tan oyster mushrooms yesterday, almost 5 pounds worth! They were frozen solid, which actually worked out well – it was a long hike back to the car and being frozen they didn’t get all broken up in the sack. Had to be patient when cooking them though – once thawed they were even more wet than usual. What a treat!
And seriously! How is it that all these feel-good foragers and vegetable renaissance men pull off rejoicing in the earth’s bounty or whatever twaddle we’re presently using to sell a plate of carrots decorated in ‘soil’ for $40 by killing a cow? I’m sorry but what a load of bollocks. This back to nature crap. All a bunch of self-serving shite.
Elena – Even busy towns have wild edible mushrooms. I pick birch boletus (a type of porcini) two blocks down the street from my home in Seattle. Go get ’em.
HI, I have a dog, trained at the truffle-fest a couple of years ago, but I need a ripe truffle to refresh him. Do you know where I might find one or three? I’d like one or two of each different kind of truffle we have around the Pacific NW.
What a tremendous loss to our community, and what a loving remembrance of such a bold beautiful soul. We will miss her and think of her, and her legacy will be our continued commitment to sharing the joys of each season’s bounty with our friends and family. Thank you Langdon for helping her feast not go forgotten.
I loved Nettletown. Loved the vision, the food, the atmosphere, the creativity, and the passion. Although I never personally met Christina, with all of the positive things being said about her around the community, coupled with her commitment to the NW and its food, I am sure she was remarkable. Our region feels a great loss.
Mushroom cookies! Seriously unusual. And the maple syrupy-ness of it is even weirder. I can see them being good in a Christmas pudding or mince pie. Will have to investigate mushrooms in British dessert. Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh man, I love candy caps! Last year was a banner year in the areas I most often frequent in the SF Bay Area, but as good as last year was is as bad as this year has been, unfortunately. I was already craving candies, but this post has pushed me over the top! I’m going to have to put a concerted effort into finding a patch that’s holding in the coming days I suspect. Thanks for the inspiration to switch my focus away from the black trumpets and tubies I’ve been picking recently and get back to my bay area-local varieties! Mmm, candy cap ice cream, here I come!
I keep coming back to this site and others about Christina Choi. I did not know her but we had something in common – the giant cerebral aneurysm. Mine leaked about 15 years ago, I was flown to Harborview where I underwent a coil embolization procedure to stop the leak, using 10 coils because the aneurysm was so large. On December 31, 1997, I underwent open brain surgery with clipping of the base of the aneurysm. Giant cerebral aneurysms are rare. Christina is the only other person I have read about having this and I have researched aneurysms extensively over the past 15 years. I am opening a small bakery/cafe in Olympia,WA next month using local, fresh seasonal ingredients. I am trying to think of something I can create to honor Christina. I wish I had known her. Your post about your friend is inspiring. Thank you for sharing this.
So… how did they taste? How was the texture of the mushroom in the cookie? I have a few quarts of dried candy caps and am plotting a few desserts with them, but I was thinking about powdering them, not chopping because of the texture. Thoughts?
Mrs Flitter – Christmas pudding would be an ideal use of these mushrooms. Please report back on your findings.
Carter – Yeah, not a great mushroom year for Cali. I just got back from the North Coast and the lack of rain (until the other day!) has taken a toll. That’s why we put up candy caps, black trumpets, and the rest for an unrainy day!
Hank – The mushrooms are diced up, sautéed, and then baked, so the texture isn’t too prominent, a little chewy. The nuts add much more texture. But the maple syrup flavor is strong. In the end, these cookies are mostly a novelty.
Hi! I am just amazed by your Food Blog! Can’t wait to read more interersting stuff! Caan’t forget this Nettle tea taste. Yuo just made my day to share the recipe! I will try it out!!! Many thanks!
I’d like to hear more about finding the watercress and trumpets in cali. Does it grow year-round there? there isn’t any watercress around here in feb, is there? I know I’ve seen big plants growing in Dec.
Hi Langdon. My favorite dish at the Grand Dinner was also the poached egg…it was so perfectly cooked! So happy I came across your blog on the OTF FB page, we’re amateur gatherers/foragers and I know I’ll learn a lot as I peruse your postings.
Hi Langdon, I just found your blog, and it’s fantastic. Especially the recipes! I just started a blog about plant chemistry, and wild food/foraging is one of my main interests. Can’t wait to come back for more ideas!
Also just found your blog and look forward to using some of your recipes. Am living in China, down south in clear sky Yunnan where there is plenty of good local produce. Your term 21st century forager is great. Here there is much to forage, mainly in the pine forests where there are mushrooms galore. Will make your site a daily visit
Andrea – Welcome! I hope you find inspiration here for your work and pleasure.
Bob – I’ve read a lot about Yunnan via David Arora’s mushroom adventures there. It sounds like a beautiful and bountiful place. Welcome to foraging in the new, global millennium.
Now this is a mouthwatering recipe I will try today. But mostly I wanted to stop in to comment on how awesome Riley is, spawn off the ol’ forager for sure! While we still have snow here, am I to understand white truffles are ready when nettles are just starting? Peace
Just finished your book and had to find your blog. Great first read, now I’ll read for clues to sites and savor the recipes. See ya at South Sound Mushroom Clubs meeting.
Wish I’d been there but it was way beyond my budget. Can you teach us? Bring your truffles to the South Sound Mushroom Meeting and your truffle foray tales too…
We’re in Enumclaw and I went out looking this morning, but didn’t see any. Perhaps it is still a bit too early here, or I’m not looking in the right places. I’ll try again later in the week. Thanks for your very informative posts!
Thanks for the spring preview, Lang. The gnudi look great. We’ve had an extremely mild–and disappointingly snowless–winter here, but still can’t hope for green stuff for a few weeks. Do you have wood nettles out there?
Ruth -There are two species of Oregon white truffle, with a winter and spring variety, respectively, which means a nettle pairing is in the wheelhouse, but don’t try to time truffle availability by nettle season. And you’re right about Riley. You should see him wield a flyrod!
Tara – Temperate maritime climates are always first, then the interior. Good luck!
PNWNana – I’m looking forward to it, with some delectable slides.
PlateauGardener – Too early yet for Enumclaw but won’t be long…
Brett – I’ve seen wood nettle before but haven’t tried it. How do they compare? BTW, I’ll be reviewing your book in the near future…
Very young wood nettles are among my favorite wild greens to eat straight up–that is, just steamed, or blanched and sautéed. And they’re among the earliest green things here, making them especially treasured. They have a nice al dente quality to them when lightly steamed, and a mild, green-beany flavor. They’re generally more tender than stinging nettles. For that savory depth in a broth or soup, though, they don’t stand up to stinging nettles. They DO, however, more than match them in stinging quality, despite their innocuous name.
Hope you’re enjoying my expanded vision of the forager’s purview. I’ve had enough of “foraging” at the co-op and in my freezer, and am eager to get back out in the woods come spring! Well, even sooner it’s sugaring time, as soon as I can get the taps in.
Yum! That dish you made is so mouthwatering. I have tried quite a number of mushroom dishes, but not the winter chanterelles. Oh, I wish I can try them one time.
I have been visiting your site for several years and have posted on a few things… I have recently read that there is such a thing as false morels (maybe from you can’t remember) but they are not safe to eat false morels are hollow and good morels are solid, is this true?
Looks yummy. I had a terrific nettle pesto pizza at Carmelita’s on Greenwood last Thursday. It was NOT pretty but the combo of flavors with a blood orange glaze, wild mushrooms, and a crown of argula was memorable.
BTW saw some stinging nettles peeking up from the forest floor this afternoon at Carkeek. To think I used to live in fear of their sting when playing in the woods as a kid. Ouch!
Hi Langdon, I’m glad to have discovered your blog. My kids also did WAS and learned all those tricks about harvesting nettles and relieving their sting. WAS was really a great experience for our family, not just the skills but the whole attitude they learned.
Thanks to your earlier posts I’ve long wanted to go clamming, but this fresh spring story with great pics (and that recipe) really pinned it to my mind. We’re Minnesotans, so I think razors will have to wait and we’ll stick to the local goods for now.
p.s. Nice Westy! As an owner of an ’89, I think they’re the ideal vehicle.
Julia – Ours is an ’88. I’m afraid we’ve been hard on it, but the Loaf (as it’s known) still gets us where we need to go–and the kids love it. Keep an eye out for land fish (morels) in your neighborhood soon.
Kindra – Razors are my favorite clam to dig, though successfully extracting a geoduck is in its own category.
hey I didn’t know the ferns that grows out of moss on our trees had a name! (duh). I have lots of photos just like those from many hikes. Will have to go get some halibut and try this one.
We used this ‘FAT OF THE LAND’ recipe, except that we didn’t blanch the nettles first to then have to squeeze out the water. We skipped that step and sauteed them in olive oil. It was the best pesto that my husband and I ever had! I’m having this season’s first cup of stinging nettle tea; has a pleasant light aspargus/cucumbery taste…
Donata & Kate – Sorry for the delay in posting your comments. I’ve just switched over to moderated comments because of all the spam I was getting and didn’t realize I wouldn’t be notified by Blogger of pending comments. Hmm…seems like an obvious fix. Hello, Blogger?
I made some of your bread today. I swapped out the egg for EnerG egg replacer, almond milk for cow’s, and agave for honey. Delicious.
I must add that washing the flower heads before you cut them makes them really difficult to handle. So probably better to skip it or wash the petals after they are separated.
Greg – you’ve hit on one of the main problems with our West Coast fiddleheads (and possibly the rhizomes as well, though I don’t have as much experience with that part of the fern). Our native western lady fern fiddleheads can vary widely in taste, with some quite bitter and others not. If you find a less bitter patch, stick to it! I’ve talked to commercial foragers about this phenomenon and so far haven’t gotten a satisfying answer. The only thing I can say is to experiment with different locales.
Wow–licorice fern roots are STRONG. I love licorice, so I thought I’d try a root while out foraging last week. I think cooking with the root and not chewing it like the natives did might be the better idea… Thanks for all of the good info here!
In Michigan,the first morels to appear are the Morchella angusticeps ( easily most flavorful) followed by the grays ( we call them ‘deliciosa’), then the small whites ( esculenta) and finally the large yellows ( crassipes). Check out my commercial-free hunts on YouTube at videomorelhunting
I finally gathered nettles while bike riding near Port Townsend, WA and made this recipe and it turned out really well! I added more olive oil than you suggested, as I like my pesto creamy. Thanks for a terrific blog!
Your mother is right, but only partway. Spätzle tend to be a bit longer and are often made with a ricer. They are made with flour, eggs, water, and a pinch of salt. Knöpfle or Knöpfli are shorter and made with the spätzle makers and milk is usually substituted for the water.
The “origional” spätzle were made with neither a maker or ricer but with a cutting board and scraper. The batter is spread a bit at a time onto a small board and scraped in stripes to the edge where it drips into the pot of simmering water. I have tried this and it is a bit tricky but makes great spätzle once you get the knack!
Your “pull” dumplings are often done in Hungary and its environs. There are all sorts of local names for them, but they’re an awesome weeknight thing to do. Just make dough, let it rest an hour (or not) and toss bits into boiling water.
I read recently that to avoide the toxicity in the fiddleheads, they should be harvested before they start to uncurl. Any comments? Regards, Keith. http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/
Some of us out here in Pacific county have been picking nettles for tea and stir fry. Today I had some fiddle head ferns to go along with them. I’m excited to try the pesto idea.
Bassist: Your description of Knopfli is exactly how I learned to make it. Although, my mom didn’t like her spaetzle maker and made it just using a fork to drip the dough into the water. It made the pieces a bit larger, and randomly shaped.
Hank:What’s the advantage of letting the dough rest for an hour?
Le Loup – That’s true. The unfurled fronds of ferns are toxic. Only eat the newly emerged and tightly curled fiddleheads. And only certain species. In the U.S. it’s mainly the ostrich and lady ferns.
Adamnfinetrout & Basic: I’m thinking mine is closer to Knopfli, in that case. As for the original way to make spaetzle, I think I’ll pass. Technology is good for some things.
Hank: There are few pasta-like foods as quick and foolproof as Polish (and Hungarian) dumplings. But man, the wee bit of extra effort to make spaetzle/knopfli/etc is sure worth it on some occasions.
This brings back memories of my mother making Polish (which she is) dumplings as well, but I wound up making hundreds of pounds of Spätzle at the Palace Kitchen in the first few years of that place. We flavored them with thyme and used a full size hotel perforated pan and a bench scraper to boil them ahead of time. For service we browned them in clarified butter to serve with applewood roasted pork. Reading all of this makes me miss them.
Very interesting – had never thought about eating those. Too bad about the allergy though – I found out last year that I’m allergic to lupines as I had picked a bunch to dye with and a similar reaction to what you described.
These are the best. I just made a batch (haven’t pan fried them yet) and will post it to my blog soon with a link back here. Never going back to store bought gnocchi or gnudi, these are just too good and easy to make.
What a coincidence! I just put up a post on my blog about my experience with a maple flower recipe. It was a good one! Your pictures look just as tasty as mine did.
Thanks for the heads up on not eating the flowers when they are too far along. I got them early when the buds had just burst and they were delicious. I have been eyeing the larger flower buds, but wondered if they’d be nearly as good.
I like the idea of a tree growling on a slope….watch out! It bites! Have you ever tried making maple syrup from bigleaf? I’ve heard it can be done. Too late this season, of course, but there’s always next year.
k – The allergy seems to be one of those late-onset deals. Only noticed it in recent years, but now I know at least one species responsible.
Chris – Just checked out your post. Cool. We’re on the same page, if not the same boat. Try using the older, larger flower clusters to make pesto. Your gig up in the San Juans sounds most excellent.
K Lambert – Ha, I’m tempted to leave that typo. From what I’ve heard, bigleaf maples can be used for syrup, but it takes more sap than a sugar maple and no small effort. I have no plans to go sugaring any time soon, though I once helped my college roommate’s family in Vermont for a weekend of sugaring.
Cool!!!! I love this idea. Last year I had maple syrup with maple blossoms at Portage Bay Cafe. I’m not sure how much flavor was imparted by the maple blossoms, but it sure was interesting.
Very cool, bummer about the allergy. I don’t think we have the big leaf here in new england, at least not as plentiful as I recall it out there … of course everything is bigger out there 😀
I tried the Dandy Bread recipe, it was soooo easy, and it turned out beautiful! I will definitely make this again, and I am eager to try other Dandy recipes on your page. Thanks!
How about the RED elderberries that are all over NW Oregon? I have been trying to find out if I can use them, but the info on the web is so conflicting! From OSU I was informed I could use them after cooking. But many other foraging sites I found say “NO! don’t use them! They are poisonous!” Now I’m just confused… Do you have any experience using the RED elderberries? (S. racemosa).
Farmer Lady – I haven’t used red elderberries for precisely the same reasons you list. Hearsay suggests it’s possible to cook out any toxins in jellies or jams, but without a definitive authority on he subject I’m hesitant to experiment, especially when delicious blues are only a hop over the mountains away.
The advantage of letting the Spätzle dough sit has to do with the flour used. Usually a couple of tablespoons of meal are added to give the spätzle more bite. If you don’t let the dough sit, it just ends up tasting like spätzle with sand.
Great recipe! I’ve only seen this done with elderberry blossoms before (usually with a side ofapple sauce or a preserve.) Any other blossoms this would work for?
yes! I’m making pizza for dinner with nettle pesto from the freezer, asparagus, and these fresh morels..just searching my blogroll for how to prep the morels and came to this posting! Even though you don’t give details, I am encouraged to forge ahead…..mmmmm….
This makes me miss the East Coast so much! My favourite was fiddleheads with a little cider vinegar on top. Delicious! I’m happy to follow your foraging!
Over here in the UK the Elder flowers are starting to bloom. Usually this calls for wine making but I’m definitely going to investigate the fritter option whilst I wait for the wine to ferment… Cheers Langdon
Thanks for the idea – I have know of using it to keep the insects at bay, but never thought of it as a tea. With all the vanilla leaf around here these days, I will definitely have to try it!
What timing! I just learned this plant and this use (vanilla tea) from Brian Luther during the Cispus Foray yesterday. He mentioned harvesting once the flowers have started wilting. Have you tried harvesting at different times or noticed any difference?
Hmmm. I’ve read many times that Vitamin C does not survive cooking – it is destroyed by heat. Wouldn’t that mean that the rosehips, whilst rich in Vitamin C when raw, would not be much use as a source of Vitamin C when used to make syrup, jam, tea or anything else involving cooking? That being said, the recipe sounds delicious, whether or not it contributes Vitamin C to the diet.
Here in Sandpoint (North Idaho) the early lower elevation season was pretty poor, but now the higher elevation ones are out in full force. We are having some great fun picking after the last couple years being hard to find for us. Hope it gets better for you there!
Geno – That’s good to hear. It’s definitely getting better here in the Cascades as the snow melts in the upper elevations, but nothing to write home about.
oh this looks incredible! Got some at the farmer’s market and too expensive to buy more than a few at a time, $30 and $40/lb ooh la la! Will probably just sautee in butter and EVOO and throw on some pasta or chicken.
Where have you seen vanilla leaf referenced anywhere else as a tea? I couldnt find anything in the old books or online. Was this a recent discovery or some old folk method that never made the press?
Hi, I read your blog a lot and love your book. I like reading about your mushroom finds, but it’s driving me crazy! I have had no luck finding spring porcini, and found a grand total of four morels this year. Today I went down 97 and drove up various forest service roads, like 7324 and 9716. Elevation where I was walking is about 4000. The trees are mostly pine. The ground seems very dry. Am I even in the right general location? Any pointers appreciated. Cheers,
Branden – Mostly pine means you’re probably on south facing slopes. Too dry. Try the north facing slopes and look for more mixed conifers. As for, porcini, they’ve been slow to flush, so there’s still time. Keep at it!
Clam Chowder is a true reminder for me of the Pacific Northwest. The recipe looks wonderful..I will have to make an effort to go clamming with the family so it gives me an excuse to make it.
Now I have been eating it for a couple of weeks. Foraged and Found Farmer’s Market in the half-pound bags for sale has been made, and I scarfed last week some of the Oyster Dome trail
Thanks for the info, Langdon I tried again up on 97 at about 4500 ft Found quite a few newly flushed morels, quite a few coral mushrooms, and surprisingly, many russulas. Mostly the large white (probably brevipes) but many with a purplish tinge, too. No porcini, though. I thought maybe I was too high up – maybe I’ll wait a week and check those spots again. Cheers
Great looking rex-veris! And I miss baps – used to live in London…A nice snack on the way home from the local. I was hiking last week below Peshastin and saw a few old morels but no boletes. Every mushroom bump in the forest floor was a white russula – hundreds of them. What elevation were you finding the rex-veris, and what kinds of trees? I was on the Swauk Forest Trail which is mostly fir trees. Great blog.
K Lambert – I’m itching to get back there and hike the coast to coast trail. Could be some good mushroom hunting along the way too. You might try different elevation for porcini, though the tree composition is good.
Anonymous – I like the firm texture of B. rex-veris and its floral aroma, which lends it to shaving raw over a salad (most wild mushrooms you should cook, btw). I’d say fall porcini has a richer, nuttier flavor. Both dry nicely.
A bap is originally a type of bread roll, really soft (with a crust kept from firming too much by a flour coating) but you can use the word to describe the sandwich itself, too. 🙂
I absolutely love this blog, I heard your interview on NPR a little bit ago and have been hooked ever since. I have become a vegetarian in the past three months and love reading about all of your mushroom findings, since they are one of my favorite foods. I just wanted to show my gratitude for the work you do, and for acknowledging the bounty of the planet. I’ve been telling all of my friends about it! Thanks so much again! -George
Hey there! I just wanted to express my love for this blog. I listened to your interview on NPR recently, and have been hooked ever since! Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods, and I have switched to vegetarianism in the past 3 months so all of the information on here has been lovely. As a fellow lover of the Earth I just wanted to pour out my gratitude, thank you again!
I’ve had spring kings rest in my fridge for 10 days and be fine, but occasionally I also see nice firm buttons turn into dryers, too. I never slice my porcini in half before I cook them, either. Maybe things are less buggy in California?
I’ve got some in the fridge right now that have been there a week, no problemo. But I check them periodically, and occasionally I lose some that look perfectly fine on the outside. It’s true that some areas are buggier than others, though it varies regionally, not by state. My experience is that higher elevation patches are less buggy, but that’s not a rule of thumb. BTW, scrupulous commercial buyers cut most in half except for smallest buttons; only makes a difference if you want a whole cap for broiling, stuffing, etc. It’s my opinion that cutting in half and trimming can vastly improve your quality over the long haul.
You are probably right, and especially so in the case of commercial pickers. It’s just sad to see Whole Paycheck selling wan, dried-out, cut-in-half porcini… for $39.99 a pound. 😉
I enjoyed listening to this while I did our laundry! I just happened to turn on the radio and was pleasantly surprised to hear you being highlighted. It was really nicely done.
Yes! get the oil out of our waters! We have such a huge shortage of salmon from the trawling & farmed fish that we’re about to lose out way of life and the LAST RUN OF SALMON IN THE WORLD! Please sign and forward: http://signon.org/sign/end-salmon-halibut-bycatch
Thank you so much for using your space to raise awareness about this issue. Though Alaskans and local fishermen have been fighting this mine for years, it is just starting to seep into the greater public awareness. Bristol Bay IS an incredible and unique public resource. Pebble Mine IS a destructive proposition for private profit. The issue could not be simpler. Again, thanks for your support!!!
glad to see your support behind this campaign, Lang! We also need to work hard to ensure that the Bristol Bay fish and other NW fish and shellfish aren’t exposed to toxins in our home waters, thus posing (disproportionate) public health and food security & food sovereignty threats to fish-consuming people (ourselves included). One tool for raising these environmental standards is being revised in WA state. Dept of Ecology needs to set the bar much higher for it’s Fish Consumption Rate. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/toxics/fish.html cheers!
Many authentic dolmades/mahshi recipes include lamb, and I wouldn’t recommend taking a short cut with those. And fresh grapes can be tough if they aren’t cooked long enough. You can make them in the crock pot though, and then you don’t have to be around for the longest part.
My recipe is here. It feeds 25 people. I’ve never tried to cut the recipe down smaller; it would be interesting to see how it affects the overall quality.
Your dock dolmades look yummy! I love your blog! I’ve learned a lot!
Thanks and ditto Jesi. I know some folks who were hired to do environmental analysis for this project, and I’m not at liberty to discuss any more about it. I’ve been aware of this for a few years. However, I’m happy to throw any support to stop this project. The fishery is worth so much more in literal and intrinsic value than the mining. This one has got to be stopped.
I was wondering if you have ever made juice from the Oregon grapes? I was going to attempt it this year after reading about all the benefits from this plant; however I didn’t want to add any sugar. Do you think this would be safe enough to do as I cannot find any recipe’s online for just juice.
My in-laws bring along an ice chest and then put some dry ice in the box after picking their porcinis. They swear that it helps kill all the buggies that live in the fungi.
For allergies, arthritis, BPH, excessive bleeding, hair loss, hypertension, inflammation, prostatitis. This herb is uplifting for a weary body, relieve fatigue and exhaustion.
This is great especially for kids, they are very sensitive especially on allergies
Hey Langdon, I just wanted to make sure you had seen the recent Frontline episode about the Pebble Mine. I thought it was fascinating and well made. It can be watched in full online at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/alaska-gold/
Gregory Tilford mentions Oregon Grape jelly in his book, so I had to give it a try. It really makes a great-tasting jelly, reminiscent of concord grape juice! Just a note, though: maggots are sometimes in the Oregon Grapes, so pour a salt water mix over them to draw the critters out. ‘Works wonders!
Seriously, do you have any comment on the profound similarity to the cover of Prodigy’s album of the same name? I saw your book in a bookstore, and I assumed there was some connection. Infinitely curious.
Ashley – I’ve only made jams & jellies with it, though I don’t see why you couldn’t use it for juice. I’d probably mix with with some sweeter berries or fruits.
I am completely in love with miners lettuce, but I went out and foraged own I never have, and instead rely on the farmers market in the lovely folks. It is designed to mix with a little frisee salad is a simple one is probably the most beautiful. Great post mate. Love a bit of video.
Great report, Lang. I wasn’t really keyed in to fungi during my time in that part of China, but now, of course, I really wish I had been! My wife and I traveled extensively in western Sichuan in ’92, and our trip was spiced up by extreme weather and frequent landslides, too. You got on the bus in the morning, and never knew what lay in the road ahead. It is indeed an awe-inspiring part of the world. Thanks for bringing back some fun memories.
Brett
p.s.~ How did you like tasting ma la cuisine at the source? Hope you brought back a nice sack of fresh hua jiao.
We eat the best boletes the night we get back and save a few (cut in half) for fersh– all others are sliced up for drying which can preserve a lot of “started” ones.
We are in New Mexico and I wonder if our very quick drying doesn’t help– you can see maggots “jumping ship” on our drying screens and trays almost immediately.
Mil – Good call on the dry ice. I’ve never tried that approach before. Our Cascade morel season was so-so for naturals. Some really nice fat singletons, just not bucket loads.
Steve – Thanks for the visit (you’re in my library!). Years ago, before I got a Nesco dryer, I used a homemade contraption–basically window screens stacked on books on our south-facing front porch with a fan blowing on them. One year I used Bill Buford’s “Heat” as one of the books, the hardcover with a bright yellow cover. Interestingly (and fittingly), all the maggots sprinted for Buford’s book, where they shriveled up en masse. You can see a picture here.
Thanks for the recipe. 🙂 Just finished making a batch (it’s in the canner now, hoping it will jell). Great use for a berry i’ve always admired but never been able to use.
Sounds fascinating! When I went trekking in Bhutan a few years ago it must not have been mushroom season – ahead of the monsoon in late April. However, it was fiddlehead fern and wild asparagus seasons and we had those all over the country. Alas, overcooked in too much oil. And I suspect they fed us tourist food also. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip.
Wonderful! BTW, David Duncan was my brother David’s best friend when they were kids growing up. I spent many hours at the Duncan’s after school. He was the nicest of my big brother’s friends to a little sister. And he references my father in his first book The River Why. Small world. Great writer. Your trout cakes look very tantalizing, might try that one myself with store-bought salmon from PCC.
Chief – I don’t have deep opinions on the various docks. There are many edible Rumex. Curly is the most common where I live, but other varieties are more popular elsewhere. As with any wild food, don’t pigeon-hole; use the given attributes to best effect.
suppeou 9trueve! ttMy family homesteading in western Colorado in 1857; part of the original homestead is now a national park. But I agree, very few thing compare to a fresh trout right out of the water into the skillet. I started trout fishing early as well, but much older than Riley…I was 4 or 5. The kids will remember this forever no matter where they travel. Than you.
You’re not kidding about “value” of the lobster mushroom. In Connecticut, they are sold dried at Whole Foods for $99/pound. I laughed when I saw them with another bulk jar of black trumpets for $95/pound.
It is difficult to find them here before they are bug filled.
I tend to concur on the rain v. temp question. I used to start looking for chanterelles the first or second week in August, but in the last few years of historic warm spring and summer temps, I now go out the first week in July. A Wisconsin forager told me he found them 45 days earlier this year than ever before! We had a freakishly hot March, and that set the tone for the whole season. Hen of the woods, which I think of as a September mushroom, started popping in the middle of a very dry August.
My lobsters were right on time, though I felt sure they would be late given the hot summer weather and relative dryness we had here in central MN. Ours start popping right at the beginning of August and though it wasn’t a bumper crop, they were there.
My chanterelles and black trumpets however were very scarce and I’ve yet to find a chicken mushroom, which is odd.
Ryan – Depends on season and whether I’m fishing salt or fresh. In the salt this time of year I use baitfish patterns in green, blue, pink, white: variations on traditional patterns like clousers, deceivers, crazy charlies, etc. Shrimp-like patterns too, especially earlier in the year when resident silvers feed on a lot of amphipods. In fresh, I’ve taken coho on all kinds of flies, from steelhead patterns to sea-run cutt patterns like reverse spiders. Presentation and finding aggressive fish is probably more important in fresh water than fly selection, though I don’t claim to be any kind of expert. And as much as I enjoy fly-fishing, I do more saltwater beach fishing with lures.
Its a nice mushroom but newer tried. Im located in central Europe but never seen this one. It is my habit to go to forest and pick up some shrooms and now its a season for it. So Im planing a trip soon. Good pick
Candlefish patterns. I used to keep my aluminum boat chained up at the Fauntleroy Ferry dock in West Seattle and would go out after work with my elect. trolling motor, anchor out just opposite the shoreline and cast back toward the beach. They would be in close to shore in shallow water. The largest resident coho I caught was 6 pounds. Good fun…caught lots of blackmouth too.
Chanterelles are my favourite mushrooms. I got my fill recently on a trip to Germany, where I first tried them as a child. Just the sight of them makes me happy. I wish I could find them as easily here at home in Ontario.
I have been making rose hip “jam” for years, but actually it is more like rose hip butter like the apple butter one makes.Great on toast or pancakes or ice cream!I can’t imaagine why peope say wait for frost before picking. Here they are completely shriveled up and gone by then. I pick them when they are ripe in late August or very early September. I do use equal sugar and prepared thick pulp (4 1/2 cups) and one package of Certo. I came up half a cup short of pulp and added 1/2 cup apple juice!
When I use my search engine to look for blogs to read yours has come several times on different categories. It made me want to read more, I can see why. It is excellent. Keep up the awesome work.
Calhoun – I probably could have added a line in there about roasting. I brushed the skinless fillets with olive oil, seasoned with s & p, and placed on a piece of tinfoil on a roasting pan in an oven pre-warmed to 450 degrees. It took several minutes. Cooking time depends on thickness of fillets, but it’s easy to check just by looking at the sides of the fillet. Oven roasting is a super easy way to cook salmon and gives a “restaurant-style” look to the finished plate.
Anonymous – Plenty of opportunities in the Seattle area to fish both beaches and rivers. I’d choose one or the other for starters. Visit a local tackle shop and talk to the staff before deciding what kind of fishing you want to do, then you can get the appropriate gear. Beach fishing is probably easiest in terms of startup gear and skill. Beach coho season is winding down now, but we’ll have winter blackmouth (resident chinook) soon. Good luck!
yum. remember going hiking some years ago with a bunch who didn’t grow up here, and all resisted when I excitedly harvested some huckleberries along the side of the trail and ate on the spot. Silly them! They missed out on a treat.
I’d be careful with this one. According to HerbVideos.com, “[Vanilla Leaf] contains coumarins which thin blood (anticoagulant) and may make the use of Achlys risky.” Could be a good tea for menstruation then? But bad if you have thin blood or are on any medications that already thin your blood.
yeesh, that first news story was no good. i thought it was interesting the way they finished it by recommending to not eat wild mushrooms altogether. i agree with you that caution is definitely needed and to not eat anything you can’t positively identify, but i think it’s a bit unfortunate that some people’s approach is total avoidance and fear.
incidentally, we just enjoyed some tasty chanterelle pasta for dinner.
Think I’ve commented here before about the group in Portland, Oregon, area (might have been outside the city) that foraged mushrooms, cooked a feast, and then most of them died and there was a liver transplant. This was I think in the 1970s when I was a kid, but I remember vowing never to eat wild mushrooms. I’ve relented and now enjoy chanterelles, porcini, and morels for sale at farmer’s markets, local stores, etc. Haven’t tried foraging myself yet though, but intrigued after the Wild Mushroom show a few weeks ago at the Mountaineers.
I was near Shelton last weekend but didn’t see much except a few white chanterelles and even they were pretty wet. No other mushrooms. Were you all the way to the coast or on the east side of the Olympics? Shouldn’t porcini be growing now too?
Anonymous – The final bake is really more about allowing the ingredients to marry and to bring the whole dish up to temperature. Once it’s bubbling, you’re good to go.
I wish I had your luck and skill with ‘shroom hunting! All we seem to find growing here on our farm are amanitas, false chanterelles and giant king boletes that have been half eaten by the chickens. :\
Thanks for the recipe–had to wait until the next season to give it a go, but glad I tried it. It was enjoyed by family and friends twice over the last few weeks.
Didn’t have dried porcini around, but it turned out well adding pig’s ear in the first batch and dried suillus sp. and b. zelleri in the second–just wasn’t able to keep the golden color.
FYI – I received a message from Sam Schaperow reminding readers that there is a deadly coral in Japan that could conceivably hitch a ride to North America the way the non-native Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) did. Here’s more on it.
Geno – I’ve been having dreams about big fat burn morels–troops of grays and greenies as far as the eye can see! Hang in there, it’ll be spring soon enough…
Seth – My bad. That’s a quarter cup of sugar, though to be honest you could cut the sugar a scosh.
Picked about 40 lbs. of Yellowfoots last week…. half of them popsicalshrooms… But Thawed out nicely. Crop is only about 1/3 of last year, But lots of little ones pinning.
Ladyflyfish – You’re right–it’s not cheap. But most people I talked to felt like they got value for their money. And for those who truly love truffles, there aren’t many options, barring a trip to Italy or France, to enjoy them in abundance.
It’s true! It’s worth it and so, so much fun. The wine is free flowing and they bus you everywhere. OTF usually exceeds our expectations in some way, they do a really nice job pulling it together every year. Look forward to learning next year’s theme!
There must be something wrong with me, or perhaps my taste buds, because I just don’t get all the enthusiasm about truffles. I’m no expert, but was on a trip to the Alba area of Piemonte in Italy, and had their famous white truffle shaved over a pasta dish….and the flavor was subtle, at most. The aroma is certainly distinctive, but the taste is not…at least in my limited experience.
But is it just possible that “the emperor has no clothes”?
Calhoun – Nothing’s wrong with you or your taste buds. Some folks are floored by truffles, others are left unmoved. Almost seems like there’s a genetic component at work. Don’t feel bad about saving a lot of cash next time the waiter appears tableside with a scale and truffle. But for those in love with truffles, the extra charge will be gladly forked over.
Now that’s a combination I would never think of….hmmm. I’ve not been thrilled with the truffle-laced food I’ve had. Perhaps not executed properly? Not sure I’m crazy about the earthiness. I would call this a galette, suppose crostata is to a latte as galette is to cafe au lait. But I don’t claim to be an uber foodie.
Wonderful read about the Oregon Truffle Festival Langdon. I appreciate your shout out to John Getz. He is very modest and a true master, along with his wife Connie and their dog, Chloe. I was one of the other dog handlers on your OTF foray and I consider myself to be a very lucky person indeed, to be able to learn from them.
Can’t wait for January 2014. Only eleven more months to go!
I’ve had clams on the brain, been cooking lots of them lately. So we definitely need to join you for the next trip, do you always do it around this time? And…love me some guanciale!!
Greeting from the Isle of Wight in England! I often look through random food blogs for recipe ideas rather than rely on the usual standard stuff and came across your article on the finding and cooking of Razor clams. Whilst we did not catch our clams – rather bought them in a fish market in Portsmouth – I shall be following your recipe when I cook them tonight. I had razor clams last in Venice a few weeks ago and they were delicious … I hope my attempts this evening will be as successful. I shall, if I may, send you a link to the food blog I write for so that you can see what we produced. Kind regards Peter
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I am the Education Manager at Mt. Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, and I am looking to buy a jar of Oregon Grape Jelly as a good “interactive tour prop.” We are teaching kids about the ethnobotany of the area. Do you have, or know anyone who has, a jar I could purchase? Thanks! Fran Rosenthal education@mountpisgaharboretum.org
we just foraged for nettles on the island and made this pesto. yummy again! i also thinned it a bit with lemon juice and olive oil and used it as a salad dressing and it was good! thank you for all the nettles tips!
Tried your simple butterfly and butter saute method last night for the spotties a friend gave me, paired with a rhubarb wine from Whidbey Island. Was incredible. Thanks for sharing this! So much better than boiling them.
Looking forward to reading. I have been very curious about commercial pickers since starting to hunt a few years back and hearing stories about them. I haven’t encountered any while picking, but am curious how much the generalizations recreational mushroom hunters tell about commercial pickers are true, false, or just more nuanced.
I live in Eastern Washington and middle of May to end of May is the best time to find Fiddlehead ferns, all depending on the weather how cool or how hot the weather. My mom is korean and she and I would go Gosari picking when I was a kid. I just went out last week and found a load of it. Today is memorial day and my husband told me he knows of another patch…must go out before it is too late. I boil and dry my gosari so I can make it last until next May. Brings back memories.We used a gas burner turkey fryer tall pot of water and do the boiling outdoors. So as to not smell up the house.
Do you find that people have very different perceptions of the bitterness of dandelion greens? I rather like them but my wife can’t hack what she describes as extreme bitterness? Also, any experience with drying the leaves and then crumbling them on salads, omelets, etc? Does drying reduce their nutritional value?
The Kuo et alia proposal was preceded by a French proposal, which although less thorough, may take precedence, and change almost everything – again. See the latest issue of Fungi magazine for “Morels – The Name Game” by Britt Bunyard.
Exquisite photo. I’ve been sauteeing morels in EVOO with greens from my garden and throwing over baked salmon. Dinner last night and breakfast this morning. But I just buy them from the foraged edibles guys at the farmer’s market.
Looking forward to your new book. I’ve been having pretty good luck up near the Table Mt. fire area – but not in the burned patches. Rather, I’ve been able to find many pounds of naturals away from the burns (and away from the many commercial pickers.) Where I hunted at the end of June last year, I found 5 lbs. the first week of June. Perhaps because of that heat wave mid-May preceded & follwed by some rain… Still trying to dial in the spring porcini – found a few last year, mostly accidentally. I know the habitat to target. Any thoughts on elevation right now? Cheers.
AndrewM – I’d heard about a competing study. The name game indeed! Will check out Fungi Mag.
Jill – We love them simply sautéed and tossed over salmon, too. A seasonal pairing that can’t be beat!
K Lambert – Me too, and I prefer the naturals. As for spring porcini, the season got off to a great start and now appears to be fizzling with the heat wave. There was a big pop last weekend. Unless we get some badly needed rain and there’s a second flush, I’d start checking higher elevation spots, which is to say above 3K feet.
Anonymous – I’d suggest that Americans in general have difficulty with foods on the bitter end of the spectrum. We’ve been conditioned by fast food and the proliferation of corn (i.e., high fructose corn syrup) so we yearn for sweet. Farmed dandelions were once a common food in the U.S. and are still widely eaten in Europe and elsewhere. You can limit the bitterness by picking leaves before the plant buds. As for drying and nutritional value, I’m not sure. I dry stinging nettles but not dandies.
I’m wondering about you and the others on the west coast a lot lately. Are you guys starting to worry about your fishing with the Fukushima disaster likely worse than advertised? It’s hard to separate fact from fiction on the internet, but even the bbc is now reporting Japan has downplayed groundwater contamination concerns and that those waters are flooding the pacific. Do you have friends who are looking into the plankton in your area for any radiation contamination? I simply don’t trust the FDA to keep us properly informed. I’m landlocked here in Tennessee, but the thought that your coast, which I visited for the first time this summer, could be in the early stages of disaster breaks my heart. I’d love to know what you’re hearing and anticipating, and my fingers are crossed that your fishing stays good.
Andrew, thanks for your concern. Your comment is a reminder that we need to be mindful about where our food comes from. I haven’t looked deeply into this issue, but now that you’ve raised it, I will start asking around among my scientist friends. As you point out, reliable sources can be hard to come by.
We’ve enjoyed so many wild blackberries this summer, and I even found some wild plums. But I had no idea about huckleberries! I’ll have to hurry up and get back out there! How exciting!
Hi Langdon, I found a beautiful “bunch” of grays in a burn this summer. It was like a flower patch! There were all together, 24 mushrooms growing as one! It was amazing and the most beautiful mushroom find…can’t wait to get out there again. I think the gray’s have a nice, chewy texture but are more mild in taste. By the way, read your book this summer, it was great.
May be someone can help me with this problem! I do not know if I am doing something wrong during the process or the trout roe that I am getting has a problem. I have done this process 5 times and the first three batches where great but my last two badges have being a problem. I received the trout roe in the sack, first I put the whole sack in a salted brine for 10 minutes to harden the eggs a little and then start the process of the warm water (105*F to 110*F) by soaking the sacks for a few seconds until the sack turns almost white. I start getting the eggs out of the sack. When the roe is clean I brine the roe for 30 minutes in salted water, soy sauce and brown sugar. After brining I rinse the roe with cold tap water. The skin of the roe does NOT harden and within a day I start losing eggs (they lose the liquid in side). The first three times I did this it worked beautiful! I am afraid of ruining more trout roe! Anyone has had a similar bad experience?
We have a wonderful harvest this year and I have been making lots of jelly and syrup. I agree with you that the colour is most appealing, and I wish more people would make use of these gorgeous little berries. Thanks for sharing your recipe and tips.
I have been making chokecherry jelly since I was a child and I agree that it is a special treat! One little trick I learned from my grandmother is to add a 1/2 tsp. almond extract to the pot of jelly after you skim off the foam that arises from the addition of the pectin. This extra tiny bit of complementary aromatic really sends the jelly into another realm!
Hi Langdon,
Morels are so fun to find and eat! But it turns out those rare colors, like pink and green, are not associated with just one species of morel. At least two of the burn morels can show green and pink forms, and even Morchella snyderi, our big fat natural black morel, can be a bit greenish yellow in its youth.
So just enjoy them, but don’t get too hung up on a latin name. It will take DNA to ID most of those pesky burn morels (other than grays, which really are morpho distinctive), and really, a morel by any name will taste as savory!
If you do want to dive into some of those new latin names, here’s a write-up I did for western morel species back in 2015:
Mr. Cook. Mr. Profumo suggests that steelhead spawn and die like the Pacific salmon. As a fisherman you are aware that steelhead do not die after spawning although many not make it back to the ocean if they perish due to otters or seal predators, disease, or are sport caught. We call these “come backs” which should be released to possibly return as a trophy.
Thank you. Bruce Stevenson, MD, Woodinville, Wa.
we enjoyed your presentation last Friday at Village Books. i asked about the SeaDoc Society and if you had had any contact with Joe Gaydos there (http://www.seadocsociety.org). Joe is a respected veterinarian/scientist, PhD/DVM who has led the SeaDoc effort over some 20 years now. Their focus is on the science and providing understanding that can lead to better decision making.
the SeaDoc Society has a series of presentations at the YMCA Camp Orkila that is well respected and attended. if they aren’t fully booked, i would suggest seeing about speaking there. Also, there is Darvill’s book store on Orcas, smaller but highly supported.
There is another organization that you might contact if you haven’t. It is Long Live the Kings that had its start on Orcas Island, also with a hatchery and returning chinook salmon (https://lltk.org; Restoring wild salmon and supporting sustainable fishing in the Pacific Northwest).
I was on the SeaDoc board for a numbers of years while living on Orcas Island.
Hi! I’m a big fan of your ur blog and recipes. You mention here that the ramps cane from East of the Rockies. Are there any ramps that you know of in Eastern WA?
Hi Langdon
The flavor of this when I made it was great but the color didn’t have your super bright green tint – more pale yellow/green.
I grabbed tips off the trees at Hama Hama oyster farm on Hood Canal a few weeks ago.
Does the variety of the tree influence this probably?
Hi Sean – if you’re using Doug fir tips, the color is most influenced by how you strain and filter. Repeated straining will remove sediment and also color. Many mixologists are looking for that ethereal transparent appearance with just a hint of tint, which requires a coffee filter and plenty of time. Mine in the photo was strained through wire mesh and then cheesecloth as I recall. Remember to only use the newly emerged tips, which will be soft and a lighter, brighter green than the rest of the foliage.
Finally rained here in Central Oregon, a man from Quebec came to visit and we found a few nice Matsutake, we had some fun with butter, salt, pepper, maple syrup and Merchen spice from Chile. Very good! Thanks Langdon!
Thank you for sharing and spreading awareness! It is nice to know how to spot the right mushroom in the wild. Nevertheless, we can still eat some of them even if they are not medicinal it can still cure our hunger. It has endless capabilities!
Hi there, I was searching online for foraging watercress and I came across an article dating few years back about you foraging watercress. Foraging is where I spend time with my kids and get them to notice more about Mother Nature. Moreover, watercress was something I want to show them because of the beautiful green color and how they live in streams and creeks; however, I have not been able to locate any in Seattle. I am wondering if you are able to tell me if you know any places in or near Seattle as the article had mentioned about you foraging in the Pacific Northwest.
Also, this webpage is awesome and love seeing pictures of you adventures with you and your children.
I would like to do some foraging classes. Do you offer these or do you know where I could find a good instructor. Located in South Puget Sound. And have property on the peninsula.
I grew up in NE China. Honey mushroom is the most cherished among all species. My parents picked them young and dried them. They stewed (2-3 yrs old) chicken and glass noodle with it. I miss the dish and wish I learned more about how to identify them.
This recipe is so, so, so, so delicious. And forgiving! I’ve made it quite a few times now. When I follow the recipe it tastes amazing. When I stray from it a little (or a lot), it still tastes amazing. I never have a need to even try another mushroom risotto recipe ever again. This cooks up the perfect bowl I dream of, every time.
Thank you so much for sharing it! I am grateful!
Bravo Finny, bravo! Great blog.
Thanks WT! I appreciate the bumps from Fly Times and Buster Wants to Fish. Very good action.
Mmmmmmmm . . . gotta love the pasta alla vongole. I grew up eating it with the canned stuff, but you’re right: gotta have the fresh (it’s all about scooping out the meat from the shells).
What’s amazing about this dish is how much flavor it has–I mean: a little olive oil, a little garlic and pow: you’ve got the tastebuds reeling.
Nice photo. You’ve got my mouth watering.
> Nice photo. You’ve got my mouth watering.
Thanks, it’s been fun learning how to photograph food. I just use a crummy little digital point-and-shoot, but with macro and the right light you can get pretty good images. So far the oyster po’ boy and the fried razor clams are my faves.
This is bringing back memories about my own Cajun travels. In the late 80s my sister, brother-in-law, and I took a drive from Atlanta to Nawlins wedged into an early-model Honda Civic (via Mobile, land of oysters “fried, stewed, or nude”). On Easter morning, right in the middle of the damn parade, my sister insisted we grab a bunch of po’boys before we left town–I thought she was out of her mind . . .until I took my first bite. Yummmmmmmmmm.
Your photo brings it all back to me. Maybe next time you’re down on the Bayou you’ll skip the 4th Bloody and opt for the ‘boy instead.
Pepper, welcome back! You’re a regular now. And thanks for sharing your po’ boy story. I need to get back to that town if only to eat… and maybe to go frog gigging…
Made my mouth water—but I want to know how the final dish tasted. Also SYZERGY is all caps.
Keep up the magnificant prose Lang!
-Kenan
Kenan, see the last paragraph. Admittedly, I was a little worn out by then and might have skimped a bit. I should also mention that besides Jane, I owe you a debt of gratitude for inspiring this meal, as your Beef Bourguignon was my first taste of it.
I was lucky enough to be included in this feast, this was one of your best – spectacularly fresh and simple and delicious, fortunately we ran out of pasta before i overate too much. Knowing you had gathered each and every one of those clammies by hand just 12 hours before made it even more delectable!
Hell Yeah!
Welcome aboard. The “learning curve” will have prepared you plenty for the “finding curve” as well. There is a bliss and innervation that will propel you to ever more eager states, and for me, a small, dense bubble of probabilities.
And yes, I would say those buggers in the photo look a bit over the hill. But isn’t it awesome that they’re out there? Just waiting? And the gibbosums, mmmm… but where are they?
Alright now. I’m in the process of getting a semblance of a blog together. Fun, Fun. Reading your blog a few weeks ago inspired me to rethink the necessity of filling our niche. Really good stuff BTW, the writing I mean.
Thanks for sharing.
Now bring on the morels!!!
(Someone reportedly found morels along the Columbia already!)
Brilliant!
I read quite a bit when i returned home from my first nettling of the year. The Wikipedia
entry states “The nature of the toxin secreted by nettles is not settled. The stinging hairs of most nettle species contain formic acid, serotonin and histamine; however recent studies of Urtica thunbergiana (Fu et al, 2006) implicate oxalic acid and tartaric acid rather than any of those substances, at least in that species.”
This plant blows me away. The things it does for us fit right in to the cycle of seasons… I get serotonin just when i need it most. And the juice of the plant, internally, helps lessen the effects of any stings by virtue of it’s ANTI-histaminic action !?
“Bioflavonoids in nettle leaves and roots are generally anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine.” -from the article you linked to.
Hey thanks for blogging, i really enjoy it.
COW, your fungal insights are always welcome here at FOTL. Now that I’ve finally found a truffle, I see the germ of an obsession forming–but I might have to visit you Orygun types to see its full fruition. Seriously. I’m thinking about coming down for the April 5 NATS foray. Will you be around?
Thanks for reading and commenting!
So I’m sitting here nursing a nagging sore spot on my finger where I just tested some of my drying nettles. (There were still bits of duff on the screens from last year’s morel crop.) Anyway, the nettles are apparently not FULLY DRY because they still sting!
Have you heard that some people deliberately sting their joints to prevent arthritis and other nasty symptoms of aging? I suspect we’ve barely scratched the surface of the mighty nettle, scientifically at least.
Thanks for the Wikipedia link. Good stuff.
Good work Finny, I’m jealous…
– Farmer
fine job, commander…. now if you only had the same luck with the steelhead.
I love the idea of foraging in your own backyard (or local park, vacant lot, etc.) Who needs herbicides!? All you need to do is get out there and harvest in the early spring, then dig the suckers up right before they’re ready to bloom–save yourself some money, add a little oomph to your salad, and keep the yucky chemicals out of our rivers and lakes. And they taste at least as good as any lettuce you can purchase for $2+ a head at Safeway.
What a great idea! I can taste it now. After reading your recipe I was thinking “as soon as spring comes…, but then realized that I could use some of my dried nettles from last season. I think I might also make the noodles. Have you ever done that?
Thanks for sharing and enjoy the gifts from above.
Definitely make your own noodles if you have the time. As Marcella Hazan says, “…there is nothing packed in a box that can lead to the flavor of the lasagna you can produce in your kitchen.” This is pretty good advice about food and eating in general, as I discussed in this post. Besides, making pasta can be an event in itself. Invite a bunch of friends over to help and drink lots of red wine!
I love this recipe! I am definitely going to make this when dandelion season gets here (SW Ohio)!
Nice blog, valereee. I’ll be stopping by to see what you’re up to. BTW, I think morels are starting to pop in yr neck of the woods.
finspot, inspired by your post I just joined the Ohio Mushroom Hunting Club and signed up for their Morel Foray!
What will you do with your pile o’ petals?
This obsession is killing you Kramer! It’s killing *us*!
I’ll admit to going a little overboard, Smith. Now if I could only convince The House to incorporate a few dandelions in their Mandarin Chicken…
Valereee, I’ll have petal recipes up in the next 24 hrs.
V. cool. Come back and tell us how you do—and remember, hunting morels is a learning curve. Don’t be disappointed if your first year on the hunt isn’t met with bushels of morels. They’re elusive and hard to spot. Your eye will get keener with practice. Good luck!
I’ve been eating nettles from my next door empty lot for a few years-mainly because I like their taste. I keep harvesting them until the get too buggy, around June in the NW. This year my fav nettle recipe is a rustic italian torta made in a skillet on a burner (and flipped over). I’ll blanch the nettles, add some leeks or onions, maybe some spicy sausage and then some cheese or egg to glue it together. Made it last night.
Also discovered it’s a favored egg laying place for butterflies.
Thanks for the inspiration! I made what i called dandelion flower “fritters.” I threw in some rosemary leaves and flowers. Mmm! So easy and delicious, and how nice to eat from the garden thats otherwise predominantly bolted kale! I’ll have to try the other recipes too.
This particular foray is being led by an expert on land that is supposed to be very rich in morels, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
What’s the limit and where’d you clam??? TOO COOL.
40 clams! I sound like Bugs Bunny. As for location, can’t be blathering that on the interwebs, but I’ll take you there…
Valereee, the reports coming out of the entire lower Mississippi drainage have been very promising–you picked a good year to get started. The key factors are temp and soil moisture, and with all the flooding you should be in good shape. Unless you have a home in the flood plain…
Check out my recipe for morel cream sauce over veal chops/steak. Simple and delicious.
Awesome post. I love your blog.
But I’m gonna have to start checking before I blog. In addition to the synchronous Chris Matherly issue, I was considering posting about crawfishing as a young boy, in Louisiana… yee-haw!
Crawfishing? I want to hear it! Years ago I had the great fortune of losing an alternator in Chacahoula, LA, during a x-country drive. My friend Warpo and I stuffed ourselves silly on local crawdads for the next 24 hrs while waiting for his unlicensed and uninsured Funky Fresh Seville to be repaired. The mechanic even let us tent out on the property.
Keep surprising us with all that weird & wonderful stuff on the ChickenBlog!
Ha! Great minds think alike (also warped and sick ones, but I digress) – I too make something like Shad on a Shingle (great name), except I use a Spanish aioli.
Sounds tasty HAGC, I’ll have to try it this spring. One of the reasons I like to get half my shad catch canned professionally is that the high heat and pressure renders all those pesky bones moot (for lack of a better word). There’s a place outside Portland where I go right after a day at Bonneville. Just drop off the whole uncleaned fish (all 20 of ’em or so) and they’ll take care of the rest.
I’ll have a lot more to say about shad and shad fishing as we get closer to the run.
I’m makin’ this. The ketchup won me over, also the turkey in spite of a lifetime of meatloaf made almost exactly like my mother’s. And it’s a good thing I don’t read blogs with a fork in hand – my screen would be a wreck right now.
It’s great to hear of a modern kid doing something old fashioned like digging clams … what a great education in food for her. Hope she enjoys her share of the catch too.
A lovely and classic dish. Our waters are closed until October now for mussels. Wah. Horse clams are next on my hunting list…
Tell me about horse clams… I think I’ve found them before. Are they kinda fragile?
Horse clams are California’s answer to geoducks. Smaller, but basically the same clam.
Here’s a brief write-up on this page, about 2/3 down. In Oregon they call them “gapers.” I’ll be digging these this weekend as part of a wild edibles workshop I’m attending on the Oregon coast. Will report back on the gaper action.
So, I smell an accountant in the early stages of development. Might she be available for some work next April?
Awesome capture of a beautiful little person in action. Thanks for sharing.
“Awesome capture” is a great way to put it. So often I see my kids doing something hilarious and wish I had the camera rolling–and on this particular occasion I was prepared and it was perfect.
haven’t been around in awhile. awesome set of posts. thats a lot of tasty foraged goodness, well done!
Okay, so the spot prawns DID haunt me, but not in the way you might think (belching or sour stomach, etc.). What happened makes more sense after reading your post: it was the evil spirits, for sure. I mean, it was like the shrimpies invaded the core of my being and decided I shouldn’t have a good night’s sleep (since, of course, they weren’t either). Indians know about this shit–you shouldn’t be foraging in sacred/bad juju places. But yeah, once I ate ’em with the heads off in the a cioppino–man were they good (and no bad dreams).
I grew up around Hood Canal and this brought back some very fine memories of seafood foraging. I haven’t thought about Dabob Bay in years. Thanks for the memories…
Nice work! I have never gone shrimping before, and it looks like a lot of fun…although I’d use a rowboat with a bit broader beam. Can’t wait to go looking for clams on the North Coast soon near Point Reyes.
Holy moly does that ever look good. I’ve always wished it were easier to buy head-on shrimp – they are so much more flavorful than their beheaded brothers and sisters.
Your stew looks beautiful and sounds wonderfully simple to make. Having leftovers is a bonus. Sometimes I enjoy them more than the original dish.
I have to say this is one of Lang’s signature dishes–we supped al fresco on a rare warmish evening. I was off to an M’s baseball game, but I couldn’t resist sticking around for seconds. Usually at games I’m jones-ing for just about any junk food within throwing distance, but I noted my unusual disinterest in Dippin Dots and Rally Fries after this superb stew. Nothing beats a home-cooked meal, esp one involving scallops, mussels, and shrimp!
Pretty dish, Lang! I need to find me some spot prawns…
As a recent convert into the absolute deliciousness of sea urchin roe, free-diving holds a certain attractiveness. All those “dead zones” we hear about get overtaken by urchins, which seems to be a delicious, if unfortunate circumstance.
Hank over at Hunter Angler Gardener Cook has been raving about your blog, and I had to come over and take a look. This is fantastic!
Saxtor, tell us more about harvesting sea urchin roe. Also, you might enjoy a new book by Taras Grescoe called Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood. I plan to do a post on it soon. Thanks for reading!
Norcal, are you the great turkey huntress? I read Hank’s account–and yours. What a terrific tale. Thanks for coming over to FOTL. You’re on the roll!
Ah, lingcod. Neither a ling (which is a relative of the hake), nor a cod. Odd fish. Some have iridescent blue meat. They are one of only two edible greenling species in the world (thus “ling”), and love nothing more than to eat the rock cod on the end of my line.
And then I eat them.
Wonderful video, and excellent haul!
Mmmmmm… shad roe! I had to let my boyfriend go shad fishing without me last time (I’d dropped all my spare coin on a pig hunt), but I was there for the cleaning, and they’d gotten female after female after female. TONS of roe. Very yummy stuff!
It’s…shadtastic! I have posted all kinds of shad-er-phernelia on my other website, such as how to fillet them (tricky business), recipes and a good way to deal with all them bones.
We have a few more weeks left in our season. Gotta get out one more time…
This looks like serious fun brought to life with a great video. Love the audio… grunts and such, glad you didn’t step on his rod.
On our many trips to, through, around the Columbia Gorge, my grandmother would describe in detail what it all looked like before the damn damming. She had experienced it, fished there often, bought fresh salmon from the Yakima Indians, once caught her own enormous steelhead, known orchardists who had lost their land to the dam. Seeing you on the scene there makes me think about the changes, both in the river’s flow and in the fish of choice now. Most recent experience were many visits with my high-wind sailboarding spouse. Visit the Maryhill Museum sometime if you haven’t already.
Thanks for the video which brought it all back.
That looks like just the thing for a summer camping trip. Maybe do a mushroom primer sometime for those of us who hardly know a button from an oyster?
I can’t wait for bolete season here. I’m like you, I dry them, but I’ve bought frozen whole ones in Italy and their flavor persists although their texture isn’t as good as fresh, in my opinion. With just erupted perfect boletes I like shaving them thin, shaving fennel bulb then, and shaving parmesan and layering them in a salad. So good. Like I said, I can’t wait!
10 pounds of porcinis?! Wow. Note to self: Spend vacation time hunting mushrooms with FOTL next year…
nicely done finny! don’t forget to post about the success of freezing. i dried mine but haven’t reconstituted any yet.
Fungaldom! What a great word. I loved the video showing the habitat and then SURPRISE! the little kings hiding out in the understory. You make it seem so easy, but of course you probably spend hours finding that prime spot?
Lang… hope you are doing well… that pic you have of the vacu-sealed porcinis… do you freeze them that way or is that for fridge storage?
Hey, thanks for the comments everyone. I’ve been out in the high desert canyonlands going after huge trout with huge salmonfly patterns and leaving the posting to “Draft Blogger.” If you don’t know about the scheduling tool in Draft Blogger, check it out–a great way to keep comment fresh even while you’re hundreds of miles from the nearest wifi.
Laurie: I’m looking forward to a post on Alaskan boletes. I can only imagine the fruiting is epic, like everything else up there.
Hank: I’m down with that!
Brother Leech: You’ll be interested in my next post. Will let you know how the frozen buttons turn out.
Marty: If anyone knows about my hours invested, it’s you…
Happy Fourth all!!
Finny
Beautiful trout! Here in the northeast we get similar hatches of insects on the swift rivers – and likewise the fishing can be excellent at these times.
Amen to this: “If you’re willing to hook fish after fish in the mouth and play them till near exhaustion, you should have the nuts to give at least one a rock shampoo…”
And nice lookin’ fish!
I’ve never gone fly fishing for trout. Caught a rainbow out on the lake at 4-H camp once. But I’m heading out w/my boss later this month to see what the allure is…
Nice – nothing like a good trout dinner on a good trout excursion. Well done!
Oooh! Pretty mushroom! I don’t know about this one. Does it have other names?
Many summers spent at Quesnel Lake in B.C. when I was a kid. Fishing was always good and I thought the Salmonfly just a nuisance. Little did I know. But I did know enough to love freshly caught and fried fish for breakfast in the morning. Yours sounds perfect and I wish I had some. Sally
that looks awesome,true adventure fishing
Regards
SBW
Survivaltopics: I’ve been enjoying your site. Thanks for visiting. Years ago I fished Vermont, where the mosquitoes were bigger than the fish!
Holly: I’ll look forward to your report. Somehow I think you’ll dig it…
Tom: Just checked out yr Steens story. Very nice! That’s some rugged country too.
Sally: Is Quesnel in the Kamloops area? If so, that’s like ground zero for big wild rainbows. And as it happens, I’m working on an story right now about the comforts of breakfast trout; these tastes and smells can take one waaaayyyy back…
Bushwhacker: When my friend Warpo is involved, it’s always an adventure. Hopefully he’ll chime in once he figures out this Blogger sign-in deal. Thanks for visiting.
What a story! I could just feel the flies crawling on me, and the fish was just a beautiful creature. Hope it was good eating.
i’ve heard mixed reviews on this one and your explanation of the flavor tells me why. i have never found or tried to find the prince, but i will keep my eye out this year, i love trying new shroomery! thanks for the post.
hells yeah finny! my skin is crawling and my mind racing to grasp all of the memories from my one and only salmonfly day on the big D two years ago. thanks for the post and the vid…outstanding!
Nothing wrong with a little self marketing. Nice job…
Not sure about other names. It’s closely related to the supermarket ‘shroom, Agaricus bisporus. Another relative of the Prince–with an even stronger flavor of anise–was once domesticated but lost out to A. bisporus. In any event, some folks absolutely crave the anise scent/flavor, and it’s considered a choice variety in general–just not by me. Like t-mos says, finding new wild edibles is fun regardless.
Quesnel’s in Kamloops – you drive to Williams Lake, head east on a long windy road and eventually you get to the lake, my childhood summertime stomping grounds. And oh yes, rainbow trout.
I read this essay in draft and laughed my ass off. I have to say it’s one of Finspot’s best. There’s laughter, indeed, but there’s just enough gravitas to make it more than a ha-ha piece. Don’t be a cheapskate: go out and buy the issue! Not only do you get to read a great essay, but the author photo is . . . quite revealing, shall we say.
Congrats on this! I look forward to seeing the article.
Nice video. I stumbled on it looking for directions for boning shad. Wouldn’t have a site to steer me to, would you?
Oh man, how can a person not help but smile! That was awesome! “what do you think? “I want him for lunch!” That’s classic! What great times to be able to share with your children!
I have these delectable fishing memories from childhood, the catching, (sometimes the endless waiting) and later the panful of fried fish. You’re cooking up some good ones for your kids that they’ll remember too. Sweet.
Oh indeed, my first fish were brook trout taken from the pasture brook that is only 6-inches deep and a foot wide.
We would bring the trout, still flopping on the hook, into the house for my grandmother to take off the hook. She put them in the kitchen sink with running water so we could watch them swim.
Fried in bread crumb batter, the crunchy tail is the best part!
The Berkshires, SW Massachusetts, 1973, Green River in late summer when the flow stopped, leaving the fish trapped in pools — that’s when I learned to tickle brookies and catch them with my hands. Subsequent efforts in the Swiss Alps (1975), the Rockies (1985) and Eastern Oregon (1995) established that trout tickling can be done with the right conditions: small stream, abundant cover, gentle touch. We enjoy reading your blog; it brings memories. Blog on!!
Socrates’ last words: I drank WHAT?!
Always avoid that hemlock — not good eats.
You might try partially cooking before freezing. Prepare as for cooking, saute, then pack into recipe-size portions and freeze.
Val, I do that method with chanterelles, but I’d heard you can freeze the #1 porcini buttons on the grading scale (i.e. the buttons that are still hard, with concave caps). My next experiment will be broiling the porcini right out of the freezer. Stay tuned.
When I cook frozen porcinis, I cook them at relatively high heat in small batches. The goal is to avoid all the moisture being released at one time which results in the mushrooms stewing rather than browning. That is what happens when there are too many in the pan at one time. What you want is for the water to evaporate as quickly as possible to help prevent sliminess.
it’s interesting to read your blog and results of this “experiment”. I have some nice buttons and I’m wondering if it’s worth a shot to freeze them or should they head to the dryer…that is, what I can’t eat fresh now! I did make a nice raw salad of sliced porcini button with shavings of Parmesano Reggiano and a drizzle of a good extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper.
Your best bet is to chop the mushrooms, then put them in a good saute pan dry over medium-high heat. Shake the pan a lot and dry-cook the ‘shrooms until they release their water. This’ll take about 5-8 minutes.
Then, use ’em as you would in the rest of the dish.
Anyway, that’s my $0.02.
Laurie: I’m with you.
Ladyfish: As we all know, fresh boletes and dry boletes are two entirely different critters, especially in the kitchen. I’ve got plenty of dried from years past, so my goal is to find a method that enables me to use porcini in recipes that call for fresh, regardless of season. Of course, sliced raw in a salad will always be out of the question except with the most primo just-picked specimens.
Hal: Lacking a cleaver, I’m afraid chopping up the frozen porcini right out of the freezer is a trip to the ER waiting to happen…
So far I’ve been pleased with Experiment Two, and Experiment Three looks promising. Will elaborate soon…
finny, a thoroughly excellent post from top to bottom…that video is classic! i learned to fish back in northern MN, and brookies were the game…the video brought back a lot of good memories. your son made an excellent choice…”i want him for lunch!” thanks for the post!
I love these food blogs right around lunch time. I was thinking I was pretty hungry, then after looking at those pictures – man that looks good! I’m going to eat lunch – it won’t taste anywhere near that good, though.
Very interesting technique. Now I’m just hoping we find enough porcini this year to freeze so I can try this out!
Well, my faith is restored and when I hit my patch tomorrow, I will keep some fresh buttons for the freezer.
Just how big were these that you threw into the pan in the oven?
Hi Finspot, would you be willing to share where you get your sausage from? I am looking for an in-town butcher.
Ladyfish: I froze only #1 buttons. The biggest was about the size of a cueball and the smallest was a bit larger than a thimble. All had concave caps and white pores. Let us know how you do.
Audrey: I got the wild boar sausage from Da Pino on Rainier S–but he’s moving, apparently to Ravenna. When I worked downtown near the I-District I used to get my sausages and gorgonzola at Salumi before or after the lunch crush; that option seems nearly fruitless now from my last couple sandwich runs there…
Great post & video. Nice fish, too. You guys really lucked out on that late hatch! I caught a little piece of the end of it up there (below the Black Canyon, though) in early June a few years ago, in a low water year.
We had crab cakes at my brother’s house on Orcas a few weeks ago. The crab was part of a trade with a friend with a crab pot. I’ve been thinking about that fresh crab ever since. Do you have a good source for those of us without the ability to catch our own?
Snorkeling for crabs? Sporty.
Our season does not start until November, so I am of course jealous. But when my time comes, I will not be diving in — I’ll use the pots.
Like you said Hank, I was going to suggest to Poppy to try setting a pot off a pier–but then you have to hang around for a while waiting. Not nearly as exciting as grappling with ’em underwater. I’ve also heard of a spinning rod technique: you chuck out a baited & weighted birdnest of monofilament and wait for the crab to get entangled, then reel in.
Otherwise it’s top dollar at the local market. You might find better prices with a back alley I-District fishmonger, but you never know how long those crabs have been sitting in the tanks…
Man, that’s hard core! I had crab rings I used to use but diving in is really the way to go cuz you can see what you’re getting and pick the big’uns! Right on!
This seems to be a bumperyear for blackberries, herein the UK i’m not the only person to notice that they seem quite a bit ‘fuller’ than last year. Any ideas why that would be?
Regards
SBW
Hi SBW,
When I lived on SW Oregon in ’04 we had a bumper crop of fruits in general: orchard fruits like cherries, pears, and apples, as well as the wild berries, etc. That spring was a mild one, with lots of bees and lots of blossoms. I remember the mercury reaching 90 in March–and this was in the coastal mountains. Also, we got at least one mid-summer soaking, which doesn’t always happen. At the time I attributed the fruit bonanza to those two factors, but I’m no crop prognosticator. Anyway, enjoy your plenitude!
Cheers, Fin
The parking lot logistics are as impressive as the diving … good to hear you got those pretty crabcakes out of the deal.
A fresh crab of your own, eaten within minutes of capture, has to be one of the sweetest experiences, culinary and otherwise. We’ve snagged a few from time to time up north from our sailboat, checked their size and gender and then proceeded. Your comment about the ‘screaming’ reminded me – one of the funniest ever movie scenes has got to be Woody Allen’s attempt to cook lobster in “Annie Hall”.
care to reveal any foragable free-diving destinations in the seattle area? I’m hip to the scene around the shilshole jetty. Do you use a drysuit?
Audrey: I always say the trip to/from the foraging grounds is the most harrowing, especially if it involves stressed-out commuters trying to pick up their kids at camp.
Seth: I use a 4mm wetsuit, which keeps me plenty warm for an hour and change. As for destinations, I’ve gotten crab all over the Sound, including right in Seattle. Depends on time of year and what the crabs are up to. Right now they’re in a mating frenzy, so look for structure. In the shoulder seasons you might try more open areas, including eel grass beds.
fin,
your killin me with all this crab action! i need to get out to the docks.
i don’t have a suit, but for future reference, what are the requirements for suitable free-dive locales? is the sound a special situation or is it doable off the oregon coast as well?
nice work on the vittles!
tom
Hi,
I am a big fan of your blog and added your blog link to our blogroll and we would love a return link back. Our blog url is:
http://www.eastcoastangler.blogspot.com/
Nice blog you have going!
Thanks
Paul
You’re lucky you were within honking distance!
I grew up eating dungies my dad gathered and my mom always boiled them, so so did I. About a year ago, a friend convinced me to try steaming them, which I did, and now I’m never going back to boiling. The flavor is better wth steaming.
I’m sorry, but you’re killin’ me with this stuff! Between the cobbler and the crab cakes, i am drooling on my keyboard.
I added your blog to my blogroll at http://www.wenaha.blogspot.com
Excellent photos and good writing… thanks!
Well, a little butter never hurt anything, especially after you’ve hiked miles to pick the berries! I like mine with peaches too.
Any recipe with that much better is worth a test! Sounds wonderful. Nice job.
Nice Post! I work at Madison Market in Seattle on Capitol hill (16th and Madison). The butcher here (Wayne) can give you free fat to render lard if your interested, stop by. He’s here early on weekdays.
Oh, those pancakes at the end did me in! Awesaome photos as usual! Me loves the berries!
Great post, sez Mrs. Finspot. It was a long, hot drive down to Heaven, but now all I can remember are those views of Helens and Adams . . . and eating berries straight off the bush. And who woulda thunk it, but huckleberry cobbler is even better than its blackberry cousin. To die for!
Stumbled on FOTL from Living with Bird-dogs — and what a nice surprise. I used to live in Portland and spent a fair amount of time in Indian Heaven. Thanks for great memories — and a growing rumbling in my gut.
A+M+M+J
Chris: I love the Mad Market! Thanks for the tip, I’ll stop by.
Jon: The huck pancakes were indeed awesome. I’m still tweaking the batter recipe to work with the berries, but will post one of these days.
Marty: Thanks for driving home! I was all picked out.
Andrew: Portland is definitely an easier hop over to Indian Heaven than Seattle. Would you go via Hood River and Trout Lake? Mt. Hood has its own share of renowned picking grounds, although I think the local tribes are still trying to negotiate an acceptable prescribed burn plan there.
Thanks everyone for tuning in!
Wow, those are the biggest, fattest hucks I’ve ever seen! Here in Montana we have much smaller berries but they pack a good punch. Heading out tomorrow to pick some and should get some vids if all goes well.
We saw lots of those yesterday while picking huckleberries, but they were so ripe they just disintegrated on your fingers on the way to your mouth.(mush city) Picking for later use would have been impossible. Hey Fin, do you have a recipe you like for huckleberry jam? Also have you perfected your huckleberry pancake recipe yet? Wanna send it to me???
Hey Mary! I’ll be experimenting with huck jam recipes soon and will let you know. As for pancakes, I confess to being unhappy with all the pancakes I’ve ever made–they’re never good enough to post. My friend Kenan, when he’s not subsisting on dry martinis and cow, is an expert pancake man and I plan to draft him into a guest FOTL spot. Stay tuned… BTW, how’s the Montana mushroom picking???
Yum. That sounds simple and looks delicious. Nice job finding a silver lining in all this rain.
Last week while hacking back a neighbor’s intruding brambles I spotted one plant with a few ripe, tasty pink berries that disintegrated just like you describe. Any idea if thimble berries grow in the city? Needless to say, I left the plant growing there.
We’ve had absolutely NO rain in my neck of the woods so no mushrooms at all around here. I know west central MT has had plenty of recent rains so they may be starting to find some shrooms, but nada around here! I’ve just been fishing and berry picking. I have an invite to go pick chanties in WA (east side) but I can’t decide whether to do the fly Fishing Retailer show in Denver or go pick chants. Such a dilemma…need to do the show for biz but need the chants for winter!!! hmmmm
Rain? Mushrooms? What are those. Wah. We’re still locked in drought down here in Cali. Maybe I’ll get chantrelles by Thanksgiving…
Wow what a fish, it filled the whole frame:)
What an amazing looking pasta dish. Yum-O
I think I may have seen a few blackcaps on the sandy bluff trails at discovery park; definietly not enough to fill a coffee cup. A few weeks ago I encountered a few sparsely loaded canes on the road side as I waited for a sub to pass the hood canal bridge in Jeff county.
We have a few blackcap bushes in our yard near Woodinville. The season this year was roughly mid-July through mid-August. I guess we have enough at peak to collect an espresso cup, but who knows? My 2-1/2 year old son and I compete to see who can stuff them into our mouths faster. OK, that’s not quite literally true, but certainly they get eaten as fast as they are picked. I have the advantage because blackcaps are climbers, so much so that some of the berries were well above my reach.
Audrey: I like your optimism. It’s been a tough couple weeks weather-wise.
Hank: Take a page from Audrey; while we’re done with chanties by Turkey Day, you’re just getting going, with mushrooms to be had through the winter, when they’re needed most in stews, stuffings, and comforting sauces.
WT: I’ll admit my first silver of the year was about a fifth the weight of yours, which is why editing skills are a must in this bizness.
LTH: It’s one of my favorites, and ridiculously easy. Love this time of year! Thanks for tuning in everyone.
Chiefseth: From what little I know, sandy bluffs sound like reasonable habitat. I tend to find them more often in the mountains, on open slopes, but don’t see why they wouldn’t be at sea level like most other Rubus berries. Just wish I could get more quantity.
Paul: Did you plant the blackcaps? That may be the way to go. Cultivated blackcaps and raspberries. Though it’s fun to find them in the wild. Good to hear your son is getting his fill!
fin, been in MT for a week and a half. i’ve clearly been missing out. ‘cept for the blackberries, we’ve got enough to feed a town in the backyard. anyways, nicely done! the berries, the recipes, the fish, the chantys…all around top notch action.
Dear Finspot,
Thanks for reminding me why I married you. XX Mrs. Finspot
I’ve been checking out your blog for a little while but this is probably my first time commenting. Glad to see all the fun and explorations your family had on Vancouver Island – as a resident, I love it every day.
(and yes, I do occasionally bike over slippery logs, surf on the west coast, and enjoy the deep white stuff!)
Fantastic video of the boy catching the fish. I love that look on his face. That right there is why we hunt (or fish), eat, and live!!!
I have successfully grown a good bunch in a native plant restoration berm on our property at Hyak. Wide open sun all day with good drainage and have been munching on them all summer although they are not as abundant lately. A better year for them than huckleberries!
Look for relatively new (2-4 year) clear cuts with good sun exposure, which are not that common this day and age. Immature plants will be tall and spindly, with greenish silver leaves. More mature and fruiting plants will be thicker, with dead canes around the base. I have had good luck on both East and West slopes of the Cascades, from 2,000′ to 4,000′. Absolute best simple freezer jam in the world.
Just got back from Gifford Pinchot today, with 1.5 gallons of higher elevation (4,500′) huckleberries. Picked only the bright, shinies, didn’t pick the dull blue ones. Not a good year, but I have enough for pies and pancakes this winter.
That dish looks amazing! I think I will try this sauce with some nice duck or quail. I can taste it already!
This brought back very good memories of picking huckleberries with my grandmother on the slopes of Mt. St. Helens before the eruption. I haven’t had them in years (well, I’ve had lots of Alaskan high-bush blueberries, but I don’t really count those as huckleberries…) Thanks for the memories!
I have to say, I sampled this jam and had no idea there was any pectin parsimoniousness afoot. It made for a superb peanut butter and jelly sandwich, in fact. I’m telling you, there’s nothing like that huckleberry flavor. I would strongly suggest (though I know Finspot and others prefer sweet over tangy) cutting back on the amount of sugar the recipe calls for, just to make sure you keep intact that signature hint of tartness. With each bite you’ll be recalling the beauty of the forest where you foraged–oh, so sweet.
Huckleberrying with my grandparents took me into the mountains around Mt. Adams and northern B.C. when I was a kid. And then the pies we made. A bunch of my extra pounds started way back then, a fresh pie every other day all summer long. Those were the days.
I looked for huckleberries when we hiked in the Canadian Rockies recently, but no luck. If I’d found some I suppose I might have shared mine with a grizzly or two who love them about as much as we do.
Huckleberries slightly sweet tart oozy, the best jam imaginable on a piece of toast. Num.
do you usually try to identify the lobsters host? I just found a nice patch of lobsters with no other mushrooms around to use as hints. Every field guide ive seen urges caution.
Chief, I’ve never seen a lobster that didn’t use a Russula as its host, although in other parts of the country it’s apparently common to see Lactarius hosts. In any event, neither genus will kill you. The real danger would be a lobster parasitizing an Amanita; as far as I know, this has never been documented. Also, keep in mind that thousands of tons of lobsters are bought and sold across the globe every year. As a general rule, mycologists err on the side of caution. I wouldn’t be overly concerned.
Dude. I will SO be able to top that one! My friend is giving me an eight-pound spiny lobster she grabbed on a dive in SoCal! I am picking up the monster tomorrow. You can have you lobster shrooms, I gots the real deal…
…any suggestions on cooking him? I’ve always been a steam-and-butter (or olive oil) guy…
Eight pounds?! Good thing those suckers don’t have claws like Maine lobsters. With that much meat you should be able to cook whatever you want and then some. How ’bout lobster chanterelle pasta? You could freeze some for later too. The real question is how good a lobster of that size will taste–it might be kinda tough, requiring some novel technique… I’ll expect to see a post with results in any event!
Hiking in Canadian Rockies recently we saw zillions of mushrooms of different varieties. Took many photos, dazed by their beauty and the still life, literally, surrounding each one. Didn’t pick a thing. Can you recommend a guided walk in these parts, any organized group that introduces the basics about finding edible mushrooms? May not be able to manage it this fall, but it’s on my list of things that I want to do.
I look forward to reading your article in Seattle Magazine.
Sally, check out Puget Sound Mycological Society. They offer a monthly meeting, beginner classes, and free weekend forays with experts. The PSMS annual show is coming up next weekend (usually it’s at the UW Horticultural Center; not sure where it is this year) and I can’t recommend it more: real specimens on display with common/Latin names, cooking demonstrations, ID experts on hand to identify whatever you bring in. Totally cool.
The top picture reminds me of eating da bin lo growing up — a big pot of water boiling at the table and diners dunked the raw ingredients right into the hot pot. At the end of the meal you’d drink a bowl of the amazing broth made from all of the ingredients.
There was an interesting article in the New Yorker last year about matsutake hunters.
Never seen that one before! You are definitely blessed in the mushroom department!
What a beauty!
Does it dry well, or is it best as a fresh mushroom?
You’re right about the lemony flavor and the citrus overtones. I must confess to being a fan of this often overlooked fungus…
Hope you’re well and in full foraging mode…
Farmer
I looove the bear’s head fungus. It’s so pretty, and I like the texture. I find it often in my area, and it’s a custom to go a little out of my way to look for it when I’m out doing things like squirrel hunting in the fall.
Plus it’s fun to describe it to friends as a ‘white porcupine looking growth thing’.
You know, Finny, I’ve heard about this A.muscaria relationship, but have yet to see it in the field – But last year, on my way to one of my spots, I happened on a steep hillside, and as I glanced up, near the top was the largest concentration of A.muscaria I had ever seen! Didn’t notice any boletes among them, but then I didn’t look closely either. But I think I’ll retrace my path back up there soon, and climb up that hill to investigate. I’ll let you know what I find.
drfugawe
awesome as always…recipe bookmarked. thanks.
Mdmnm – I’m told it does dry well but I haven’t experimented yet…usually I polish it off fresh as soon as I get it home.
Darkheart – I’m guessing you have some older forest in your area.
One thing I neglected to mention about the texture: when cooked down it’s an excellent substitute for crab meat.
I’ve noticed precisely the same thing myself… just returned from a week long elk hunting trip… Amanita Muscaria and Boletes abounded in the same areas…
Good work lately… I feel ashamed of my own quasi-hiatus…
Happy Foraging –
Farmer
Finny, I share your love of white chants, but our season here in SW OR never did get going this year. We had an inch of rain in late Aug, another 2″ a month later, and then no more rain! That created 2 false starts with mininal bloom, but no real fruitings. Some are still waiting, but I think chants are not showing this year in my neighborhood.
drfugawe
How about edulis, Dr? I’m hoping restock my supply of dried kings in a couple weeks when I head down to the Rogue.
I love this shrub (evergreen huckleberry), but more for its physical beauty than for its berries, which down this way (SW OR) are very small and killers to pick. But I’m convinced that it has an affinity with white chantrelles – in my fav spot, you litterly have to move through the shrubs on your hands and knees to pick the white chants.
For the past 5 years or so, I’d always dig up a shrub or two and haul them back to my yard where I’d try to get them to grow – but they never would. Then I recently read that when you take them out of the forest, you need to bring back a piece or two of rotting log, and plant the huckleberry near them – perhaps another part of the mysterious puzzle that we know so little about!
fin, coastal boletes are not showing in any kind of quantity at all this year. I was over a week ago and found only a handful. The rains, just as drfugawe said, have come too little too late. It’s not a good edulis year here unfortunately. It is for sure damper to the north than southern Oregon. They have had he least amount of rain.
The Rogue is a bit south of my reg pickin ground, but if it’s similar to up here, the boletes are more plentiful nearer the coast. I met an old guy last year who said that years ago he was a pro picker near Agness (an interesting town about 25 miles from the coast), he said that the hedgehogs were huge around there! But they show after it gets colder, and you’d rather have a warm week while you fish – right?
doc
I’ll try this recipe with chanterelles, golden, from my Farmer’s Market. Sounds absolutely delicious. Dinnertime photos, ah yes. It gets tricky in the winter doesn’t it? Do I cook mid-afternoon in order to photograph w/a little light, or when we’re actually ready to eat it? Almost always the latter, so I understand your low-light lament.
Drfugawe & Ladyfish: Thanks for the reports. Maybe it’s a wrap for the southern OR coast this year; then again, a late flush is always possible. Dr., yer stomping grounds are just a drainage over from mine. I’ve never experienced the hedgehog season there b/c by the time hogs are popping, the pass is under six feet of snow and the cabin put to bed for the winter. Do you eat Amanita calyptrata, also called A. lanei? It’s all over the Rogue, and very tasty–provided you’re sure of yr identification.
Sally: How much are you getting chants for this time of year?
Cheers everyone!
What pretty mushrooms. I’ll have to get some the city way. Your recipe sounds super simple and delicious, maybe even with pasta too.
Hi Audrey, yeah it’s really quick n’ easy. But one warning: don’t get heavy-handed with the pine nuts or they’ll overwhelm the ‘shrooms; you can see in the image that I was a tad too generous with the nuts. You should be able to find lots of hedghogs in the markets now.
I’m getting hungry just looking over your blog!
I finally broke down and bought some lights that are pretty inexpensive and very portable. Given the lack of light we’re headed for and the inconvenience of cooking dinner at noon just so I can photograph, it made sense. Hope you get a digital SLR because your photos are already awesome and will only get better.
Damn Fin, are you guys getting hogs already up there? I think ya’all have had a much better pickin season than we down here. Hey, want to make that Arora recipe even better, throw some shirmp in while sauting, and serve over pasta – might need a little white wine or chic broth too!
Oh yeah, I just read the latest fishing report here, and the Chinook are on the move! Your timing couldn’t be better.
doc
I love the simplicity of the preparation — any other mushrooms that could be subbed in?
My kind of cooking. I’ll try this if Uwajimaya still has them around, or, as Audrey wonders, with another mushroom.
Hi Audrey & Sally:
I would recommend sticking with matsutake for this recipe. The unique aroma and flavor of the mushroom are what makes the dish, simple as it is. One thing I’ve noticed, however, is that the matsutake I’ve picked recently haven’t been quite as fragrant as those picked at the height of the season in October; not sure whether that’s normal or not. Try Uwajimaya. Even though these Japanese delicacies command a high price per pound, you don’t need a lot–and you’ll know right away whether or not you’re a fan of this distinctive ‘shroom!
Lovely photos! My dad has stories of half-pounders on the Klamath, back when the runs were stronger on that river.
My colleague turned me on to your blog–I love it! Thanks for all of the mushroom posts and recipes; I’m a certified fungus junkie. We’re still eating this season’s chanterelles, while happily looking forward to this Spring for a foray “over the pass” to go camping/morel hunting (Bellingham gal here).
Keep up the great work–we’re watching!
A truly mystic and beautiful area! – last year during our west Mex winter sojourn, I met an old guy named Jack, a retired college professor, who said back home they called him, The Bard of Agness, because he kept himself busy writing poetry and cutting wood. Amazingly small world.
doc
Never eaten a steelhead — people flail around for them in the American River, but the real fishery for them here is up your way. And I am not much for catch-and-release…
My tentative forays into mushrooming don’t even start to contemplate eating an amanita. I’ll stick much closer to the “fool-proof four”. Nice photos, as always, and an interesting post!
my nefew died because he ate an Amanita Phaloides and the liver transplant didn’t work…Since then I can not try wild mushrooms, because I’m scare to pick “the wrong one!”… And I love mushrooms! the smell when they are releasing the juices on the hot skillet… mmmmmmmmm
Amanita Eater, what a sad tittle for me… (And don’t worry, it is not your fault)
Thanks for all the information! nice blog!
Dolores, that’s terrible. I’m sorry for your loss. It’s a reminder to anyone who picks wild mushrooms that the consequences of misidentification can be dire. As Mdmnm says, sticking to the “fool-proof four” (which ones are those anyway?) or a similarly narrow group of easily ID’d mushrooms is probably the best route for most folks, but if you really want to branch out, make sure you do so under the tutelage of a seasoned veteran who knows your local conditions.
Langdon,
First of all, thanks for coming to my rescue on the group regarding mushrooms.
Amanitas are for advanced mushroom collectors. I don’t recommend eating them in my upcoming book since it is aimed at beginning and novice collectors. Beginners should aim at recognizing them by genus (as a group)so they can avoid them completely. Leave them be.
That said, some can be eaten and I eat Amanita jacksonii, the American Caesar. It was a great year for them in Maine. They are actually quite easy to identify. They are very tasty too. There are others too but I am not going to experiment with new species. It’s just not worth it to push the envelope in that arena.
Amanita phalloides is responsible for most poisoning deaths. Sorry for your loss.
Sticking with the easy, safe species is the way to go. There are more than four but if you learn just a couple of species a year, consider it good progress.
When in doubt, throw it out.
David Spahr
mushroom-collecting.com
A few years ago, I came on some beautiful ‘shrooms which I thought might be matsutakes (I had at that time never been in the company of a matsutake). They were everywhere – so I picked a bucketful and took them home – they keyed out as Amanita smithiana, and I pitched them. I later learned that except for the smell, they are easy to mistake for matsi, so I didn’t feel so bad. I’m still at the stage where I’m not ready to eat an Amanita, but then I’ve never found a batch of A. calyptrata either!
Here’s my “cautious” advice re picking safely in the PNW: http://www.ehow.com/how_4489752_safely-mushrooms-pacific-northwest.html
doc
Finspot:
Here are the foolproof four
Beautiful photos! There’s something about getting back to your roots that puts everything into proper context.
Gorgeous photo. Left me yearning for a cabin in the woods.
I love mushrooms.
I know I don’t know enough to forage for them yet but maybe one day!
Your recipe looks GREAT!!!
Good story…I think i will try that recipe…thanks
Ohhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyy!
Dat sum wicked good soundin’ food.
My mouth done gone and got all wet jus thinkin ’bout a bowl of it.
Need to get some Dixie beer for your next batch Finny. Then you be doin it right.
Very nice!
You can add the chopped vegetables right to the roux, rather than adding it to them as they saute in a separate dish. The veggies will stop the roux from darkening much more as they release liquid and you’ll save a step and a pan.
so why does everything you make include heavy cream?
The grocery store scene, love it. Great story. In my mind it’s become an episode on some TV sitcom – Seinfeld could run with this one. Rat droppings be damned, sounds like it was a worthwhile run to the store. Oh, and gumbo sounds good too.
Okay, mushroom knives in my foraging friends’ stockings this year! Thanks for the link.
mmmmm mmmmm. A few years ago my mom started making gumbo for Christmas Eve. It’s turned into a tradition that we all love. We use little rock shrimp from the fisherman out of Coos Bay (where Mom & Dad live) Dungeness, and local rock fish. It’s most delicious…
Thank you for priming the taste buds. I can hardly wait.
By the way, I just found your blog and love it!
Now that’s a serious project! Great story about your grocery store visit. Sounds like there are plenty of good reasons to go back but if you’re ever looking for an alternate supplier we get file powder at the Madison Market co-op.
Wow! Fin, my man, you’ve opened the flood gates – especially for those of us whose roots were pulled out of the fertile soil of the southland to come out to the NW! Not enough room here for proper comments, but I invite you to pop in to the CMS forum and contribute to my “foodie” question.
Oh yeah – a flood of memories, not the least of which is a never-to-be-forgotten visit to Lafayette, LA, just a few years ago. Good stuff Fin.
going razor clamming tonight in ninilchik (alaska) and came across your blog – very nice. but i’ll add that in alaska vernacular “crab” (singular) is typically used to refer to one or more of the edible crustaceans. “crabs” is, well, that little inconvenience some experience below the beltline…..
Yum! That sounds tasty and interesting, and I am looking for something a little higher fat right now with all this freezing cold weather 🙂
Oh my …. I had no idea you quote me…. Oh well, I don’t take it back, not one bit. That soup is worth marrying an absolute stranger. 🙂
FANTASTIC RECIPE!!! Made it Christmas morning. I had a stash of frozen softshell clams and Empire clam (Coos Bay, OR) bits from some of the really great low tides in early July. I don’t know if the quantity was right according to your recipe. It was about a cup of clam bits.
I was worried the peppers would overwhelm my lovely clam flavor, but proceeded according to the recipe. It was just perfect. The chipotle comes on slowly after the initial sweet clam flavor.
The dip was made up, refrigerated from 10am until about 11:30 and it was devoured by 1pm.
I’m definitely marking those tides on my calendar and making sure I’m putting away more clams. MMMMMMMM.
Miller High Life is acceptable for a Ranier substitute? Sacrilege I tell you!
TroutGirl (is that the same TroutGirl from Burning Pram???), I’m thrilled the dip worked out so well for you. I was a little worried about the one chipotle pepper too; those suckers are hot! But as you say, the flavors marry well. Enjoy your low tides–I’m hitting the littleneck clam beds tomorrow…
Trixi, I snuck that in there for you. Thx for paying attention!
Happy new year to you! What a great way to wrap up the year, and what great pics, too.
Nice looking haul Finny. I’m not much on the mussels or oysters, not for a lack of trying to like them, but clams mmmmmm. Happy New Year to you and your family.
New Years Eve at your place sounds delectable. I’m making a fish chowder on Sunday – I’ll check your archives. I bet you have a good chowder lurking in there somewhere.
Happy New Year.
Sally
Sure wish I had the Spanish Table in my back yard. Great stuff. Maybe not, I’d cheese and chorizo out. Should try a bottle of Txomin Etxaniz txakoli with the paella next time. Great Basque wine.
Hey, Finspot: It’s not that we don’t eat well at my house, but if I lived in your neighborhood, you’d have me knocking at your door come dinnertime, regularly. That looked fantastic, although, most everything you prepare does.
Paella over a charcoal fire is the best way I’ve found to do it–we have a really big cast iron pan that works great for that. With the coals spread out all around the bottom, it cooks very evenly.
One question: Just how does one “forage” for squid?
All best to the Finspot clan in 2009~ Brett
Thanks for the wine rec, Bascoe. I’m sure you can add some pointers on cooking paella as well.
Brett, you’re invited over any time! We catch squid off the local piers at night with troutrods, spotlights, and jigs. The jig is a lure with lots of j-shaped hooks radiating off a glow-in-the-dark cigar-shaped body like the ribs of an umbrella. The squid attacks the lure and gets tangled up on all those hooks. Very good action!
Abundant New Year to ya, Fin. Another find article, reflecting your sincere love of both your resources and your preparations. And special thanks for your instruction on jigging squid – I must try that soon.
Are you a “smelt dipper” as well? That’s another endeavor I’ve not tried yet, but would love to. I’m also sure that dipping (for which I’m ill equipped)is not the only way one catches smelt – Yes/No?
doc
I always have nettles in the freezer (they’re among the easiest wild greens to harvest), but I’ve never thought of drying them. I’ll have to try it next year. Do they lose much (if any) flavor when dried?
Funny. I, too, have just entered into the world of immersion blending. No nettles in hand to add to my soup, though. Perhaps next year!
Laurie: Texture is slightly different but the flavor is the same. Plus, with dried nettles you can toss a tablespoon into any old dish if you’re looking to get that vernal shot of spring.
Mdmnm: It won’t be long before those nettle shoots are poking through the earth again. Happy blending!
Amen on the immersion blender. I have an aversion to owning too many gadgets, too much stuff everywhere, but this one thing is a performer and it’s smallish and I love it. Dried nettles is a taste I’ve never experienced. Until spring arrives with a fresh supply, I wonder if PCC has them in bulk. ??
I have a secret stash place very close to my house, in a little riparian corridor. I freeze mine in pesto form – easy to use if frozen in ice cube trays! But I guess powdered would be easier still.
Great idea. I’ve always thought potato leek soup was just a bit bland. Adding nettles sounds like just the trick, especially when you’ve got hippie friends at the co-op. Your soup is beautiful.
m so going to try this..
hi first time here. u have a trove of gr8 pics n lovely recipes…
Sally – I’m pretty sure you can get dried nettles at PCC. Look in the tea section.
Heather – Love the ice cube pesto idea. I freeze nettles too, but in chopped and blanched form.
Audrey – Give it a shot and tell me what you think. Definitely has more zip than a standard potato-leek (although the color is a bit on the pukey side; maybe a drizzle of Franks Red Hot sauce would brighten it a little).
Navita – Thanks for stopping by. Let me know how yours turns out!
Oh, the jealousy! I love nettles… and this looks fabulous.
Can’t wait for spring!!
Hi Lo, thanks for dropping by. The beauty is my finicky 8-year-old boy just threw a tantrum a few minutes ago when he discovered he’d polished off the last of the soup. Obviously a keeper recipe, and I can feel good about those nettle nutrients doing their magic.
BTW, I found Burp! the other day and am looking forward to digging in more.
I can’t think of a better way to celebrate… just about anything! Freshly harvested clams make this Midwestern girl swoon!
Fin, my good man – Let us begin this first day of the rest of our lives with congratulations to the American people for their collective insight and intelligence (something I had feared lost!), and much hope for the promise of tomorrow.
Hey, I’ll trade you some Coos Bay cockles for some Hood Canal littlenecks.
doc
Doc – You anticipated my next post…
Lo – I once swooned into a bowl of clams in Dublin, but that had more to do with previous Guinness intake!
Dude, just 1 dozen clams per person? These be tight times, methinks…
😉
When it comes to clams, I tend toward eating them by the score; I think I may have hit the 100-mark once or twice. Ain’t gluttony grand?
Hank, this is the Age of the Hairshirt. Anyway, it says serves 2 *as an appetizer*–but I hear you. The little buggers go down easy once you get rolling… On the other hand, the cream and bread sopping conspire to slow down even a true glutton, so be warned.
Wow, they really do have a big foot! Never woulda guessed. Good thing for the tenderizing effects of a nice, acidic tomato broth.
Now that is a wintery favorite I’m going to have to try! Looks fantastic.
Oh, gosh… I’m loving the looks of this. Of course, I secretly wish I lived on a coastline so that I could forage my own seafood. I’m a cream & butter girl myself… but I’d totally go for this.
Don’t forget to enter it into the giveaway 🙂 Tomato Giveaway Entry
Langdon, photos are looking great……
Heather – Good thing for the tenderizing effects of a big-ass knobby mallet too!
LTH – Hard frost on the ground in Seattle this morning and my chowder is gone. Bwaaa…
Lo – Thanks for the reminder. Next stop, Burp!
Poppy – I’m glad you think so. I’ll be in touch for more sage advice.
Happy Monday everyone.
On a big minus tide last summer, we walked out on the Charleston flats to find cockles everywhere! They were just sitting on top of the seaweed; in five minutes, we had a limit – it was silly-easy – I felt bad for the cockles.
Try them in a red clam sauce for pasta for another tomato fix.
Finspot, you are making me seriously reconsider my choice of place of residence. I can smell the sea breeze and feel the wet sand beneath my feet from your post. And, yes, of course, I want a bowl of that chowder, RIGHT NOW!
The cockles I’ve had, from fish markets here in Minnesota, or on trips to Brittany in France, have been small, sweet, and quite tender. Are there different kinds in different areas?
Brett
Congratulations to Marty, that’s excellent news! And I’m glad you were able to celebrate rightly, with cured pork, chanterelles, and a good glass of wine.
Sometimes, when it’s very quiet and still, I remember being much younger and stupider and sitting in a $1 movie at 2 in the afternoon watching “Play It Again, Sam”. There was only one other guy sitting in there – and all afternoon I sat there listening to my own singular laughter – he never laughed! And all I kept thinking was, “Why isn’t he laughing?”
And sometimes now, when it’s quiet, I still wonder why he wasn’t laughing. It’s the kind of thing that can bother you forever.
You can keep chanterelles in the freezer? Dried or fresh? (you learn something new every day, it seems)]
Gotta love this recipe… and the memories. Can’t beat a good date night at home, I say!
Audrey – Thanks. Sometimes you celebrate with what you’ve got, and those ingredients ain’t bad!
Doc – Classic Woodman story. Thanks for sharing. BTW, I neglected to mention that my first date with Martha was “Shadows and Fog” in the theater and we were so disappointed that we went straight back to her place and rented pretty much the entire ’70s and 80’s stretch, which required holing up for an entire weekend. Not a bad date strategy, eh?
Lo – You most certainly can freeze chanties (much better than drying). The method called “dry saute” involves sautéing them without any butter or oil in a super-hot pan, stirring constantly until they release their water. Then get them out of the pan to cool and vacuum seal. You can use ziplocks too, but the former is preferred. Read more here.
Sounds like a lovely evening: Pasta, wild mushrooms, red wine, pork product and port wine are several key ingredients for a good time…
Well, shucks! And I know how hard it can be to arrange schedules and sitters for a night out. But it sounds like you managed to get some celebrating in.
Congratulations to your wife! There’s nothing like having your work recognized.
Hank – Couldn’t agree more. BTW, I might go truffling again this week if I can swing it. Will keep you posted.
Darlene – Thanks. Marty is still walking on air–even with a zillion papers to grade!
Wow! Congrats to Marty. Sounds like an excellent celebration.
Even with the stomach bug, I was disappointed to leave the niblets too. I miss them! Date night next Saturday! x
I love that Boots has Baby Jaguar in that photo. He goes everywhere, doesn’t he? The food looks incredible too, as always. x
wonderful stuff – love littlenecks, and this is a great recipe for them.
Really enjoying your blog!
Was glad to get home, see the house hadn’t burned down, and learn that the kids got a little fresh air and brought home some dinner!
Those black bean clams sure look yummy. Much better than my jar sauce w raddiatore, which is basically what I ate for three nights. But I’m not asking you to get out your tiniest violin . . . actually I just wanted to say thanks . . . and I sure hope there’s a few more of them little necks sitting in a bucket out front — I am not gonna sit right until I have me some of those!
Looks really (really!) delicious, but alas, my boys (kid and hubby) won’t touch clams (or mussels or oysters) so I never make them at home. What did I do to have such bad karma?
These are experience that will stay with your kids forever. And hopefully they will carry this on with there kids. Good Job!
Now as for this delicious meal. What fun and tasty. I bet the black beans add an interesting texture to this dish. I live just North of you in Vancouver Canada. So, I know what fun and rewaeding Clamming can be.
Marty – Don’t worry, you didn’t miss out–Black Bean Clams are on the menu tonight!
Darlene – The bivalve curse, huh? Allergies or wimpiness? Maybe you need to go on strike…
Chuck – Thanks for stopping by. I just got a look at your Black Forest Buns over at Knead for Bread…Wow!
Ohh, lovely stuff. Great photos of the kids too.
Clamming with kids has got to be a great laugh. Where can you go around here? I hate to say it, but I always just buy my clams from Mutual Fish.
Lovely post, and great recipe.
I am such a big fan of spicy black bean sauce. I had some with a whole crab last week, and now I want to eat it with clams. And chicken. And tofu.
It’s pure wimpiness! I’ve got a few years yet to convince Sonny but Hubby is a lost cause…
Matt – Mutual is mere blocks from my home. I’m there a lot, but these tasty little guys came from the South Sound with help from my junior minions…
Heather – I love crab with black bean sauce too! Messy and delicious, the sort of dish that makes the lobster bib stylish again.
Darlene – Take Sonny out to Netart’s Bay and he’ll see the light.
I’ve been eating these since I was a kid too and I love them with fried Japanese eggplant. I’ve prepared them using jarred black beans and dried fermented as well and don’t honestly think there’s too much difference in flavor. It’s nice not to clutter the fridge with yet another jar though.
Hey! We saw your feature. That’s outstanding… and well deserved.
Very cool! Congratulations!
Man, you’re a powerhouse. Seriously inspirational. It gladdens my heart to see smart people find the success they deserve.
Congrats mate! I am going to have go buy the mag ASAP
Lo – Thanks very much!
Valereee – Good to see you around these parts again. I see that Cinci Locavore has some new contributors fighting the good fight.
Heather – The inspiration is mutual!
Matt – We got our copy yesterday and my boy brought it to school for show-and-tell. How cool is that?
hey! how about some love for the person who talked endlessly about your blog to Eric Steinman until he went and looked at it to shut me up?
Congratulations!
You are on a roll! Congratulations! My mom got me a subscription to BA for Christmas, but it hasn’t arrived yet. Will need to track down this issue.
Hey Emily! I flushed the lurker…look at the post again (the magic of the interwebs).
Darlene – Gratsi! It just hit the stands this week. Lotsa good comfort food recipes, too.
Wonderful news – congratulations!!
That’s awesome, I’ll be picking up this issue for sure!
Not so much “horn tooting” as hitting the big time. Congrats! Well deserved for all the hard work and good information you’ve put into the blog.
Innocently strolling through Bon App recently and there you were, a familiar face in the middle of a famous magazine! You’re a fine voice for the concept of place, of a locale and its indigenous foods. Congratulations Lang.
WHOW! FOTL is going big time. That is fantastic. Congratulations.
I am new to your blog and was excited to see your article in BA. I have recently purchased a cabin in the Gifford Pinchot and have tons of nettles. I have not used them in food in fear of poising myself, do you recommend any resources for newbies regarding nettles for consumption? Thanks!
I love this dish and haven’t had it in ages. Thanks for reminding me!
ha–nothing like shaming someone into a compliment! well, as penance I went and preordered your book. seriously–I can’t wait.
xo
Great job on the gnocchi! As for the oxtails, I’m glad unctuous isn’t an over-the-top description for oxtails since indeed they are. Now you should take your leftover oxtails, assuming there are any, and use them for stuffing ravioli. I recently did this and they may have been the best ravioli ever.
Holy cow tail.. this looks awesome. I have only ever tried to make gnocchi once – and well, they could have easily broken windows.. no scratch that, they could have cracked pavements.. I am still not ballsy enough to try again…
I like the revisions to the ragu a lot – certainly when I do the ragu again I am going to follow your modifications – they sound lovely.
Is there any left? It looks incredible… I didn’t have the guts to go for the whole gnocchi extravaganza when I made oxtail in January but now I wish I had 🙂 You managed really good pictures of that ragù, mine look so sad by comparison!I thought there was no way oxtail could look glam, but I stand corrected 🙂
(btw – the word verification for this comment is “boyeater”, can you believe it?? :-D)
Laurie – Unctuous ravioli it is!
Matt – After such beginner’s luck, I may decide to never make gnocchi again. As for the ragu, now I want to try it again with red wine and do a taste test. I figured the white would lighten it a bit and bring out the flavor of the mirepoix.
Colloquial Cook – Thanks for stopping by. Like making gnocchi, getting a decent picture of meat is up to the Fates. But I wonder who’s at the controls of the comment verifier?!
You know, I’ve never made gnocchi as good as my first ones, ever. Dunno what it is. Maybe I got cocky after I found out how “easy” they are.
I’ve been inspired to try my hand at gnocchi!
When we were in Italy last year, we were surprised at how sub-par some of the gnocchi were. The carbonara too! I figured it must be really hard if the Italians can’t get it right.
Maybe I’ll have beginners luck too.
I just saw a clip on the Today show on how not to be afraid of gnochhi and so I’m beginning to think I’ll try it soon. One of my favorite meals of all time was served at a now closed restaurant in Twisp, WA. called the Fiddlehead Bistro. They served me a ricotta gnocchi with braised short ribs that was truly unforgettable. If I could replicate that recipe I could die happy.
Heather – More evidence that I should quit while I’m ahead… Like that will happen.
Darlene – Give it a go. 101 Cookbooks lays it out in simple terms. Maybe a sacrifice at dawn too…
Jenifer – Thanks for stopping by. I remember the Fiddlehead in Twisp. Definitely one of the best places for miles around while it lasted. Now you’ve got me thinking about ricotta gnocchi. More sacrifices…
I love nettle as much as carrot/turnip/radish leaf green! It is wildly underrated… The first two things I bought on my arrival to NY were a immersion blender and a cast iron pot 🙂 first necessity, right?
You can’t learn everything in school. If your son can’t spell a word, he can look it up in the dictionary. That’s what they’re for, right? But I’m sure he’ll remember this adventure when he’s old and grey.
Great trout recipe can’t wait looks great you look like your doing a good job Daddy.
You might just be the best father ever.
I’m glad to see some parents are teaching their kids about food systems.
Very bad parent! Just kidding, that is great parenting. Some lessons can’t come from book learnin’.
You’re on the list for best parent in the world. The recipe looks great – I do something similar with salmon, pecans, butter and real maple syrup. Delicious@
Just made the soup – wow! Really good! Reminds me of a cream of asparagus soup.It was a real hit today for lunch.
Why couldn’t you have been my dad? LOL
I’ve tried to deep fry oysters before and just couldn’t get the breading to stick. Yours turned out waaaay better than mine, yum!
Thanks everyone for your comments. I’ll keep them on file in case CPS is notified. Riley was back in school today, ready to deliver his presentation on “Ants of the Amazon,” so ice fishing is just a good memory now.
Oh man, talk about fun. That is brilliant parenting, not bad. Some things just cannot be learned at school.
Wow, that reminds me so much of when I lived in Canada! Such a lovely combination of flavors for the trout!
Beautiful pictures of you are your kids!!
i really like how your gnocchi are shaped. you definitely did this dish justice.
That is great. I think you get the parent of the year award. I grew up in Colorado ice fishing every winter. I miss it terribly!
Excellent…as a Canadian I can say yay for ice fishing. The trout looks super yummy.
WANF – Thanks for stopping by. I’m really curious to see how the ones I popped in the freezer turn out. I forgot to research that part of the gnocchi equation…
I’ve never fully understood why people think that gnocchi are so tough. The only ones I have screwed up badly were made of kabocha squash (I shudder to remember those disasters). But potato gnocchi have always been kind to me. I do the cut-and-flip-off-the-fork deal with mine, so they look pretty different.
As for oxtail, with you and Matt doing them, I may have to whip out my tatin de cua de bou recipe…
Lang, great idea to deglaze the pan, I’ve made a similar recipe many times but never thought of that. Photos look excellent, btw. Looks like you’re getting the hang of that fancy camera.
Pork loin is such a great universal cut of meat. You can dress it up and down so many ways. I haven’t tried it with huckleberry before, but will now!
Huckleberries? Now? The best I can do is rhubarb sauce which makes it into the freezer, but rarely lasts past August. I can see that a little discipline with these delectables would feel very good mid-winter. Beautiful meal.
I’ve been reading your stuff for a while, but I’ve got to say that this thread had me drooling!
Yum!
Gary
I love all things huckleberry. My parents live in Northern ID so I always make sure they get me some. I have a lovely pulled pork sandwich with huckleberry bbq sauce on my blog.
Poppy – The days of point-and-shoot now seem vaguely Paleolithic, like one of those Fred Flintstone cameras with the bird inside.
LTH – A great cut, and a forgiving cut. Give the sauce a try and let me know how it comes out.
Sally – Discipline is not my strong suit. Quantity–its all about quantity!
Gary – Thanks for stopping by. You should have plenty of huckleberry patches in your neck of the woods.
Peabody – Pulled Pork Sammie with Huck BBQ? I’m on my way to yr blog right now!
Ive done a blueberry reduction with pork before…the huckleberry is a great idea!! YUM!!!
I’m splitting a quarter local grass-fed beef with a friend, to be delivered this Sunday. I can’t wait!!! I can already tell it’s going to be the highlight of my weekend 🙂
If we could get NY strips here for $7.99, we’d eat steak every night! The only two places to get grass-fed beef close to me charge $14.99 normally. $12.99 on sale. As such, we stick to the “cheaper” cuts (although still flavorful) and save the more luxurious cuts for special occasions. Sigh.
I can’t believe you ate beef so quickly again. I haven’t touched red meat since. 😉
Looks delish with the mushrooms.
YUM – I am so bummed I missed this event.
I think the cooking time difference is down to the composition of the fat – grass fed has more O3s, which makes it cook faster (or something like that.. Skagit River Ranch was telling me a while ago).
Lovely looking sauce BTW.
A morel sauce is just the thing for the shack-nasties. I serve it with venison whenever I have either morels or venison…Too bad you live where it actually gets cold enough to have them. I am heading out looking for mushrooms manana…
I absolutely love morels, this looks awesome!
Darlene- I did a quarter steer a couple years ago. Get yer meat cookbooks out! It’s a long haul. Hope you have the freezer space.
Peabody – I’m a glutton for punishment!
Matt – That makes total sense. We talked about the O3s and O6s from a health standpoint. Now I know what to expect from a kitchen perspective.
Hank – Good luck out there! Should still be some winter chanties, hedgehogs, and black trumpets down your way.
Brilynn – Thanks for stopping by. You’re at the right place–morel lovers need this recipe tattooed on their brainpans.
That huckleberry sauce sounds really good!
That ragu looks really good!
Oh my goodness that looks and sounds awesome! I am always such a chicken at doing my own Ravioli, but I just need to get over that and make this! Great Lang!
Lawd, I love me a good batch of nettles. So jealous that you have so many at your disposal.
I’m thinking some nettle ravioli would totally hit the spot right about now.
One, “shack nasties” is now in my vocabulary of snappy sayings, and two, I am completely jealous of your jars of dried morels–mine were gone ages ago. Looking forward to being a more prolific picker this year.
I absolutely LOVE your blog.
Nice looking ravioli. So symmetrical! Any thoughts for the lazy among us on whether that nettle filling might also convert to a good pasta sauce?
“… with more butter for those of us not hung up about fat content …”
The older I get, the more I believe medical science(he he) has this fat thing all wrong! I’ve always been one of the world’s butter lovers, which my doc knows well – so when I recently had an angio-gram which came up entirely negative, he just looked at me and said, “I won’t bother you anymore.”
I love scouring the woods for nettles. They look so ‘green’ right now, so young and vulnerable, but I swear they’re more toxic when they’re young. I was ‘stung’ recently and it lasted for days. The nettle tea was worth it though, and the ravioli even better. Thanks for inspiration.
Jon – Chickens unite! Channel that Italian grandmother deep within yourself.
Lo – Do you get ramps where you live?
Audrey – I’m thinking a small lasagna with the leftover filling.
Doc – Like the proud smoker willing to lose a few years, I’m an unrepentant butter eater. Butter eaters unite!
Sally – I hear ya. Those lil’ nettles pack a punch. Some arthritis sufferers swear by it, though.
Jennifer – Try it next time with hucks and let me know what you think.
Kevin – Thanks for stopping by. It is good!
Wow, your cooking is so way above my skill level, but it certainly looks gorgeous and I bet itis so very delicous!
Cool. I just started a free subscription of Bon Appetit and this was the first issue.
Having just finished reading Omnivore’s Dilemma and being intrigued about “foraging”, I had subscribed to your blog. Very cool. I look forward to seeing you on p26!
YUM – this looks awesome, and a great lesson in making fresh pasta!
Though I enjoy the taste of them, I will leave it to the experts to prepare for me…I will probably prepare them wrong.
Is this the same sauce you made for Carolyn and I last summer? It was yummy and now I can make this myself once I get some morels. I enjoy beef, but am concerned with the sustainability of it, it is nice to see people coming up with humane and sustainable ways to provide it.
Love it. And yeah, lets just call anything with broth and seafood fish stew. When I posted my Bouillabaisse recipe a year ago, I got more emails from people saying it wasn’t “authentic” than I did comments!
Love the look of this. Love that it is full of seafood you caught.
This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy mollusca and crustacea. I like a little smoked sturgeon in mine, too.
Matt – Nothing is more tedious in food discussions than highfalutin talk about so-called authenticity. I’ll check out your recipe.
Heather – I love sturgeon on the grill but have never had it smoked. Do you smoke your own or go to Tony’s?
Considering that I did a “Tales Of Bouillabaisse” on my blog this week, I’m beginning to wonder if we moss covered souls from the Northwest aren’t sharing a group craving. I made my version easy but your version, with the Dungeness Crab, sounds fantastic. My motto is everything tastes better with Dungeness Crab.
It’s bursting with such beautiful colors. Looks wonderful.
New years Day tradition at the Bascoes household. I add a little salmon and cod to mine and serve in a sour dough bread bowl. No matter what the ingredients are this is a simple, great to serve and eat recipe.
Great blog and congratulations. Happy to have found it through B.A. I’m excited that the Miners Lettuce is popping up now here in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Lang,
Do you guys up there have more than one type of wild mussel? Ours is predominantly, Mytilus californianus, found on beach rocks. But since ya’all have such a history of other introduced commercial types, I’ve wondered if they may have naturalized?
Jenifer – I left a comment for you. Beautiful soup!
Peabody – Thanks, that means a lot coming from such a good food artist!
Tim – I hadn’t considered the hangover cure angle…
Doc – We have the big California mussel on the coast and the smaller blue mussel in Puget Sound. Most clammers don’t seem to target the mussels much, but I love ’em.
beautiful pictures and gorgeous shrimp. i love bouillabaisse and this one looks fabulous.
OM Goodness, that looks awesome Lang. We usually go down to Tomales Bay a couple times a year and buy oysters and put them on the BBQ. This stew looks incredible!
Lang: Perhaps you can (ahem) give us all a little education about the different species of oysters. Shigoku is all the rage right now in Seattle. That’s a Pacific oyster, correct? 🙂
OK, you sold me…I’m a raw/fried/smoked oyster guy, but that looks too good not to try.
Lovely. I’m envious of your access to such beautiful and fresh oysters! You might try a few whole cloves in your oyster stew- my mother’s recipe from New Orleans calls for several and they add a nice note.
Jon – Oysters on the BBQ are awesome–and smoked are even better! Tomales is a special spot–and a great white breeding zone, btw.
Becky – Ha ha! Isn’t marketing grand? Here’s info on the “ultimate” Shigoku oysters (and, yes, “it can be a Pacific oyster,” to quote our waiter that night, but now after reading the Oyster Guide’s article, I kinda understand what he meant; theoretically you could give kumamotos the same treatment).
FoulHooked – Give it a go and report back. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Remember to serve the stew immediately after the oysters curl.
Mdmnm – I’m always ready to try any twist already approved in Nawlins.
okay, but I’m still confused. A shigoku is a Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)-right?- that is treated differently to get the deep cup, correct? You could treat the Kumumoto (Crassostrea sikamea) that way but it still wouldn’t make it a Pacific. Right?
Becky – I’ll have to look at it more closely, but from what I understand “Shigoku” refers more to a process than a species. Yes, they’re using Pacifics, but Pacifics account for something like 98% of the West Coast oyster trade anyway. My point was that kumomotos (diff species) could be subjected to the same process and be called “Shigoku.” Just a speculation. Don’t quote me!
Lang, gorgeous pictures! I’ve eaten some of the tastiest raw oysters right off the beach on Hood Canal. Is there an season for oysters or is that a year-round daily limit?
I just had oyster stew for the first time at last American Thanksgiving. I liked it, which was surprising since I am not a huge oyster fan. Your stew looks yummy, just like the kind I had.
VERY pretty stew, Lang. I especially like the drizzle o’ hot sauce. I used to tong oysters on Long Island, and once ate more than 100 Blue Points at a sitting (I lost count…could have had something to do with the case of Moosehead I was polishing off at the time…) Ever eat cornmeal-crusted oysters fried in bacon fat for breakfast? Killer.
Audrey – I usually forego the oysters during the warmest months of summer b/c they’re spawning and all the good meat gets siphoned off to reproductive causes–making them watery or milky (though not necessarily unpalatable, if fried up for po’ boys, say).
Peabody – Next Thanksgiving: Raw on the halfshell!
Hank – My first was probably a blue point, since my grandparents lived in Oyster Bay, L.I. when I was a kid, though I’m sure you’re aware of the blue point controversy, how they shifted from east to west side of the island thanks to early shellfish marketing.
Nothing to do with hangovers Finny. Just good Bascoe luck to eat fish on the New Year.
You live in a blessed place, Lang, and you clearly know how to make the best of it. I’m only able to contain my envy and oyster-lust because I’ll be visiting the west coast of Vancouver Island at the end of the month, planning to lay waste to a decent portion of the shellfish population! Thanks for whetting my appetite!
Brett
YUM. Love nettles. After years of stinging myself on them, and never knowing you could eat them, I am a convert.
This recipe seems so natural, but yet I have never seen a nettle pesto before.
I agree with the food processor here, perhaps the one exception to the pesto rule!
Lovely stuff. Nice photos too.
I eat (and freeze) nettles by the grocery bag during spring, but hadn’t thought of making pesto. Thanks for the fresh idea!
And yes, the nettles are just peeking here in the foothills. Once this recent snow melts, we should be ready for harvest.
Matt – I’ll save some pesto for the night we finally get to lift a pint…
Saara – Thanks for the heads-up. I’m out the door to my usual spot to harvest some more.
Don’t dump the squeezed out liquid down the drain! Ever heard of nettle tea? It’s a wonderful spring tonic and tastes pretty good as well, although it’s fairly intense.
John – Thanks for stopping by. I do make nettle tea, although in a more traditional process with dried pulverized nettles. I’ll have a chance to try your method momentarily since I just got back with a couple grocery bags stuffed with prime nettles and plan to boil and freeze batches for the off-season.
Stinging nettles have been coming up, literally, lately. This is a great idea. I’m excited to try it. I have a friend that has been trying to get me into them for a while. Time to go for it.
Thanks
Dana Zia
http://danazia.wordpress.com/
Wow, wish I’d seen this before we pulled up the stinging nettles growing in our side yard last weekend.
We got stung pretty good before we figured out what they were – found the remedy growing right alongside them – curly dock; rubbing the leaves over the stung areas relieves the painful itch immediately. Curly dock looks kind of like a dandelion and grows right near the nettles.
If they come back I’ll try this for sure.
very interesting – i really like that you made pesto w/ the stinging nettle.
i’m usually a purist when it comes to making traditional food with authentic techniques but, i have to say, making pesto by hand (ala mortar and pestle) is a real pain in the a–. i’ve tried it many times and i’ve also done the blender/processor way. i notice a VERY slight difference… not enough to get me to pound my pesto every time!
i’m really curious about the taste of stinging nettle. what would you say its flavor is comparable to?
Absolutely trying your de-tox smoothie! I’ve been making semi-naughty strawberry smoothies lately. Ok, they’re really more like milkshakes. Yours sounds delish and nutrish. Thanks!
-Louisa
http://www.louisaneumann.com
LC – been following the blog for a couple of months now; you’re doing exactly what I would do if I had the motivation to blog about my foraging and cooking. You have a small but devoted following up here in South Canada. 🙂
If you haven’t already tried it, the “tea” left over from cooked nettles is more like a vegetable broth than an herbal tea, as it has the “cooked” flavor that dried nettles wouldn’t. It does seem to be very phytochemically active however, so I doubt many of the nutrients and other good stuff are destroyed by the cooking process.
In response to the last comment, nettles taste similar to domestic greens – probably the closest analogue is mustard or turnip greens – but a bit “wilder” and not quite as tender.
Now that spring is upon us, I’m trying to take a more healthful approach to my diet, too. Slimming down a bit is always a nice side effect.
Sounds like a great day with your son, but with serious consequences. The de-tox sounds great, but for a moment it did evoke memories of the old grapefruit diet. 🙂
I think one week can be beneficial, just as shedding a mere 10 pounds can be beneficial. Now that Spring’s upon us, it will be so much easier to eat healthy.
Brilliant. I have always been far too chicken to try something like this myself. We have already decided to cut back on the fatty pork this spring (not good news for the guanciale in the fridge). The smoothie sounds great BTW.
Like you, as soon as a book mentions healing inner energy, it normally goes out the window, but I am a firm believer in the healing properties of food.
I too don’t buy the “safe levels of contaminants” crap – er, it shouldn’t be in there folks, that aint the stuff our bodies are designed to have.
Hope your back gets better soon mate. Bummer about having to cut out squash 🙁
you’re very right about the importance of detoxing. and this is the perfect time to do so. well, i’m going on a big vacation in a few weeks so i’ll do an official detox after that!
Dude, I’d so love that smoothie with some grappa in it. Grappa is cleansing, right?
And that miso soup needed pork belly…
😉
Sorry about your back. 🙁
At least your de-tox looks better than those ones that involve lemon juice and pepper.
Thanks for your comments everyone!
Louisa – These smoothies taste semi-naughty despite all the nice ingredients.
Heather – Don’t get too crazy on us, I still like to live vicariouslm on my daily rounds…
Jon – Ah yes, I seem to remember my parents on a grapefruit diet once.
Darlene – The passive voice says it all!
Matt – Are you a squash player? It’s a Rule Britannia kinda thing.
We Are Never Full – We decided to do our de-tox *before* vaca since it involves a beach…
Hank – Ask me about my grappa story some time…
Peabody – Lemon and pepper? Sounds grim.
I’m in the mood for a purge too but I think I’ll clean my basement instead. Nothing like a good spring cleaning to help you remember what is important.
Actually, we’re in the midst of planning our own spring cleanse… and there’s plenty of good information to take from this post. Thanks!
Glad you had a good time on the slopes. Wishing you a swift recovery!
Fin,
Long ago I decided that the secret to long life – and therefore more eating experiences – was diversity in one’s diet. So, in lieu of detox purges, I advocate eating a wide variety of mostly natural foods on a regular basis.
Strangely, that habit has led to developing a taste for things I once couldn’t eat, such as bitter foods! Fresh dandelion greens, sauted with garlic and olive oil, is now a passion! Think I’ll go pick a mess right now.
I had nettle pesto for the first time last year. It is fantastic. It has a distinct but delicious flavor. Yeah for nettle season!
I’ve always just blanched and frozen them in the past, but this is the year that I’m going to dehydrate them. Do you think the flavor combination of elderberry juice and nettle tea would work? That’d be a real flu elixir!
I’ve already decided this will be the year I dry more tea (I do lemon balm), but you’ve convinced me to harvest stinging nettle. Thanks!
It’s my favorite thing in the spring… I like the suggestions for drying, especially so that I can drink it throughout the winter. I usually just use tongs to push the fresh leaves into a french press and then infuse with hot water for about 5 minutes. I noticed the other day, strangely, that if you use the purple tips of the type of nettle that has that color, the infusion is bright blue. Very weird and, uh, not exactly tempting to drink.
dang mate – making your own tea! awesome stuff 😀
Does the taste differ much from using fresh leaves for the tea?
Saara – I’m always in favor of mixing and matching. Do you have preserved elderberry juice from last year?
Esmaa – Thanks for reminding me of the lemon balm–we have a tenacious patch that survived my excavations for a raised veggie bed.
Becky – I want to taste more of your nettle concoctions. You’ll love the dried stuff b/c it’s so easy to toss a couple tbsps into a Potato Leek Soup or similar dish in the depths of winter.
Matt – Fresh is good too, esp. this time of year. Everyone should experience the tasty stinging nettle elixir.
Thanks for the comments everyone!
When doing your detox/cleansing diet a great anti-oxidant is Mangosteen and can be used with Green Papaya Powder to facilitate a cleanse (available at http://royaltropics.com). And while getting cleaned out on the inside be sure to clean yourself on the outside with a Bathroom Bidet Sprayer from http://www.bathroomsprayers.com. You have never felt so refreshed and clean.
FOTL–I was in desperate need of a de-tox after a very sedentary winter in D.C., and your blog helped me immensely! I lived off of miso soup w/veggies, fruit + soy smoothies, and white bean/kale soups for 7 days and threw in some Bikram yoga–I feel like a new woman. Thanks!
Greetings LC! I too have just finished a spring detox, but instead of using nettle tea, I made nettle infusions which are stronger in their nutritional concentration.
I made a short video showing how to make nettle infusion at:
http://www.eatweeds.co.uk/how-to-make-a-nourishing-nettle-infusion
Nettles abound! I just blogged a nettle dinner myself. I thought of you when I made it (though I didn’t have any wild clams or porcini to enjoy with my bounty). 🙂
My partner David made them last week and they were delicious! We’re living in a place in Oregon where the nettles are abundant and we’ve found much inspiration in your blog. Also, united on the butter front!
just found your blog in taste spotting…I love wild foods..cant wait to start reading your blog it looks great
I’ve been seeing nettle everywhere I turn lately. I never would have thought to transform it into a tea! Thanks for the great post!
I’ve been delinquent in my responses–sorry! But a little R&R away from the Interwebs has its own nutritional value…
Poppy – When you’re done at your place I’ve got a whopper of a basement mess if you want to continue the purge.
Peef – Thanks for stopping by. Good luck with your spring cleansing!
Doc – It’s all about finding our own rhythms in this mysterious cosmos, right? Diversity of diet strikes me as a very sane approach. Enjoy those dandelion greens!
David – Thanks for the tips. I’ll check out those sites.
E. Lee – So glad to hear it! How inspiring to hear everyone chiming in about their own experiences. I’ve always found fasts and cleansings to be much easier in the company of friends and community.
Cheers everyone!
I can’t wait to start reading your blog, it looks terrific. I live in Rome, in the city. Foraging stinging nettles (or anything else for that matter) in the public park just can’t cut it, just too much pollution. But on the weekend I shall scamper off to the countryside and harvest me some. It grows incredibly abundant in this period. Thanks for the great tea idea, ciao.
(word verification: morel !)
Hi LC,
The photo of the tea is absolutely beautiful! I’ve selected it as one of the best food photos of the week!
See your photo and the other winners here: Food Photos Of The Week – Food Bloggers Unite!
Hey Danny, very cool–thanks! I encourage everyone to go check out Food Bloggers Unite! (link above) to see a bunch of tempting shots as well as really useful tips for food bloggers.
What an elegant presentation!
And no kidding? Those greens were the kind poking up from your pavers? I pluck those and throw them away. Didn’t realize they are edible.
Wild Food UK – Love your site. Good to see more foraging mojo out there.
Heather – Your nettle feast is a thing of wonder.
Jean – Thanks for stopping by. I hope you find some inspiration here.
Joy – Grab up some of those nettles you’re seeing and make yourself a spot o’ tea. Thanks for the visit.
Lola – Ah, Roma. Believe me, nettle tea is safer than driving in your lovely city!
We got lots of snow up my way, not just icy rain. But I actually loved it.
That is a seriously fabulous looking fish.
A rather delicious looking combination I have to say! Perfect for these remarkably crap Seattle days.
The little beurre blanc over the top makes it for me.
Always good to hear that Mutual (my favorite Seattle fishmonger) is being responsible, and a great lesson in always talking to those who sell you food.
I really should be pulling the dandelions out of the backyard.
Hi LC, Just found your blog as I was searching for nettle pesto recipes. If you want to maintain the optimum value of the dried nettle, don’t pulverise them before storage, keep them whole. This goes for all dried herbs I always pack the dried leaves into a glass jar which I then use for soup or other cooking during the winter.
Damn Fin, if this is the way you cook for lunch, when do you eat your dinner leftovers? – I’d hate to think you’re one of those “perfect” cooks who never have leftovers! You risk getting kicked out of the club, you know!
Oh god oh god. Lasagna, of course! Why not? It’s a perfect way to use spinach (poor man’s nettles), and nettles could benefit from the occasional blanket of cheese and sauce. I am on this like sting on nettle.
I was browsing for a halibut recipe on Taste Spotting and I must say, Wow this looks pretty incredible! I’ve never made dandelion greens. I’ll have to give it a shot.
Lovely!
Have you tried making lasagna without first boiling the noodles? As long as there is plenty of liquid, it works well for me and makes assembly much, much more easy.
LC – not really on topic, but do you collect verpas (verpa bohemica, sometimes referred to as ‘early morels’)? They are just starting to emerge up here.
Old, out-of-rotation t-shirt for you, time-honored favorite for many. Lasagna is comfort, lasagna is (for some, including me, heritage; lasagna is what we ate for Christmas dinner as a kid growing up in Jersey). And with nettles and porcini, no less! This sounds delish!
Lasagna is a great comfort food, and a perfect bake and take dish for potluck. I’d love to try it with the nettles some time, sounds delish!
Heather – Like sting on nettle? That’s too good!
Mdmnm – You know, I haven’t, although I’ve heard similar reports. Next time I’ll give it a try.
John – I sometimes go looking for the verpas to get my eyes screwed in right for morel season, but I don’t eat them much. Lots of contradictory info about those little buggers, so I play it safe.
Anonymous – You’re right, the t-shirt analogy is unfair. Lasagna should always be in the rotation.
Great local/seasonal take on lasagna. It’s nice to see that you use dried and frozen ingredients too. Any tips on drying nettles bought at the farmers market?
I had the privilege of tasting this at the potluck last night, and I can verify it was killer :). John – funny, I asked Langdon the same question about verpas – and decided not to eat them.
At the risk of completely hijacking this thread, a bit more on the verpas. As noted, most guides advise against eating them and some classify them as outright poisonous, but I believe much of this is based on second-hand information and general caution toward any of the non-morchella species in the morel family. In any case, parboiling them prior to use seems to leach out whatever ill properties they may have. (As they boil, they’ll turn the water a cloudy grayish-brown and even release a bit of oil.) I won’t eat them without parboiling but know several old-timers who have eaten them straight for years with no apparent short- or long-term ill effects. They’re considered a prize edible up here in the north counties.
That looks absolutely wonderful – so gooey and savory.
Jon – Bake and take is the ticket for good potluck. If you like spinach lasagna I’m sure you’ll like it with nettles.
Audrey – Spread the nettles on a screen in a sunny room and use a fan to blow off the moisture. It’ll take a couple days in our climate. You could try the lowest setting in the oven too.
Michael and John – I posted about verpas last spring here and here. John’s correct about folks eating them all their lives with no trouble, or at least no trouble attributed to the verpas. I’m always tempted, but since they don’t taste nearly as good to me as true morels, I almost always pass. It’s worth remembering that the science of edible mushrooms isn’t much more than folklore with some species. If you’re comfortable with the level of scientific and anecdotal info, then go for it.
Perfect timing Lang, this one is going on the list this weekend for Easter brunch! Thanks!
I find each year I am more tuned in to the taste of bitter greens – and in the case of dandies, the early season stems are prime raw salad add-ins, and the later mature stems are great as cooked greens (with oo, and garlic of course).
Ain’t spring wonderful?
The Salad looks delicious!
Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.-Plutarch (46 AD – 120 AD)
I never thought to pick my own greens. I think I may just try that. Great looking salad. My mother in law picks her own grape leaves, and they taste much better than the store bought ones.
Jon – I kept my dandy leaves whole, but if you get some bigguns I’d recommend a rough chop. Enjoy!
Doc – Anyone who likes kale should be making use of this free and highly nutritious resource right now. And a simple green salad benefits from just a few torn leaves. Stay tuned for an all-forage salad soon…
Nooschi – Thanks for stopping by. Give it a try and report back.
Hmm, interesting! There are some dandelion greens around my community garden plot, maybe I’ll throw a few into my first salad greens harvest. Do you have any pictures of what a “too mature” dandelion plant looks like, or is it entirely about whether there’s a flower stem or not?
GraduallyGreener – Thanks for dropping by. I’d say it’s mostly about the flower stem/bud. Maybe later in the season this is less true (?). For salad greens, look for the rosette of leaves that hasn’t budded. That said, the buds are delicious in their own way, particularly in omelets, and the petals make a bright addition to bread.
Thanks for identifying which fern here locally is the one that should be harvested! Some of our locals get the bracken fern, but I wasn’t willing to take chances with that one (thiaminase) and I wasn’t going to run across any ostrich ferns in these parts. Now I can add another spring treat to the list!
Thanks! I’ve got a patch of lady ferns, some are going in my tummy! been really enjoying your recipes. I’m in Oregon.
Saara – I hear ya re: bracken. Some folks get heated up about that one. It’s true that Native Am. & Japanese have eaten bracken for hundreds of years. Also true that certain populations w/i those groups have higher rates of stomach cancer. ‘Course, with longer lives, a form of cancer gets most of us. I don’t eat bracken myself.
Wyldthang – Thanks for stopping by. Where in Oregon? I’ve spent some time in the Rogue River Canyon, near Merlin. Enjoy those fiddleheads! I made a total failure of a f-head recipe last night, which I’ll be posting about in a few days.
Hey there, thanks for the new ‘lesson’, while I live in the Netherlands (as an expat, I used to live in North Idaho), I am seeing many of the same plants here as in the Pac NW. Now that I’m looking for Nettles, they are EVERYWHERE here, and still not too tall. We had some great pesto last night, though the blender method of prep was tedious, might be time to invest in a processor. All the best, thanks for sharing! Monica
Unique, distinctive and totally cool as usual Lang. Thanks for another great alter-recipe. We don’t get a lot of fern down here in the upper Sacramento valley – too dry and warm. But I do suppose if you headed to the SF bay area there would be plenty to choose from.
Monica & Mike – Thanks for visiting from across the pond. It makes sense that you’d see a lot of the same temperate plants. I’m not sure what species of fiddlehead would be there, but I’d bet there’s a choice edible nearby. Let me know what you find.
Jon – SF, or what about the Sierra foothills? You and Hank aren’t far from excellent morel and spring porcini habitat to the north…
I bought some fiddleheads yesterday at the Farmers Market. Can’t wait to try them. Next time I’m out of the city, I’m going to look for lady ferns.
Oh, what a delightful idea!! I’ll have to try it!
For years my biologist former hubby & I made nettle quiches, nettle everything! My dad started collecting them on fishing trips again, recalling he’d eaten them as a kid in Milwaukie.
In seaweed & herb a class with Ryan Drum up on Waldron Isl, his young son delighted in showing us how to eat a nettle leaf raw – (involves FIRMLY stroking the leaf several times from stem to tip, then rolling. you just need to break down the silica ‘hairs’ that hold the formic acid), & I’ve had raw nettles juiced with carrots – rich & green!
I’m with the others on saving the blanching liquid – I’d use the spinner in a stainless steel bowl.
I often use Susun Weed’s sug. of nettle (or other herb) infusion, steeping the herbs for 4 hours or so, then storing in the fridge. I often use some of that liquid in cooking 🙂
As a kid my favorite vegetable, maybe my only vegetable, was my grandmother’s wilted lettuce salad, made with bacon, bacon drippings and vinegar. I’ll try to harvest dandy leaves according to your instructions and have at it again. Thanks for inspiration.
Hi again,I’m in the coast range of Oregon, west of McMinville. Lots of the same plants as in Wa where you are(I grew up in DesMoines), but still just a teeny bit different…fraternal twins rather than identical kind of differences(well,at least it seems to me) . Really enjoying looking back through your recipes, I really want to get your book! BTW, back in the 70’s I remember in 6th grade(outdoor school year at Camp Waskowitz in North Bend), at school there was a small woods in the back of the grounds. We foraged stuff–chewed fireweed stalk, made salal and oregon grape jam(not very exciting), and pineapple weed biscuits, ate the new tips of oregon grape(wow! sour!). Probably couldn’t get away with that today…
oops, Des Moines WA I mean, NOT Iowa
That’s a beautiful plate of twirly food, Lang–thanks for the preview of coming attractions. The earth is still thawing…very…slowly here in MN/WI, garden chives just barely poking up. Cheers~ Brett
Brilliant stuff. I love fiddleheads, I just wish they were around for longer.
I had some in a bag in the fridge, and they went completely brown and rather nasty.
beautiful! I would love to try some fiddleheads some time. Thanks for the inspiration. 🙂
Poppy – Maybe a fiddlehead post for Mixed Greens? I’ll look forward to yr photos…
Wyldthang – Love that area. Last time I took the road over to the coast from McM. we stopped for a rest and watched a bald eagle hunting steelhead along a small stream.
Brett – You have a lot to look forward to. A few morels are being found in southern Mich.
Matt – They are around longer for us b/c we can forage higher in elevation as spring progresses, even if the commercial harvest is mostly over.
Kimi – Thanks for stopping by. Give ’em a try. New tastes are invigorating!
Thanks for your comments everyone!
So much to learn from your blog! I can wait to read more.
Cooking Photog – Thanks for joining the conversation. I have a lot to learn from my readers too!
Lang, thanks. This looks like a totally approachable way to each dandelions for the uninitiated.
hey LC. Are you able to ID Lady Ferns from looking at the fiddle heads alone? I might go snoop around Seward Park and see what I can find.
Chief, I’m near Seward. Where are you? Maybe we could meet. There are a few nettles there but not much. Decent blackberry action in summer. Love the remnant old growth. Haven’t looked for fiddleheads in Seward but would be game…
yeah; lets meet up. I read that lady fern shares habitat w/ skunkcabbage and devils club. Theres definetly skunk cabbage at seward. Did yo know about the mushroom action there? Lots of chanties and a few princes from what I’ve seen. I’ll probably head out to the park sometime this afternoon. I’m at Rainier and Charles. Seth [cell]360 990 0121
LC- I visit your blog nearly every day. I’m from Vancouver, BC- basically the same climate as you- and have been following your forage prompts. I even found some lady ferns in Stanley Park, though I didn’t pick them cus they were not so plentiful.
You’re inspiring!
~C
Chief – Couldn’t make it on short notice; I’ll give you a holler next time.
Camille – Thanks for reading! Next time you find some lady ferns look around b/c there will usually be more, especially if along a water course. If you take 40% of the fiddleheads the plant will be fine; I’ve heard others say it will be fine if you take all of ’em, but I always leave more than half.
Is peppercress the same thing as bittercress? I should really stick with Latin, common names are so confusing.
Becky – Lotsa weeds go by peppercress. There’s a mustard in genus Lepidium, field peppercress (Lepidium campestre). Also a few others found in sandy soil or near beaches. Where’d you find it?
Does the Wild Plants book do a good job of alerting you to potentially dangerous ones that might look similar?
Great post. From the looks of it we just ripped out a big patch of Cardamine, though undoubtedly more will be back soon. And cat’s ear — I’ve been waging a losing battle with that plant for years. For weed control I once tried cooking them with boiling water, but maybe eating will be the trick.
Michael – I just checked the entry for poison hemlock and then re-read entries for other carrot family plants (cow parsnip, sweet cicely, etc.) and only under water celery did it caution about poison look-alikes, so I guess the answer is “no.”
To be honest, some knowledge is necessary–common names or families–to make this book useful. The illustrations are b&w. I’ll do some research to recommend a beginner book for those who come to this w/o any prior experience.
Audrey – You’re right, the bittercress will be back in no time. Also, I think it’s supposed to be a good cover crop (nitrogen fixer), so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. As for cat’s ear, I’ve waged my battles and given up. Even tried vinegar. Unless you’re willing to use commercial herbicides (please don’t!), they’re here to stay so might as well dine on ’em.
Great article!
Any suggestions on flax oil substitute? I can get the seeds in France, but the oil is banned because it goes rancid too fast.
Also, for your back, it’s not the weight or the squash. Check out Pete Egoscue’s book “Pain Free” (www.egoscue.com) for drug-free, surgery-free options.
Lang, have you ever eaten lambs quarters? Had tons of that in Montana.
Ladyflyfish – That stuff is wicked nutritious (was just talking to a friend from Boston) and tasty too. Should be popping up soon around Seattle. How do you like to prepare it?
Hi! I was going to ask if the bittercress is also peppergrass(funny to hear different name variations, I can’t see your photo well enough to tell). Was munching on peppergrass when I was weeding my garden. Thanks for the cat’s ears info.
just like spinach or in salads…
I always call bittercress peppercress instead because it actually tastes a bit peppery. I think it’s my favourite tasting edible weed, but not that great for texture as it can sometimes be stringy. I realllly like sheep sorrel. It grew around my parent’s yard when I was growing up and I called it “sour grass”.
Apparently curly dock and plantain are good raw too, but I’ve never bothered. I’m sure I’ll get around to it eventually.
Wowza, this is fantastically inspiring. Found you just now from Food Gawker, and boy am I ever going to look hard for someone who could give me a tour of local (Bay Area CA) edible wild plants. What an overlooked resource.
Like your other commenter, I’m nervous about mistaking something edible for something dire — even with a good photo, I’d love to find someone knowledgeable who could point out the nuances in person.
Thanks so much for getting my head pointed in this direction!!!
“Unless you’re willing to use commercial herbicides (please don’t!), they’re here to stay so might as well dine on ’em.”
Hear, hear!
I get so much from your posts. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I have tons of the cats ear! I’ve been pulling it and throwing it in yardwaste, but this weekend I’m going to pull it and eat it! Between that and the purple dead nettle that’s growing, I should have a tasty tasty salad.
Thanks for the info and all of the pictures!
Camille – I’m still not sure if bittercress & peppercress are the same thing–that’s why botanists are always urging us to learn our Latin! But I took French in HS… (sigh).
Carroll – Thanks for dropping by! You raise a good point. I can’t say enough how important it is to learn first-hand from *another person who knows what they’re talking about* and not just from books. Books are great, but when it comes to IDing plants and fungi, get out into the field.
Esmaa – Thank YOU for being a regular part of the discussion ’round here!
Patricia – My advice for the first go-round: braise your cat’s ear leaves (garlic, chicken stock, olive oil, apple jelly, soy, whatever) and eat with a piece of fish or meat or tofu. Then try raw, first in small doses with other domestic greens, then perhaps in an all-wild salad if you dig it. Report back!
JEE-sus, Lang, you are afoot with your leafy greens! How in the heck did you have time to harvest how many kinds of watercress this and salmonberry that–before or after chomping down waaaaaaaay too much kettle corn at the M’s game???? My favorite description: cat’s ears as succubus (or would that be succubuses? succubi?). Oh, and gotta love the way you arranged those blossoms on top of those luscious greens. I wanted to dive right in. Must be a really nice camera. Did you get it as a present or something?
Marty, are you effing with me? What’d I do now?? Have fun in Spokane little Miss Poet Who Knows It.
Looks good! I am really going to have to try fiddleheads this year!
Yum – the detox-smoothie sounds delish – & miso soup, nettle tea, . . .
One of my new favorites is coconut oil & milk – coconutoil research. com is one good site – I’ve added it to smoothies (with the pinapple would taste like pina colada!) the medium chain fatty acids in OVC (organic virgin coconut oil) don’t stress the liver or pancreas, & are burned rather than stored – so great cleansing tool.
Also anti-viral, fungal, bacterial; so start slow if you have candida overgrowth! . . .
One of my favs. is chapparal cleanse, a la Lalitha (10 essential herbs) – tastes better each day!
You’re right – this is heavenly!! Had to make a second batch a couple of days later.
For nuts, I cracked some local hazelnuts. I took a wee bowl along to a Red Hat tea – got some rave reviews! thanks again for a new favorite!
Damnit, Lang! I just “ate my lawn” last weekend and was going to post on it. Oh well, as we are more than a month ahead of you in the growing season (our bittercress is WAAY bitter now with 95-degree heat), I will post anyway. We have a different set of plants here I can take note of…
Wow!! i really think you should visit Nepal to find out more about wild experience in food. Stinging nettles, ferns, leaves of many wild plants and much more were cooked and served for decades in this Himalayan Nation. I was surprised to see stinging nettle news on WSJ.com. Thanks !!!
Oooo, I LOVE chimichurri, so strong and full of flavor. I’ve not had it with tuna, but will try now. My fav is to have it on a nice rare thin slice of flank steak hot off the bar-b-q. Very nice.
Last year chickweed took over about a 50 sq ft section of my virtually unmaintained lawn. I didn’t know what it was. I’m so happy to find out that it is edible, too. It is just starting to come up.
Susun Weed calls Chickweed ‘star maiden’ stelleria – star 🙂 I love chickweed – I have some in the plants on my front porch, doesn’t seem to want to grow in my garden, tho I have a bunch of mache (corn salad) there . . . & there’s a nice bunch under a cedar at my neighbor’s house!
Check out my nettle pesto recipe (on Vestella’s Vale)- another ‘who would have thought to try this – YUM!!!’You blanch the nettles first (~ a minute) – & could use it in chimichurri, too 🙂
Silly me – got that idea for nettle pesto from YOUR blog!! It’s truely yummy – I used 1/2 coconut oil (in the processor, then drizzled olive oil)
YUM. I wonder if I just trashed some with our garden makeover.
A great looking dish, loving the tuna with this zesty mix.
Ooh, lots of chickweed out here in DC. I had no idea that it was edible. Neat!
I enjoyed reading about the Irish-Argentinian origin of chimichurri (whether it’s true or not!). And a recipe using chickweed with poke is something I never would have dreamed of, and I live in the center of the poke universe. I wonder how it would go with a little limu seaweed. I’ll have to go looking for chickweed soon.
Jon – Good point. I should have mentioned the post that a chimichurri is traditionally used with meats, and being of Argentinean origin, the preferred meat would be beef. Flank steak off the BBQ is idea for chimichurri.
Craftydabbler – Thanks for stopping by. Sounds like you have dinner waiting to happen on the lawn. Good deal.
Dia – Under a cedar? That shows how adaptable it is. How do you like the coconut oil in the pesto?
Matt – I was wondering about that too after reading your post. Oh well, you don’t have to worry about weeds staging a comeback! ; )
GraduallyGreener – Lots of uses for chickweed too! You can add it to a salad or try the chimichurri for starters. Good luck.
Sapuche – Thanks for dropping by. You *do* live in Pokeville. Give it a try and tell me what you think–it’s definitely a changeup from the usual ceviches and soy-based marinades. Add some seaweed too.
Thanks for the comments everyone!
Sounds good!
Off topic, congrats on the piece in the newest Gray’s. Good story!
Mike
You’re joking: Someone SELLS chickweed? PT Barnum was right. It grows everywhere in Sacramento at least, and in a rainier place like Seattle it must overrun places. I use it as a salad green to balance the more bitter wild lettuces and chicories.
HI! I’m going to make this for supper–I’ll marinate some chicken thighs and skewer it with onions, grill and then put it in tortillas with black beans(and more sauce).
Except it’s funny how scarce some of these weeds are when you live in the woods! Hardly any chickweed here, so I’ll slip in some Siberian Miner’s Lettuce and some Peppergrass instead(and some fresh oregano). Thanks!
Had some friends that made it. No clue what it was but I did like it! We pretty much topped whatever we were eating with it.
Great blog BTW!
Regards,
Albert
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles.
The Range Reviews: Tactical.
Proud Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit.
Just checking back in to say the Chimichurri with Siberian Miner’s Lettuce and Peppergrass was great! no one suspected a thing!
Mdmnm – The Gray’s is out? Dang, my copy hasn’t arrived yet.
Hank – Now, now…not everyone is comfortable identifying wild plants and fungi–and I’ll take this opportunity to reiterate that you should never eat anything that you don’t recognize with certainty. That said, it’s easy to learn and fun too. A couple books, an edible plant walk at the botanical society or field trip with an expert is all it takes.
Wyldthang – You’re making me hungry! Glad the miner’s lettuce worked out; it’s very similar in taste to chickweed. And that reminds me to check on a miner’s lettuce patch over by Lake Washington…
Albert – Thanks for stopping by. Yeah, chimichurri is a versatile little sauce. And easy to make.
I love the taste of tea with fresh nettles — at the risk of soundy cheesy, I think it tastes like ‘spring’! Do you have any idea how the taste of nettle tea made with dried leaves compares to tea made with fresh leaves?
This looks likes an easy and wonderful recipe. I’m going to try it!
Thanks.
SLT –
Just read your post (as I was searching the web for advice on tracking down fiddleheads here in the Northeast). Heading out to the woods (swampy) behind my house to search right now and looking forward to making your recipe. See you in a few weeks.
RBR
thanks for the recipes…our Farmers Market is opening their doors May 6th and will have Fiddleheads avaialbe. I posted a link to your blog for our readers to find more info. and recipes.
thank you!
This looks like a wonderful bread.
If you are harvesting petals, do you use them in cooking without washing or rinsing them? I imagine that trying to rinse dandelion petals would just result in a big soggy clump.
I can’t wait to try this … thanks for sharing this … I ate my first dandylion last year when Julie, a Vietnamese woman in our allotment told me they were sweet and I should try one!
Wow, this looks delicious and healthy. I have never had this before, but will have to try it soon. The tuna looks like a nice combination.
I made some sensational chimichurri from your recipe and the wad of chickweed you found outside of our office yesterday and so generously gifted to me! Sooo delicious — Eating my weeds might change my life! I’ll be harvesting the chickweed like crazy and looking for more recipes from you. Thanks for the inspiration!!
Donovan – You’ll like it. I’ll bring some by.
Emily – And now you know where a good supply is! I don’t think we have to worry about that store clerk absconding with any… So glad you got turned on to weeds. And nice meeting you the other day!
Bravo! Excellent pics as always and you left me with a line that will stay with me all day:
“almost as cool as hurling a prehistoric projectile at an oversized elephant having a bad hair day.”
PhD-ed buggers! Pop ’em into yer mouth like shrimp balls, which is sorta what these tempera dandy blossoms taste like. You won’t even know you’re missing meat, I swear.
wow, this is so great. I got to your blog post from Tea & Cookies blog (she linked to you). I love this idea of using dandelions instead of fighting them. Would it be safe to use the ones in my backyard? I haven’t used chemicals in the lawn for the past 3 years…
Wow – I love dandelion greens in salads, but I didn’t even know the flower heads were edible! I will definitely by trying this. I’ve never understood why people hate dandelions on the lawn – they’re one of the prettiest flowers around, and fun to play with too!
I had no idea… As I get more and more into foraging of wild foods, I am amazed at how much is out there that most people don’t know about. So nothing about the dandelion then is toxic, cooked or fresh?
Becky – I woke up in the middle of the night with that line. Sleep…blog…sleep…blog?
Marty – Shrimp balls! I like that.
Paige – Thanks for stopping by. Yep, they’re definitely edible. Give ’em a try!
Ra – All good and easy to spot. I also like to use the buds in omelets. Thanks for the visit.
That’s pretty funny!
We’ve let our back yard go to hell in a handbasket, but now I’m happily looking forward at actually using some of those dandelions out there for something practical. Thanks for this!
Oh wow, I didn’t realize you were a writer (I just followed your blog from the PSMS link you sent earlier about Verpas). And the book that you’re publishing looks to be EXACTLY what I was looking for earlier (I found plant foraging, or berry foraging, but not an all-around foraging book, especially for this region). Thanks for writing it! Any ideas on when it’ll be available?
Ra – Thanks for you interest in the book! It comes out Aug. 30, although it’s available for pre-order now–there’s a link above right, just below my “False Morel Poll.”
If you click the link you’ll see the book cover, which was just finished.
This sounds terrific. I love edible flowers but living in NYC I am very careful about sourcing them. All your dandelion recipes are making me wish I had a yard full of them. I bet this would be good with chickpea flour too.
Thank you for that lovely recipe… now, you made me think of Tempura Dandies stick out in the garden waiting to be pluck and dip in tempura sauce!!! (imagined herself holding a bowl of dipping sauce, running around the garden with hashi!)
I love reading your blog and the interesting infos. Thank you for sharing.
I KNEW my mother way lying to me when she told me way back when that dandelions weren’t edible. Thanks for the recipe!
Wow! I am officially your newest fan, I found a big patch of chickweed out in front so I made the chimichurri and it was delish…
What a great idea! I love the concept of foraging in your backyard.
Nice, I often wonder at the different foods one will need to eat and attempt to eat when the world end as we know it :0….
One thing we will definitely have is dandelions and crawdads…
sweet, we’re going to try this tomorrow!
I wish I could get dandelions that haven’t been peed on by local pets, I’ve been wanting to tempura those buggers forever.
i really want to try these, and i have a huge backyard full of them, but i’m afraid of missing a tiny bug or two and eating them. how do you clean yours? i would be so tedious.
Been out digging clams and shucking oysters–thanks for all the comments in my absence!
Tiny Banquet – Probably a good idea to exercise caution when foraging in very urban places. This is an issue I plan to research for a future post, so stay tuned.
Pixen – Grazing on the lawn with dipping sauces is certainly an option!
Cynthia – Moms try hard to keep us out of trouble, but sometimes the received wisdom is a tad off…
T – Hooray for eating weeds. Well done!
Liz – Delicious & healthy forage is waiting right out the back door…
Slow-one – Looking forward to a Crawdad Boil post this summer!
Wifemothermaniac – Excellent. Please report back.
Vicki – The pee factor is a consideration. Choose spots wisely!
B. – No cleaning, really. And you probably don’t want to know the stats on how many bugs each of us eats accidentally per year…
it seems suddenly dandelions are all the rage. I had a friend recently hunting them down for wine making, tea is making muffins, and now you are frying up tempura. who knew?! not me… i was going to tell you to just get rid of that lawn, but then you’d lose your dandies. hmmm… what to do? what to do?
OK, now that’s just cool. Me likey. Only suggestion I have on the batter is to switch out for club soda or seltzer water — you get an even lighter, crispier tempura that way.
HI! I have a question for you if it’s ok, I have that yellow spotted dead nettle and was wondering if it’s okay to eat for greens. I can’t google up any info that it is okay–other than people in Germany and Sweden do eat the white version for greens. I also see it’s an invasive weed in Seattle(so they don’t like it). Just curious what you thought–if it is indeed fine to eat, maybe we could help eradicate it by eating it?
My 7 year old daughter and I made this bread today and it is really good! It does taste a lot like cornbread. We will definately make it again and try some of the other dandelion recipes too.
I’ve only just found your blog and am very excited to read about a future book I will deffo need to add to my collection.
Good luck with it!
Janie x
PS for what it’s worth I think the cover looks pretty cool too!
I like that distressed font. Probably looks like your jeans after a hard day of foraging.
Congratulations! I love the photo. It really works.
I think it looks good!
It looks great and I can only imagine how good it feels to hit this milestone.
Yay! And congratulations!
I cannot wait to have a copy in my hands. Please forgive, for I know I will write in the margins and dog-ear pages before I’ve had my copy more than a few hours.
She who ate wild onions whilst hiking yesterday
Congratulations! The cover looks great and I love seeing the crab which to me helps illustrate the broader view of foraging not just in the woods, but in the water as well.
That is so awesome! One step closer–I can only imagine your excitement!
The cover has some texture to it–I like that. Did you take the picture of the crab yourself?
Thanks everyone! I’m really excited, and jittery too. Four more months…just four more loooong months.
Bingo, cover looks fantastic. It depicts one of my all time favorite scenes/pastimes: a stoney beach with time to forage for whatever. Congrats.
Terrific cover. Looking forward to it. Congratulations on an achievement that most of us can only wish for. I hope that you inlcuded LOTS of recipes!
Congrats! The cover looks excellent and I’m certain what’s inside will be even better. Can’t wait.
Did you know that the Prodigy released an album called “The Fat of the Land” which also featured a crab? Check it out at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fat_of_the_Land
Just a weird moment of synchronicity (or a lazy designer).
Lang, I think I gain weight just by reading your blog…nice! Now I’m hungry!
Fan-freaking-tastic! I can’t wait!
That looks like fun!
I want to try it!
The photo makes me hungry!
Stunningly informative and inspirational, Lang.
Huzzah!
I am green, GREEN, with envy! What a totally awesome day/meal.
jealous. grey with envy. hungry after reading that, too.
I feel like I can’t find a decent foraging beach in Vancouver. I should hop over to the islands or Gibsons I guess. Even North Vancouver probably has some.
Mary – Day after tomorrow I jump over the mountains. Morels are finally popping up here.
Jen – It is fun! Australia must have clams…
David – Thanks pal! When are we going fishing?
Leslie – The great thing about clamming is you can do it pretty much all year. Ping me…
Camille – Get outside the city. There must be clamming options w/i an hour of Van. So much fun, esp. when the weather cooperates. Next time we’ll cook right on the beach!
Hey! Recently found your blog and love it. Here in cold Norway the nettles have just started peeking out of the ground. As I live in a big city (Oslo) I wonder how far off the roads I should go before I can be sure that the nettles don’t contain any toxins from street dust, car fumes, etc ?
Wow – that all looks amazing (and, um, I don’t even eat seafood). The day sounds just perfect.
Oh my goodness, I am so hungry now.
Never forget the oyster po’ boy in New Orleans, in a little shack way outside of town.
Nothin’ better in the world.
Emeril’s Fish House in Las Vegas has a fine, fine po’ boy: he went all artisanal on us. But worth it.
Drool, drool, drool.
YUM, what a great looking po-boy, and fantastic story there. Hangovers ruin all the fun.
Grew up in New Orleans and absolutely love ACME Oyster House (FYI – Felix’s [right across the street] is good too). Their oyster po-boys are one of the best. Held my wedding reception at ACME’s & enjoyed many an oyster that night…
I totally missed out! Rain check?
Wow, I didn’t know they had seabeans around here. I’ve only had them once but they were delicious. I thought they grew underwater, but I guess not. I will have to look into how to identify them (any hints??), as I frequent the shores of puget sound pretty often as a diver. Thanks!
Wow, next time can I come… please?? I’m sure it won’t take me long to fly over ;o/
I’ll add my “Wow” to the chorus. That looks like fantastically tasty fun from start to finish. Thanks~ Brett
Nicole – We started at noon and finished at midnight and there was never a dull moment. Foraging & friends=good times.
Janna – We missed you! There’s always a next time.
Eric – Look up the Salicornia genus. Not uncommon ’round these parts.
Janie – The UK must be good for a clam or two…
Brett – Digging ramps looks like fun too!
Oh, that looks incredible! We’re currently foraging the treasures of northern Michigan hardwoods in the form of morels and wild leeks galore….but this makes me want to live by the shore:)
looks incredible! I just discovered your blog – another Seattle blogger! – via SouleMama. Lovely.
Now, that makes me hungry!
They looks so delicious!
Can I have some!
I’m really starving!
By the way, thank you for sharing!
LOVE fiddleheads, love nettles. what a perfect combo. Good tips on the fiddles too – never thought about soaking them first.
what butcher do you go to?
Aren’t you a lucky man.
So jealous of your clam venture.
We’ve been feasting on the oysters up here Bellingham way! Made Szechuan fish with veggie and oyster mushroom stirfry last week. Yum!
Great show this morning on KUOW!
I’ve been bagging local nettles since January in the lowlands – nice reminder, duh, that up a bit higher they’re still succulent and good forya.
I absolutely LOVE sea beans! I so need to look for some next time I hit the beaches. I pickle them in brine and that salty, slightly fermented kick rocks. Need to go chase horse clams soon…
I caught this, it was great! And it steered me to your blog. I can’t wait to try that dandelion bread.
Congrats! Looks like foraging will be getting it’s due.
My husband heard it while driving and called me. You did a great job! Congrats.
Thanks for showing us the giant puffball on your blog. It was great listening to you on the radio this morning. 🙂
You did great! I loved the broadcast, and I learned so much!
Listening to the show right now – awesome stuff.
I have only ever seen a puffball on a hugh-fernely wittingshall (did I spell that right?) episode – really magical looking thing!
Congrats on the interview mate. Sounds like you are doing a great job to me.
Jesse – The Dandy Bread seems to have piqued some interest. Give it a whirl and then proceed on to the next weeds on your lawn…
Wandering Owl – The host was into it and I think we’ll be back later this summer. Hooray for foraging!
Poppy – I hope we entertained a few folks stuck in traffic. Thanks!
Saara – That one puffball is food for a week!
Julie – Thanks for your support. I’m bowled over by all the kind words.
Matt – I plan to saute and freeze some of the puffball, so you can get a bite. Half of it I gave to Patrice, the prez of Puget Sound Mycological Society, since today’s monthly meeting will involve a cooking demonstration.
My oh my. I salute you my finny.
Oops, that was me
blimey mate, this looks awesome. Would never have thought to do a miso soup with that puffball of yours.
Awesome. Wish I could find one of those on the CSUS campus.
Matt – Swing by Mt. Baker hood and I’ll gift you some…
Garrett – Seems to me Sacramento should be a good locale for puffballs, although maybe it’s too late. You might try logging clearcuts up in the Sierra Nevada. They like openings, meadows, disturbed areas…not shade. BTW, so cool that you’re growing lemongrass.
I’ve only had a puff-ball once a long time ago… can’t remember what they taste like. I’d love to try them again and miso soup sounds like a grand way.
Good lord, a 10 pound mushroom! Right in the center of an urban area?! Total score!
P.S. congratulations on the radio gig!
Aw – & with that Alien Egg title, I thought you were in my neck of the woods, where the 2nd largest Alien fest in the nation begins Fri!! (only topped by R. New Mexico!) . . .
sounds delightful – love that miso soup idea!
A 10-pound shroom?! Yikes. Datsa alotta food…You can freeze or dry them, right? And yes, it is far too late for puffpalls in Sacto. They come around February and March here…
Oh, I’m so delighted to have found your blog and to see you have a book coming out this summer! I just bagged a punch of fiddleheads at the Portland farmers’ market this morning and think I’ll pull some lamb chops out of the freezer.
Lovely soup. Does the puff-ball taste like white-button mushrooms (I’m guessing since you said it’s a dead ringer for tofu.)
That looks delish. I love miso soup and yours looks extra special.
Julia – A giant puffball, when sliced open and in mint condition, smells a lot like your typical domestic market ‘shroom. When cooked the taste is a little more subtle.
DP – Portland probably has a few of these bad boys loitering around somewhere unexpected.
Dia – If you arrived at your Alien Fest cradling one of these, I guarantee you’d get some looks.
Hank – I’m guessing a quick saute and freeze job will work. Will report back.
Codfish – Yes, though more delicate. It’s no morel or porcino, but it’s good when used properly and there’s a lot of it!
Peabody – If I served you this miso you might eat all the “tofu” and not realize it’s puffball. That’s how similar the “look & feel” are.
Oh, never had gnocchi made from semolina, interesting. Sounds good.
I used to make semolina gnocchi all the time… I’m wondering why I stopped. This looks amazing!
I just posted a semolina gnocchi a couple of days ago – but the mushroom topping looks like a great addition.
Wow, that looks so delicious!
I’ve never heard of a semolina based gnocchi! Sounds like a great play in textures.
Semolina gnocchi – right up my alley. I can’t believe I never tried this. Adding mascarpone cheese to the sauce is interesting – I don’t use it enough in savory dishes. Do you think creme fraiche would work as well?
Darn you turning out decent looking gnocchi!!
The mushroom sauce looks great, the cheese and madiera must make it a rich feast!
The only friends to have are those with good wine, and that don’t mind bringing it over!
Garrett, head up to Bassi Falls in the Eldorado National Forest. Quick. I was up there last weekend and saw at least 30 puffballs growing right alongside the dirt road leading to the falls. Picked about 10 of them, left the rest.
You only want to eat the nice firm ones whose flesh is white all the way through–no yellowing.
Turnoff to Bassi Falls is directly opposite Silver Fork Campground on Ice House Rd. Then follow signs to falls and keep your eyes peeled. Even if you don’t find any table fare, the falls are spectacular right now.
wow man! i have been off in la la land between looking for a house and getting ready for my first child. i’ve clearly been missing out on some ridiculously solid content! congrats on the book too! can’t wait to get a copy. nice coverage on the morel\falsey debate.
t
This dish looks fabulous! So many wonderful wild mushrooms in the Northwest farmers markets right now, especially in Portland, it’s great o have ideas for using them. I usually make potato gnocci so also good to be reminded that there is another option. Nice site!
Peabody – This was my first attempt on the semolina front. Easier than potato, I’d say. Different flavor/texture. V. tasty.
Julia – I’m wondering why I’ve never made it before!
Linda – Your gnocchi is crazy delicious looking. I recommend the wild shrooms.
GraduallyGreener – It is…er…was.
Garrett – Gnocchi of all kinds is about texture, isn’t it.
Allison – I’m a bit of a heavy cream freak, but the nice thing about mascarpone is you don’t need to worry about reducing or thickening or separating. When the mascarpone has melted into the sauce you’re done.
Matt – Madiera is indeed a key ingredient in this dish. The sauce depends on that extra kick.
T-Mos – Now I know where you’ve been! Congrats on the future new addition.
LunaCafe – Thanks for stopping by. We’re rolling in good food in the PNW right now. Porcini on it’s way too…
Lang, do you do your own photography? Your food photos are magazine-class. This lookes fantastic. ::drool::
John from Bellingham and I are headed east in a couple hours–maybe we’ll run into you on a lonely forest road…
Fascinating!! i’m not new to forageing – and have made both dandelion honey (using the petals) and salads (using the greens), but not dandelion bread. Bookmarked!!
Go Lang!
and here I thought I was tough for wrangling with stinging nettles. Nope. You go mano a mano with devil’s club. Well done.
A delicious sauce, indeed, and worth all the effort, though maybe not a dish to perfect at 5 pm on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend . . . that said, I licked the bowl clean.
Trixi – I do my own photos, and sometimes I get lucky. I have a lot to learn. Digital SLR is a huge jump from point-and-shoot, that’s for sure.
How’d you do this weekend?
Nice! I’ll stop by B&N tomorrow. Congrats!
Thanks Peabody! Gary, you might recognize a certain character…
OK that’s just damn weird. Cool, but weird. And since Devil’s Club does not grow withing 300 miles of here, I guess I am just shit outta luck. Meh.
I grew up with eating these every spring. You just brought back a ton of memories I haven’t thought about in years. =)
OH YEAH! Never thought of pickling these guys. What a great idea.
I love the idea of pickling! (I just pickled some ramps in the same fashion). The fiddleheads here are starting to show up in the markets slightly unraveling… I wonder if that means the season is nearing the end.
One of my readers posed this question, and maybe you know the answer: “Are all ferns OK to eat as fiddleheads?”
I have never even heard of pickling them. Now I need to try one.
Garrett – Might be time to relive some of those childhood memories.
Matt – I’m thinking they’ll be extra good right around the end of the BBQ season, when spring will seem like a distant shore.
Julia – Yeah, those unravelled fiddleheads are to be avoided if possible, at least with lady ferns. Maybe ostrich can hang on a little longer before turning bitter.
Re:
Hi, is it only the very young nettles one can eat? Not older plants? I picked up on this a little late in the season!
A foray we went on with an nice popular hungarian lady (mushroom picker) let us have some of her pickled fiddleheads. Ever since I have wondered which ferns to pick from. The pictures look so close. Just need someone to show me. I have 6 acres of ferns it seems and they do not appear to be the right species? What you have looks so nummy. CookNgrl
Now that is a great idea,and those fiddleheads look wonderful too! Really enjoy reading your blog!
You read my mind, LC!
I've been pickling like crazy and making oshinko sushi with some select pickles (like radish and burdock). I'm actually right in the middle of writing a post about it.
I think the best edible ferns (fiddleheads) are lady and ostrich. The ones I collect in BC are Ladies but I think Ostrich tastes better. Bracken can be eaten-I love the texture
Great blog, I am glad to have found it. Did the tea taste like pineapple? Peace for all
I usually steep pineapple weed without drying first; same with berry leaves. Do you think drying improves flavor? I'll have to do a taste test sometime.
You're an intrepid forager. I think I'm too much of a ninny to seek out pineapple weeds. But clearly your bravery was rewarded!
Do you know if pineapple weed has the same sedative properties as chamomile? There's plenty of it near me and I love the fragrance but I've never wanted the sleepytime effect.
Ruralrose – The tea most definitely has an essence of pineapple. Subtle but good.
chiefseth – My references suggest both approaches. Since it was so hot, I figured I'd dry. But fresh is fine too. Will try both methods back to back for taste test.
Julia – Now now, don't sell yourself short. You'll be surprised how easy it really is. And then you'll try
CookNGrl – You'll want to use lady ferns or ostrich ferns. There are a few others as well. Try to ID yr patch if you can.
Alisa – Thanks for stopping by. Reminds me that I need to get some of these recipes posted on Foodista…
Camille – I need to check out yr burdock post. Love pickled burdock. A Japanese place in Seattle, Maneki, does it well. What do you know about
Wanted to say thanks for sharing this little treasure with us all. I spotted several patches of pineapple weed on my walk to work yesterday between Beacon Hill and Downtown, picked some of the flowers, and steeped them when I got to work. The flavor is subtle, but definitely reminded me of chamomile – but I didn't feel sleepy from it (though admittedly, chamomile doesn't really make me
Just discovered your site and saw that you have a book coming out. I look forward to reading it!
Also, I'll share a few tips re: herbs. Drying herbs concentrates the essential oils, (flavors), by eliminating the water. Then when you make tea you only have one dose of water instead of the additional plant water and therefore a stronger brew.
And somehow, a widely
With so many food blogs covering the same old ground, it's refreshing to find one so completely different. I've never heard of pineapple weed in my life, and though I don't plan to forage for it anytime soon, I'm glad to have learned something new.
What's Cookin' – Check out JungleGirl's comment below yours for some answers.
JungleGirl – Thanks for stopping by and educating us on the finer points of brewing teas. Good stuff!
Cheryl – Welcome and thanks for your kind words.
Thank you for posting this. Pineapple weed is one of my favorite plants. Native Americans have used pineapple weed for a number of things….. a pillow made from dried flowers to treat headaches, a strong tea given to a new mother to bring in her milk, even perfume and insect repellant. The list goes on. Just wanted to share a few. Happy foraging.
Hmm, I have heard of pineapple sage(as it is in my herb garden) but never this. I always learn something new from you Lang.
Oh wow. Mouth officially watering. Thanks for the explanation about worms. I remember buying a gigantic, beautiful spring porcini at the Olympia farmers market last June and being disappointed with how wormy it was. Maybe next time I’ll choose a few smaller ones instead.
You’re killing me with those porcini. My favorite. I’ll take them any day over the morels.
Silentsoundz – Thanks for educating me on the Native American uses of pineapple weed. What a modest yet useful plant!
Peabody – I’m learning too! So much of this knowledge is out there, waiting to be rediscovered.
Nice camp dish — and I hear ya on the worms; the slippery jacks we picked a few months ago here in the lower Sierra were loaded with them…
Throw us a bone, Lang – west side, east side, both? About what elevation right now? And do they tend to fruit in the same areas/conditions as the fall porcini?
I’m so jealous! I wish I could forage for mushrooms nearby. Your porcini feast looks amazing.
loving the porcini goodness. I just roasted some this weekend, and they were just amazing.
This might be blasphemy to some, but I way prefer porcini to morels.
GraduallyGreener – Smaller ones are a better choice all around–unless you plan to dry them. The small buttons are firmer, with a nice crunch to them, and they usually have fewer or no bugs. Next time ask the seller to slice the porcino in half before you buy.
Ciao Chow Linda – Wait til you see my Porcini, Pancetta, and Tomato Cream Sauce over Fettucini. Truly to drool over. Future post…
Hank – Bugs love porcini, just like us. This year has been particularly buggy in the North Cascades b/c of the heat wave.
John – The east slopes of the Cascades and Sierra Nevadas are where it’s at. I did a circuit, driving Stevens Pass to Blewett Pass and home over Snoqualmie Pass. Picked btwn 2500-4000 feet, with better specimens at higher elevations. Look for less disturbed forests than where you would normally find morels.
Lisaiscooking – To be honest, I had to do some driving. Spring porcini don’t fruit on the west slopes of the Cascades, so it took me a couple hours to get over the mountains and into the hunting grounds. That’s why I try to combine a camping trip with a porcini hunt.
Matt – You’ve got lots of spring greens in your garden, right? Grill up some sliced porcini (1/4 inch thick), brush on a solution of olive oil, garlic, and herbs, and serve over tender salad greens with your favorite dressing. Perfecto!
Thanks for the tips Lang. I was over in the Methow last weekend looking at higher elevations for morels (no luck) and also had my eye open for the spring kings but didn’t see anything. They have received a fair bit of thunderstorm-produced rain over the last week or so – the ground is quite wet in areas that got rain – so I expect that is a good sign for them. If I have time this weekend I’ll run over that way again and concentrate on the spring kings instead of morels…
Now that’s “roughing it” that anyone could live with.
Nice find and great post, Lang.
Cheers~ Brett
Oh, yum, that sounds delicious. Porcini won’t come out in my region (southern Finland) for a little while, but I’m definitely going to try this when they do. Thank you for the recipe!
Lang, have you ever used nepitella (Calamintha nepeta) to season porcini with? Apparently it is a close relative to catnip with a flavor profile somewhere between mint and thyme, and is the traditional Tuscan herbal accompaniment to porcini.
That’s exactly the recipe I was looking for since buying some freshly foraged porcinis and wild watercress at Kookoolan Farms yesterday. Thanks, Langdon!
Wow, I’ve been picking the flower heads off these since I was a little kid on my grandparent’s farm in Ontario. They grew everywhere but especially in the center of the hard-packed wagon tracks between fields of sweet corn. The smell can still take me back to my childhood. I never tried tea made from them but I will now.
Hey Lang!
Looks like you’re easing into summer in fine fettle – I may have already told you I don’t let a few bugs scare me from a porcini feast – but my bravado was challenged a few years ago when I picked up a pound of dried porcini at Costco (China, of course). Put ’em in my pantry and when I went to use them sev months later, all that was left was a webby powder – apparently,drying doesn’t kill the hardy buggers.
delicious looking meal.
I love the quintessential spring meals… especially when they involve morels.
Nice site, good information.
Thanks for sharing your research.
AWM
Michele – Thanks for stopping by–and all the way from Finland! I hear there’s good mushroom hunting in your neck of the woods. Have a bountiful season.
John – Haven’t used nepitella but have certainly heard of it. The mintiness would add a nice jolt of spring to the thyme flavor. Sounds like a winner.
NW Palate – Glad to be of service. Enjoy your meal!
Ciao Chow Linda – Thanks, I’m glad you think so, since it was hard under the circumstances (hunk o’ meat, bad light, too much wine already) to get a photo that fully expressed the enjoyment we got out of this particular meal. Good friends, good local seasonal ingredients, lots of laughter at table. What a meal should be.
Julia – Me too! Almost everything goes better with morels.
Oh yes – fantastic stuff. You have reminded me to go get some lamb. Where did you get yours from?
Seriously, morels, lamb, mascarpone? all in one dish! fantastic.
You know Lang, either you’re a damn good cook, or you’re hiding one from us in your writings – whichever, good show!
Grilling porcini really is the one of the best ways to eat them. I love catnip for cooking but haven’t successfully grown it without a stealthy feline finding it. Sounds like a good combo with porcini though.
I have been loving Porcini’s, and actually never thought of drying my own. Makes sense, the price for dried is ridiculous (even more ridiculous than the price of fresh).
Love the story of the worms.. you should do some other color experiments with them!
I’m now envisioning Dillinger worms, wearing a gangster hat and tiny trenchcoat.
OMG! We found a rex-veris growing in the greenhouse last night and just fried it up. It had been half-eaten by a mouse but no worms, but we salvaged what we could. Most fantastic mushroom.
We need a years supply of these buggers! Advice? 🙂
OK, clearly we are sharing the same mind. I wrote about drying mushrooms (and other things) this morning as well. Go figger.
I always thought that was just a type of chamomile. So glad to know about pineapple weed. Wonder if it might work in a cocktail? I may give it a try – just trying to keep it local.
Matt – The way I use porcini (fresh and dried), I’d be shipped off to debtor’s prison if I didn’t forage my own.
Michael – What sort of shrooms you been snacking on lately…?
Saara – Really, a rex-veris in the greenhouse? That’s weird. Aren’t you on the west slope? Do you have any pictures?
Hank – Good post on the joys of drying. Add stinging nettles to the list.
Matt – I don’t have a regular lamb spot. Sometimes the Columbia City butcher (Bob’s Meat Locker, or something like that), sometimes the guys in the Pike Place Market, sometimes the local QFC if pressed for time. It was all-natural, but not sure of the provenance.
Doc – Hopefully I’m making the case that anyone–including a guy who finished schooling not knowing how to chop an onion–can cook a decent meal with honest ingredients. Also, when you forage some of those ingredients yourself, you want to give them the best preparation possible.
Good to know that Buford’s Heat is also useful for food prep, too. That’s fascinating that the worms were color-responsive.
So funny that the worms migrated to the book cover. That book was a good read wasn’t it? Thanks for adding me to your blog roll. I’ll return the favor in the next couple of weeks when I update mine too.
I used to be one who didn’t think mushrooms went well with fish, but I am reformed. Scallops are great with ‘shrooms.
your recipe looks fabulous too.
Well, I’ll have to admit to not being 100% sure on the ID, but I checked 3 books and the interwebs and nothing else fit. I did consider taking a pic, but didn’t. If I run across the same bolete again, I will. Spore print was brown, gills didn’t stain, flesh was white, and it was otherwise velvety brown.
I think the meaty fish go especially well with mushrooms — tuna, cod, salmon, scallops…. and this dish looks great! I love the Asian influence from the marinade.
Mushrooms and fish is a classic combo in Italian and Spanish cooking — mare e monte — shellfish and shrooms is even better. Lobster with lobster mushrooms, anyone?
Went to take the recycling out today and what should I find but a happy little crop of these guys living in my alley. Since I have a cold today, took a small handful inside and steeped them in a coffee mug for about 4 minutes. They really do smell pineappley but the taste was very subtle. A teaspoon of honey made it really good (and good for the throat!). And a shot of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka really spiced things up!
Oh, this does look amazing… almost like a carbonara on steroids with a little french influence.
Swoon! This looks awesome.
This is making me drowsy, just looking at it. And I mean that in the best way possible. It’s a great recipe for homemade pasta (because who wants to go to the trouble for just any old sauce?).
Anyway, I found you on TasteSpotting and am writing to say that if you have any photos that aren’t accepted there, I’d love to publish them. Visit my new site (below), it’s a lot of fun! I hope you will consider it.
Best,
Casey
Editor
http://www.tastestopping.wordpress.com
Looks full of flavour.
Julia – Carbonara was the first pasta I learned to cook–and an important lesson: things go better with the pig!
Peabody – A recipe for hari-kari: this plus one of your desserts…
Tastestopping – Thanks for the visit. I’ll come by and check out your site.
Techboy – It is. I recommend a little exercise workout to follow.
Ciao Chow Linda – Where do you think this *former* prejudice of ours derives? Is it because one so rarely sees the shroom-fish pairing in restaurants, the arbiters of taste? This is changing in Seattle, I might add, where the combo isn’t so uncommon these days.
Julia – I’d like to try thinly sliced matsutake with seared tuna. Will give it a go this fall.
Hank – The double lobster extravaganza needs to happen!
even with the cream (and this looks amazing) it still looks light. how do you do it!? yum.
ha, food that looks gourmet eh, check this site out :0)
fancyfastfood.com
Scallops and porcini are almost as good as morels stuffed with sea scallops.
Dried shrooms are a staple in my pantry. Yes, I buy them at the farmers market and I’m not in debtor’s prison. Yet. I use them in small amounts in risotto and polenta, and sauce – a couple of tablespoons make everything sing.
I’d love to collect and dry some of these.
That trout your son has is HUGE. The stuffing looks delicious too.
Wow, amazing! Fresh trout and wild mushrooms!
Your tales of the Aspen bolete remind me why I’m scared of mushrooming. I do have one friend I go out with, and trust him enough to distinguish the edible from the poisonous.
I’m making this for lunch. I think I’ll try to shoot it, but I don’t think it will be as pretty as your picture!
We found Aspen Boletes last year and a couple of weeks ago, but the info from the CO Mycological Society kept us from trying any. Might have to nibble a bit of one to see if I fall into the allergic category, although “severe gastric distress” and a hospital trip don’t seem quite worth it.
Ciao Chow Linda – The stuffing *was* delicious, and very simple to make. Store-bought shrooms can be substituted, but as you know, the wild stuff is superior.
Julia – Fear not. Plenty of wild mushrooms don’t come with an asterisk like the Barry Bonds homerun ball. Chanterelles, morels, and porcini are easy to ID once learned, and very few are allergic to those species.
mdmnm – A small nibble of a cooked Aspen bolete shouldn’t result in severe gastric distress even if you are allergic. It’s the full meal you want to avoid the first time around. Now, with suspected deadly poisonous species, you never test for edibility. Theoretically, this same advice should be applied to commonly eaten wild shrooms. You never know what you may be allergic to.
loving this. I really enjoy very fresh trout. Great preparation
Amazing! I’ve never been big on fishing but I could probably pick the mushrooms 🙂 what a fest!
I’m usually underwhelmed by trout on the table (tastes a little too much like its last meal, plus I’m much in favor of catch and release), but this version was a welcome exception. If a fish has to die, it deserves to be stuffed with wild mushrooms and a hearty dash of crisp bacon, then laid atop a pile of steamed asparagus. YUM!
I love trout, just don’t like dealing with the bones. This however, looks worth the trouble.
Not to be nasty, but you really should show the link to pics you took from someone else’s Flickr site. For example,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14835329@N06/2817870543/
Thanks,
Skagitstan
Anyone got translation skills?
Damn, that is one good-looking trout the boy caught. Can’t wait to take mine out in about 5 years.
This would be my son’s version of Heaven! I think I’d enjoy it, too!
Hi LC:
The morel sauce looks delicious and I will be trying it as soon as they are available again. Your recipe calls for adding some herbs, but they are not listed in the ingredient list. Which do you use and about what quantity?
Thanks!
Hi LC:
The morel sauce looks delicious and I will be trying it as soon as they are available again. Your recipe calls for adding some herbs, but they are not listed in the ingredient list. Which do you use and about what quantity?
Thanks!
I’m in the Puget Sound and blackberries are NOT in season until late summer/early fall (never have been earlier). How on earth do you have blackberries already???
Blackberries are available in fall, yes, but they’re at their best during the hottest days of summer. My first collecting missions are almost always end of July/beginning of August. Most years mid-August in my opinion is the peak for flavor (and often production). Remember, berries will keep ripening on the vine, but the first flush is worth catching.
I just picked a bunch of blackberries right outside my door in Seattle. Unfortunately, quite a few of them were wormy!
Oh, and to answer Anonymous’s question, I do most of my picking for Himalayas in the Mt. Baker & Seward Park ‘hoods of Seattle, but in the last 24 hrs I’ve spied ripe patches in W. Seattle, Beacon Hill, and Wallingford. Those closer to salt water are still green, mostly. Look for patches in sunny spots & near fresh water. Bottom line: blackberries *are* in season.
Lucky you to live near a place where you can collect wild blackberries. That dessert looks scrumptious.
I’ve collected them near PLU the first week and second week of August and they are perfect.
Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to try it.
I also make a quick easy Blackberry Cobbler each August–
EASY BLACKBERRY COBBLER
2 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
2 c. blackberries
2 c. boiling water
Cream 1 cup sugar and butter then add flour, baking powder, salt and milk. Mix well and pour into 12 x 8 x 2 inch pan. Pour the blackberries over batter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Pour the boiling water over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot or cold. May be served with cream, ice cream, or whipped cream.
(Actually, I serve mine with whipped cream AND vanilla ice cream).
I also have a rockin’ Apple Brown Betty recipe I make when the apples are ready. It’s the absolute taste of fall.
I collect them right by Magnuson park, and will try your cobbler hopefully soon. I made some granita with them and it was just plain tasty, as well as eating them fresh off the vine.
Oodles of blackberries where I live in Magnolia, but they’re not ready yet (though I’ve been out of town all week – maybe they are now). I’ll try this when they are. Do you have a good blackberry jam recipe? I’d love to make some this year. Last month I made strawberry (freezer) jam for the first time; so satisfying to do with the kids and so delicious!
I live in the southern Willamette Valley in Oregon. Our blackberries are just ripening. We have about a 200 foot long area at the back of our property full of the H. blackberries, 3 raspberry plants and 2 other kinds we aren’t sure about. Last Sunday there were only enough ripe berries to add to the fruit salad or maybe garnish a dark chocolate cake. I think with this heatwave, when I check tomorrow, there might be enough for cobbler or crisp (I use the cobbler method/recipe that Kells posted – great with any fruit but, really, apricots are the best with blackberries a real close second).
So glad I read your blog today. I’ve been hiding in the house or at the creek all week. I forgot all about keeping an eye on the “crop”.
We have such an abundance of blackberries here to pick freely, but the weather this year has produced the fondest of crops. This crumble looks SO good!!!
Ciao Chow Linda – We are lucky on the blackberry front here in the PNW, but you must have some sort of berry to drool over too…
Kells – Thanks for the recipe, will check it out. If you’re into butter worship, here’s another easy cobbler from last year’s blackberry crop.
Tomilyn – Thanks for stopping by. I bet Magnuson is loaded with berries. Next for us is blackberry wine!
A Day That Is Dessert – Thanks for the visit. Yeah, seems like those patches closer to salt water are greener. Do you get morning fogs? We made blackberry jam a few years ago–I think we used a simple recipe out of “Putting Foods By.” Kids loved it.
Jenny – Yes, check the crop! Blackberries love this hot weather. They get plump & sweet during the dog days.
Jennifer – Indeed, heat waves are good for blackberries if not humans. But I don’t want to complain. We pine for sun 10 months out of the year in Seattle. Turns out we got it in spades this year.
Lang, I’m sure your blackberries are even more prolific than ours, but they thrive on our land in Wisconsin, too. Ours are nowhere near ripe, we’re just getting to the end of the raspberries. I just put a recipe for Gooseberry and Raspberry Fool (berry puree and whipped cream) up on Trout Caviar. It would be great with blackberries, too.
Have you ever made tea from blackberry leaves?
Cheers~ Brett
Here in Connecticut, we are just getting the blackberries started. The awfully wet weather was very bad for black raspberries, many molded on the canes. Wineberries are at peak now, so we pick them and throw in a few blackberries as we come across them. Mostly the blackberries come in better in August.
We refer to the trailing blackberries as dewberries here, and those are also ready now.
The 3 Foragers from Atlasquest.com
That blackberry crumble looks so good with the melting ice cream on top!
I’ve been told blackberries are all over here in PDX too, but I am probably the only one who is not able to find them!
Sadly, I just pay for them, which I don’t really mind since they are so good. Although free would be better.
The blackberries are coming early this year because of our record heat lately. Bring it on!!
pineapple weed good to smoke too. cutting down on tobacco by substituing part with pineapple weed
ps….
also good with fish as a delicate flavouring. grows everywhere here in west yorkshire uk
I remember an old commercial variety which my great uncle and grandfather both grew, called the Cascade Berry. It was created from the tiny, native wild blackberry and larger berries (loganberry?).
I lost the cultivar some years ago and I wonder if it’s still out there…
Best stuff I ever made with them was Blackberry Catchup – amazing stuff, and no seeds!
That looks mighty delicious. I had a friend give me some huckleberries once but there were so many little things to clean off of them I got discouraged and never used them.
We do get a lot of morning fog. Blackberries are now ready; picked a bunch yesterday and today and made jam tonight. (photos of some picking yesterday are on my site today)
Lecia
Interesting. I have never even seen a red huckleberry.
Hmmm… My first thought is partridge, as you mentioned, but if I were to use that sauce with fish, I’d go for mackerel or, better yet, bluefish. Oily, rich fish might do better with such a powerful sauce. Try it with those pinks you’re catching now — bet it’s good!
Oh, and a compote is a warmed maceration of something in something — like a look preserve, an unjelled, uncrushed jam, or an extended marination. It’s typically served at room temp, although the heating brings out the flavors.
My daughter and I just returned from a three hour hike foraging red huckleberries near our home on the north coast of CA. They’re beautiful! I can’t wait to try this recipe it sounds great. Thanks, Ala
This soup looks terrific. Nice use of the “throwaway” fish parts. I wonder if all the spent ingredients you are straining out can go straight into the compost — cooked fish heads sound perfect for that.
Great stories — your son’s first fish! And learning how to make fish soup! Looks great — honestly, I would have never considered making it until now.
A first for your boy and dad, gotta love it! I think for the next steelhead trip maybe we’ll try something like this. Looks great.
Lovely post!I can almost imagine him yelling over his first catch. I knew I was 🙂 The soup looks delicious!
Thanks for the shout-out! Soup looks terrific. Those are pinks you’re catching, right? How many pounds do they run; they look like they’re only about 2-3.
Never had them fresh. How do they compare with kings, silvers or sockeyes? They have something of a reputation, as you know…
Wow, congrats to your son! Such a feat to catch a salmon. Growing up in New York, the only fish I caught were fluke and flounder. Not really much of a fight, but exciting nonetheless. My recent trip to Oregon was my first experience with super fresh salmon – there’s nothing like it.
Audrey – Fish=good soil, right? I’d compost it.
Julia – I’ve got some video I might post soon of the boy catching his second salmon. Unfortunately, it doesn’t contain the same decibel levels. The first was one of those “had to be there” moments, and I’m glad I was.
Jon – Steelhead heads would be just as good. And of course the time on the water with your kid is priceless.
Alisa – You know the feeling! Soup was way better than I hoped for. Will post it to Foodista.
Hank – If you look closely at the heads in the bowl you can see that one is a silver and the other is a pink. The silver’s flesh is more bright red, with orangish tones. So it was mutt soup. As for pinks, they’re mostly used by the canneries, but they run in huge numbers and they’re good biters, esp. on the fly. Most of the pinks we catch in the Sound are 3-5 lbs, although 6-7 isn’t uncommon and the record is something like 14. I smoke most of mine.
Allison – Being a native East Coaster myself (CT), I had the same conversion moment when I tasted wild king salmon at a BBQ soon after moving to Seattle; realized, sadly, what impostors those farmed Atlantic salmon had been all through my childhood.
Living in BC this soup would be a welcome change from the everyday.
Hey Lang,
Thanks for this motivation – been meaning to do fish stock for some time now – what’s the skinny on pulling the gills before cooking? Not a big deal? Or, Yes?
I love sea beans because they are so salty and crunchy. I remember seeing a competition on the Food Network a few months ago, and the judges complained that the chefs had done enough to tame the salt. I thought that was crazy.
Now pickled sea beans: crunchy salt! What could be better! I’ll have to look around the Boston markets to see if I can find some.
Not surprised one of your few choices was Asian – they pickle everything that grows – Euell Gibbons, of course, treats Glasswort/Samphire pickles in his, “Stalking the Blue-Eyed Scallop”: pack washed Glasswort stems into pint canning jars(3-4?) vertically – boil a quart of white vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 Tbs mixed pickling spices, 1 sliced onion, and 6 dried Bayberry leaves. Boil for 10 mins and pour over jar contents until covered – seal and wait 3 weeks before trying.
Carry on my friend.
Wish I hadn’t missed the tides, but alas, there will be another time! I did catch my first edible-sized salmon though, thanks!!
Not a comment about the ‘ducks, but instead about your reference to Camas. I’m looking forward to a post about those!!!
Ra – Good on ya! Did my advice help?
Colette – Maybe next year… Stay tuned!
I tried them once. That was good enough for me. 😉
I never had pickled sea beans. I will have to look for them to try this.
I’ve seen these pants several times but never found out how they are called. Thanks for this post!!!
Lang – you big tease! How dare you tempt me with a blog title “Duck Hunting”. Although it was not what I had in mind, it was a great story and I am so glad you were able to grab that little sucker in the last moments.
As an early aficianado of Gibbons, I’ve eaten a lot of non-mainstream things in my life. But at some gut level it really bothers me that you are killing an organism that could be 100 years old. It seems as wrong to me as eating a Galapagos tortoise or cutting down a redwood. Not that I would mind eating snapping turtle.
I guess it’s a question of sustainability. We’d have to eat a lot of snapping turtle to start impacting their population. How many 100 year old geoducks would have to be taken to push them to the brink? Seems to me that they are an important part of the ecosystem. Especially with the Japanese involved (remember sharks and whales), how long will it take to see an impact?
Eat farmed geoduck then!!!
Peabody – Better to try and know than to not try and never know.
Jon – I figured I might get you or Hank to rise to this presentation!
Anonymous – How about using your name? I’m no geoduck expert, but clearly you aren’t either. The geoduck in the photo is estimated to be about three years old. Geoducks are neither endangered nor threatened. It’s legal to dig for them, and it just so happens that there are only a handful of tides during the year when digging, for all practical purposes, is even possible. Could it be that you’re anthropomorphizing the ‘duck simply because it has a potential lifespan similar to a human’s? Just asking.
Thanks – I can tell the difference between a mollusk and a bird.
You didn’t say “This is a three year old geoduck”, you said “Secreted deep within their sandy lairs, geoducks live long lives (in excess of 100 years) and grow to tremendous size, with reports of ‘ducks weighing as much as 14 pounds.”
I think I asked a reasonable question. At what point does it bother you? Eating pigeon – ok, eating passenger pigeon (or ortolan) – no. Eating camas – maybe, eating salep orchid – no.
You’re right, I don’t know much about this particular organism, but here is what Wikipedia says:
“However, due to a low rate of recruitment and a high rate of mortality for geoduck eggs, larvae and post-settled juveniles, populations are slow to rebound. In the Puget Sound, studies indicate that the recovery time for a harvested tract is 39 years.
Geoducks are one of the longest-living organisms in the Animal Kingdom. They have a life expectancy of about 146 years, with the oldest recorded at over 160 years. “
Is it Sarcornia or Salicornia?
I can honestly say I have never seen Kung Pao Geoduck before! and then you go and throw in some lovely wild foraged mushroom (with perhaps the best darn mushroom name ever?) – and wow, you have a pretty unique dish here mate!
Great job, looks like a fantastic fast dinner.
Patrick – Good catch. It’s *Salicornia sp.* Typo has been corrected.
We’re on weird wavelength issues again, you and I: I made seared California halibut with chanterelles last night. Not as exotic as kung pao geoduck, but it sure was tasty!
I remembered this entry when I was wandering at the beach last week. I’d never really noticed them before, but I had to snip off a handful to try.
Thanks for helping me broaden my horizons, and for sharing your explorations and recipes.
I always thought they were chamomile, they grow in my gravel driveway, and I’ve seen them poking out of the edge of sidewalks in Seattle. But I hat camomile tea, so I never made any.
I’ve always preferred the flavor of the Fall porcini; the texture of the spring is great, but I usually have to add some dried Fall ones in order to actually taste anything.
I swear I have never seen anything like that. Seeing geoduck I assumed I was in for some migratory game, silly old me.
Ugh, I’m so disappointed that UPS didn’t leave my book today. I understand not leaving insured boxes and whatnot, but this was a book… why didn’t they leave it!? Another day of impatient waiting…
Looks great – just wondering, how much of the information is specific to the Pacific Northwest, and how much will be of use to me in Northern Michigan?
Lang, congratulations! I can’t wait to buy and read the book. Thanks for all that you do for Northwest eaters.
Hey, cool, I might be able to attend your Portland events.
Suck it, Euell Gibbons.
It has landed, and is bloody fantastic. LOVE the book mate.
Much congrats! Brad stole my question.
Congrats! Very exciting. And I ditto Brad’s question, but sub in New England.
Have fun Lang…I may catch up with you at one of your events…wish I could make the PSMS but will still be in MT then.
Congrats, Lang. Give a holler if the Book Tour brings you to Vermont. -Rob
Congratulations. This is one I’ll be ordering for me and as gifts. Hope you make it to the NY/Phila area on your book tour.
I have had Salmon Head soup in some remote river camps in Alaska and on Kamchatka Russia. In all cases it was made very simply, with few spices or special ingredients other than what was locally available; a mix of garden greens, onion, potato, salt and pepper etc. It was served with the lightly cooked salmon head, somewhat intact, lying in a bowl full of the rich broth and staring right back up at me. One eats that with a combination of spoon and fingers- sucking the flesh from the soft cartilaginous salmon head “bones” and it is so succulently good it is hard to believe. I am looking forward to trying your recipies. Heard you on KUOW this morning and I am so glad you spoke up about our last Wild Steelhead in decline. By the way, I hear that Sculpin tastes just like Rockfish…no kidding. Regards,
Bob Triggs
Little Stone Flyfisher
Port Townsend, WA
I look forward to reading it!
http://northwestnoshings.com/2009/08/15/fat-of-the-land/
We’ve been looking forward to your book. Congratulations Lang, and enjoy the hectic and awesome authorly experiences of the next few weeks. What an achievement!
Thanks for your comments everyone! To Brad, Patrick, Julia & anyone else who wonders whether the book will be relevant to their area, I give you a baseball analogy (sorry if you’re not a fan): Think of “Fat of the Land” the way you might about a book-length account of the 1975 World Series. Your city and team might not have been in it, nor your favorite players, but it’s a classic worth your time/study just the same. If you’re a reader and you like food and the outdoors, I think you’ll enjoy the book. I can safely say there is no other book like it on shelves anywhere.
Lang, I can hardly wait to get my hands on a copy. Give yourself a big pat on the back for all you’ve accomplished. Can’t imagine how you’ve been able to keep the blog going at the same time. Well done!!
Congratulations! When are you coming to NYC? : )
Ciao Chow Linda & Allison: I’ll be coming east to the “tri-state metropolitan area” over x-mas holiday to see family. Maybe I can set something up. Suggestions for where in NYC?
My wife and I have been enjoying your foraging blog as a supplement to our own effort of growing our own food (www.eattheyard.com) — though mostly vicariously since a lot of your foraging is region-specific. But it’s a good read, nonetheless. Your pictures always look great. Anything in the book that might be helpful to San Diego gardeners looking to add a little foraging to their menu?
I haven’t bought a cookbook in years and years. I’ve been excitedly waiting for this one for months. I’m going to see if I can get it tomorrow, or at least get my little local bookstore to order it for me.
– Heather
Langdon,
Congrats on the release!
You’re crazy! The “goop” is hands down the best part! Crab butter, my friend. I know, that’s an unfortunate phrase, but trust me. It’s delicious.
Hey if you plan to tour bookstores in the canadian coast lemme know, you could promote it at our local gulf island bookstore. Congrats! I’ll be ordering one for sure.
Langdon,
I’m not a forager though I might like to be. I can’t seem to get past my hesitance that something might be poisonous or toxic. For example, I think I have elder berry growing in my yard. I was finally excited to maybe try harvesting something wild, then I saw your comment about the stems, leaves, etc, of elderberry being toxic. Is that a common leap that people have to make — trusting themselves to get it right?
AGH! Mind reader! I just pickled 7 jars of this stuff.
I use them for stuffing wild rice sushi along with foraged pickled burdock, shredded carrots, and avocado.
Yummmmeeeeee
Do you think they’re still out since the rain dried up? I collected some not long ago but was wondering whether or not I’d have to wait for another good rainfall to find more.
I did find 6 large Admiral Boletes in great condition just yesterday. Not a ton but enough for a good-sized meal.
those look like some great mushrooms. I appreciate the pickling recipe as well.
is your friend Cora a guy? You do say “his”
Wow, I exhaled involuntarily when I saw that bowl of pristine quartered buttons at the end.
Colette – Discretion is certainly the better part of valor in the world of foraging. It’s best to know exactly what you’re eating before you eat it. That said, it’s not hard to learn. With elderberries, as long as you take the time to remove stems and other debris that tags along, then cook your catch, you’ll be fine. People all over the world have been making elderberry syrups, jams, cordials, etc for centuries, so try to overcome the intimidation factor and enjoy a delicious treat from the wild.
“gave away”? What’s a guy got to do to be on the good end of this? Something like lead you to salmon and loan you a boat? No, not enough?
😉
I’m available for some of those porcini if you have extra to “give-away.” What a bounty!
You should consider just drying the wormy boletes as long as theyre more bolete-than-worm-tunnel. It always drives me crazy when I find sliced and discarded boletes in the field. It gives away your patches AND its just plain wasteful, especially with buttons. Whats a little added insect protein?
I love to use elderberry syrup in a little champagne.
Rachel – That 5-day deluge was hard on the boletes–froze them in their tracks. Hopefully they’re popping again but I haven’t checked patches lately. Love those lemony Admirals.
Anonymous – That’s his last name. Everyone calls him that. He’s a character in my book, too, if you want to get to know him better. 😉
Michael – I still get the chills from a pile o’ pristine porcini too!
Paul – C11, third level, X parking garage. Unmarked satchel filled with golden chanterelles.
Linda – Any sources in the old country?
Perry – I do dry the dryers that aren’t too far gone. See this post about drying spring porcini.
Dude, bring some down to Sacto when you come to read FOTL. And that recipe is nearly identical to one in the Terre Vivante preservation book, one I intend to use with matsutake mushrooms…
I use a Finnish steam juicer on my elderberries so I don’t have to pick stems and strain seeds. Just picked a couple of large sacks of them yesterday. To be processed today. My previous post: http://skagitfoodshed.wordpress.com/2007/10/16/vitamin-c-for-the-winter/
Lovely, just beautiful!
Florida doesn’t offer much quite frankly, I need to get up north…
Best regards,
Albert Rasch
Instincts and Hunting
Bloggers: Defenders of the Great Outdoors
Interesting that I found this sea beans at a State Park in WA. Do you know if we can pick these?
Being an inexperienced bolete forager, would it be right to assume that after this summery spell we’ll see kings’ at sea level in early October?
Very cool. I’m living in a city covered with scrubby little roses with huge early hips, and really want to make use of them. I’ll have to see how a syrup cooks up.
I’ve also seen reference to people cooking rose hips like vegetables, but I’m not sure precisely how that would work. Do you have any more specific recipes you use?
awesome stuff. kid’s really are petri dishes of germs aren’t they! I am sure I have walked past rosehips, thinking they looked cool, but not knowing what they are.
Hank – Better yet, maybe we should do a porcini hunt on the coast while I’m in Cali…or perhaps I could witness a duck hunt…
Albert – I love the Everglades, but for fungi I’m afraid you’ll want to head north. Then again, nearby Georgia has excellent morel picking in the spring.
Trever – Kings in my state are more of a late Oct deal on the coast; not sure about other areas. I know in the coastal mts of OR you can find them well into Nov., and probably later in CA.
Oh yum! Thanks for sharing that recipe–can’t wait to try it.
We pick many varieties of porcini here in Finland (and I’ve also unfortunately learned the hard way about worms!) and usually store the excess by slicing them thinly and drying them in a sunny window. It works very nicely!
Hey man that was really a fantastic blog you share with us, its really a nice and very helpful for us and for all who read this nice blog..
I’ve heard that you should only use the hips from ‘wild roses’ is this true, or will any rose do?
Gwen – I’ve dried hips before to make tea, but this is my first experiment cooking them. You might check the jam & jelly recipes on Simply Recipes, or search for rosehip desserts.
Matt – You’d love working with hips–beautiful to look at and really good flavor.
Multivitamins – Thanks for dropping by and glad I could be of service.
Tiff – A rose is a rose is a rose, as Gertrude Stein famously wrote. Some are more flavorful, but as far as I know they’re all edible, whether wild or cultivated.
Oh, I think I’ve seen them around, but since I know close to nothing about picking food from the wild, or a city bush, I’m afraid to touch those and lther “things” that look like berries and such.
I really should join a foraging club or somehting…
Goodness. I saw some foraged porcinis at the market this wekend, they were $20 a pound! I didn’t buy any 🙁 I should have. I never had a fresh porcini. Yet.
What a great story!
awesome, I have a bunch of rosehips in the garden. Time to pick them!!
really interesting post. what a dedicated soul you are to continue fishing and all the other chores while maintaining your normal routine.
Clever use for the blackberry must!
Very cool fishery! 6 weights or heavier to get down to the fish?
Good video, too.
I’ve had good luck dry-brining salmon in a mix of 2 parts salt, a part black pepper, and one part brown sugar, essentially doing the rest as you describe. Those barbecue grills with two chambers are nice for smoking, too, as a little playing with the vents and you can keep a consistent and not-too-hot temperature going.
I suspect the call for “wild” rose hips is because some cultivated roses are heavily sprayed with chemicals.
Don’t forget to return to your patch in the spring for flowers! Elderflower cordial is lovely with a little Prosecco and a few drops of Peychaud bitters (I call this cocktail the “caddisfly nymph”). Plus you use it to make a nice salve for bee stings and nettle bites.
Oooohhhh
That’s so much simpler that so many recipes I’ve seen calling for removal of the hair. Thank you. Now I just need to find me some rugosa roses…
Sylvie
I have a rose bush by my house that is covered in rose hips right now and I’ve been meaning to find a recipe on how to use them. Thank you!!
Are there any plants that are easily confused with blue elderberry? Like Colette, I’m a bit paranoid (and I have a bit of a botany background even!). I also have access to HUGE elderberry bushes… I just want to get it right.
Langdon – congrats on your Salon.com interview today. Nice to see the book getting some national attention.
I would never turn up my nose at a chanterelle – one of my favorites. I love the fig and chanterelle crostini idea.
How do you scrape corn off a cod? Is that a ling cod, or the Atlantic type? 😉
just added some chantrelles to a brussel sprout gratin last weekend. Sadly, the sprouts overpowered the shrooms. Was worth a shot.
I had my first face-to-face encounter with chanterelles a few days ago… 15 minutes away from a busy road in Vancouver! Incredible scent- like you said- apricots and vineyards.
I ended up with 5 big guys and can’t wait to fry em’ up with some butter, white wine and fresh herbs.
Ever tried honey/bootlace mushrooms (armillaria)? Definitely not as delicious, but plentiful and rewarding to hunt. I’ve got a recipe posted on my blog if you’re interested.
I agree: Chanties Everywhere. In two outings I’ve pulled in 10 lbs this year. At least, once the rains finally came! Didn’t think it was possible to get tired of them… 🙂 But it’s given me plenty to play around with, next project is a Chanterelle Beer.
It’s starting to get cold in the lower Cascades though, I’m worried it may be near the end of the season. Some of the ones I found last weekend were a bit sad.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Locally (Eastern Appalachians) this was a banner year for Chanterelles, though the season was in August, as is typical for around here. I have never seen so many get so huge. Probably because it has been an extremely wet year, too.
So far I’ve been limited to foraging them at the farmer’s market and PCC, and it can be frustratingly hard to find enough that aren’t slimy or shriveled. Speaking of the fruit combo, this is one of my faves: http://bit.ly/5o8B0 .
Ciao Chow Linda – We can form a chanty support group!
jfwells – You haven’t lived until you’ve had corn on the cod.
Camille – Nice to have a chanty spot just outside of town. I don’t hunt honey mushrooms much but will check out your recipe.
Russell – Keep a lookout for those low-elevation microclimates where the early frosts don’t penetrate. It’s usually possible to get chants well into Nov in such spots.
Speakfreely – A friend who has property in Maine said it was a banner year for chants. Do you get them in the same numbers as here in the PNW?
Michael – The stuff at the markets sits out all day and gets nasty. On the other hand, even chanties that look dried & shriveled can cook up nicely–certainly more nicely than the slimy stuff.
Oh my LC, now that is one of my favorite fungi! It is a fungi isn’t it? Chanterelle’s are amazing.
fun times. Industrial foraging.
LC,
I wouldn’t know; mom tells me I was conceived in British Columbia, but I’ve never been back to visit;-) So I can’t compare with the Pacific NW. It seems that your mild, wet climate favors a lot of mushroom species. But Chanterelles are certainly among the most prolific of the edibles around here.
LC – Yeah I agree with you there. Someone told me yesterday that she had started finding them on Bainbridge Island, and I’ll be watching for them at my in-laws place out near Woodinville. They don’t know whether they get chanterelles, but they’ve never really looked for them. A Wooly Chanterelle popped up there last week (I got the semi-blurry “What is this?” photo in an email.) so maybe the good kind will show up too. Think I may give the mountains one last go-round this weekend though. That’s it though, I spent an hour and a half yesterday cleaning, cooking down, and freezing last weekend’s haul for Winter. Chantied out. Got some nice posts (and dinners!) out of the season though.
I know nothing about foraging this is so interesting. It seems that many of your comments come from gathering regulars- very cool.
I must say Lang, you always impress me with your post. I learn something new about the PNW all the time from your blog.
Big fan of chanterelles, especially the black trumpets that come later. Equally big fan of Goin’s book — only Los Angeles chef I know of who’s more like a NorCal chef, meaning less lobster and filet mignon, more local-seasonal. Great book.
Reading this makes me want to live in the PNW. I cannot wait to make crostini inspired by your fig + chanterelle version. It’s perfect for fall.
Did you know the Japanese name for chanterelle is “anzutaki”? It literally translates to “apricot mushroom”. Fitting.
Ciao Chow Linda – I might have overdone it a little there, but who needs sleep?!
Chickenless Chick – Totally not my idea but will enjoy the results.
mdmnm – Heavier weight rods mainly to fight the fish, which tow you around in circles. Also to fling heavier flies. You could use a 5-wt, but I wouldn’t go lighter.
jfwells – Thanks! Trying to get the word out…
Paul – Indeed. Nice to catch salmon a mile or two from home, eh?
Peabody – Thank you! I aim to inform & entertain. And learn along the way.
Live to Hunt – When do yours pop? Closer to December?
Speakfreely – I want to do more mushroom hunting in far-flung places. Saw pictures of chanties fruiting in Florida!
RUssell – Did you eat the woolly? Some people do, but I would advise against it.
Hank – Black trumpets are one of my favorites. Not so many around here. N. Cal is the strike zone. Goin’s book is amazing and I’ve only made a few dishes so far.
Kimberley – The fig & chanty crostini is a crowd pleaser for sure. Porcini over ricotta is another nice crostini I’ll be posting soon.
Heather – I did not know that. Cool. Did you get any yet?
I just picked a box of King Boletes–under pines with many emerginng A. muscaria in the duff too.
Oh, chanterelles are my weakness. I love the idea of combining it with figs—perfectly woodsy, as you say. Your blog is making me miss the Northwest something fierce.
I have great success with frozen porcini by partially defrosting (soft enough to cut, but still firm). Defrosting collapses the cell structure and allows natural sugars to escape.Cooking partially frozen allow the water to evaporate, leaving the sugars behind to caramelize and become delicious.
making me miss west coast chanterelles! im a recent california transplant to maryland. chanterelles here are tiny and often worm ridden. the abundant 5+ pound hen of the woods are a decent consolation prize though.
I’ve had a hard time finding a lot of chanterelles this year in Whatcom county. It’s been so dry, until this week, hopefully i will find more before it gets too cold.
I prefer to use burdock root or gobo instead of carrot. It can be harvested or purchased locally and adds a clean subtle flavor to matsutake gohan, while absorbing the fragrant essence of the mushroom. I look forward to this meal all year 🙂
Yum, Finspot! I’ll have to try that one!
To Cara – keep looking! We’ve picked about 25 pounds so far! Found a bunch on Sunday–they’re out there!
recipe? is there sauce besides the tomato paste?
great blog btw.
Ah.. chanterelles, just the word makes me want a bite of that crostini!
Thanks for this post. I just bought a nice bag of Chanterelles and wasn’t quite certain how to use them (we’re on a try something new kick). Unfortunately I can’t get into the woods in my wheelchair but when we saw these mushrooms and smelled their delicious aroma I got out my homemade apricot preserves and a couple of slices of serrano ham and made a grilled sandwich on homemade ciabatta bread. To DIE for. Can’t wait to get some fresh figs this weekend and some nice bacon. Thanks again.
Thanks for this post. I just bought a nice bag of Chanterelles and wasn’t quite certain how to use them (we’re on a try something new kick). Unfortunately I can’t get into the woods in my wheelchair but when we saw these mushrooms and smelled their delicious aroma I got out my homemade apricot preserves and a couple of slices of serrano ham and made a grilled sandwich on homemade ciabatta bread. To DIE for. Can’t wait to get some fresh figs this weekend and some nice bacon. Thanks again.
Wow!
I’ve never heard of sea beans.
Of course, I live in Minnesota…..Are there lake beans?
Oh wow – you have created a dream of a dish with two luxury items. I don’t think I’ve ever seen lobster mushrooms here in the east. How I’d loved to have been a fellow diner at the table.
Aha! You have discovered Vermentino! ONe of my favorite white wines, one I am contemplating making in 2010; I know two growers who will sell me fruit. GREAT wine with seafood.
Still have not cooked with lobster mushrooms, though.
Just saw that you’ll be at Omnivore Books November 5th! Looking forward.
Linda – It’s a keeper for sure, although it need not be East meets West. I’m pretty sure lobster mushrooms fruit on the East Coast. The host shroom may be different (a species of Lactarius, I think) but the overall effect is similar.
Hank – Yes, it was delicious. Can’t remember having a Vermentino before but I’ll be ordering it again. Crisp and just right for the lobsters. BTW, time is running out to cook with lobster shrooms in ’09. Do you ever see them in the markets down there?
Kimberley – Please stop by and say hello. Or join us for post-reading revelry. I’m expecting a few of my sketchy Bay Area friends to be in attendance, so should be a fun night.
If I’d had ANY idea we were going to have the hot summer we did, I’d have covered my p-patch up in okra. Such a beautiful plant (as if the okra pods, be still my heart, weren’t enough),
Yes, please! Great post and recipe. Can’t wait to make this soon!
Great post Langdon. I’ve only had chanterelles once… not really easy to come by out on a desert island. 🙂 But we have have a new neighbor who has introduced us to many new mushrooms foraged in the PNW and now were hooked and wanting more!
Surf and turf, totally perfecto. I’m seriously jones’d-out for a bolete foray on the coast. Have you gone yet?
Ahhh- a fabulous risotto and an even more fabulous wine.
Followed Hunter Angler here.
Comment of the lobster stock. Boil is a bad word, although by low boil you may mean this. Stocks should be simmered at 180-190 F, it should not be allowed to boil for any length of time. Boiling is bad because it stirs up the contents, lowering clairity.
I can lobster stock, using a pressure canner, and we have both a ‘plain’ and a roasted body stock.
Great to see you highlighting the Cauliflower mushroom… what great and delicious fungal rarity… I’m always looking… find one or two a year… and it’s a cause for celebration…
nice recipe, i want to try this! i have been using szechuan peppercorns alot lately myself. it is a nice change from the norm. and i have always wondered about that restaurant, now i have a reason to try it..
Love the floral aroma of the Szechuan peppercorn… bet they were just stellar paired with mushrooms. Of course, now you have me wishing I could get my hands on a few of those Cauliflower mushrooms!
Hey Fin!
I’ll bet that restaurant is the one I found many years ago during a conference up there – I don’t remember the price, but the only thing they had was pot stickers, and they had an interesting machine in the middle of the floor churning them out like mad. Brought ’em back to the hotel, with a little Chinese BBQ, and watched Sunday football – couldn’t stop wondering how in hell anyone could make such good stuff so cheaply!
A long way from the boo boo kitty we ate in DC years ago…
looking forward to seeing you at Omnivore tomorrow night.
xxM
Farmer – Same here. The cauliflower is always a bonus. More mature forests are the best bet. It’s one of the best.
Nettletown – You’ll dig it. This was my first try with Szechuan peppercorns. Now I have a nearly full bag of ’em so it’s time to go deep into the Chengdu catalog… BTW, will be trying that Lobster Shroom Bisque on yr blog.
Lo – I think I could spend some quality time in Szechuan Province. Need to get Fuchsia Dunlop’s cookbook.
Doc – Not sure if that’s the same place but it’s a good deal for sure. I’ve always had a weakness for potstickers. Lazy Sunday football and bag full is a good combo.
Meghan – Long way fer sure. See ya tonight at Omnivore!
NIce take on takeout…unique juxtaposition and a great way to life a little more interesting.
Just Got My Book! Very Excited.
Just finished the book and I absolutely loved it! I have to admit, your blog has been an enormous help and inspiration to getting me started on mushrooming, and the chapters in the book have new recipes for all sorts of goodies I already collect or want to collect. Will there be a sequel? Perhaps a chapter on kayak bottom-fishing? Or Oregon truffles? Kelp? I can’t wait to continue reading the blog and continue to learn from you.
Where can I forage for porcini in the northeast?
You learn something new every day… today, it was about boletes. Thanks for always being a source for inspiration!
Thanks for the post. My husband & I both enjoy your blog. He’s the main forager in our household, but that season is long past.
Do you have plans to visit Alaska?
wanted for a long time to experience both the river and the brewery. sounds like that is a fantastic trip to look forward to every year. nice post.
I, like Lo, just learned a great deal about boletii (?), and now have greater sympathy with the prices of fresh porcini State-side. That said, if these West Coast varietals are rivals in taste why are they not sold more widely across the country? I would certainly buy as many as i could afford!
Years ago I made dandelion wine. Did not realize you were suipposed to use only the petals (or rather, read that, decided it would take too log and put the whole flower heads in there). A little … bitter… shall we say. Undiscouraged, I added oranges, lemons and honey… and ended up with something quite palatable.
Never done it again, as the petal plucking seemed a bit much. But love the FOTL method, twist the petals while collecting.
I think there is dandelion wine in the future again.
Sold! This sounds amazing! Thanks for completing the menu, sounds so delicious!
I love the way you call them chanties…theres a type of mushroom here called fredolicks and I call fredoleekies…because I love them
Beautiful country! Northern California is definitely the place for craterellus, two seasons ago i found nearly 80 pounds overthe course of the season. This should be a good year as well if the rain keeps up.
Lo – Amen to that. Learning ain’t just for kids!
bikegirl – Been dreaming of Alaska for years. One day…
r. hurd – Love Rogue beers, some of my favorites. I’m biased toward the river; it’s one of the greats.
Jonny – Good question, one that I’m not sure how to answer. Certainly on the West Coast there’s a semi-vigorous trade in porcini (boletes). You might not find them as much on the East Coast because they don’t travel well (can get wormy, among other things). Of course, you have your own populations of porcini back East, such as Boletus edulis, though maybe not in the numbers that flush in the coniferous forests of the West. As you pursue this question, let me know your findings.
Perry – I’m envious. The black trumpet is superb, and though I never find it in quantities for putting up, I hear it’s quite good dried.
Love that final still life…
Dried craterellus are nearly as good as fresh, and quite a bit more flavorful.
to elaborate on your reply to Jonny’s comment;
B.edulis on the east coast are pretty uncommon (mid-atlantic) but might be more abundant closer to new england, still nowhere near like they are west of the rockies. Mushrooms here also tend to be wormier than their west coast counterparts (even craterellus) which is a major issue for commercial guys. The mushroom buyers here (even at the farmers markets) get a lot of their fungus from west coast suppliers. The main exceptions to that are morels, maitake and chicken of the woods.
Sounds delish! Where did you get your farro from? I haven’t looked, but I don’t remember seeing it in the bulk section at Madison Market, and they seem to have a fairly good variety of ‘hard to find’ grains.
I have been trying more wild mushrooms thanks to FOTL. Love the book, can’t wait for more.
Kirsten – Checked out your Chimichurri. Good stuff! Can also be made with wild chickweed in place of parsley. Thanks for stopping by.
Ra – The farro is Bluebird. You can find it in bulk at the PCC, at least at the Seward branch.
r. hurd – Thanks! I need to get working on a second helping…
Thanks! See you tomorrow!
Just got into some steelhead on the Trinity River in California. Caught three, kept two hatchery fish (one 6, one 7 pounds) and had a blast! Will be eating them over the course of this week.
Tonight will be with some matsutake mushrooms…
This looks delicious! I’m definitely going to have to try this.
Niiice… I make a version of this dish a lot — LOVE farro! — but never thought about using mascarpone. Good idea!
Great site!
In Greece, I learned to pluck the raw tender nettles off the stems by gently rubbing the leaves with coarse salt.
You know I LOVED this recipe 🙂
I had the pleasure of the version of this dish that you brought to the Penny event, and it sure was good. Re farro, it is important to note the difference between semi-pearled and the whole grain. I much prefer the pearled – the whole grain can take *forever* to cook and sometimes never really reach tenderness. Oh, and that reminds me, I’ve put farro with chanterelles before too… lovely combination.
We live on the edge of the escarpment (Afro Montaine) Forest in Limpopo Provine South Africa. WE find Boletus by the basket after a really good electrical storm. Best place – under +/- 20 Pinus Patula.
Uses at home;
Fried with Butter
Pickled in Olive Oil
Frozen after being VERY lightly sauteed in olive oil
just back from clamming Copalis Beach New Year’s weekend 2010. Found your site from Martha’s – a fellow poet. Great synchronicity…. and yummy clams.
The only quibble I have about the clam gun is that you miss the rare, heady feeling of being on your knees in the mud, up to your armpits in a hole, trying to outpull a mollusc. That awakens some primeval emotions!
It can be said about nettle that it is one of the wonder plants that nature has gifted us with. It is renowned because of its astringent, expectorant, tonic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic properties and as an important source of beta-carotene, vitamin A, C and E, iron, calcium, phosphates and minerals. All these qualities recommend it as a powerful remedy against hepatic, arthritic or rheumatic conditions, and as an adjuvant in treating allergies, anemia and kidney diseases.
Oh, thanks for the mention! We’re glad your fish head soup was a great success. =)
I have been curious about truffles for so long, but still never tried them. I think it’s time! Thanks for the great post!
What a wonderful post. I live in the Selkirk Mountains wonder if there are any here? Peace for all
Truffle oil has no truffle? shucks!
Amazing: I had never heard of truffle being served as you describe it – weighted before and after. That’s actually rather hilarious.
Thanks for the very informative post about American truffles!
Since you are featuring a foraged food, would you like to enter this post in our Grow Your Own roundup this month? Full Details at
http://chezannies.blogspot.com/2010/01/rambutans-plus-grow-your-own.html
Do you know where you could obtain large enough PVC pipe without having to buy a huge portion of it?
I love truffles but I’ve never come across ‘local truffles’ in Vancouver. Do you think I could find them in BC? I know some places that look exactly the same as the habitat in your video.
You’ve got my wheels turning- more projects! Yay!
Why not a lacto-ferment of the salicornia? It would be a perfect veggie for that. Maybe mix with a little wild mustard or another seasonal green? YUM!
Renai – Give ’em a try. Big differences btwn Oregon white & black truffles. You’ll either find them revelatory or wonder what the big deal is.
Ruralrose – I’m not sure about the Selkirks. Might be too high in elevation. Look for second-growth Doug fir in the foothills. Report back!
Sylvie – The weighing bit makes it feel like an elicit transaction–kinda fun.
Nate – Thanks for the offer. I’m a little behind and probably missed the deadline. Will go check now…
Cameal – Southern BC should have truffles. Temperate rainforest is the ticket, where the frosts aren’t too long or deep. Talk to your local commercial foragers at the farmers markets or just get out there and see for yourself!
I happened upon some fresh truffles at New Seasons, but I don’t think they were that fresh. The jar of rice they were stashed in weren’t keeping them that dry.
I’ve always heard that raking is destructive to delicate mycorrhizae and soil fauna, but I know you guys were careful. Next time take me, too! I won’t be 8 months pregnant this time. 😀
I was fortunate enough to spend an October week in Italy’s Piemonte region, in a small town near Alba, which is “ground zero” for the white truffle. One day our little group went out with a truffle hunter, and his dogs found several white truffles. It was extremely interesting to see the dogs work…they are highly trained and very, very expensive.
That same night we had the truffles shaved over a pasta dish at the inn where we were staying,expecting the culinary experience of a lifetime in the “home” of white truffles. But I must say that I was quite under-whelmed. The aroma was that of beets, which probably has something to do with why I was turned off (that’s one childhood aversion I never outgrew). I guess there was a truffle flavor to the pasta, but it was very, very subtle and not very exciting.
As a result of this experience, I really think that “the emperor has no clothes.” I believe that people are aware of the ridiculously high prices one must pay in order to taste truffles, and so they automatically say that they are great. I’m probably a minority opinion, but I really think they are “much ado about nothing.” But, hey, at least I won’t be tempted to waste alot of money on the things!
Heather – I’ve heard the same about raking but I figured Jack, whose livelihood depends on a good truffle crop, would know more about good hunting techniques than me. It was clear that the area we hunted had been hunted in years past. Evidence of past raking was all around in the form of thicker layers of duff. Interestingly, these thick layers were also quite productive. Mushrooms were fruiting all around us as well. But you’re right, the raking probably disturbs the mycelia to some degree. We were careful to rake only the duff and not tear any tree roots. A truffle dog would probably be the lowest impact.
Calhoun – You’re not alone. Many come away from their first introduction to truffles thinking the emperor has no clothes. In some cases this is because the flavor and aroma just don’t do much for them; probably even more are served unripe truffles. Give ’em another shot. Ripe truffles served the right way can be a transcendent experience for many. If you you’re not one of them, oh well, you’ll save your money for something else!
that look very delicious. .
I like your blog.
Keep it up!
Hmmm, I might have to give this a try.
Can we use canned berries? I put up many pints of berries every year (both frozen and canned) and I gotta say, I like the canned better for baking.
Peabody – I hope so. This is right up your alley.
Ellen – Yes, canned berries are allowed. You might include a note as to why you prefer them canned for baking.
I already see a number of improvements that could be made to this recipe that would yield better results. I’ll send them over to you. I should probably disqualify myself from competition since I’m a former pastry chef 🙂
I’m not much of a baker either, which is why I love making crisps – they’re a more forgiving baked good. I have a recipe for huckleberry crisp that I love, but it uses fresh berries.
My family and I have used that BHG coffeecake recipe for years and faced the same challenges–sometimes runny, always needs more baking time. Never good when you want that coffeecake NOW. I always blamed the berries. Thanks for inspiring me to try to fix the problem once and for all. We’re blessed with an abundance of mature evergreen huckleberries in our “yard” so have plenty of berries with which to play.
Here’s our family recipe for “Aunt Ethel’s Cobbler” (which is actually pretty cake-like) Enjoy!
Batter-
1/2 Stick Butter
1 1/2 c. Sugar
2 c. flour
1 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
Fruit-
1 1/2 c. blueberries – fresh, frozen or canned (or just about any fruit)
1 tbsp sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 11×7 (or similar size) casserole dish in the oven. Remove and let butter cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, flour, salt & baking powder well.
In a separate bowl, measure out your berries or other fruits (if using canned, drain them well before measuring) and sprinkle them with the tablespoon of sugar. Toss well.
Finally, add milk to the flour mixture and mix well until a thick batter forms. Pour the batter into the buttery casserole dish. Some butter will come up over the batter, that is ok. Lastly, sprinkle/drop the sugared berries into the batter – do not stir. Bake @ 350 degrees for about 1 hour, checking every so often to ensure that the top doesn’t get too brown before the middle has had a chance to set-up. If you see this happening, you can put a piece of foil over the top to slow things down a bit. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
This tastes AMAZING with vanilla ice cream, but is pretty fantastic all by itself.
I have a pic of the finished product over on my blog, if you’re curious. 😉
Happy Snackin’! 🙂 Michelle
It might be too late for your contest, but I have a 2 part suggestion for you for a quick and easy Blueberry Coffee Cake. The first part is to check out the recipe for Quick Mix on the King Arthur Flour site. This first part does take a bit of measuring, but is easy. I make it with part white whole wheat flour and 3/4 cup each dry milk and buttermilk powder. After you make up the mix you are all set to make quick muffins, pancakes, scones and… coffee cake!
Blueberry Coffee Cake
2 c. Quick Mix
2/3 c. milk
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 egg
Spray an 8 inch square pan with Pam. Mix above ingredients except blueberries. Spread in pan. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over batter. Make sure frozen berries are drained very well. Put topping over berries.
Topping:
1/3 c. Quick Mix
1/3 c. sugar
1 tbsp. cold butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Mix topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over berries. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve while warm.
We used the Quick Mix to make dozens of fresh, foraged, service berry and blueberry muffins during an NH BOW “Cook Like a Wild Woman Workshop” last August. It saved a lot of time and they were delicious!
yes, warm weather just in time for the winter olympics! You’re so right about the amount of flour needed for gnocchi – it varies each time. I love the idea of using stinging nettles with this – something I haven’t tried but would love to.
Ooooh yum. This looks and sounds wonderful. I’m thinking that this year will be my first venture into harvesting and working with nettles- so I’ll keep this recipe in mind!
I am so sad that my love for nettles comes at a climate cost… Nettle and ricotta, nettle gnocchi, nettle soup… it’s time to buy more gloves.
I’m here on the East Coast–even with all this snow, the temperatures aren’t any lower than usual. It’s just a lot of extra moisture in the air.
Early for nettles here in NorCal, too. Lowlands are already done, unless you find wood nettles in the shade. We’re moving onto fiddleheads now.
On the gnocchi, you ever try using a russet potato? I always use floury potatoes in my gnocchi; I get lighter results that way, but I know each recipe is different…
Ciao Chow Linda – Never tried Nettle Gnocchi? Don’t you have an Italian grandmother?!
Renai – Make 2010 your Year of the Nettle and soon you’ll be wondering why it wasn’t 2009–or earlier.
Megan – No doubt many of the weeds are loving this new climate regime. Time to broaden our food horizons…
Stephanie H – I wonder if this big snow year on the East Coast will delay the ramp harvest. I’ve been wanting to get in on that.
Hank – I like Yukon Gold because they’re flavorful and they deconstruct well. Both YG and russet are good choices on the floury front. But to be truthful, for this gnocchi I actually used a mixture of 1 russet and 1 Yukon Gold because that’s what I had on hand. Next time I want to fry them to see how the nettle-infused gnocchi stands up to the pan. Gnocchi is good action, n’est-ce pas?
I am so pumped to read some hunt posts. Food is great too, and when we get some venison recipes from you I will be ever so satisfied.
*drool*
I guess this means I’ll be getting jealous of your nettle finds early this year. Starting… now. Gorgeous gnocchi… will definitely keep it in mind for that point in time when I find myself some fresh nettles.
I know this looks long, but it’s not complicated. You can do it, I know you can! 🙂
This is a delicious, moist coffee cake with a ribbon of berry filling. The vanilla sugar is essential for flavor.
Berry Ribboned Coffeecake
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, huckleberries or blueberries (6 ounces)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (only if using blueberries or huckleberries, cranberries are tart enough)
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
Confectioners sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Generously butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment.
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a food processor with tip of a paring knife (reserve pod for another use if desired). Add sugar and pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl. Or pulse sugar and vanilla extract together to make vanilla sugar.
Pulse blueberries or huckleberries and lemon juice with 1/2 cup vanilla sugar in processor until finely chopped (do not purée).
Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together 1 stick butter and 1 cup vanilla sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down side and bottom of bowl. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour, until just combined. Do not overmix.
Spread half of batter in pan, then spoon berries over it, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge. Spoon small bits of the remaining batter over the top of the berries and smooth them with as gentle of a hand as possible.
Blend remaining 1/4 cup vanilla sugar with remaining tablespoon each of butter and flour using your fingertips. Crumble over top of cake.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted into cake (not into berry filling) comes out clean and side begins to pull away from pan, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 30 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely, crumb side up.
I keep meaning to try to make gnocci, the Trader Joe’s version is a big favorite around here. Thanks for the reminder and recipe!
Hope you’re on the mend.
Oui. Definitely need to make more gnocchi soon. Been on a ravioli-polenta-risotto kick lately…
Beautifully done. Nice to get some nettles though as you say, it is worrying to get them so early in the year.
Since you are using foraged nettles, would you like to enter this post in our Grow Your Own roundup this month? Full Details at
http://chezannies.blogspot.com/2010/02/announcing-grow-your-own-39.html
A friend makes nettle pesto without blanching. She swears that once the nettles are broken down, the sting is gone.
OR — you can salvage the broth and drink it as a tea or use it for a soup instead of letting it “vanish”.
All that iron and yummy nutrients~ deserve a good home.
Its been a weird winter in Northern CA as well. Rain was on time, and then never took a break. I started finding repandums in mid december. I typically dont find any until at least the first or second week in January at the earliest. Nettles are up here too, wacky…
Hey,
Sat in on your talk down here in Tacoma the University of Puget Sound. I’ve been a mushroom/clam/fish gather-guy but finally transcended into nettles! Thanks for the motivation, gotta try the gnocchi soon. I used Euell Gibbons method and threw them in rinsed with some butter in a pan. Fantastic! Thanks for the great read!
Thank you for posting such as descriptive article on truffles. I do agree with many of your viewpoints on truffle, notably having access to ripe fresh truffles in America.
I just returned from truffle week in Provence and learned many the details in you’ve outlined. The tip on truffle is invaluable!
Hi Langdon, you can find my submission here, complete with photos:
http://www.thecookbookchronicles.com/blog/?p=3618
Thanks for running this fun contest!
Langdon,
It’s a long time since I considered nettles as a food source and even then only two examples spring to mind. The first being the use of nettles in a sort of broth that we used to make using nettles but primarily whole sheep heads, eyes, brains and all. This rather smelly dish was not for the family but for the many racing greyhounds that were once trained by my father many years ago. The second use of nettles that I remember (rather more fondly) was the nettle wine made by my Nan along with a whole host of home produced foods ranging from jams, wines and preserves. Sadly, with the passing away of my Nan when I was still a shallow youth, this knowledge has been long lost. I look forward to the green shoots of spring, armed with knowledge that you have kindly shared, and the reintroduction of nettles to mine and Clare’s pallets.
Regards,
John
Good tip for freezing the pesto. I don’t know if stinging nettles grow here in NJ but I need to find out.
That’s cool that they were still good and your taste testers could not tell the difference.
BTW- here is my contribution to your Huckleberry Buckle challenge.
http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com/2010/02/24/dont-knock-it/
Delicious looking pesto! I do the same thing with my nettles, except that I just quickly boil them to get rid of nitrates, and then freeze the leaves in icecube trays, to be used in any dish that I like. Nettle is my favourite plant! Did you know that it can be used to make yarn too?
Wonderful post, thanks for all the details. Peace
I am a pesto fiend and freeze tons of it every Septmeber for use during the years. Now nettles… I know they’re here in MN- just don’t know where.
You’re a great guy with a lot of good ideas, habits and information; your daughter’s cute, well fed and should grow up with good values; but your ideas about baking are totally screwed up. In your gnocchi dough post you talk about getting a feel for the dough. That’s all there is to baking as well. You should get the books artisan bread in 5 min a day and healthy bread in 5 min a day. You’ll make great bread with little effort. Watch the video to see how to cloak.
As for your coffee cake, if you learn what te ingredients do, you can alter your own. Shortening is dense (and tasteless). You want fluffy, go with less dense. Try half the amount of butter and half corn oil. Or all butter. Eggs make things fluffy. Before measuring out the water put a large egg in the meauring cup then fill to the right amount (so you have 2 eggs in the recipe). Add some vanilla to the measuring cup after the egg and the cake will taste even better and you’ll still have the same amount of liquid. At the end, if the batter’s too runny, add more flour. If too thick, add milk or water.
For the topping, flour as a thickener deadens the taste. Corn starch is better. You have to mix it with cold water so it doesn’t form lumps. I hate cinnamon with blueberries. Coriander and/or a little cardamon are much better to my taste. I’l g back to the recipe and se if there’s anything else. Also,you could start over and go to epicurious.com or foodtv.com or sunset.com and get any coffee cake recipe and pair it with any blueberry topping recipe.
And for heaven’s sake, just dump in all the non flour ingredients, mix well, then add the flour unsifted little by little.
I’m heading down to the crick this weekend, weather permitting! I think I’ll pack the sprog with me. Haven’t decided. I don’t want to accidentally upend him into a patch of cold mud and pain.
I just picked nettles for pesto yesterday, & as you say – so delicious! I use coconut oil in addition to the olive oil, & used almonds I’d soaked ~ 6 hours. Freezing in ice cube tray is a great idea – thanks for sharing!
I just got some water kefir ‘grains’ & have my first batch brewing, thinking of adding nettle to the second ferment when I have enough for an ‘experiements’ batch as well 🙂
& for those interested in nettle fiber – I picked up some ‘Aloo’ from Nepal at our local yarn shop – a coarse, traditionally processed nettle fiber! A ‘bast fiber’ plant, like hemp & flax, the fibers are as long as the stem (so up to 6′!) & the softer fibers need to be ‘retted’ off. It can be lovely fine yarn (Ramie is a nettle relative), or coarse & hardy! We once let nettle stems ‘rot’ on our lawn, but didn’t proceed with the process.
I made a ‘soap bag’ for my preschool granddaugher’s soap (she breaks out from those nasty ‘antiseptic’ ones!) & sprouting bags for larger seeds from the ‘Aloo’ 🙂
Murphyfish – Now that I’ve made blackberry wine it might be time to experiment with another prickly source. How much did Nan use in a batch? Enjoy your reintroduction into the world of nettles. It’s worth the occasional sting.
Ciao Chow Linda – I used to get stung by nettles every spring of my youth in CT, so I’m guessing you’ll be able to find in NJ.
Peabody – Haven’t heard a peep from the neighbors so far. Guess they don’t read the blog.
goddessofcake – I freeze nettles too, in vacuum-sealed bags, usually in 2-cup amounts which is just right for soup.
Claudia – As a pesto fiend you owe it to yourself to try nettle pesto. MN has plenty of nettles I’m guessing.
Heather – Who knows, baptism by nettle might be just what the kiddo needs to cope with this world.
Dia – Good call with the coconut oil. Thinking about Murphyfish’s Nettle Wine…
Thanks for all the nettle information, we’re starting to see a lot of the little green leaves in the Willamette valley. My girlfriend and I are trying our luck at nettle enchiladas today. Looking forward to picking up your book!
I just made your gnocci recipe. It was wonderful and the nettles were growing right out my front door (literally 15 feet…talk about local!). I only have one small injury on my ring finger from harvesting! And, you were right…cognac makes a nice addition to the cream sauce! I only wish that I had picked the miner’s lettuce for the accompanying salad!
Cool! We ate a mess o’ nettles when I was a kid. This looks good. But the second-to-last photo looks like you (or possibly a ruminant) ate it two days ago. Oddly, it STILL looks good.
A good post, good reminder. Thing is though we have more silverbeet than you can shake a stick at at this present time. But we could freeze them as you say.
Le Loup.
Ah, so delicious. I like the looks of your nettle gnocchi too.
I made and blogged about some nettle pesto too recently (http://seattlelocalfood.com/2010/02/28/nettle-pesto-with-local-walnuts/) and it came out really well – I used some fresh walnuts a vendor had at the Ballard farmers’ market.
Someone commented that they’d had nettle pesto made without preblanching the nettles, that the food processor destroys the stingers too. Have you heard this?? It seems unlikely to me, and I’m really content with the flavor of the pesto from cooked netles. It’s the best pesto I’ve ever made.
Anyway, curious to hear what you know, and if that commenter was off base. Thanks for your blog, and I’ll post some links to these entries at the next nettle post I put up. 🙂
Debs
Seattle Local Food
r. hurd – I hope you don’t have to hold your breath tooo long for those venison recipes…
Lo – Must be getting closer to nettle season for you, yes?
Tom F – We’ve had the TJ’s gnocchi too. Good but not the feather-light homemade variety. Get after it!
Hank – Ravioli–now that can make gnocchi look like fast food!
Nate- Did I miss another Grow Your Own? Will check it out.
Perry – Nice on the repandums. I didn’t hit my hog spots this past year, too busy with other stuff. Still might have some ’08 in the freezer.
Un-Urban – That was great crowd at UPS. I’ll be at Garfield Book Co. in Tacoma tomorrow with a new slideshow.
Ruralrose – Thanks, glad you liked it.
Campchan – Thanks for the miner’s lettuce reminder. Need to check my spots!
Great story, great writing, great-looking rolls. Love it! Posts like this make it reeeeealy difficult to concentrate on “work.” 😉
Well, I guess the next best thing since I can’t go get my own, is to buy some from my local market that has them fresh. Cheaper than driving myself to the coast and buying all the gear! Now if only I could train myself to do this with mushrooms, look how much money I’d save! ; )
I think you made the right choice – as you say better to be a participant than an observer. Even though you missed an exciting game, you can always catch the highlights on the internet. Besides, unlike the US team, you did come home with the gold!
Somehow we never got the memo from Fish and Wildlife that the weekend was open. Otherwise we would have risked tsunami waves ourselves! Clam fail on our part!
This post blew my mind. There is absolutely NOTHING to compare this to in the prairie mid-west, not that I can think of anyway.
Looking at your harvest photos is like peeking into some weird science fiction world.
My soul suddenly feels empty, longing… I had no idea. Well done, I think you just sold another book.
Holy hell that looks fantastic, from the dig to the dinner. Great post.
Dawn – Sometimes a blog post comes together as easily as the events it portrays. After missing so many razor clam openings this year, this day felt more like a win than any of us could have predicted.
Mary – Have you been razor digging before? A similar thrill to mushroom hunting. You’d love it.
Linda – True, though by all reports the game was a doozy. I’m supping with some Canadian friends tonight and I’m sure they’ll have a few things to say about it. Plus they’ll put me under the table per usual for my pals to the north.
Tiffany – Bummer! I check the WDFW web site regularly for such memos. P.S. There’s a tentative opening for end of March.
Perry – Two words: ROAD TRIP!
Bpaul – And I’ve got a couple bags of clams in the freezer too, to help relive the action another day.
Great post! I’ve never seen anything like it – hunting razor clams on a beach. And your clam tempura inside-out sushi is just awesome!
Please submit this as an entry into this month’s “Grow Your Own” roundup!
Brilliant re-cap, L. We missed the train despite getting the gun. Will not make the same mistake twice.
Aw you missed an amazing Hockey game!
Excellent looking sushi. I’ve been itching to go out for Razors but I’m having a hard time justifying the time/effort/drive. They’re delicious no doubt, but they’re only $14 a pound shucked at the fish shop near me…
But the March/April Spring dates have been tentatively announced. http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/razorclm/season.htm I’m thinking I’ll go camp out at Kalaloch and hit the morning dig.
I’d love to have you enter this post on foraged Miner’s Lettuce into this month’s Grow Your Own roundup!
http://chezannies.blogspot.com/2010/03/announcing-grow-your-own-40.html
what a delectable looking green.
Yay, I’ve been eating it for a couple weeks now. Foraged and Found has been selling half pound bags at the Farmer’s Market, and I scarfed some on the Oyster Dome trail last week. It’s one of my favorite trailside snacks this time of year. Making a mixed salad of Miners Lettuce and Dandelion Greens to go with St Patty’s Day dinner. My lawn is going crazy with dandelions right now, time for some ‘weeding’…
Saw morels at the market Sunday, you heading up for them soon?
Gorgeous foodstuffs.
I totally love miners lettuce, however I have never gone out and foraged for me own, rather rely on the lovely folks at farmers markets. Just mixed in to a simple salad it is lovely too, perhaps with a little frisee for texture. Great post mate. Love the little video there.
Great stuff, and appearing more frequently in our urban settings here in California, too. I love that it’s never bitter!
I’ve been picking a bit when I go out the Grange Hall for the weekly Square & Round dance classes – there’s a lovely mass growing under the OLD Doug Firs, & even some in the little garden in front of the Grange! I keep thinking I’ll bring a bit home & see if I can find a place it’s happy in my yard!
blanched my crop this morning. we’ll test out your soup recipe soon! i love your blog, i feel we are kindred wild-food spirits.
This is one of my favorite wild greens. Several years back I found seeds for it in a gardening catalog and got them to add to my winter shoulder and winter season plantings in the p-patch I had at the time. It was such a faithful grower and it just kept reseeding itself. I’m wanting to get seeds again for my new p-patch to have on top of what I find out on walks and hikes.
The first time I saw this in a fancy grocery store, I chuckled.
We’re growing Claytonia for the first time, and it is so odd-looking that I had to double check to make sure weeds hadn’t taken over the row of greens. We haven’t done much with it yet, so I was really happy to see your post. Time to harvest and eat these before the heat wipes them out here in Houston.
Nate – Done!
Linda – Indeed it is. Not sure if you have an East Coast variety…
Russell – I’m guessing those morels came from California or maybe even Georgia. But we’ll be into ’em soon.
r. hurd – Purty, I reckon.
Matt – We need to get you into a wild patch, mate.
Josh – Really? Have you seen an increase in urban miner’s lettuce? That would be cool.
Dia – I heard good reports of seeding miner’s lettuce in the home garden. Go for it!
Maurie – Now you’ve got me thinking about my local p-patch. It’s a great source for weeds and would be even better with a native green.
Heather – Yeah, well, we can’t all be intrepid foragers. 😉
Vegetable Matter – The leaves change shape through the season as the plant grows. Don’t mis out on those tender early leaves (though it’s just as good when the flower stalk forms).
The Foraged and Found guy told me that they were local landscape morels, but that they were selling California ones to restaurants. I think maybe that worries me a little?
I love me that gobo. Though I have to be surreptitious when I use it, since my New England-born-and-bred husband refuses to consider it a food (rather like your groundskeeper, I suspect). So I throw it into soups and stews and stir-fries with abandon where it becomes (visually, at least) just another root vegetable. Maybe someday I’ll tell him he’s been eating burdock all along. But not just yet.
Awesome post as usual, thank you very much for sharing this one, I always wondered – peace
Great stuff!
I love the concept of your blog. The most exciting thing in the world to me is happening upon a gastric pleasure in an unexpected place. I can’t wait to try to rustle up some of these finds! And…I can’t wait to figure out what it is these people pull over on the side of the road and fill bags with here in the “way north” on Highway nine between Lake Stevens and Arlington. Perhaps you’ve already explored this??? I find your writing style very engaging, as well!
I’ll have to try this, but I’d be worried about soil contamination in the type of empty lots burdock likes to grow in.
I thinkmost of what we have in W WA lowlands is Claytonia (Montia) sibirica, which stays more lanceolate/egg-shaped. I’ve seen C. perfoliata, but normally more in CA and OR, only occasionally hereabouts. It’s still tastes great, with dandelion greens as mentioned, a little early sheep sorrel, and some salmonberry shoots.
great looking stuff. I don’t think I have ever had burdock root.
kab – Shhhh…what hubby doesn’t know can’t hurt him–in fact, it can help him in this case.
Ruralrose – Give it a try, you’ll dig it, so to speak.
Bpaul – Thanks!
Donata – What time of year are you spotting all these “roadkill foragers” on route 9?
gabrielamadeus – I hear you. Everyone’s comfort zone is different. Try to locate patches free of chemical spraying or agricultural runoff. Legacy soil contamination in urban areas is harder to evaluate.
Matt – You’re a root guy. Try some from Uwajimaya, then we’ll go get some from my spot, which is close to you.
AndrewM – Yeah, I find lots of C. sibirica in the Cascade foothills too. The young specimens tend to be even more lanceolate than C. perfoliata and have a more succulent look. The patch shown is C. perfoliata; some of the leaves in another nearby patch were starting to develop the characteristic round leaves, but it’s still early. On the eastern slopes of the Cascades I see a fair amount C. perfoliata, and down in OR & CA as you mention.
I love burdock but unfortunately it’s not so available in the States. Delicious recipe, thanks for posting!
Not yet played with burdock, although there’s no real reason. Funny you should mention artichoke heart taste, as I get that feeling when I eat salsify roots.
Maybe I’ll do a big ole’ farewell-to-winter root fiesta with burdock, salsify et al…
The stalks are wonderful too–my favorite wild forage (tho they do get your hands messy.) Now is the time to make a nice stir of gobo, evening primrose and wild carrot roots.
have you tried the siberian miners lettuce? Ive found that siberian patches around the sound outnumber the round leaf 10 to 1. Anyway; the siberian always gives me a slightly sore throat but the round leaf doesnt.
Lang- I just finished making this chowder with the razors we got yesterday. If my first taste test is any signal of what I’m going to enjoy in my bowl in moments then I’m excited.
Thanks for your generosity of spirit here on your blog and in your personal interactions.
Look out clams indeed!
Jenise
I just made this, but instead of blanching the nettles in water, I sautéed them very quickly in the olive oil. It seems to have worked well, and the smell is heavenly.
Be glad you missed the snowstorm which went through recently..
Welcome to Akieland..
What sort of environment does the bittercress grow in? I have been educating myself on the wild edibles in the Oauchitas (near the Ozarks), but that one has not come to my attention, so any help would be appreciated.
The henbit is particularly good this year as well for whatever reason..
Storm – Yeah, our timing was impeccable for once. We missed the big Ozark snowstorm of last week and this week’s nasty weather in Seattle. But I fear our luck is running out because it looks like we’ll be heading home just before the first flush of Arky morels. Anyway, look for bittercress…er…Cardamine…near human dwellings. My bro-in-law has it growing around his home in Silverdale; it’s also in Lake Fayetteville Park. Do you eat pokeweed?
I have not had poke yet, but if I am back in time (I have to travel to help family for a month) I am definitely going to get some this year. I identified it last year, but by the time I had a positive identification, it was too old to harvest safely (from what I understand).
Been looking for morels, or even some locals who can take me around to various ‘shroom spots, but no luck so far.. That said I have spotted some puffballs (the remains of them) and though it took me too long to positively identify, a false chicken of the woods which is edible..
I only moved to the area a couple of years ago, so I am still learning about what is available here.
Gotten any squirrel yet?
Wow, Fayetteville!
I just moved here in October, and then we had a baby in November, so I haven’t been out foraging much.
What would you say is most prolific here?
Or maybe the better question is, where should I start? I was getting pretty familiar with what grows in southern Michigan, but I’d hate to head out for a walk and miss the easiest plants around here just because they’re unfamiliar.
Thanks so much!
Like my Hot Springs grandma always warned, look out for the chiggers!
~Kate (arky gal back in Seattle)
Any idea if this would be growing up in Whatcom County? I just picked some fiddle heads up here and I’m thinking to find some miner’s lettuce as a nice side.
At this time of the year, I can’t *not* find miners lettuce of whichever species. It prefers more open deciduous forest, along paths, partly to mostly shady, pretty much everywhere except more salty/coastal, deep woods, or open meadows. You can also buy seeds for growing it, or maybe sneak a few plants from the woods. And it reseeds itself… generously.
it seems like that weed is available year round in seattle. and Ive noticed in my nibbling that some seem more bitter than others; but I guess that might be due to the season when picked
Langdon,
The hoary bittercress is pretty much done for here in Alabama. It’s in the mustard family. It’s one of the prime winter edible greens here. Whether you are in the city or country, you will find it. Some have big leaves, some have small ones. Restaurants here use it as a micro green.
Oh and I got your book as a Christmas present. Loved it!
If you are ever down in the deep south let me know.
mmm. Cardamine. Isn’t watercress a member of this same family? I’ve been seeing a plant that looks like a cross between watercress and bittercress growing out of the cracks of pavement in alleys. It tastes just like watercress but spicier and it has yellow flowers.
PS: I found a gigantic morel today! I’m in Vancouver, BC.
Love this post. Burdock is the bane of my fields (I live on a farm, and it shows up in paddocks, chicken coop, open field, you name it) but I have always loved gobo in Japanese restaurants and wondered if my annoying burdock could be redeemed. So happy you’ve given me the answer (not to mention yet another spring project.)
Mike – I’m no expert on the foraging possibilities in Arkansas but here are a few suggestions: If you’re from Michigan you no doubt enjoy a morel mushroom from time to time. Get out there RIGHT NOW for morels. Other local specialties include pokeweed, pawpaw, persimmon, and several species of nut. Plus you’ve got great panfishin’! Good luck.
Laughblog – I hear that. I got a bad case of poison ivy this trip but no ticks or chiggers, thankfully.
Seth – It does seem to be a year-round option in Seattle, which makes it especially important to those of us in the Northwest. As for taste, you might be eating more than one species–or maybe it’s a function of season. I haven’t taken tasting notes so I can’t say for sure. In any case, I haven’t found a Cardamine that I didn’t enjoy.
Farmer boy – That’s cool that Alabama restaurants use Cardamine as a micro green. I don’t think I’ve seen it on Seattle menus. BTW, I might be in your neck of the woods for a little boar hunting at some point…
Cameal – Yes, both Cardamine and watercress (genus Nasturtium) are brassicas, which includes some of our best tasting and most nutritious vegetables, wild and domestic. Your sidewalk cracker is probably bittercress, which is spicy and reminiscent of watercress. Congrats on the morel! I got goose-egged in Arkansas.
That’s a heck of a haul of bass, Lang, and it’s amazing how much they look like stripers. I like your minimalist approach to the tacos, too.
They fish white bass on the wide slow part of the Wolf River near Fremont, WI. The boats are practically side by side, and there is no daily bag limit.
Nice fish, eh.
Brett
Aye aye captain, off to make them now!
Oh, jeez. That’s what that weed is that is growing all over my entire yard. And I can eat it? Even better. I thought it was called turnip weed. Cooked or raw? I guess I’ll figure it out! Thanks!
Looks good and fun! But, why fillet them? We fry our fish that small after butterflying them, and the tail is the tastiest part!
I’ve been out there foraging and ate a bunch of mustard greens with Easter dinner. We froze enough to last through the summer.
Looking forward to salad days here, too, Lang. We’re some weeks behind you!
Heayll yeah! I used to whack ’em and stack ’em on the Rappahannock around this time of year. The old timer is right – on good days it is every cast! I used red wigglers as bait and it was money.
Few better fish to crispy-fry whole, and the fillets off the big ones are a lot like their cousin, Mr. Striper.
i know this is an old post but i HAD to comment. i think you are genius for that tempura razor clam roll. absolutely genius!!!
amazing…. I have never cooked with fiddleheads and only eaten them at restaurants, it is only after the fiddlehead season is over that I remember I can forage them myself…and then I feel silly buying them. Hopefully I am not too late this year.
I have always understood that fiddleheads from bracken are carcinogenic. Are you refering to some other fiddleheads?
Regards.
Megan – You’re not too late. Go get some!
Le Loup – These are lady fern fiddleheads; in the eastern U.S. you usually get ostrich ferns. Neither is considered carcinogenic. As for bracken fern, while studies have linked their fiddleheads to higher rates of stomach cancer, they’re considered a delicacy in Japan and were routinely eaten by Native Americans. Since charcoal grilled burgers are also carcinogenic, I suppose it comes down to one’s comfort level.
Thanks for the reply LC. Seeing as we don’t eat any fast foods, I think I will give the fiddleheads a miss!
Regards, Le Loup.
Your Frittata looks awesome, we’ll have to try it. We love fiddleheads, usually just steamed with a little lemon butter, but we’re still a few weeks away from their season in the Northeast. Ours are the ostrich ferns.
There’s a great, big patch of eastern fiddleheads (ostrich fern, as you noted, Lang) along a river near us here in Vermont. They probably won’t be up for another week or two. Thanks for the reminder to check soon!
When I lived on my farm in upstate New York (Watertown area), we gathered and cooked fiddlehead ferns (along with LOTS of ramps) every spring.
However, my experience with the northwest variety of the fiddle head is that they are rather fibrous and not nearly as tender as the northeast variety.
Have you used both varieties so as to compare?
Le Loup – As you’re in New England, I’d encourage you to give the ostrich fern fiddleheads a try. They’re the most choice of all and don’t pack the carcinogens found in bracken fern.
Sherry – The Frittata was killer. I’m envious of your ostrich fiddleheads–those are the best.
Tovar – Have you tried freezing fiddleheads? I pickled a bunch last year but might try freezing this time around. If you have a nice big patch nearby you might consider putting some up.
DocChuck – It’s true that the lady fern fiddlehead of the West Coast is not the equal of the ostrich, though I wouldn’t call it fibrous. Blanched and sauteed it’s still fairly tender, though it can be slightly bitter. I’ve never tried a side-by-side taste test, but that would be a worthy experiment.
Delightful looking frittata, Lang.
I had the chance to taste bracken and ostrich fiddleheads side by side last summer–prepared by wild foods author Teresa Marrone at a farmers market cooking demo. The ostrich fiddleheads were good; the bracken ones, absolutely fantastic, really a delicacy. So, while while I wouldn’t make a steady diet of them, I would take the risk.
We’re just a few days away from fiddlehead season here in MN/WI.
Cheers~ Brett
fantastic looking frittata mate. I really enjoy fiddleheads, they have such a unique taste.
Thanks LC, but look closely, that is New England Australia!
No, I haven’t tried freezing them. Would you blanch them first, do you think?
thanks for the recipe! must try it
hey there, I’m happy to have found your blog — I’m your latest follower. I found you via the nettle ravioli with sage butter recipe, which I may just have to try out this weekend. Your recipes look fantastic.
How wonderful to be able to dig for clams – especially those small clams like you got. wonderful pasta dish.
I love your site! Though we haven’t been living off the land too much yet (besides my own garden), I’m looking forward to summer camping trips and fresh fish tacos.
Freezing really doesn’t work! Soggy, sad mess. Even if you blanch them first 🙁
Was just searching for a recipe, spotted on on a blog a long time ago. Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to harvest some sunny yellow blooms and give this a go!
We’ve been enjoying dandelions and garlic mustard mixed in with out homegrown greens.
We’ve been eating Wild Weeds and Rice and Wild Green Salad almost everyday for the past several weeks!
Thank you for the inspiration! And thank you for the photo’s – they look great!
Ciao Chow Linda – The little littlenecks are super tender and delicious. You see them even smaller in restaurants, but for us recreational clammers we have to abide by size restrictions. In any case, I love ’em.
Emily – Thanks! There’s nothing better than a wild food feast by the campfire.
You inspired me: http://www.ahungrybearwontdance.com/2010/04/stinging-nettle-gnocchi-recipe.html
Oh wow. This looks fantastic; I can almost smell it. Thank you for another amazing post.
I love falling down the Internet’s culinary rabbit holes. I learn so much that way. And speaking of, I just remembered Malayasian food from another post I looked at today. There’s some near me, and now I’m jonesing (though you may have inspired me to just try my own hand).
I’ve only had cockles and soft shell clams and found that I preferred the cockles. Now you say the cockle is chewy, which I don’t find it to be bad, but I usually just eat it in chowders. What other clams are less chewy?
I’m always struggling to come up with ideas for fiddleheads, and last night I served them with a Korean-style dressing… I had no idea until reading this post that fiddleheads are also part of the Korean food culture. It makes sense — the salad was delicious.
The red bell pepper sounds interesting. I actually use a little tomato paste in my laksa to give it a more vivid colour. So delicious!
Banu – In researching this dish I ate it three times in two days. I’m still hungry for more.
Heather – We’ve got Malay Satay Hut nearby, which is decent. Singapore is calling you…
Curtis – Well, littlenecks for one are less chewy. Also, it’s easy to overcook cockles, at which point they’re like rubber. But as I say in the post, they more than make up for this with tremendous flavor. Cutting up the cockles helps.
M – Good call on the tomato paste. I’ll try it next time.
My ladyfriend and I chose your recipe! Thanks for posting it. Wish us luck for the weekend!
http://transatlantickitchen.blogspot.com/2010/04/recipe-12-dandelion-bread.html
Wow that looks delicious! I haven’t had laksa in a looooong while.. maybe I’ll give your recipe a whirl 🙂
I just had laksa in the famous Katong Laksa last week. The laksa which only a spoon can handle (no chopsticks required!) :p
holy crap, this looks awesome! I have read about Laksa a few times, but have yet to try it myself.
Lovely photos too mate!
SOunds great! I picked some dandelions the other day to make dandelion jelly with, perhaps I’ll try the wine soon too 🙂
I never thought about what dandelion wine might look like but yours is beautiful, and how great that your story turns on the intelligence of a wizened Lao woman. (Plus I like the old Lao guy and his eye-opener.) Thanks for posting on in-city foragings.
My wife and I made our first batch of Dandelion Wine (5 gallon) this year too. However we didn’t pull the petals out, we just destemmed and removed any stray leaves that we happened to pick. We picked over 5lbs! I do want to say the color of yours is just wonderful, whereas our is an ugly yellow-green…we used the recipe from “Stalking the Wild Asparagus”
LoveMeKnot – Go for it. I made jelly with 2 cups of leftover petals and will be posting about it soon. The jelly is like honey. So good.
Audrey – Picking dandelions in the neighborhood always results in meeting interesting people. 😉
Anonymous – I was pleased with the color too. My petals were mostly green-free plus the raisins added a rich depth to it. As for taste, we’ll know in nine months.
Can’t wait to hear about the how it is. What kind of special gear are you using for fermentation? Just a glass carboy and a one way water valve on the top?
So then what about razor clams? I’ve never had them, but they are obviously the most famous clam on our coast? What makes them so good?
Anyone have the receipe for Dandelion jelly?
Jaunty is one of my favorite words. The noon hops beverage is almost always a good call, esp when it’s a neighborly gesture and you don’t have a pressing PM docket. I can’t wait to taste some dandy wine!!
Curtis – Very basic setup: carboys, airlocks, the usual plastic tubes and pump. A bucket. Nothing too fancy. I’ll take a little sip when I rack it in three months and give an update.
Evalyn – Funnily enough I’ll be posting a recipe for Dandy Jelly in a couple days. Stay tuned…
im not sure if i could find enough dandelions is clean ground to do anything with them. this is cool looking though. reminds me of that country song “pickin wild flowers”
Thanks for posting this – I had missed it in the NY Times. I admire your tenacity – this is a real labor of love.
I am definitely going to make this! I bet it kind of tastes like honey. Maybe I’ll add some orange rind and star anise.
I was up in Sqamish the other day- not a lot of dandies left but I found wild ginger by the bucket. I’m thinking of making ginger marmalade.
This looks wonderful, and I just might be able to come up with enough blossoms soon to try it. Thanks!
Hey Lang,
Hoping your spring goes well! Ah, you have discovered the shocking secret of preserves – that jellies are not quite the simple and lowly members of the clan, but rather the most challenging – especially those w/o pectin!
Carry on, lad.
Yes, jellies are challenging, but totally do-able! I think it’s great you made this, and loved the NYT article as well.
I just made dandelion honey–so called because it set so soft. I used pectin (you have to have pectin) just not commercial pectin. I used the natural pectin found in apples. But however you make it, dandelion jelly is delicious.
Fabulous! So glad you were inspired by the story to make it yourself. It’s a real labor of love, as you know, but well worth it. I read your dandelion wine post with great interest too, as I have some fermenting in a friend’s basement right now (any tips for a newbie?) Looking forward to reading more of your wonderful posts.
Ciao Chow Linda – A labor of love that’s now officially an annual calendar event. 😉
Cameal – Orange rind would be perfect. Your ginger marmalade has me thinkin’…
Sherry – Here in Seattle we’re past the peak of dandy flowering, but in NH you might be right in the heart of it now. Good luck.
Doc – Good point. You’re correct about jellies. As I mostly make jams I’ve got a fair bit to learn about the persnickety relative.
Julia – What’s your process for extracting the apple pectin?
Ava – Welcome to FOTL. You’ll find your sort of peeps hanging around here. And thanks for the inspiration. I’m enjoying your NYTimes pieces immensely.
Extracting apple pectin? It’s basically simmering tart chopped apples (skin, seeds and all) then straining and saving the juice, which will be high in pectin. There are more details, of course, and there are many recipes on line and in preserving books for making apple pectin stock.
Here’s a link to a jelly I made using apple pectin: http://whatjuliaate.blogspot.com/2009/11/earl-grey-tea-jelly.html
I’m not a great step-by-step recipe giver, but it gives you the general idea. Hope this isn’t too dull; I’m sort of a jelly geek!
The one and only time I’ve ever had dandelion jelly was at my aunt and uncle’s ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, when I was 7 years old. It was like golden sunshine on toast. Amazing and unforgettable. I’ve often wondered whether it existed outside of my aunt’s kitchen. Thanks for sharing it.
you and your yard munching antics… 🙂
Lovely stuff mate. I never thought of making a jelly like this.
Thanks for the receipe. I’ll give it a try, mabe add apple peel to the cooking then strain it out. Also wonder if more lemon juice would help.
I made elderberry “jelly” this year and tho it’s wonderful stuff, it’s still syrup. Just add a teaspoon to a cup of tea and it’s a heavenly treat.
First, what a sweet story about your son. Second, I LOVE dry-fried whatever.
I’ve had the same problem with the recipes that call for chicken breast… I’ve given up, and just chicken thighs. Always juicy, and it widens the cooking window so that I can fry it until it’s really crispy.
Nice twist! I love dry fried green beans and asparagus, I’ll definitely try this.
Good for Riley!
I like your Sichuan experiment! Agreed that chicken thighs are the better cut for stir-fry. (Chicken breasts are affectionately known as “white guy meat” in our house.) You could mix the chicken chunks with a generous pinch of cornstarch ten minutes before frying, to crisp the outside and keep moisture in.
Also I’ve abandoned my wok for the cast iron skillet … many of the woks you get stateside don’t get hot enough to do the toasty exterior you want without burning.
I love fiddleheads as a stand-in for green beans or asparagus in this dish. Just gorgeous. I bet a black bean sauce would be nice with this, too.
YESYESYES! I just read her article too, and also tried my hand at dandelion jam. A great day we had foraging for this “weeds” and making a delectable treat.
Julia – Thanks, and I’m with you: Out with breasts, in with thighs.
Barnaby – Dry-fried green beans are just about my favorite too, but the fiddleheads are a change-up that you’ll enjoy.
Audrey – I have a Joyce Chen wok, which is supposed to be decent, but what do I know? I like the corn starch idea. Maybe that helps to seal in the juices better. Thanks!
Heather – A black bean sauce might be better. One thing I was thinking was that the slight bitterness of the fiddleheads needed something else as a counterweight. More experimenting necessary…ha!
I’ve picked 1 1/2 cups of flowers and headed out to pick more! (I have a neighbor who’s got tons and rarely mows). I made violet jelly yesterday from all the violets in my lawn… it’s wonderful! And a lovely color as well. It may be something you want to try…similar recipe – 2 cups flowers (with violets you don’t need to remove the green!) 2 cups of hot water to infuse… up to 24 hours, 2 cups of sugar, 1pkgof liquid pectin. I did 4 cups of flowers (lots of violets in my lawn!) so ended up with 11 1/2 pints of jelly. Realy good.
I just came home from a weekend spent digging clams and foraging for seaweed. Timely post 🙂
love the writing on this post! Wish I could have been there running amok with the drunken midgets! Can’t wait for some pasta and clams!
I agree, the shellfish are great right now!
And btw – did my first dive for spotted shrimp last night. We didn’t see a lot (apparently there was more on the opening Saturday), but we did get the ones we saw and it was a blast!
“2. Reduce heat to medium, stir in dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, and cook until fragrant, a couple minutes.”
You forgot “Turn fan on warp speed and don’t breath!”
And some traditional recipes have you marinate the chicken/shrimp/pork/whatever in rice wine with ginger & green onion, then use a egg white & cornstarch wash to seal the meat. Then remove, proceed with the rest and add back near the end.
Renai – What sort of seaweed ddi you get? I’ve been meaning to pickle some bull kelp.
Kirsten Lindquist – Running amok just begins to describe it! Good times with the halfpints.
Ra – How do you catch spot shrimp while diving?
I was so intrigued by the idea if ‘gelified honey’ I foraged some gold(en flowers) and made my first jelly!
It was very tasty! I flubbed the pectin a bit and got some lumps but other than that all went as planned.
I skipped the canning part ( thought I did put the jelly in canning jars) and put in the fridge. We will eat it within a day or two, so spoiling shouldn’t be an issue.
I’m taking half of the batch with me to the Sustainable Capitol Hill meeting tonight. Some one from the Transition Town movement will be tking about Transition Seattle. As I have mixed feelings about the whole Transition Town thang , I’m interested to see what they have to say. And to share my Dent de Lion Jelly too! 🙂
I had this for dinner tonight! Delicious. My crusty baguette has found another friend in this surf and turf egg dish.
I need to try this! Thanks for inspiring me!
Wow, I just got a little heart attack from this beauty. The morels really gild the lily.
It would have been cooler if you’d gone out with actual drunken midgets. Now THAT would be a Kodak moment…
😉
Hangtown Fry – a classic old school dish. Various versions of this recipe are still served in a few San Francisco restaurants… thank goodness!
That is gorgeous. Very creative.
Hello,
My name is Amanda and I am a Food Safety Advisor/ Master Canner/ Volunteer with the Unniversity of Idaho. I would advise against making this kind of jelly. Dandelions are a weed, I know alot of people eat them, but canning them is differnt. There isn’t any tested recipe for dandelion jelly. Here is a link to a website of tested recipes from the University of Georgia. You should only preserve foods from tested recipes.
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html
I’m not trying to upset anyone here so I hope you understand where I’m coming from. I wouldn’t want to hear about someone getting sick from Clostridium botulinum from unsafe canning metheds.
I found an 8-9 lb. one yesterday in West Seattle. It’s about 15″ x 13″ and 7-1/2″ high! It’s beautiful and barnacled. We sliced it open and made some 1/2-inch thick “steaks”. One steak filled each frying pan. We fried them in butter and sprinkled with garlic salt, cooking until the outsides were golden. Yum! Tasted like soft buttery super-tender sauteed chicken breast. Kind of melted in your mouth.
I’ve got a question. When we sliced it, scattered in the dense white flesh were small translucent “stripes”, reminding me of a few random-placed, severely-underdeveloped gills. These seemed to weep out moisture when fried. Do you know what these translucent “stripes” could be? They definitely are part of the mushroom, not worm-holes. And they seemed to be located in the flesh nearest the outer edges of each “bloom”, not in the flesh at the center.
Thanks.
Was there ever a winner for this contest?
Hello again, though a friend at the U of I ext. We found a publication where it say’s it’s safe to can dandelion jelly! I’m sorry if I hurt anyone’s feeling’s with my other post… Hear is the website that has the jelly plus other wild berries you can make jams and jellies with..
http://ces.uwyo.edu/PUBS/B-735.pdf
You never cease to amaze me. Who knew about maple blossoms?
Yeah, I second that comment from Linda! About the mapple blossoms–can you eat then whenever ? Or do you want to gather them when the blossoms first open? A little more info. would be much appreciated. 😀
Amber
that looks absolutely beautiful!!
Ciao Chow Linda & Amber – I’m just starting to experiment with maple blossoms. Can’t remember where I first heard about them as edibles, but I doubt they’ll ever become a major food source for me–more of a novelty. The taste is subtle. Not sure how the flavor of the blossoms changes over the course of their flowering. I’ve seen pictures of harvested blossoms that run the gamut from mostly closed to fully blooming. Also, I wonder about other species of maple. I’ll post more info as I get it.
Sandi – Thanks!
Anonymous – Hangtown Fry will be giving Po’boys stiff competition in our kitchen.
Heather – Yeah, I figured the morels might put a few of you over the top… Have you been on the hunt yet?
Dawn – I love me some old school!
r. hurd – Wish I could call it my invention but I’m happy to bask in the creativity of others.
As I child in SF, I had Hangtown Fry for Saturday lunch ever Saturday at Jack’s. Now that I am on the east coast, I have not been able to convince anyone of the correctness of this combination. Your post has strengthened my resolve.
Janice (from gigabiting.com)
I remember discovering how wonderful maple blossoms smelled – didn’t know you could eat them!
Naomi
Pretty dish! Ron from Herbfarm had been talking about big-leaf maples, which we don’t get this far south. Need to get up there at some point and try them.
Wowwwww….
I just made this. Excuse my language, but holy shit! Where has this recipe been all my life??? It’s perfect! It tastes like the most amazing honey ever, just as I was hoping it would.
Thank you SO much for sharing!
Naomi – The smell of maple blossoms is indeed wonderful–and the taste, though subtle, might surprise you.
Hank – Reminds me I need to call Ron and get us some rezzies!
Bed Frames – I’ve gotten to the point where I just walk out the back door and randomly grab handfuls of herbs from the garden. Can’t go wrong!
I picked some wood sorrel for my Feasts and Festivals hermit’s supper here in Cornwall last weekend, then chickened out of eating it – wish I’d seen your post first!
Ok, so in your next book I want a section on sauces. Sorrel Sauce, Maple blossom pesto, etc. Please.
Looks beautiful – can’t wait to try!
We have what I grew up calling sourgrass, or dog-pee grass, because of where it seems to grow best. It’s got a big, yellow flower.
Funny enough, but we never ate it.
After tasting a piece of sorrel at the Olympia Farmers Market opening day a couple of months ago, I remembered how much I like the tart flavor. I now have a row of sorrel growing inbetween the spinach and lettuces. I didn’t have much of a plan of what to do with it when it is ready, but of course (!) it sounds great with salmon. Now I have a recipe. Merci.
Liz – Well, discretion is the better part of valor as they say. Now that you know for sure, go ahead and give it a try. BTW, love Cornwall.
Evalyn – Memo to self: Need more sauciness!
Jacqueline – It’s #TrueFood for sure.
Josh – Oxalis/wood-sorrel is also called sourgrass in some quarters. Goes to show how common names can be confusing.
Lara – It’s used in rock gardens a lot too; makes a very attractive ground cover. I’m all about the edible yard.
Wow! Enlightening. I will be a regular to your blog for sure. I am just learning about all of the loal foraging our area has to offer.
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This looks fabulous! I love that you added fresh morels and bacon in with the oysters. Your pics of the Hangtown Fry make me hungry. I have been learning about Pacific Northwest Oysters and didn’t know that there are at least 70 varieties available. Do you have a favorite for cooking with -vs- raw?
Chef David – http://www.chefs-resources.com/Oysters
weirdo dandelions havie healing properties and been made into lots of wonderful eats and canned for many moons before you go boast your food safety w/e try old skool, grammas know best!! been making dandelion jelly and canning it for years its good for the body mind and soul,,food safety phsfft…
YUM, I love wood sorrel – in fact anything sorrel. Great dish mate!
Thanks for the recipe! I really enjoyed collecting the flowers and had a nice walk through the neighborhood. Although a bit labor intensive, plucking all the tiny yellow petals, it was totally worth it. It DOES taste like gelified honey! I enjoy it on my homemade mini raisin-fennel seed ciabattas….toasted, of course. Delish!
I see that you’re interested and fascinated in food stuffs. This is awesome Spring Risotto with Morels, Fiddleheads & Asparagus. You see, we have this food site Foodista.com (http://www.foodista.com) that is a food and cooking encyclopaedia that everyone and anyone can edit. Maybe you are interested in sharing some of recipes to us or share your knowledge about food stuffs and techniques. Don’t hesitate to check us out. I hope to see you there.
Cheers!
I agree, the name of the recipe really says it all. Do you have any idea how long morel season will last? I was out this week and didn’t see any after finding pounds…
For the last couple of days I’ve been searching for Pineapple Weed Express and finally I stumble into your blog, it has great info on what I’m looking and is going to be quite useful for my studies.
BTW is amazing how many generic viagra blogs I manage to dodge in order to get the right site and the right information…lol
Thanks for the post and have a nice day
See, I have this problem with your blog…..everytime you make something that looks REALLY good, I can’t just go out to my grocery store, or heck, my backyard for that matter (and trust me, it’s a BIG back yard) and replicate it. It’s not fair–now for the next week I’m just gonna be thinking about risotto w/morels, fiddleheads & asparagus! ; D
Amber
I had similar thoughts as Anonymous up there. I read the recipe and just have no idea where to find fiddleheads. I guess I’ll need to put some effort into my quest.
Recipe sounds perfect for this overcast May day. Fresh veg and comforting risotto.
I have been reading you for a long time because I love your subjects. But can I just say that this is some of the most beautiful writing you have done since your surgery? Really, more than the regular pleasure to read.
Debs….western Washington
What a wonderfully seasonal meal of freshly foraged, local goodies. The combination of flavors with these three spring gems is unparalleled. Thank you!
Great stuff. Here in Oregon we don’t have many Geoduck, if any. Would Gapers work for the sashimi recipe? It sounds amazing.
I just read about horse clams in the tidal flats in Edmonds. I assume they’re not edible. True?
Good to read more about the bounty of Hood Canal as we are trying to justify purchasing a (super cheap) getaway near there. It would be a great opportunity for a glorified clam shack as we did NO razor clamming this year b/c we didn’t have time for the drive from Seattle and back.
blimey, that is work isn’t it! So I saw on an episode of River Cottage a rather interesting way to catch geoduck – find the little blow hole in the sand, and pour in a little salt. Apparently it irritates the clam, and makes it surface. Seemed to work on the telly anyhow!
The most fun I ever had at the ocean was when I was 8 or 9 digging for geoducks with my dad on the WA coast, lying flat out on the beach with my arm suctioned deep into the sand feeling around for geoduck. Just like Laurel. And then the feast later which my dad took full charge of and which you obviously do too.
Lang, your photos and meals are gorgeous. Really! Along with the spinning of great stories, it’s a pleasure to visit.
Christine – Big fan of Foodista here. I’ve contributed a bunch of wild food recipes and will add this one as well. Thanks.
Julia – The season really depends on where you live. Morels are winding down now in most parts of the country, but up here in the PacNW we’re just getting started. It’s been a cool & wet spring, so the morels are a little late. I’ve been getting them since early May and will continue to hunt through June at higher elevations and even into July in some parts.
Amber – So sorry to put these thoughts in your head…but they’re good thoughts after all. If foraging is out of the question, maybe try your local farmers market–or there’s always mail-order…
Jennie – Click on the “fiddlehead” label at bottom of post to see my other fiddlehead posts. You’ll learn about species, habitat, cleaning & cooking. Since this is a blog and not a web site (I know, a semantical division) I don’t bother to explain the how-to stuff in each post, but you’ll find relevant info by poking around.
John – Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone!
Rainsong/Debs – You just made my day…thanks!
Matt – I’ve used gapers for chowder. They might be too tough for sashimi but give a try and report back your findings.
Carbzilla – Alas, I don’t think there’s any clamming open around Edmonds these days. If you get a little retreat on Hood Canal you’ll be buying into one of the great shellfish factories of the West Coast, this despite the best efforts of residents who refuse to install updated septic systems and other abominations that are heaped upon the water quality on a daily basis.
Matt – Were those razor clams on River Cottage? Once a baby geoduck burrows down into the substrate it’s pretty much stuck there three feet under for the remainder of its life. Unlike a razor, an adult geoduck’s foot isn’t strong enough to dig. Anyway, you’re right: It’s a lot of work–but worth it!
Sally – Always glad to have you stop by. Your memories of geoduck hunting with your dad are priceless. I hope my kids feel the same way when they’re older. Sometimes they think their dad is a little nutty…
Nice adaptation of the Fuschia Dunlop recipe, and I love the idea of morels and geoduck together. What chili bean paste do you use?
Could you recommend a good, trustworthy book on foraging in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest? I would so appreciate it.
Love your blog!
To quote another famous Seinfeld episode: “No soup for you!” OTOH, food ethnology & cultural interchange are wonderful, and nowhere is that more visible in the ultimate melting pot of the US. Kudos for a brilliant adaptation/creation.
This Sunday’s low tide will yield: neck sashimi with lime/chile/nuoc mam sauce, belly fritters gone Asian, and quick grilled Korean marinated mantle
That geoduck is incredible, I had never even heard of such a clam. Also, love what you did with it. Is a lot of your food asian influenced? Anyways, thought you should check out my web series (weekly videos) about local food, foraging, hunting etc. http://www.theperennialplate.com – last week’s episode is about the wild edibles all around us here in Minnesota. Anyways, keep up the good work.
Thanks
Twice the dandelion petals, and a teaspoon of ginger really brought out the dandelion flavor, but I need more ginger in order to actually taste it against the much stronger dandelion flavor.
Next I’ll try it in cornbread.
As with verpas, my opinion is the danger is overblown. While I agree that it is probably not a good idea to eat large quantities on a regular basis, I doubt these are much of a safety risk for people who don’t have a sensitivity/allergy to them and don’t overindulge.
Most years I eat a few meals worth. I find the taste much more assertive than you described, with some bitterness, but I’d guess that might be due to a difference in preparation. (I parboiled, but didn’t let them sit in the water until it cooled.)
On a related note, a friend found some snowbank false morels (gyromitra gigas) this weekend. That’s another area of extreme controversy in the forager world, although David Arora gives them the thumbs-up as a safe edible. I doubt our friends in Eugene share this view. 😉
I’ve been privileged to come across a plate of deliciously butter-laden bracken just once in my life — and it was a delight. Each spring I vow to have the experience again… though fiddleheads seem more difficult to come by here than you might expect! So, no, I’m not too frightened. Everything in moderation, I say!
I’ve eaten them in Japan and a few times in PA, where they are the most prevalent plant in the surrounding woods. As you say, it’s a short season and I feel safe eating a limited quantity.
Personally I see no point in eating something like that unless I have to. 2-3 weeks without food and I am starving, fine, eat the ferns, but otherwise why take the risk however small. Just makes no sense to me.
With respect and regards, Le Loup.
I like the idea of wild foods, but in this case why not grow some kale in your garden and eat that. Good for you and much safer.
Bracken is eaten just about every day in South Korea. Deelish. It always cracked me up that I was eating something that sounded like it comes from the bottom of a swamp.. I’m quite confident that the intestinal cancer rates in S.Korea and Japan are much lower than in the US, probably due to lower rates of meat consumption and higher rates of wild food consumption! I had many an amazing meal of ‘mountain herbs’ while living there.
I absolutely love fiddleheads, but given the variety of ferns available in my area, I won’t eat the bracken. Too much cancer running in my family to risk it. I also wouldn’t want them growing near my well.
We posted our thoughts on this same subject on our blog. We came to a similar conclusion. http://foragingfamily.blogspot.com/2010/05/bracken-fern-cancer-and-precaution.html
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a couple months ago i took a bike ride to my secret bracken addled greenbelt on mercer island and every inch of that acre had been picked clean; every nook and cranny. makes me wonder if those fiddleheads I bought at Uwjamaia were bracken and not ladies like I assumed
John – Good to hear from you again. I thought this post might roust you out of your spiderhole. I’m not ready to take the Gyromitra Challenge yet!
Lo – My problem is the moderation part…
Ellen – That’s what’s so annoying about all this–bracken is common to the point of being considered a weed in some parts.
Le Loup – As mushroom hunters say, when in doubt, throw it out.
Anonymous – But then I couldn’t stir the pot.
Claire – Swamp-eaters unite!
Flandrumhill – Some controversy about the groundwater issue. Bottom line is we need more data.
Thag – Thanks, will check out your post.
Seth – Bummer. Not sure which variety they sell at Uwajimaya. Bracken fiddleheads aren’t scroll-shaped.
Lang – predictable this one would bring me out of the woodwork! Been a busy year and I haven’t been able to get as much foraging in as I’d like to. I’ll send an email with some morel info (mostly on more places they aren’t, ha!)
Thag – thanks for the link to your post, you did an excellent job of addressing the subject of risk factors in foraging. Great blog as well, I will be following it!
SO WHERE’D YOU GET THOSE SPRING PORCINI?
Thanks for this post. I’ve been thinking about whether or not to start eating bracken again…I grew up eating bracken by the handful every spring, raw and cooked, not at all in moderation, until my parents heard about the carcinogen angle and made us all stop. I miss that flavor.
So glad you posted this – I had swapped messages with Jon about bracken fern we’d had in Hawaii in March and was a little freaked about it. We didn’t prepare it in the way you’d (or he’d) suggested, mostly because we didn’t know how to prepare it – but maybe if we get another chance we’d try it this way instead. Great, great article though. I think people see this all the time and wonder if it’s edible like a fiddlehead.
I made a meatloaf with a modified version of this recipe. The base recipe from Fat of the Land is terrific, and was a large part of my success.
I substituted a 50:50 mixture of ground venison and pork for the turkey and replaced half of the Chanterelles with black trumpets (Craterellus cornucopoides). The woodsy pungency of the black trumpets was a great match to the gaminess of the venison. Delicious.
Looking around for recipes for a edible plants talk I’m doing. I usually do an oxalis and lettuce salad, but this would be tons yummier! Thanks!
BTW, ‘sourgrass’ was the first plant I taught my son to identify. He loves it. It will be fun to make this for him. Thanks again!
I recall the flavour of bracken fern as something like a slightly bitter almond. It kind of freaked me out a bit because that’s the supposedly the flavour of cyanide and bracken have a bad reputation for being cancerous. But then I consider car exhaust, cellular radiation, deodorant, cigarettes, alcohol, plastic, scented candles, etc etc etc which I’m exposed to almost daily and think: if I’m spending a day out in the wilderness and eating bracken fern, I’m still probably avoiding many other forms of cancer by getting out of the city and not using deodorant. At that point, all my concerns about it melt away and I munch the fern happily.
Rather than taking a risk of stomach cancer, we should enjoy the non-toxic Matteuccia struthiopteris, which is a native of vermont and can be easily grown in the NW! Almost too easily, as it likes to take over, but grows very well in the dry shade.
Wow, slamming on the brakes for elderberry flowers… I miss my farm in Minnesota! Lovely post.
Don’t forget the elderflower martini, either. It goes great with a fresh cherry as a garnish.
Kirsten – The tight canyon u-turn that followed had my passengers even more on edge. Luckily they well understood the impulse…see below…
Hank – So how *did* you feel about that heel-toe work in the trusty VW? We’ll shake up some eldertinis next. The Rainier cherry garnish is genius; unlike other annoying garnishes that bump your mouth or poke your eye, the cherry just spins on its axis, never getting in the way of a good gulp, until you’re ready to dispatch it. And it looks purty too.
I made this a couple of weeks ago, v similar recipe- it’s perfect for ‘improving’ cheap sparkling wine, adding to gooseberries, diluting with fizzy water, flavouring ice cream and cheesecake, and the hedgerows here in Cornwall are thick with it…
I made elderflower syrup and an infused elderflower liqueur this year – I actually liked the syrup better than the booze. From now on I’ll just make syrup and use it as a mixer.
My next batch of syrup (there are some wonderful blue elder trees right down the street from my house), I think I will go a little heavier on the lemon zest – it got lost in the powerful aroma of the flowers.
We’ve been drinking elderflower syrup in home-fermented kombucha, or with a simple tonic water. Delicious!
I’m sure you know, I’m so sure you know, but we SWEAR by elderberry syrup for anything close to a common cold. It is amazing. And delicious.
Oh now I do wish I had jumped on the nettle season at our farm. We probably have 1/2 and acre in shady “cultivation”. I wonder, does the food processor allow for older nettles to be used?
I can’t hear about elderberries without thinking of the Monty Python taunting Frenchmen, “I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and you father smelt of elderberries!”
Maple blossoms how exciting! The rest of the plate is fabulous too. GREG
I do eat fern shoots a lot and I guess I’m not going to worry about it. My wife is Korean and I don’t know any Koreans who don’t eat it. We stir fry the fern tendrils that we buy in the Korean market in packets of brine with other vegetables much the way one would cook snow peas or snap beans. When I hike in fiddlehead season I often put a little salt water in a plastic nalgene bottle and pick the shoots as I walk placing them in the bottle. Later, even days later, I can pull them out of the bottle and peel the hairs or tiny leaves off of them and heat them like beans in a pot over a fire with whatever else I have as flavoring. I’ve never worried much about the toxicity but then again I’m not a botanist or an expert of any kind. The only time I ever even thought about the toxins was on a recent 10 day hike in the Pasayten wilderness where there were so many shoots that I began to worry that maybe ten days of bracken might push me over the edge into some super toxic category of danger. Happily that was not the case or doesn’t appear to be yet…
I live in “Old Hangtown” but my favorite rendition is two and a half ours west of here in Point Reyes Station at the Pine Cone Diner…fresh oysters are key.
Pike (XXXXX) Stout.. once shipped across the US, now unknown (to me anyway) anywhere outside of the Pacific Northwest.. A wonderful stout, and about as far as you can get from a pilsner! No wonder it was a shock to the taste buds!
A four-pounder, eh? Wow. And aren’t horsenecks and geoducks two different clams? We don’t really get geoducks in California, but we have horsenecks all the way to SF.
Still need to go get me summa dat…
Storm – I was only too happy to take care of the half-finished stouts myself!
Hank – You’re thinking of the horse clam, also known as the gaper. Geoducks are sometimes called horsenecks but really neck is not the piece of equine anatomy that comes to mind…
Good point! Even Flippers in Ocean Shores went out of business and that was some of the best fish and chips I’d ever had!
Carbzilla – I remember Flippers! We looked for it recently (a year ago maybe?) and couldn’t find it. Sad to hear of its demise.
Your recipe looks great I will try it. I’m from the Boston area and if you have never tried New England fried clams you don’t know what you are missing. I know you couldn’t duplicate this with a large “chewy” clam. You need small tender clams and the Ipswich river has the best.
Are you aware of any place in your area that will ship fresh geoducks overnight to Maryland?
I have visited Puget Sound several times in the last 5 years, but have yet to experience this clam.
Suggestions would be appreciated.
DocChuck
Anonymous – I cut my teeth on Cape Cod clams as a kid, steamers and quahogs. My first clam digging memory is watching my dad wade into the bay near Eel River up to his neck and feel around the bottom with his toes. Those are some good clams!
DocChuck – Check out Taylor Shellfish. They farm geoduck and sell abroad, so I’m guessing they could get you some overnight. Enjoy.
I noticed the same thing when I lived in Kodiak – freshest, most wonderful seafood I’ve ever tasted, but nowhere to get it already cooked. A little fish shack like the ones in every small town back home would’ve been a perfect fit.
These look great!
Here’s another fave recipe of mine for steamers.
Steamer clams with dill, white wine and butter
http://wp.me/puWta-5p
I was with you until the last paragraph. I made a batch of this last year, and found it less “tart edge” and more “weirdly bitter”. Works with lamb, but not on toast.
Is this a procedure you’ve refined over the years, or just a matter of taste? I’m wondering if my food mill didn’t let in too many skins.
I will NOT even entertain the IDEA of allowing something so vile and X-RATED into my kitchen. My husband is bad enough.
Your homemade PB&J looks yummy!
Maria – I would call our spread slightly tart but definitely not “weirdly bitter.” Were your berries at peak ripeness? Maybe the food-mill is suspect. Ours did a bang-up job of culling out the seeds and skins. Give it another go this summer.
Garcon – Rudy’s organic white, Trader Joe’s creamy organic peanut butter, and wild Oregon-grapes from behind my daughter’s pre-k. Simple and good!
That’s one of the prettiest images of PBJ ever. This recipe might just turn me on to grape jam.
Now that you’ve taken up hunting, you’ll be able to see just how well oregon grape jelly goes with venison. Delicious. Also, we use a berry comb to harvest:
http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=57086&cat=2,2120,33277
and a steam juicer to extract the juice, a little energy intensive, but beautiful clear juice.
We have a cabin up in Quilcene area, Hood Canal. We have lots of oysters and clams but I have never tried to find geoducks before. Our beach has a lot of rocks, pebbles so I was wondering if we can still find geoducks here. I’m going to try looking for the geoduck lairs the next time I’m out there.
i’ve seen oregon grapes around the city, but do you know they aren’t using pesticides or just don’t care? i’m just wondering how paranoid i need to be about foraging for things around the city
We had some Oregon grapes growing in the backyard this year, but it seems the chickens are less willing to wait for full ripeness than I am. Every little berry has been expertly plucked right off the stem.
Guess that just means I’ll have to keep an eye out for them elsewhere (and fence them off next year).
In the meantime, I plan on exploring some recipes with wild (actual)grapes which grow abundantly in some of my favorite late-summer camping areas. I’d assume a similar jelly can be made?
Beautifully done. Nice to get some nettles though as you say, it is worrying to get them so early in the year.
I’ve been in a canning way these days, and was actually thinking about Oregon grape jelly. Sour grapes, indeed – but removing the skins does help.
I’ve always enjoyed eating those wild berries whenever I’m in Europe and I wish they grew around here. Lucky you live in a place where you can find them.The tartlets were a great idea.
They say they have Huckleberries here in the south but I have not seen them besides you are likely to find snakes with them. Of all the huckleberries I’ve picked, from Priest Lake to Sisters in Oregon, the best were the grape sized dark purple ones we got, every other year, near Mt. St. Helens, when it was a mountain.
I am going try your tartlets using blueberries and homemade creamcheese and honey.
The berries do seem a bit slow this year, probably from our long cool spring… However, I just spent a week in North Idaho in the Priest Lake area and was able to pick about a half gallon of huckleberries at lake level. While I’d hesitate to say they were “abundant”, I did see a lot of green berries, and even a few bushes still in flower.
There should be much better prospects in the next couple of weeks.
VERY cute picture of your daughter!
Strange – This year, the red huckleberries on Bainbridge Island are some of the biggest I’ve seen – Maybe our microclimate is just different enough? They’re not weighing the branches down in numbers, but I’ve found more than a few almost blueberry-sized huckleberries in the last couple of weeks.
I love fruit tarts but have never tried to make them. Thrilled to start.
Your pictures are beautiful. Im always surprised by the delicious bounty right in our backyard. With your blog and theperennialplate.com (they did an episode on which greens –previously looked at as weeds– are edible), my food world is expanding. Very exciting. Thank you.
Ciao Chow Linda – You might look for wild blueberries in your hood. Domestic varieties were bred from those East Coast Vacciniums long ago.
3rivers – I like those purple mountain hucks too! Vaccinium membranaceum, the thin-leaf huckleberry, is the one you find on the roadside stand and farmers market, and probably the one you remember from Mt. St. Helens. It’s still around, post-blast.
Cloxdog – Priest Lake is a place I need to spend more time at. Do much mushrooming around there?
Hank – She takes after her mother!
Rebecca – Another excuse to hop a ferry to Bainbridge… Those microclimates have a funny sense of humor, yes? Be happy with your bounty because a professional forager I talked to said he was having a miserable year with red hucks.
Mila – Tarts are not my everyday fare. I was skeptical until my daughter took the first bite, then relieved as she pronounced it worthy. The sweet cheese balances the tartness of the berries well. Glad you’re enjoying the adventure in wild foods.
LC – No, I haven’t done much mushrooming myself as I lack the knowledge to be comfortable doing so… but I have eaten and bought Morels from the locals in the spring. I’ve also seen Matsutake being harvested during the fall.
LC,
I havn’t visited in quite some time, and I am glad to see that everything looks as delicious as ever!
Those tarts do look yummy!
Best regards,
Albert
Catching Rats, Human Rats!
The perfect hiking experience…
I plant weeds too :). My neighbours hate it– I have a garden full of dandelions, lambs quarters, nettles, yarrow, and mallow.
Purslane is my favourite though, I just love the flavour of it. I saw a big bunch growing in a flower bed about a week ago, but I didn’t know whether the flower bed owner used weird chemicals or not… do you just pick yours from anywhere, or are you careful about pesticides and road fumes and stuff like that?
I grow it in my garden, but honestly can’t say I’ve seen it here native. Maybe I’m not looking hard enough, but it’s certainly not the weed that lamb’s quarter is, for ex. Whatever the case, it’s really nice, and I’ve made a lot of purslane fans simply by introducing it in salads to guests. Very underrated green, no question.
never heard of purslane, then again we are not famous for our salads, I love to experiment and this I would definetly enjoy..
I’ve always wanted to try this and now that I’ve come back from vacation to a weed-infested garden, I have more than enough of that ingredient. Purslane – It’s what’s for dinner.
Rebecca – Good for you! We’re driving down the real estate values of our respective ‘hoods as we eat. I finally mowed the front lawn the other day–there was a collective sigh of relief up and down the block.
Re: chemicals: I’m careful about where I pick. Luckily the stigma of using nasty lawn chemicals seems to be taking root in my area.
Kevin – It’s a good “starter weed” for sure to hook in the unsuspecting.
Jelena – You might ask around. Purslane is pretty wide-spread. I think it originated in Eurasia–it’s been used in India and Mediterranean countries for centuries. Good luck.
Ciao Chow Linda – I’m confident you’ll love it. Wish I had some of your juicy Jersey tomatoes to go with.
love purslane! Too bad I didn’t know about it as an edible plant when I was pulling it out of my huge minnesota garden years ago. live and learn!
Had some delivered in my CSA delivery this week, never even saw it before but going to make it tonight! 🙂
i just saw a neighbor with barrels of this growing on their stoop, and i wondered why they needed so much of a rather undistinguished-looking plant. now, i may have to steal some.
I believe I have purslane trying to crowd out my new asparagus bed I planted this year (I have been bad about weeding). What I am wondering is if purslane can get so large that it is no longer tasty. I have some very large stems on my weeds.
I was so excited by this post that I went out for some native blackberries and whatever else I could find! Along my drive I found a few fantastic spots of thimbleberries, too. Instead of corn starch, I just used some salal berries to thicken it up. Delicious!
Glad to see someone else giving saskatoons some love.
So glad you didn’t miss the Amelanchier entirely; I look forward to them every year: http://www.gardenbytes.com/2010/06/berry-alert.html
I am a big fan of purslane – I’ve grown the fat-leaved German variety as a garden plant many a time. It is one of the best hot-weather greens out there, too.
We call ’em service berries, and we just made jam with a little rhubarb in it. Yumm… I also read somewhere awhile ago that they used to be called poor mans blueberries. Perfect for me, I have about 5 quarts frozen in my freezer.
I made this soup over the weekend- it was fantastic! By the way, what is Chinese Wine? I’ll be making this again soon!
Here in NYC we picked the first two weeks in June. With sumac berries they make a delicious jelly. Such a big harvest this year, I’m brewing my first gallon of Amelanchier wine.
great timing, we were out today and found about 6 pounds of kings, delicious. Will definately try to add them to chanterelles in our next “cream of” soup.
Much different than the kings ive been getting in the Yukon. Still amazing though! I get all giddy reading posts like this. Boletovoire or chanterelle…for me boletovore for sure!! LOVE THOSE KINGS! lol
Oh how wonderful to be able to gather those wonderful porcini.
Tasty looking boletes! Looking forward to the fall flush. I’ve found B. barrowsii in Northern CA before, they honestly did not taste different than the kings I find under live oak in the fall. I think both of these have more flavor than those growing under pine though. Nice CO finds! I would love a few fresh boletes, sometimes the dried ones just don’t cut it.
Those are beautiful! I’ve never taken note of the mushrooms, but I think I will have to from now on.
Michael A
Hunting Bastards: A Losers Tale
Update: My boy has demanded a porcini omelet for breakfast and dinner every day for the last three days in a row. Good times.
Jeffrey – Tell me more about Yukon kings…are they spring kings (Boletus rex-veris)? Boletovores unite!
Ciao Chow Linda – We’re lucky to have big fruitings in the West, but I’m told you can find them back East too…
Perry – A friend of mine swears he finds B. barrowsii under the same tree in Seattle every summer. I’ve never seen it in the PNW, or anywhere else for that matter.
Avenger – Thanks for the visit. Definitely take note. There’s an entire kingdom awaiting discovery.
Hey, I did a post about the Yukon kings a couple of weeks ago. see here —> http://nose2tail.blogspot.com/2010/07/yukon-porcini-season.html Not spring kings or borrowsii. Color from reddish orange to almost buff/off white on sun affected ones. Very nutty and meaty. Worm free for the most part. Growing around birch, aspen, alder, dwarf birch/willows and white spruce. In troops with amanita muscaria. I cant get enough!
Hi! Wild huckleberry crop in most of the northwestern US, especially in the northern Rockies (Idaho, w. Montana, e. Oregon, ne Washington, w Wyoming)is down from our bumper crops of the past two years. Primary reason is the low snowpack. The berries grow primarily on the current years growth on the bush. With lack of snow, the tips get hit badly with spring frosts, and don’t grow as well or at all. We had some hard frosts in early to mid May this year. The reduced soil moisture from low snowpack is also a factor… however, the cool wet spring did help with moisture, but made the berries about 3 weeks late, like two years ago. Unfortunately, the very hot weather for about 3 weeks in July into early August often “fries” the developing berries. All those things combined probably contribute to the lower wild huckleberry crop this year. If you want to forcast a great crop, 2009 was perfect: heavy snow pack, some spring moisture, moderate summer temps. Of course, there are always microsites with great berries in any weather combination… if you know where to look. But 2009 was the best year since 1994… wish we had that one again!
Interesting. Up in Whatcom county we’re having a great red huckleberry season, at least in some areas. Also, I was in far north Idaho (NE of Priest Lake but the same general region) last weekend and we did quite well with the blue hucks, although not nearly as well as the outrageous abundance from 2009. As Malcom pointed out, they are running late and the ripe ones were a couple thousand feet below where we found them at the same time last year.
As far as mushrooming is concerned, in the same area last year I found the largest fruiting of porcini (as well as at least 15 other varieties of mushroom) I’ve ever seen next to a lake at ~5000 ft. This year, my trip didn’t line up with their fruiting schedule and it was too early/dry – not much fungal life on display anywhere in the 2000-5000′ range. Should be good in another couple weeks though as they have been receiving regular showers and thunderstorms over the last week or two. I just wish it didn’t take 9 hours to drive over there.
Here in so CO we find the barrowsii at lower elevations (8-9K’) growing under Gambel oaks. They are my favorites of the boletes!
Landon-
If you try to hit the barowsii, don’t go in July, wait until August when the rains are well into their cycle. We hit a bunch a week or two ago, as did Steve Bodio south of us and Chas Clifton in the southern Colorado Rockies.
Interesting that there appears to be less porcini-mania there. I know Steve Bodio just blogged about hunting porcini in the Southern Rockies (click here and scroll down to the Aug. 8 post).
How would one go about finding a purslane plant? (I’d like to put some in a pot on my apartment balcony, assuming it will grow in pots.) My neighborhood is one of those overly manicured types, so I doubt I’d find any “wild” purslane to pilfer :/
Lovely images. Looks like you had a great day.
You inspired us to go hunting. We were on the Western Slope (near one of the areas you mention) yesterday and gathered 50 pounds of these beauties. I must say, there were cut stems, elk foraged caps, and there were quiet hillsides offering bounties of these lovely wine-red boletes.
Now to finish processing our harvest! (I came over here to get recipes, after all. ;o))
Thanks again for the nudge and all the great info you provide.
A neighbour gave us some about eight years ago and each summer they pop up in various places around the garden. The fruit never makes it indoors – I eat it as I garden. The tiny berries are deliciously tangy, juicy and refreshing, especially on a warm day.
Nice haul! You need to have a porcini tasting someday, to see if you can discern the flavors of all the various types. Guess you’d need to do it with reconstituted dried ones, though.
When is fall porcini season up your way?
We think they taste like a cross between grapes and bubblegum. And are thrilled that they do indeed popup all over the place. We’re high desert, so honestly, we’re happy with anything that’ll grow. 🙂
In my opinion, the Queen of wild forage is the wild strawberry, both the ground variety and the “bell” variety that grows up on a stem with the fruit hanging down like a bell.
I once tried to bag them and bring them out with a bunch of huckleberries, and they didn’t keep well. They seemed to almost melt by the time we were back to the house. Ever since… I eat them on the spot when and where I find them.
The last two weeks we spent in Rocky Mountains National Park and hiked more than 150 miles at the elevations around or above 10,000 feet above sea level. Each day along the trail we saw many, many beautiful bolets, some as big as 12 inch in diameter. In total, we saw at least several hundreds of them. That was really incredible 🙂
Great post – I recently tried fennel pollen and, while not becoming a junkie myself, liked it and was wondering about collecting it as I know of lots wild fennel around in Seattle.
Also noticing that the ‘invasive’ passion flowers have fruit on – not ripe yet but I imagine it can’t be much longer, so keep an eye out!
Oh this is too fun – collecting fennel pollen is something I hadn’t ever thought of doing. It sure beats paying the high price in stores.
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Fennel does grow weedy all over the damn place around here – mostly near train tracks and in other wastelands. I have bronze fennel in my garden, and have used the nectar-sticky flowers many times (they taste like Good N Plentys!) but haven’t ever collected the pollen. I may have to.
Here in the Rockies lots of us have been blogging about mushrooms
But I am glad that there is no “commercial culture,” just as I am glad that Pueblo was settled more by Slovenian and Italians than say, Germans and Lithuanians and Russians
Porcini may be an Italian word, but the northern Europeans seemed to take their mushrooming more seriously.
I live in Dunedin, in the south of New Zealand. I had thought the outbreak of ‘plants’ were a weed until today. A stall at the Farmers Market had some ‘Miner’s Lettuce’ for sale and explained how to use this as a vegetable. I will no longer be pulling it out of my garden but rather encouraging it to grow so that we can eat it!
hey Lang; lemme know if you need any tips on plant/shroom specific foraging locations for your class. I’ve taken inventory in just about every greenbelt and park in town. Although my Prince patches will remain in the vault for now theres some healthy watercress a few minutes east of your fennel. Seth
I sampled purslane at a farmers market in NorCal last year — purslane tossed with a tomatillo/green sauce and tucked into a cheesy quesadilla. I’ve been wanting to add it to our garden, and your beautiful pictures are all the more motivation. We’ll have to try your simple salad with tomatoes — sounds deluxe.
Ra – Plenty in Seattle to go around. Go get some!
Ciao Chow Linda – To be honest, after the collecting plus the week or more of cajoling pollen from its hiding places I’m not ready to do the cost-benefit analysis, but at least I know its provenance.
Vincent – Thanks for the visit. I’ll check out Petitchef pronto.
Heather – I was always a Good ‘n’ Fruity fan, which may explain my love of the chanterelle. Speaking of which, it’s time…
Seth – Would love to hear more about your inventory. Did you get some nice prince mushrooms this summer?
absolutely fantastic
Although I have never mentioned your blog to my father, he bought your book to give to me for my birthday. I am enjoying it!
On an outing in San Diego the other day I harvested a few bags of what I thought was dill, but after reading your post and doing some additional research, I’m certain what I actually found and harvested was fennel.
The plant is everywhere in San Diego.
that’s hysterical! Good fun….
not sure why this thing doesn’t use my username …sorry Lang…will try this again…funny video. Looks like you had a good time. I emailed you that DNA report.
I’m so pleased to see children amazed and amused by bats instead of afraid. May they always retain that spirit.
I was afraid at first that you were cooking up bats. 🙂
Great video. Thanks for the laugh. Unfortunately, yours may be a rare experience in the coming years as bat populations in North America crash due to an insidious fungal disease called White-nose syndrome. It is attacking bats in their wintering caves and is believed to spread from site to site by cavers who carry the spores on their unwashed gear.
One of the daily pleasures of rafting down the Colorado R. these past two weeks was the evening appearance of bats by the thousands who then stayed busy until well past first morning light. I kept wanting to see them emerge from their hiding places. So . . . loved this video and your going batty over bats.
Ah! I am having a Montana/Idaho adventure and see that our berry-picking and internetless, river-centric dog-days are sort of mirrored. Haven’t found any saskatoons in Idaho and am regretting not picking any for jam while in Montana, where they abounded. Anyhow, tonight I’m on a mission to find your elderberry and huckleberry jam recipes, which I’ll be making before heading back to California.
PS. Having never seen “sarvisberry” written, I had always heard it as serviceberry, which seemed so pedestrian.
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In the videos your children are very happy and enjoying alot are much much important to you.
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I imagine pollen from bulbing fennel flowers would give you the same results. I just cut a head yesterday, with some leaves, and am using it to infuse vodka.
Thanks for posting this! I had never heard of using fennel pollen before, and after reading this I noticed huge patches of fennel growing wild right along the route I take every day to get to town. I am excited to try this out! I’m really glad I met you at IFBC and remembered your blog.
Found one giant Puffball today,I live in Scotland,so them thing have to be searched out,I am planning a soup,with the puffball,chantrels,oinions,fried in ghee,the rest is for you guy’s to decide,its a good start though.
looks so healthy and delicious!!
If you haven’t already, you should read “Across the Olympic Mountains: The Press Expedition, 1889-90” by Robert L. Wood (it’s out of print but available at libraries). Their expedition went up the Elwha and down the Quinault back before there were any trails. It took them 6 months and after reading the book years ago a buddy and I did the same trip in 6 days…
Beautiful country and the Elwha fish were rumored to be some of the largest anywhere.
Sweet little Bog you have here. We are volunteering at the Olympic NP greenhouse transplanting seedlings and sorting seed intended for the Elwha River replanting. Hope you get to forage some of these plants when the river valley returns to a natural state. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Am living vicariously through your mushroom and food hunting. I hope to get into that someday, but too many projects going on right now!
Great report, Lang. Very evocative indeed. Thanks.
Brett
Dude, you’re lucky your truck was still there. A backpacking trip like that in most parts of California and you’d return to see your vehicle on blocks.
Now THAT brought back memories. I could smell the dampness of those forests that I used to traverse before moving to the dry side of the Cascades. I did the Bailey Traverse many years ago now; if only we could have eaten as well as you managed to.
Well done, I just completed the Bailey Traverse and I hope it remains the untouched trail of the Olympics. It is a beautiful thing to not see people for days. It’s a rare treat so let’s keep it that way (right). I enjoyed your writing, keep it up.
I like your style of combining the fresh and dried porcini. Dried porcini have such a strong, amazing, funky aroma. They don’t really seem like the same shroom at all.
Have you tried using pearl barley in lieu of Arborio rice?
I love featuring wild mushrooms in risotto! I have a question for you that is basically unrelated to this post, although it is about mushrooms. Have you ever dried chanterelles? If so, how’d you do it? I read another post of yours that explains how you saute and freeze them. Is that the preferred way to store them? After all this rain I took a morning walk to my secret picking spot and was all smiles to see the first chanties poking up through the duff, glowing golden and lovely… aaah.
Thanks, I loved this post, a vicarious treat since my chronic achilles and plantar fascia issues don’t allow me to get that far into the backcountry any more. Reminded me of backpack trips in the Olympics as a teenager many moons ago. Nice, evocative writing.
I’ve added you to my blog roll!
I love this blog and hype it everyday…but wonder if those Boletes in the first picture are from this season
Michael – Hey, I know what you mean about dried vs. fresh. Seems like two different species. They work together really nicely though.
Amy – Not barley, but I’ve got a porcini recipe using farro which is killer.
Jodi – Don’t bother drying chanterelles–rehydrated they’re chewy and lose much of their flavor, unlike porcini. Saute your chanties in butter and freeze. Or try the dry-saute method. Read more here.
M – Some of those pictures are old but useful as illustrations. The risotto was made & photographed last week with freshly picked porcini and dried porcini. Those boletes in the picture at top were picked this August in Colorado. Same species as here in WA, though with redder caps. I liked the picture. If you’re asking whether it’s possible to have a bunch of porcini like that right now in the PacNW, the answer is yes. I’ve got 2 dozen prime boletes in my fridge from a foray yesterday (Sept. 14). Thanks for reminding me to get some new photos!
can you give a general indication of where you’re finding the boletes? Mountains or coast? I have foraged chanterelles (almost too easy – they’re always around) but have never found b. edulis.
Maybe I’m looking in the wrong places. I certainly don’t find them in the lowland Doug fir forests where I find chants…
Thanks LC,
All your photos are great and I wish they were in the book! The videos are fun too! Seriously, the Travel Chanel should be talking with you.
Any book tour events approaching?
Gorgeous as usual, Lang. I can’t wait to get Zeph out for his first foray. Got the baby backpack ready to go!
cèpes …
Outstanding blog post. Respectful all the way. Bravo!
Wonderful post, leaves me wanting more.
good job in describing him lang. i knew he was someone you needed to hang with. i certainly havent dealt with all his shenanigans over the years for nothing. if only he was a businessman hed be a millionaire, though then he wouldnt be who he was.
Fine post, thanks. I’m just trying to get my head round the UK mushroom possibilities so this is fascinating.
HH
Wonderful story. Will there be some basic picker lessons handed down? Perhaps in book #2?
What a gorgeous post! Love the writing – simple but paints a strong portrait of both Doug’s connection to the woods and your respect and admiration of him. And I wish I could have tagged along!
Your descriptions of Doug and the world he lives in are pure poetry. Reading your post, I only wanted to know more about these men and women like Doug who make a living bringing the forest’s bounty to our local and sustainable tables.
great post! i am just getting into mushroom foraging and enjoying it so far. do you have any tips for how to cook cauliflower mushrooms? i found a big one today, and thought to just saute it with butter and some chanterelles i also have, but if you have other suggestions i’d love to hear it. thanks.
Great post! I wish I could talk my husband into dropping everything and doing the same thing. Alas, he is a people person, and I am a tree person. I would love to see more about this guy.
Thanks for the comments everyone. I enjoyed writing this post.
Mike – Thank you. Respect was an important part of this post.
Bikejuju – Stay tuned. Doug will return…
Jeremy – Wait til next post…
Hubert Hubert – I’ll look forward to reading about the UK angle.
Matt – I’m working on it!
Kirsten – Thanks. Anyone who tags along needs to be able to move FAST through the brush.
Martha – My interest is piqued. I want to learn more about the pickers too.
K – Click on the mushroom labels in the navbar or use the search box. If you enter “cauliflower” you’ll find a couple recipes. I’ve braised cauliflower shrooms in a beef stew and then used them in place of egg noodles. They’re wonderful simply sauteed in butter. Also pickled.
Berly – Doug will make another appearance–and others…
Love to here about local pickers, most are as elusive as the mushrooms we seek. There probably the least acknowledged purveyor, that can make a restaurant shine. PS if you ever need any company picking…
We used your recipe tonight with some porcini I found in the Cascades on Friday and some dried spring boletes from May of this year.
Delicious!
Thanks!
I just came over from girlichef to find out what purslane is. It IS the weed I have growing in my garden. I wonder if I can get my husband to eat it? Maybe if I show him your post?
Beautiful boletes, Lang! I think the mushroom foraging chapter of FOTL is probably my favorite although your experiences of lantern squid fishing were pretty awesome too. We’ve had such a dry summer back east that we’ll be lucky to get any wild mushrooms at all. Even now it’s cooled down a bit, it’s still pretty much bone dry. All of which is a shame because I had earmarked next weekend for a fungi hunting trip upstate. Still, it’ll be a nice walk in woods.
good post; love this stuff. my fantasy image of the commercial picker community comes from that Guterson book that came out a few yrs ago
Love this post! Love the sociological bit and the story of how mushrooms come to our table.
agreed. excellent post. thank you!!
Everyone involved earns every penny. And thanks to the lives that give us feast. Bountiful Earth, industrious people, and a good story.
every penny is exactly right. A day’s pick is earning these folk a few dollars while those in the middle and at the restaurant end are making substantially more. That kind of inequity drives harvest practices towards unsustainability. Ah, the sweet poetry of capitalism…
This is the kind of story I am looking for. I am a film/mycology student trying to make a documentary on mushroom hunting culture. I just got back from Crescent OR where Mushroom Camp was a ghost town but Kings and Matsi were abundant.
Prices have dropped for the pickers to 5-6 dollars p/p (for #1’s) yet costs have risen 10 times for camping in Mushroom Camp (where harvesters are ‘forced’ to stay).
Forgive my unsolicited request of fellowship, but if helping a student make a (short) respectful documentary is of any interest please email bromax30@evergreen.edu
Thank you kindly and I enjoy all your posts!
Dear Readers: Thanks fo your comments. I’m camped up in NW BC (and currently poaching wifi from a nearby ranch) but will respond to your comments when I get back to Seattle. Cheers!
What a great story! It is so interesting to me to learn about mushroom hunting and all the work that goes into it.
These are great and well written articles. I know a few spots in the Cascades, both East and West where I can find the kings, but never 35 lbs unless it several 4 pounders which, not quite No. 1’s. What I’ve learned from you today? The short growth period; I’ve always thought they had a similar fruiting to chanties. No wonder I find them wormy. I have also suspected that spring and summer/fall Kings were two different species, their habits and appearance, the spring being deeper in the ground and more knotted, always led me to believe that they were not the same thing, though taste wise, they’re very similar. You are the first to tell me they are not the same. And a Sitka Spruce? That’s news to me. I guess I should think more coastal.
Thanks for your wisdom and sharing a bit of the stories of the people you spend time with.
I’ve often wondered if I quit my day job, could live like Doug? I’m afraid I’ve romanced it much more in my mind than the reality.
Great story Lang. Had no idea. Happy camping and fungi hunting.
Am I reading it correct that the 2’s are valued at less that the 3’s? Is this always the case or based on availability and need? Thanks for the interesting post.
Yum!
Yum, I love the idea of parsnip puree with mushrooms! I’ll admit,I’m not doing much foraging, but the markets here in Boston are full of chanterelles.
Lovely
I know that daze. Buzz buzz!
Hello! I’ve recently started foraging and enjoy checking in with FOTL every couple days to see what’s new. Thanks for all the good tips!
Regarding ostrich ferns, if I’m not mistaken they grow in abundance on the road to Fragrance Lake (north of Mt. Vernon and Anacortes). Have you ever been out that way? I’d be curious to hear if I ID’d them correctly.
Cheers!
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Think it would be good with grouse?
I’ve always wondered how wild mushrooms make their journey from the woods to grocery stores and restaurants. Like anything else, the more I know about the people and processes involved, the more I appreciate them. Thanks for an informative post!
Great post, Lang. You’re right. Something about kings gets my blood pumping quite a bit faster than most other fall species. As to this piece; very cool-great concept. You could do an entire book following the life of these guys, season to season. Americana at it’s best! Well done!
Darn! That looks good! I would like that right now in fact. =_)
The Average Joe Fisherman
http://averagejoefisherman.blogspot.com/
Great post – I live near Nakusp BC, will you be coming home this way? Do you want to stop by and pick mushrooms here?
I appreciate the honesty of your reports. Buying direct from the pickers helps both the pickers and ourselves but we have to be willing to pay a price that compensates the pickers for the picking and the selling time and the overhead. This makes wild mushrooms more expensive than the cultivated ones but provides a wonderful eating experience. We can’t afford to dine out at the restaurants that serve wild mushrooms so we are grateful to the pickers that sell to us direct. We look forward to your next post and thanks for this blog.
I think you might be over-hyping this pickers to buyers hierarchy. I know two mushroom buyer/sellers who by no means are making all that much money. A modest income, yes, but not with huge overhead (in particular driving from BC to Idaho to California and back again) to buy from various pickers, and if it were broken into an actual hourly wage, it might be as low as the pickers receive in some instances. And the restaurant business is hardly known for the business to get rich in. Most restaurants (especially the ones selling foraged mushrooms) fail or are barely hanging on. I think it is actually an uneducated consumer who doesn’t know the difference between a good mushroom and a bad one, a good price and an inflated one who is to blame in these inequalities. And for that I applaud your blog in educating more of us about foraged foods.
Ruralrose – I hear that’s one of the more productive areas this year. Unfortunately I won’t be coming through. Next year!
Mike – It’s like buying salmon off the docks. There are many ways to skin a cat on this one, and pickers will no doubt find new avenues for their goods.
Rumblestrip – I don’t mean to over-hype anything. You’re right that the field buyers aren’t getting rich either, and I didn’t mean to suggest that they were. But like any other goods, there’s a fairly significant jump by the time the wild mushrooms reach the consumer and it’s unlikely in most cases the pickers benefit from the high price of what they pick.
Rumblestrip – Great points about the restaurant industry and their thin margins–and restaurant patrons. We all need to be more educated.
Beautiful post…
great post – i live in bc on the island, but you make me want to venture farther up north and spend some time in that landscape.
just finished reading your book – another excellent read!
Two rivers-out. What a bummer. But at least you made the most of it and put an optimist’s spin on the whole thing!
Great post,
It turns out ‘Matsutake’ and other similar Tricholomas are not as rare as once thought. New sources in China, Korea and even Finland have brought the price down considerably.
For example one can buy (localish) #1 Matsutake at most asian grocery stores for about 7 dollars a pound (around the Olympia area which is not known for its Matsi abundance).
This article reflects what I experienced in Crescent OR this fall. I went down there to gather interesting stories from mushroom hunters and found a ghost town. Perhaps that is the story…?
Check out these short Matsutake interviews on vimeo
-this one is with Kouy Loch of 2007 New Yorker Mag fame
LC will you or other FOTL readers be at the UW PSMC show? I will!
MPB – I’ll be at the show on Sat. You’re right about the supply/demand issues surrounding matsi–check out this post of mine from two years ago: http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/2008/10/pining-for-pines.html Send me an email if you want to talk about your project. Cheers.
Carcinogens are found EVERYWHERE. Hell, even celery has them! Sure, it’s just another reason not to eat the evil celery but that just goes to show you that you can’t avoid them all, even if you’re trying your hardest.
Awesome read…and the pics are sweet, what beautiful fish they are.
I think the issue Sherry is how much of the Carcinogens are present. As you say, certain vegitables that we eat today contain something, but generally not enough to be a threat.
Regards.
http://livinghistory.proforums.org/
LC
Thanks for the response! I don’t have your email address but will keep an eye out for you at the PSMC exhibit.
MPB
bromax30@evergreen.edu
Wow. I haven’t made it over the coast yet, but I’m sure if I should be deflated or motivated. On the one hand, why bother scouting out a new area that’s so completely mapped out by regular pickers. On the other, I can’t deny myself that thrill of a fresh bolete find either. I’ve never sold nor spent money on wild mushrooms. Yet…
Excellent post, thank you.
Regards.
lucky you! What a great adventure. Thanks for sharing!
Great post, which reminds me of this, have you read it? http://www.davidarora.com/uploads/muscaria_revised.pdf
I met some “Russian” peasants foraging for nuts in a state park several years ago. Most were elusive, but one woman who didn’t speak English showed me how she cracks walnuts with her bare hand.
I would remind you that many immigrants are in this country illegally and have good reason to be elusive.
Le Loup – Thank you.
Kirsten – I enjoy talking to people in the woods. I also like to remind them that it’s not okay to dump their trash. It would seem some of the mushroom hunters need to hear this.
Bikejuju – Thanks for the link. I’ve read it but have yet to try eating A. muscaria myself. Amanitas are dangerous and even potentially edible species require excellent identification skills and careful preparation for the table.
Anonymous – My guess is that most Eastern Europeans are here legally, though I haven’t bothered to research this assumption.
Here’s a blog post by @FreshPickedSEA about commercially pickled slippery jacks brought back from Russia.
Big fan of slippery jacks peeled, dried and powdered. When I first encountered them I thought they were boletes, but was soon disabused of that. But they smelled soooo wonderful…
I’d heard the Soviets (Russian, Moldovans, whatever they’re calling themselves now) ate them, so I dried and powdered the shrooms. Great aroma. Dust it on venison loin!
I very much enjoyed reading this post…thank you.
We have a large Russian population here in PDX and they are a tight group, but that’s what makes it so interesting if they are willing to talk to an outsider.
There’s a Polish deli (“George’s”) on First Hill across the street from the Sorrento Hotel on Madison Street that has a variety of bottled mushrooms. I remember seeing slippery jack on one of the labels.
They also have great home smoked deli meats and fantastic sandwiches.
And now for something really silly…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/oct/24/wild-mushroom-foraging-hurts-forests
Nanny is keeping a very close eye on you.
Lang, I’ve tried and tried to like matsutake and I just can’t seem to get my taste buds wrapped around them. It’s one of those things you either love or hate or love to hate lol. I do love to find them though…but I give them all away.
sorry that comment was mine…stupid google forgets who I am sometimes!
Brings back great memories. When I was in grade school in the late 40’s early 50’s just North of Boston we had many immigrant families. The children would come to school speaking no English and by mid-term they spoke good English but with an accent of course. They bacame friends and I would visit the homes. Rarely did you get invited inside but their children were always interrogated about who this blond headed boy was waiting outside. They used to pick dandelion leaves and roots as well as mushrooms and other things I couldn’t identify and many of them favored grape leaves to wrap golumpkies.
I live on the West coast now and you take your life in your hands encountering a mushroom picker in the woods. They are territorial and have been known to shoot someone they think is competing for the mushrooms.
I find them under tan oak in northern CA around new years. Not really one of my favorites either but I like them in miso soup; sliced very thin and added a minute or two before serving. A friend of mine likes to put them in tea (though I’ve forgetten what kind which is probably really important), definitely a unique flavor.
I recently did some tempura matsi buttons cut into quarters (or eighths if they were large). They got a little szechuan pepper salt in the batter and a sprinkle after frying, and I ate them with a soy sauce/chili oil/rice vinegar sauce. They were much to my liking but a little strong for the girlfriend.
Thanks for the new link to this, good writing here. I put up 5 pounds of these this year – usually I find 3 or 4 mushrooms – still didn’t have the courage to try the boletes – maybe next year when you come picking – peace
Mary/Ladyflyfish – Maybe I was a little hard on matsi in the first graph of this post. I should admit that they’re growing on me and each year I think I like them a bit more. The preparation is key. They have great texture, hold up well in prolonged cooking, and if you choose your ingredients well, that spicy cinnamon-like flavor is like no other mushroom. Will try Sichuan prep next.
Perry – I’ve found them under tan oak in SW Oregon but there was always Doug fir nearby. Thin-sliced is good way to go because they’re still really meaty. Tea would be interesting.
Anonymous – Love that recipe and will be trying it!
LC nice article!
Do you know anything about Matsi being a folk remedy for cancer? I have read several articles concerning their anti-tumor properties and have heard the same thing from some Japanese and Laosians.
Will you be going back to the Peninsula this fall?
Great! Try some potato or corn starch and maybe cake flour in the batter. I’ve also done a pretty rich dish with lotus leaf wrapped dim sum style sticky rice that has a chunk of braised pork belly and a slice of matsutake in the center of each-give that one a try too.
Right on! I grew up picking mat’s but never ate them as a kid. Never even crossed my mind. Just looked at them as money in the ground! lol
Know im lucky to sell any I pick at all because of my love affair with them. I enjoy them a variety of ways, but yes, grilled is very nice, especially over open red hot coals! Yum, i like to use equal parts sherry vin, soy sauce and just a splash of Yukon birch syrup. I want some mat’s now, but will have to settle for my “Mocksutakes” instead! lol thx for the great write up, ive been enjoying your blog. 😉
Nice blog I found it by chance .Hi from Scotland :)Brian(:
I found a 50+lb patch of scaber stalks in mid-September near my home in Ithaca, NY. There were some truly gargantuan specimens – these things are heavy and satisfying to pick. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of ripping off the spores to let them spread in the wild as we do for most of our bigger porcinis. By the time we got home, the mushrooms looked like they had taken a bath in a coal bin. They have a dramatic black staining reaction which is quite unappetizing looking. As you say, even perfect, in tact specimens still turn black upon cooking, so it seems drying and powdering truly is the best option for this species. I am shocked they are considered such a delicacy in Eastern Europe, but I am glad they get so much enjoyment out of them. Perhaps I should try pickling them?
Just ate at the Mycologist’s Dream dinner at Herbfarm the day the mushroom feast opened. It was such an amazing feast of flavors. I loved how they incorporated all types of mushrooms into their dishes, included some sweets!
I’d love to photograph some of the ‘shrooms one of these fine days. They are fabulously “imperfect” models. I would not want them to be “uniform” and it would seem anyone who did has way too much time on their hands.
An interesting dichotomy in chefs. It is a very challenging job, no doubt about it. Some people just can’t rise above the stress.
I’m with Jackie. On the photography. Chuckeled at the i-phone on the counter next to the pad of paper and pencil.
Wow, amazing to hear of the petulent chef. Too bad he’s just paying lip service to wild and local foods. I’ve got a tip for him, Walmart sells some fab produce, which is absolute plastic perfection, cheap too.
I live in the Rockies and haven’t seen a mushroom in months, but those boxes look to contain riches to me. I get a little jealous reading about all of the mushrooms in the pnw right now.
Thanks for the great information. I just found some matsutake in my backyard here in B.C.
I’ve never cooked with them and am looking forward to the experience and the flavour.
I also appreciate your background on the controversy and mania around these mushrooms. I’ll keep my mouth shut about them.
Where are those beautiful boletes coming from? I was hiking up near Darrington a few days ago and found just one – albeit perfect – porcino. Are those from the coast? It’s getting pretty cold up in the mountains.
I added myself to follow your blog. You are more than welcome to visit mine and become a follower if you want to.
God Bless You 🙂
~Ron
Ron: I thought Jesus was a shepherd, not a forager…
Also, it’s not nice to topic-rape others people’s blogs…
Jackie – Jealous! The Mycologist’s Dream menu at Herbfarm is testament to fun with fungi in the kitchen. They’re fun to photograph too.
Theadalynfarm – That would be iphone slash calculator. Ah, the new millennium.
Butterpoweredbike – I realize that cooking for a living can be incredibly stressful and don’t want to minimize that. Maybe the guy just needs a vacation.
KLambert – Mountain boletes are basically done in WA and northern OR Cascades. These pictures showed the last gasp of the WA coastal bolete pick. I was in Rockaway Beach, OR, this weekend and they’re pretty much done there too. California should be starting.
LC –
Thanks for the info. I’m heading to the Siuslaw forest this week so hopefully I’ll find a few boletes, maybe some chants if I’m not too late. I did find a huge boletus edulis right in Discovery Park yesterday. Weighed two pounds and in great shape. Tasted great, too.
I’m beginning to wonder if we moss covered souls from the Northwest aren’t sharing a group craving. I made my version easy but your version, with the Dungeness Crab, sounds fantastic. I love this blog thanks.
pretty sure you had me at ‘mushrooms’ but it could have also been ‘eggplant parmesan.’ Either way: I am all ears!
Lately, I have been making mushroom lasagna….
A discovery this year is the Admirable boletus (boletus mirabilis) has a very similar texture to eggplant when cooked, and in a strongly flavored dish like Parmigiana, it is nearly indistinguishable. Try the same recipe, using thickly cut slices of mirabilis instead of eggplant, with or without the addition of kings.
Will be trying this recipe out this week! CA Kings have just started coming up, season is off to a great start. Hoping the freezes hold off and we can get them up through December. I like to put them in lasanga but use slices of large bolete stems instead of lasagna noodles.
Lang, are you by any chance a member of MSSF? There has been a lot of chatter on their Yahoo Groups page (you have to be a member to view it) regarding a comment Connie Green made about par boiling (blanching) chanterelles prior to sauteing and that the practice which has been used in France for years and years helps reduce the amount of water from the mushrooms in the pan while sauteing. The end result is for more browned mushrooms. The blanching helps firm the mushrooms. They use the same procedure with other mushrooms like boletes that are not real firm etc. It is common practice in restaurants in the know.
Hi ladyflyfish – I received an email yesterday from a member of FFSC to this same effect. The short answer is no, I’ve never tried this technique. Definitely intrigued! In fact, I have some specimens just begging for a test. Thanks for chiming in.
I love chantrelles! Yummmm
x
Nicole
http://nicolefranzen.blogspot.com/
I recently roasted a big pan of soggy chanterelles for the freezer instead of sauteing in batches, and it was pretty successful. I used some neutral oil, and a super hot oven (maybe 475 or 500) until most of the water had been exuded, then salted and turned the temp down to 400ish. There was some nice browning when they were done, and pretty decent firm-tender texture as well.
I must try this soup. I live outside of Colville and we’ve been trying to find chanterelles here for six years and we’re told they aren’t here, closes places is the Priest Lake area where we found tons. Just two days go my husband came home from a walk about 5 miles from our house and found 2 1/2 gallons of huge chanterelles. We have had many frost/freezes but they weren’t damaged. Many were found deep in the duff. Needless to say we were thrilled. Hopefully we’ll find them next year. JoAnn
Thanks for sharing. I found your blog not to long ago and it has quickly become one of my favorite reads. Steelheads are an amazing, beautiful fish.
as long as its relatively dry out and I’m not planning on picking every shroom I see I’ll take wads of plastic grocery bags along instead of lugging baskets and buckets. Even stuffed tight into a backpack the solid button shrooms do fine. Plastic grocery bags also work great for dry nettles, watercress and chickweed. The bags usually have little holes in the bottom which can help with draining and breathing.
I have been having trouble avoiding a slimy mess even when the chanterelles aren’t overly wet. Will have to try this drying method and the soup.
Thanks for the ideas
Definitely wouldn’t eat it. Thankfully, there are currently plenty of things to eat, in the Western world, without resorting to bracken.
Countries like Korea and Japan, where people routinely eat bracken, have far higher rates of stomach cancer (http://www.aicr.org.uk/StomachCancerFAQs.stm), so one cannot help but suspect a link.
Given the choice, most (other) animals avoid eating it, too, unless they’re literally starving and have no other alternative; so I think that should really tell you something!
Anonymous – Roasting chanties in the oven is another option. I do it more often with porcini, but makes sense to roast chanties too.
Jeff – I think you’ll be happy with the results.
Yummo—can you bring some over for THX dinner? Now I want shrooms!
I guess foraging while you weed isn’t really multi-tasking, but I try to impress myself now and again just the same…I live on the Aegean coast and my garden is full of nettles. I found your recipe as I couldn’t remember just what to do after I picked the pricklies before the pesto process. BTW, I use my magic electric wand – whirrrrrrrrrrrs away into a lovely paste.
All that said, thank you for taking the time to share – I’ve been on the lookout for a good foraging/cooking/bit-closer-to-home blog!
I made rose hip wine for the first time last year and it’s coming along really well. I also fell about 1/2 cup short on rose hips for my recipe, so I made up the difference with half of an apple. It seems neutral enough for my purposes and the apple and the rose are botanical cousins after all. 😉
what a good idea its been a really good year here for hips will be going out this weekend to gather them up and give this a go
Jaloux. I only found a few here in LA… I made an 8-oz jar of elixir, and that’s about it :). Made up for it with nopales fruit though!!
Beautiful jelly and pics. Haven’t worked with rose hips yet.
Michelle J – Seems like a lot of folks make use of the botanical cousin connection–there are tons o’ recipes all over the Interwebs for rose hip-apple jam. Nice effort with the wine!
Buttercup and Bee – Good on ya! Report back.
cauldrons and crockpots – I believe in the elixir. Vitamin C for what ails ye.
Laurie – It is a comforting color. Looks almost too good to eat…nah.
Nice color on that jelly! Mine usually turns out more orange-y. Bring some down for the duck hunt this year…
I harvested a bunch of rose hips just yesterday and thought all I needed to do was appreciate their stark beauty. I see that there’s more. Your jelly is gorgeous.
i just discovered your blog last night and have devoured the archive! there don’t seem to be many people blogging about wildcrafting (particularly in the PNW), and your recipes look delicious! i am going to try your chanterelle soup this weekend! thanks for all the great ideas.
I have a massive amount of rose hips that are ALMOST red in the back yard and have been looking for a good recipe.
When you say a “marmalade-like jam” do you mean that you would leave some of the hips in (like you would bits of citrus rind)? I’d imagine you have to seed them somehow? Work-intensive, that.
I’ve used hips in addition to other ingredients in recipes, but never as the main flavor. Might have to remedy that soon.
I just finished reading the book – devoured it actually! I posted a short but very positive review of it on my site – thesausepan.blogspot.com and became a follower. Funny thing – while clicking on the follower button I happened to notice a randomly chosen thumbnail pic of one of your 400+ followers below. He looked familiar – and he was! A long lost friend from the past! Thanks for the reunion!
I went out this weekend to pick some rose hips and noticed quite a few of them had small black spots. Should I avoid these or would they be ok to use for the jelly recipe?
Beautiful photos! I love it. I would love to visit this place one day. And as for the jelly, that was something worth a try.
Hank – The color makes me want to do a back flip off the high dive right into the jar, know what I mean…
Sally – So many hips, so little time…
Danielle – We’re having the soup tomorrow (T Day). It’s a crowd pleaser.
Jessa – No, use a food mill on the hips to remove seeds, skins, etc., but add citrus rinds and whatever else you like in a marmalade.
Christine – Great story, and thanks for the review. I’m on my way over to Sauce Pan to check it out!
Anonymous – I’ll pare away black spots and other deformities but not get too worried about it. Good luck!
Dining Table – NW BC is a place worth visiting for sure. Try the jelly too.
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I love the pic of Cooper so much I borrowed it for my photo-binge (with full kudos back to you!) Hope you don’t mind but please holler if you’d like me to remove it. Keep up the good work, janie x
Rose hips are a survival food. Here in the Willamette Valley wild roses are everywhere and it isn’t uncommon that a single bush would have over a quart of rose hips on it. Check back in Fedruary and MArch and April and you will still see those rose hips on the bush. They will be slightly wrinkled but still edible and loaded with sugar and vitamins. With a little practice you can pick them popping them into your mouth and seperating the seeds scarping off the fruit and spitting them out. You won’t get fat doing this but with half an hour of foraging you can get full. I always partake of the wild foods in season but rose hips are in season when almost nothing else is.
Like I needed one more reason to covet living in the Willamette…thank you for that tidbit
Beautiful jelly. I missed out on the rosehips this year. I don’t know why there were tons in August and a month later they were all gone? Deer?
What a great image of that sweet pooch!
And no, I am not jealous at all of your truffle-hunting excursion and bounty.
My rose hip jelly and syrup taste just like tomato soup? Not what I was expecting at all. I’ve made rose hip tea for years although I add other flavorings so maybe I just didn’t notice the tomato-like flavor. Someone suggested eating them raw right from the bush but on several occasions I have gotten the little hairs that are inside of dry rose hips caught in my throat and it isn’t a very pleasant sensation. Maybe some rose hips have fewer of these?
Ha! You beat me by one week! I am headed up there Friday to do the same thing. Hope I have as much luck as you did….
For a temporarily thwarted forager, your blog is a daily slice of heaven. Thanks for sharing the good stuff!
Now that’s a good dog!
I loved reading this and seeing all the pics…glad the camera and all of us dried out ok.
Looking forward to our next outing!
PS-
I promise to have a 4×4 next time.
AWESOME!!! Love Mendocino, love David Aurora’s books/knowledge and loved your post here. Where I live there is so many amanita muscaria that you could fill up a truck! Reading this brings me back to Mendocino and foraging for delish edibles. thx!
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Great post. So fascinating-and liberating-to think that there is so much more to all those beautiful amanitas than an object lesson in fungal toxicity. Bravo for bringing this to our attention. I look forward to trying them out next year.
Great piece! Can’t wait for part 2!!
Looks so beautiful. Waiting for part2.
This is very bold thing to do. Isn’t there a saying about bold mushroom hunters and old mushroom hunters ? : ) They are a beautiful mushroom to behold though.
That article of Arora’s is a favorite of mine, and I’m envious that you went to the annual Thanksgiving festivities.
I don’t think eating Amanitas properly prepared under the watchful eye of an experienced hand like Arora is “bold,” any bolder than eating scarlet runner beans.
I’d try it. Did you?
Did you forward this link to your friends from the Cascade Mycological Society? I have a feeling you won’t get such a positive reaction from them, you crazy risk taker you.
Thinking I’ll give the muscaria a try next season – I’ve read Arora’s article several times and this first hand account helps seal the deal for me.
Jeffery – It’s been years since my last visit to Mendo, and all I can say is, been too long!
Weareallantropologists – Nice handle. Probably doesn’t need to be said, but I’ll say it anyway: Use caution and do your homework first.
Tofutti Beast – Part 2 will include a look inside Mr. Arora’s rather interesting home…
Sean – See my comment above.
JoAnne – I hear you. Then again, probably the boldest thing most of us ever do–and routinely at that–is drive on a highway. At least with A. muscaria, any mistakes in processing are your own.
Bikejuju – I’ve never eaten scarlet runner beans–do they require careful prep?
Ellen – Sure did!
John – I figured this post would pull you out of the woodwork…
I prefer rose hip tea than rose hip jelly. Especially with honey. I like rose hip because of the C vitamin in it.
Interesting….when I was a kid, I swore I would NEVER eat wild mushrooms after a grim dinner party was all over the news in Portland. A group went out and foraged wild ‘shrooms (not sure what they were seeking and got)and after their subsequent dinner, I think 4 of them died quickly, another had to have a liver transplant. (in the 1970s I think.) I have outgrown that phobia and enjoy morels and chanterells, but haven’t ventured much beyond. This one sounds a little more exciting than I would venture to taste. but cool post and photos! And yes, I’m sure there are a lot of things we eat commonly that have nastier cumulative effects on our health.
Enjoyed meeting you up at NCI ELC in November!
jill
Langdon does the boiling remove all the psychodelic properties?
Luv tha sine!
“…need for Americans to cease trying to fill the voids in their lives with stuff and instead reconnect with immaterial things of true and lasting value.”
Damn straight! ~k8
am now a green mushroom – peace
utterly delightful post, a poor substitution for participating, I’m certain, but thanks for sending the note. It made my night and renewed my faith that I will find similar folk, even in L.A.!
Well said, Lang. And that looked like a wicked fun party.
Happy solstice, very best in 2010~ Brett
Very cool to see a truffle dog out there. I put down a deposit for a pup about a month ago. She’s a Shiba Inu and her name is Kinoko, Japanese for “mushroom”. I hope to train her to hunt truffles here in WA, but not exactly sure how successful that’s going to be yet. But if that doesn’t work, there’s always matsutakes to go after 🙂
So, what did you think of those Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis? I cooked some up this past Summer , and they tasted like dirt, in a bad way. But these are the Eastern ones; maybe yours are different?
Well, that looks like a mighty fine time. You’ve inspired twinges of envious longing for forage-based community. I’ll have to find the other “mushroom people” around here. I know I can’t be the only one.
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Okay, couldn’t abide my typo in the last comment.
Great post, now I want to join the Puget Sound region mushroom people. Now I just need to pry myself loose from the computer keyboard long enough to go outside and look at the ground.
Happy holidays!
wow great i have read many articles about this topic and everytime i learn something new i dont think it will ever stop always new info , Thanks for all of your hard work!
no nonsense muscle building ebook
nice write-up; cant get enough. Hey, I’m thinking about taking a road trip south to alleviate my withdrawal symptoms. Do you know if the huntins still good in Cali? I’ve never shroomed beyond the wa. border.
Seth
nice write-up; cant get enough. Hey, I’m thinking about taking a road trip south to alleviate my withdrawal symptoms. Do you know if the huntins still good in Cali? I’ve never shroomed beyond the wa. border.
The image at the bottom, holding the mushroom and eating the others is perfect. Showing the divide between fear and food. I do a fair amount of mushrooming but keep to the standards. Coming out to CA this spring/summer. would love to make a video with you. Here are a couple of my mushroom episodes: (morels http://ow.ly/3wHcU chantarelles in boundary waters: http://ow.ly/3wHdo )Thanks again daniel (www.theperennialplate.com)
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Hey Lang, I didn’t know you were going to be in my neck ‘o the woods…glad you got into fish. I’m going out in the morning as we have a great tide around 8am so will hope for redfish and speckled trout and whatever else comes along.
Thanks, No Shrimp, for the journey, diagonally from OlyPen Land. Warm water and lots of fish on sounds mighty sweet right now in the cold north. By the way, never too many mushroom posts!
I and some friends did well on Razors this past holiday weekend and during cleaning, we had some soy and fake wasabi in a bowl for the digger of the smaller clams. Amazing. So tender and sweet. I’d like to try it nigiri style as well.
Kirsten – The mushroom people are everywhere! Or at least the spirit that moves them is everywhere. Even Tinseltown.
Trout (Brett) – Happy new year back atcha! Looking forward to another year of dispatches from Bide-A-Wee.
Speakfreely – Look and you shall find…
Jill – PSMS is a great place to start.
Seth – Winter mushrooms will be popping in Norcal into March. Roadtrip!
Ladyflyfish – Dang, I forgot you were down there. Expect a visit in the future–we’ve got relatives on both sides of the family in the area. I’m sure you’re familiar with forager Green Deane’s web site too; he’s in FLA.
Mike – Yeah, no worries about the rod guides freezing up in SW FLA, though apparently it got down to the 30’s before our arrival, which is unusual.
I thoroughly enjoyed this post! Amanita muscaria is extremely common in the Ithaca, NY area where I live, but we have the yellow var guessowii instead of the red version you have out West. I have heard it contains the exact same toxic chemicals, so I assume the same parboiling method would work. Still, I’m a bit afraid to experiment without confirmation – has anyone tried parboiling the yellow capped A. muscaria? By the way, I totally agree with David Aurora that this species is worth eating, assuming you know how to safely prepare it. The much riskier form of mushroom hubris is eating a pretty mushroom whose identity you are only 98, but not 100 percent sure of. That can result in death in the worst case scenario. A. muscaria, on the other hand, is extremely safe to ID, and even in the worst case scenario described in Lawrence and Tonya’s article, the results are far from fatal.
If you are unfamiliar with A. muscaria var guessowii, or are interested in learning more about the Amanita genus in general, check out this article from my blog, The Mushroom Forager. Cheers! – Ari
http://themushroomforager.com/2010/09/21/amanitas-from-deadly-to-delicious/
This is such an amazing entry and I love to read more of it so that I will be able to look over and have it as an inspiration for further articles to write about when it comes to updates on fly fishing stuffs and it’s pros and cons too. I do hope you will get to visit our official website and let us know what you think about it. Here is the link
http://www.sammaka.com/
Thanks ahead and happy new year to you and the rest
of your family. 🙂
I’ve recently started a blog, the information you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
Dada that was super fun!!
i sooo loved the posts with Arora. I live on Gualala ranch, a source of the mighty river in west sonoma county, near cazadero and jenner. i learned to i.d. mushrooms with Arora’s, All That the rain promises and More…’ and have been a mushroom fool ever since. i live in a 32 foot yurt, in the coastal hills, 4 miles, as the crow flies, from the ocean, and literally walk out my door to moretti’s, porcini’s, cocorra’s, matsutake’s and of course, tons of chanterelle’s. I dry them on my woodstove and powder all my mushrooms and eat them almost every day throughout the year in a variety of delicious ways. i’m also making mushroom jerky and tapenade. i love this blog so much and took your advice on cooking matsutake’s and have made the most exceptional reduction sauces, just for me, with matz, sake, rice vinegars and soy. thank you for your consciousness around food. i LOVE to eat from the earth and am one of the luckiest people in the world to be able to harvest from my own driveway.
peace brother, tina
I have, after reading this and your link to Arora’s research on A. Muscaria several times through, now successfully detoxified the mushroom myself on three separate occasions. They are amazingly delicious. Not unlike scallops in fact, just way cheaper and less environmentally taxing. Thanks for the good work.
Randy
Boiled stinging nettle leaves are good. I wish they were more wide spread here.
Regards.
http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/
Fun Fun!!!
Hey there, I’m a senior in high school doing PNW ethnobotany for my project and I’ve read about half of Fat of the Land (the other half will come soon!) and just so you know, we had the stinging nettles recipe in there :] Pretty good stuff surprisingly!
Stinging nettles are so versatile– it’s amazing ! (plant dye, rope, food, medicine!)
love your book, love the blog– I plan to keep reading
-taylor tm
We’re super excited about the Geoduck dig! Will keep our eyes glued for sign-up.
Shigoku, meaning “Perfection”, is the name assigned to the Pacific oysters that go through the tumbling process conceived by Bill Taylor, patriarch of Taylors Shellfish. I’d bet they have it trademarked by now. Pictures of the technique can be found in flickr if you search under Shigoku. Pacific oysters grow much faster than Kumamotos, and hence a market size oyster can be gotten from this technique in about 1.5 years. The youth and large exposure to plankton results in a special flavor for these. Kumamotos would take at least 2.5 years to come to market size using the same technique…they are quite slow growing, and they are small to begin with. This is from experience with Kumos, in a rich high flow environment near Deception Pass. We’re growing them in grow bags, attached to bedrock at about a minus 2 tide level.
Oh, and the Kumamotos were brought to the US after WW2, when Pacific oyster seed was rare, due to war damage. Subsequently, due to slow growth and availablility of the Pacific seed again, west coast oyster farms switched back to Pacifics. Decades later Taylor’s searched for, and found, some roughly 50 year old Kumos on some beds they own in south Puget Sound, and with their expertise in oyster hatchery work they were able to induce spawning in these old oysters. Purebreds, from the US, are now going back to Japan, where the Kumamotos were pretty much wiped out. My uncle, John Glude, was on the 3 person US team that brought in the Kumamotos way back then.
wow, it’s great to meet other nettle pesto lovers 🙂
I make it with sunflower seeds – much cheaper.
In autumn everyone in Lithuania goes to forests for mushroom hunting. Unfortunately each year few people die, after they had wrong mushrooms.
Last autumn one man has died – he wanted to prove, that he could eat agaric and nothing happens to him. Oooops, he was wrong.
I enjoyed reading this post and comments.
Picking mushrooms is great fun in our part of the world. We collect much in autumn and put them into jars and freezers for winter. Delitious!
I have few recipes with wild mushrooms in my cooking blog, but it is in Lithuanian. If you are interested I could translate. maybe this one http://www.7ravioli.com/pyrageliai-su-grybais-2/ ?
I just found your blog and I love it so much. Thank you for sharing you videos and your luck in truffle hunting. How cool is that? I hope you continue to post.
Thanks again.
Searcy
Lang, how I would love a forager’s walk in the woods with you sometime in the future. In the meantime, rhubarb is popping its nubs out through its own compost again this year. Not a field trip, it’s in the backyard, but spectacular just the same.
Can’t wait for the Nettles workshop! I never seem to get around to learning on my own.
won’t ya come out to Port Townsend? I just made cilantro-nettle pesto! baby nettles cover the ground here which means spring is well on!
Langdon – That burning typewriter totally used to be on a ramshackle business card I made back when I was a fledgling reporter freelancing for a tiny small-town weekly. Just had to mention that! The irony!
The recipe needs some improvement – all that flour needs to be cooked, otherwise this turns into gravy with a very pronounced raw-flour aroma. However, that’s hard once the mushrooms and onions are already in the pan.
The Escoffier mushroom soup (e.g., here) involves making a veloute so that the flour is well cooked before the addition of stock.
In any case: thanks for posting the recipe, but as written this ends up being floury and gravy-like, not worthy of good mushrooms.
OK, I’m the person that posted the Anonymous comment immediately above. I’m retracting my overly harsh criticism.
The flour aroma goes away eventually, and the soup is not at all like gravy – it’s quite nice. It just takes a while.
I added some cream sherry and sherry vinegar (~3 Tbsp and 2-3 tsp respectively) to brighten it up (and conceal the uncooked flour taste), and that went well.
Another tip is that I used the immersion blender again after the addition of cream – it “whipped” the soup a bit, added air, and gave it a velvety consistency.
Sorry I flew off the handle earlier 🙂
Hi Lang,
Awesome post. Had a blast pickin blacks and mudpuppies with you. Once you left the rains brought the blacks back from Santa Cruz up through Mendocino. Can’t keep a tasty mushroom down!
Nate
I recently discovered that the juice inside the stinging nettle stem STOPS the sting from stinging nettles! I didn’t believe it until I tried stinging myself, then split a stem open, rubbed on the gel-like stuff from inside and it worked!
Love the black mushrooms, just darn asethetically appealing in photos (and taste). Had some wild black shrooms featured in a paste dish at the newish 5-Corner market in Ballard a few weeks ago, hmmmm.
Heard Norcal was getting unusual snow today!
oops, aesthetically appealing, typo!
Nate – Thanks again. Looking forward to hunting morels with you.
Jill – The blacks should be around for another month. Get ’em while you can!
It’s a happy morning that begins with a new FOTL blog post about mushrooms.
I’d love to try that risotto recipe. Seeking clarification on that last step though. Should the arugula be cooked in with the rice or is the dish done at that point and the arugula is being added fresh on top after the heat has been shut off?
Thanks!
Kristen – Thanks for pointing that out. Will clarify asap. I stirred in the cheese and arugula off-heat, so that the arugula has a half-cooked look in the served risotto. It’s still very green but withered. I bet it would be good piled on top at serving too. One more thing: this risotto was even better the next day, a little more savory and less sweet.
Wonderful! Thanks for the extra notes on the recipe Langdon. I can’t wait to try this one out.
Also, do the yellowfoot and hedgehog mushrooms live in the same sort of places that the black trumpets do? If not, I’d love a tip on where these two might be found. Mushroom hunting gives me such a charge. I got all fired up again thinking that there might be more to pick while awaiting the morels and chanterelles.
Kristen, all three species of winter mushroom seem to like decayed wood. Often you’ll see the blacks in areas with lots of deadfall. The yellowfoot will grow out of nurse logs and stumps, and the hedgehogs often fruit in areas with *very* decayed wood that looks more like soil. Mixed hardwood and conifer forests. Good luck!
Congrats! Hopefully you will also get to curate a cover story “Seattle’s Top 100 Foragers” for them.
I am so happy you posted this topic. My dogs have gone nuts chomping up our pineapple buds. They love it! But the main reason I am writing is to let you all know that it is also a dominating weed and does not tolerate taller plants/weeds. I have done “selective weeding” in my yard the last two years and now have a full yard of nothing but pineapple weeds and no other kind of weeds by killing only the non-pineapple weeds and allowing a few of the pineapples to remain untouched. I am amazed at how, when it’s time for the weeds to crop up again, only the pineapples have come back. So now I am going to plant them on the hard to reach areas like my hillside and kill the other weeds in hopes that next season, only the pineapples will grow back which makes for a beautiful natural landscaping without the uglyness of tall raspy looking weeds. These look like natural ground cover and smell amazing, even when you don’t crush them. They have a sweet smell especially in the warm sun or in the morning dew.
Bravo! However, if we ate ALL the dandys in our back yard we’d come to a bitter end.
What a great forum. Good luck.
Great entry! Thanks so much for sharing.
Sounds like a great gig, Lang. Way to go. Have fun,
Brett
Well done! A worthy column indeed.
How exciting! Congratulations!
Thanks everyone! My next column, May, will be on morels…
After having just tried your Nettle Gnocchi recipe for the first time last time, I’m very excited to pick more nettle and try this Paneer recipe. Kudos on the gnocchi! Made a hell of a mess of the kitchen counter but what a dinner!
Watch out nettles. I’m coming to getcha!
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I love cooking wild food, love cooking curry, and love nettles, so will definitely try this. Just need to figure out a safe way to pick nettles with my 2 year old…
Nettles are at least a month off in Michigan (we’re still snow-covered). Very jealous!
You’ve totally reeled me in this time — nettles & saag paneer. I’m sure I’d be in heaven. Now, I just need to find that elusive source for local nettles… know of anywhere to get them in WI??
just got back from seattle with a salmon and at the fish counter the fishmonger asked me if i wanted to keep the “throwaway” parts. i was almost insulted when i realized that most people probably say no…
you’re right. it’s a dishonor to waste a single delicious morsel!
i found this post by looking for a recipe to inspire some salmon head soup. starting it right now! really enjoyed this post.
Of course this works – nettles and cheese are an umami explosion.
Just finished this dish and was not disappointed. I used full fat goat milk yogurt in place of cream, and added a bit more fresh ginger and got a fantastic tangy taste out of it. Wonderful combination!
Congrats, Lang! Always good to see the mainstream accept foraging. Do us all proud!
Where do you buy paneer? I will definitely try this. I’ve made your nettle gnocchi and nettle pesto and loved them. Thanks for the continued inspiration!
Looks like you left out the secret ingredient to Indian deliciousness…Ghee!
Thanks LC for the fun post!
Kristen – I hear you on the mess. Every time I make gnocchi I’m just praying they hold together. Enjoy the Paneer!
Mike – Kids learn quick…
Mari – Something to look forward to. Along with morels.
Lo – I’ve gotta think they’re all over boggy parts of WI. We find them in moist mixed woodlands here, if that helps.
Heather – Just add seaweed…
Kristen – I used yogurt with my leftovers to good effect, too.
Brittney – I bought paneer at an Indian grocery in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, but there are plenty of recipes for making it yourself.
MPG – I know, no ghee, what was I thinking?
Hi — I heard on Splendid Table (APM) this week that even our native big leaf maples can be tapped for sugar. Have you ever tried this? I’m ready to go out and buy a bucket and whatever else might be needed — what do you think? Thanks!
Yep, it’s true. I haven’t tapped Big-Leaf, but have used the blossoms to make pesto: http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/2010/05/sea-scallops-with-maple-blossom-pesto.html
Just bought a bag of nettles from my favourite forager. I also just discovered your blog. And Gnocchi’s are one of my favourite things in the world. Today is a happy day! Cheers!
Hi there, I found your blog via Google while searching for first aid for a heart attack and your post looks very interesting for me.
Hi, Could someone tell me the best way to freeze nettles. Many thanks. Ruth
Wonderful recipes! I made spanakopita last night with stinging nettles harvested from my wee property in the gulf islands. This, plus your nettle saag recipe reminded me of a dinner I had years ago while travelling in France – a crepe filled with blue cheese and cumin. So now I’m going to try another “nettle-kopita” using a bit of blue cheese and cumin (perhaps mellowed with some local chevre added to the mix). When it comes to forager cuisine, creative ideas abound!
Sounds & looks great. Reminds me of spinach & cheese pasties. I like nettles.
http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/
I have looked through your whole blog and though I like it I think you should put up some videos.
Wow! I’m sold! Can’t wait to try this one!
I just pulled so many of these “weeds” from our lower yard. I had no idea they were edible.
Oh hell does that look good. I’m just finishing my sausage-making season. Looks like at least one batch will be destined for this.
Great bog, you got a new follower
Just a couple of questions about the Porcini Chana Masala recipe, which by the way sounds fantastic…
Is it ok to substitute yellow mustard seeds (for black), or are they completely different flavors?
In step #4, the recipe calls to add “hot pepper,” but I don’t see that in the list of ingredients.
Thanks!
Jennifer – How did the Nettle-kopita turn out? Love that idea.
Calhoun – The black mustard seeds are very distinctive, with a smoky flavor. Try to get some if you can. As for the hot pepper, that’s an error. I made the recipe twice, the first time with fresh chili pepper, the second time without. I didn’t notice much difference, but if you like your food hot, by all means add a diced chili pepper or two! (Gonna fix that typo now…)
Hi Langdon,
The cumin-blue cheese nettlekopita was exquisite! I used some locally made blue cheese, which melted nicely with the carmelized onions and nettles. Yum! Now I want to try making gomae out of shocked stinging nettles…looking for a good sesame sauce.
Jennifer
An Italian variation of this recipe:
Fontina and Porcini Mushroom Salad
Porcini are sauté, not grilled, and we add fontina cheese. Very tasty!
http://www.academiabarilla.com/recipes/search-recipes/fontina-porcini-mushroom-salad.aspx
Have you ever considered nettles with crab in some recipe? Freshly cooked nettles have always given off a sweet briny aroma reminiscent of crab. I think it is a similar mineral content.
recipe looks great. but i have a question – does stinging nettle grow in South Florida? I’m in zone 10b. let it grow ‘wild’ in my yard, or use containers? any links would be helpful. Have a nice day.
Thank you for this post. I think this is something even I could do. *smiles* but wondering something: does stinging nettle grow in south florida? I’m in zone 10b. would I let it grow ‘wild’ in my yard, or use a container?
Any links you can provide would be helpful. Have a nice day.
Le Loup – Mmmnnnn…pasties….
Nerfer24 – Alec, did you swipe mom’s laptop again?
Kirsten – Try it yet? Now’s the time!
Jason – Eat the weeds, my friend.
Jamie – Wish I could say our sausage was home-cured.
Dustin – Thanks for stopping by.
Dawn – I’m not sure of the southern terminus for nettles. They’re a wide-ranging weed found throughout much of the world, but according to the feds it doesn’t occur in Florida.
Glad to see this Saag + Paneer recipe. I was thinking something like this might be tasty as I see a huge crop of new nettles in our yard by the creek.
Thanks for the recipe! Is it possible (or wise) to use the flowers from a red elder? The flower clusters are smaller and are popping out now in the Seattle area (as I’m sure you’ve noticed!) and I’m very tempted by them. Don’t want to poison myself though! Thoughts, tips? Thanks!
Just had my second slice of nettle pie today. Made it last night and it is wonderful! Dense and delicious! I ended up shy of 20oz of nettles and used 12oz of veggie sausage instead of a pound of meat sausage and still despite these lesser amounts ended up with almost more innards than fit in the 10″ pie dish. Next time around I will mince up the nettles a bit after blanching (I left them intact with their young stems this time). Tender they are but sometimes pull out chunks of the pie when you catch one in your mouth. This is my first experience cooking with nettles and I couldn’t have gotten a better recipe to kick off my interest. Thanks LC!
Any recommendations for swapping the spinach back in for the nettles? More spinach than nettles available around here.
Hi, I live in South Georgia. I remember the pineapple weed when I was a child living in Minnesota. I am looking for somebody who could ship some live plants to me. I can be contacted via 229-450-3932 or lagamorphfarms@gmail.com.
On a search for fiddleheads, I found some that looked perfect, coiling tightly just above the ground. But these are furry, and they don’t want to remove their coats anytime soon, even with a good soaking.
The mature fronds look much like ostrich ferns, and may be the very thing. I’m not sure. I found them near Seattle. They are a more dull green when mature though, more like an Army green.
I wish I had a photo, but the camera is out of batteries at present. Does it sound like I’ve got anything edible here or should I keep searching?
Thanks!
Hi Kristen – Lady fern fiddleheads will shed their coats fairly easily with a little water and thumb wrestling. In my classes we’ve had the good fortune of seeing lady ferns, buckler ferns, sword ferns, and bracken ferns all growing from the same patch of ground for easy comparison. Send a photo if you get a chance.
Very happy to find your blog while searching for a pickled fiddleheads recipe. Trying this today!
great idea, had no idea you could eat them. you learn something every day.
Not so much in the vein of this particular article, but more in the spirit of our love for amazing food.
New York’s answer to home cooked food and some Mum love…
Amazing!
http://newyorkknowsbest.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/no-one-does-it-like-mom/
Fantastic! Something about deep fat frying that makes everything tastier : ) It works great with Turkish towel seaweed too, no tempura necessary(if you guard against splatter).
I can’t wait to try this for dinner tonight!
I’m so excited to find your blog! I appreciate your knowledge around this and look forward to reading future posts if not just for the awesome recipes! Thanks 🙂
Have you ever used honey in place of jam in recipes?
Looks like a wonderful day out wish you were based in scotland.
Looks like it was a gorgeous day for clam digging. The Thai basil clams look delicious. How I wish my son and husband would eat shellfish.
Nice dish! Love Sichuan cooking, and that is a perfect wild sub-in for the beans. Might have to borrow that one someday…
BTW, I’ve now eaten both Lady Fern and Ostrich Fern and I have to say the East has it on us — just not a fan of the Lady Fern. Too tannic and bitter for me.
It’s easy to clean fiddle heads first pick them dry put about 2 quarts in a large stainless bowl using a air compressor blow straight down into the bowl and all the brown skin will blow right out of the bowl then use your outside water spicket and hose them 4-5 times. will be clean as a whistle!!!! enjoy
Loved reading this post! My sister-in-law and brother-in-law took your class and could not say enough great things about it. They brought us some of the clams, which were so fresh and amazingly delicious that I had to write about them on my blog. Looking forward to trying the spicy thai basil recipe soon.
Jessica – Thanks for the kind words. We had great weather and a really fun group of people, two big plusses.
To other (now missing) commenters on this post: Blogger went down last week and the most recent comments got deleted before I could read them. Sorry!
Look out, someone’s going to call the food cops on you! (But I won’t tell as long as you let me in on where your going to establish a local ‘naturalized’ ramp planting…)
I love your blog! I checked on a favorite ramp spot in Ithaca, NY yesterday – the leaves had all died back and they were putting out flower stalks. I have about 20 containers of ramp pesto in my freezer right now – hopefully should be enough to hold me over until next spring. Check out this recent article about ramps from my blog, The Mushroom Forager: http://themushroomforager.com/2011/04/21/the-ramp-ritual/
Great article – I’m inspired to try to go to the festival next year. I grew up hunting morels, then got away from it when I moved to the city. Anxious to get back out there and find some!
theadalynfarm – I thought about planting some of my smuggled ramps, but in the end I couldn’t resist eating them all! Apparently they can be tricky to grow from seed.
Ari – Mmmnnnnn…ramp pesto. On my way to check out your link.
I grew up eating bracken, boiled, fried, steamed, dried etc.. and being Korean it was almost a requirement. Every spring my parents hauled us off (my 2 brothers and I) up into the Cascades to forage for Bracken by the buckets.. This wasn’t so bad, but it was the processing of the ferns that always got to me. Traditionally the Bracken are boiled first to remove the “hair”, then set out to dry to preserve them because of their short season. This way it can be enjoyed any time. It was just the smell of boiled and drying Bracken during the 4 days was a bit much. My mother still goes out every spring into the woods where they live to forage and sells what she doesn’t have room for since there’s a market out there for Bracken in the Asian community who don’t want to go do the work themselves!
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So, it’s getting a little late in the season for fiddleheads, and I’m wondering just how tight the fronds need to be to be edible? I was out today and only found two still neatly furled, about 3 and 5 inches tall. There were still a number of ones mostly curled, about 10 inches tall, but with the very lowermost leaves present on the stalk. They’re only tiny leaflets. Are these still okay? BTW, I love your blog, tons of great information!
Thank you for this. Growing up my Mum wasn’t sure they were edible so she told us, “Don’t eat those.” I recently learned my jam-making mother was missing out on tons of free berries. Oregon-grape is everywhere I turn where I live.
We will be picking this summer and trying out the jam recipe. Couple questions. I have read that they are at peak ripeness when they get the dusty look on them. Is this true?
Also, I was a bit confused about adding the sugar. You mention adding equal amounts and later say to add the sugar a bit at a time. I am assuming you do add about equal amounts, but not when you first mention it, but rather add slowly later. Yes? Thank you for the recipe. Excited to try it.
Have you tried making pancake syrup out of the berries?
My family makes Elderberry Jelly and it is delicious. We use a juicer to get elderberry juice, which can be canned up to make jelly now or at a later date.
I did not know the stems, leaves, etc. are toxic. Glad you mentioned it. Will be sure to keep them out of the steamer, but we have had the stems and a couple leaves in there before and not had any problems. They get strained out, but I imagine they could be an issue if left in the juicer. So…no more stems and leaves.
Thank you so much for this article.
One trick to share. To easily remove those little stems from elderberry, huckleberry, blueberry, etc.
Just place your berries in the freezer for just a bit (30 minutes or so). They should be slightly hard. Then roll them across a clean kitchen towel (no fuzzy towels) and the stems stick to the towel and removes the majority of them quickly and easily.
I had recently moved to Washington and I’d love to learn more about the foraging scene up here! I hope to be able to be a part of one of your classes soon!
Lucky! I’ve always wanted to pick ramps, but until then I make do with cooking them whenever I can. Found two stalls selling them in Pike Place about three weeks ago. Made up a Ramp Pasta and Ramp, Nettle, Watercress, Parsley and Wood Sorrel Soup. Called it “Drink Your Greens”.
That was a great article!
This is FYI
Another site I think you’d like:
http://www.theperennialplate.com/
So many beautiful mushrooms! I have never seen b.edilus in the spring before. Is that normal there? This is the start of our second year in Sandpoint and we have only found a handful of morels.
Yep, normal for the NW. We get a species called B. Rex-veris or “Spring Kings”. https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Boletus_rex-veris Last year I found six pounds near Lake Wenatchee, and last weekend I found two pounds. Only found two morels though, it’s been a weird year.
cool post, love the cleats! did you ask them or otherwise hear about any reports of violence at this camp? i’ve heard the matsi camps can get pretty ugly but haven’t heard of much nastiness at the spring morel/bolete camps. though, i have heard of some occasional problems at fire morel camps.
Love the USFS note. “have a nice day!” funny. Looks like a nice laid back place.
Also have only found a couple morels this year…quite a contrast from last year.
Not sure, but I think your “ramps” are what my Wild Food book refers to as wild vichyssoise (vishy-swah?).
Made this twice now, (last year and this year) and if you have fresh spring porcini, it is outstanding.
Stumptown Steve
Geno – As Russell mentioned, our spring variety of porcini on the West Coast is Boletus rex-veris, which receive species status a few years ago. Keep looking. Sandpoint should have both morels and spring porcini.
Russell – I’d be out there this weekend…
t-mos – No violence. Much of what you hear is hyperbole, or not mushroom-related. Everyone was pretty friendly.
adalynfarm – It’s a strange mix of campout and work. Some of the pickers are just hanging out & partying, but others are trying to pay off debts, put away some cash, etc.
Brian – Not a good year for naturals. Mostly singletons.
Nice…Copper River Sockeye rules! I’ve been gobbling up just as much as I can wrap my lips around!
So if my dried porcinis have mold, I need to throw them out? I had them in a container and all was well until about a month ago when it rained for about 2 weeks straight. Now I discovered mold in the container. I have quite a large amount…I would hate to have to dump them.
This sounds great! I recently got some Himalayan pink salt and organic peppercorns from Sustainable Sourcing https://secure.sustainablesourcing.com and I’ll have to try them out in this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Looks very much like Ramsons or Wild garlic over here in UK- is that the US version?!
they are truly meant to be together …and especially on pizza! I like the combo with a leek bechamel sauce.
Just looking at these photos is making me crave these two dishes all over again. Would it be possible to reconstitute some dried morels for this occasion? Or would the texture not quite be the same?
Gala Bent – Now that’s an evil combo! Must give it a try.
Martha Silano – Hey, I think I know you!
Your recipe is pretty much what I learned when growing up… but I like to kick it up a notch with a some thin sliced aburage (fired tofu), thin sliced fish cake (tempura type kamaboku), dash of hot peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and bit of hijiki seaweed. Put this over a bowl of hot or cold rice and enjoy it with a cup of green tea.
same here. Korean ancestry and we eat bracken ferns fried with onions in soy sauce and sesame seed oil–yum. Bunch of junk about all the cancer stuff–especially when you compare longevity along with obesity rates…anyhow, was wondering if anyone knows if the ferns can be transplanted so I can grow them. My mom picked them late March or so each year but not sure where. Since losing her, I would like to continue to pick them but not sure where to look for them. Haven’t had much luck…so anyone has info on where to look and how to grow them my self, please share. I don’t have an URL or account so submitting as yet another anynomous.
Ummy! That chowder does look delectable.
All the clam shack talk has me pining for a trip to Long Beach Island, and some Jersey-style hospitality.
What is UP with Puget Sound that it doesn’t grok the need for an unpretentious shack? Boggles the mind …
I really hope that someone proves you wrong about the lack of clam shacks on the West Coast. Perhaps opening a clam shack to end all clam shacks should be your next undertaking? I bet that many a displaced East Coaster would thank you. 🙂
If you want a straight replay of the Clam Shack as described, you probably won’t find it ( or them).
Long gone, you used to be able to find small, informal, SEASONAL places about where you would expect:
Astoria, Ilwaco, Long Beach,South Bend, Grayland, Westport, Shelton, Olympia, LaConner, Anacortes, along Chuckanut Drive, and Coupeville.
Still, in each of these locations, you still can find at least one place that operates year round, and serves some damn good seafood.
Say, for example, Toby’s Tavern in Coupeville. On Chuckanut, stop at Taylors. Buy and shuck your own. Or grill ’em. They provide the tables. They also sell clams, crabs, mussels.
Ross Kane
Warm Beach (Port Susan)
Hi Lang, I agree with everything you said regarding a lack of clam shacks (with oysters too!). Didn’t Ivar’s start out in that direction?
A question, what parts of the clam did you use and what parts did you target for exclusion, if any?
Martha – I’ll save some for you!
Kimberley – I don’t think I have what it takes to run a restaurant. Huge props for those who do.
Ross – I think I’ve been to Toby’s and had the mussels. Nice place, but if I’m thinking of the right place it’s not exactly a clam shack (as you say), more of a casual dining spot with some shellfish on the menu… Years ago we sampled the Chuckanut Drive oyster houses with limited success. Haven’t been to Taylor’s, though I’m a fan of their shellfish. There used to be a half-decent fish ‘n’ chip shop in Ocean Shores but I think it closed. Some of those other locales have succumbed to the usual pressures of Walmart USA. The franchising of America is a sad spectacle.
John – I processed the horse clams like geoducks: boiled in water for 10 seconds, removed the shell, cut out the stomach and gills, butterflied the siphon (removing the siphon sheath was the hardest part), and salvaged what body meat I could. Definitely less meat on a horse than a ‘duck.
Okay. Try Pacific Oyster in Bay City, Oregon. 5150 Oyster Drive
Bay City, OR 97053
(503) 377-2323. Call before you make the trip.Crab as good as you get at my house.
On Chuckanut, the Oyster Bar is the best of the lot. At lunch. At dinner, it is much more upscale. The Web Locker in B’ham is also pretty good for fried fish or oysters. Ditto for the Conway Tavern. Rexville Grocery has its fans, esp. for Sunday breakfast.
Ross Kane
Warm Beach (Port Susan)
There isn’t as much meat on a horse as a ‘duck and they don’t taste as sweet, but they’re *far* more prolific, only buried half as deep. And you can screen for the big ones by the hole and/or siphon show. And you can harvest 7. And they occur higher on the beach…
Sorry but just a different culture out here, so don’t expect it to mimic the East Coast food scene. Growing up here for me it was about salmon bakes after my dad went deep-sea fishing, fresh boiled crab, and kippered salmon. Also the cold poached whole salmon at the Top of the Ocean Sunday brunch, oh my! You don’t taste salmon like that much anymore with the decline of our local salmon fisheries. Try the alder-plank roasted salmon at the semi-annual Brown’s Point Salmon Bake for an authentic Northwest local food experience. Not happening this year though.
BTW, Ivar (properly pronounced EEE-var) originally started out with an aquarium rather than the seafood biz. Just very good at self promotion. He was my grandmother’s first cousin and sang at my parent’s wedding…
Being a New Englander myself (originally from Vermont) I can really appreciate good clam chowder now that I am also living on the west coast in Vancouver. You would think it would be easier to find since we are so close to the water! Thanks for the recipe I think I will definitely try it soon.
Clam chowder is awesome. Thanks for sharing this post as it has reminded me to get my wife to make some for us.
Ross – Sounds like I should come to your house…
AndrewM – Good points, all.
Jill – Maybe so. I love a good salmon bake as much as the next PNWer. But with our wealth of shellfish it seems like we should be able to enjoy those too in a down home way.
Emily – It’s a simple chowder. Hope you like it.
Neil – Maybe it’s time to make some for the wife!
I’ve never heard of Morel’s and found this so intriguing to read. Thanks for all the info! The meal you prepared also looks delicious, I’ll definitely have to try making something like that myself! Looks like you were in a beautiful spot!
Those morels look delicious! Glad you met up with the Perennial Plate folks and showed them around the Cascades. Did you happen to take them geoducking?
Emily – Morels are among the most delicious of wild mushrooms. Give them a try.
Ron Kaufmann – Daniel and I went for geoduck dig that involved all kinds of drama. Tune in to a future webisode of Perennial Plate to find out what happened…
Have you ever thought of going to Hawaii for some foraging? There are strawberry guava trees, wild taro, exotic fruit etc. I would love to see what recipes you would come up with. I live on the big island. There are also river shrimp, coqui frogs, and small crabs here.
I’ve been told that red elderberries are poisonous, while blue ones are not. I have a huge red elderberry in my yard and I steer clear of it. Does cooking it change this?
Langdon: wow, what a perfect combination! When we come down off of Mt. Hood we often stop at Cascade Locks to get some of the fresh Columbia River spring chinook. This will be tried next year, for sure. Thanks for a great idea.
Stumptown Steve
This is definitely something that I’ve never tried. But the recipe sounds interesting! If I can ever get my hands on some Geoduck I’ll definitely give it a try!
Thank you so much for this recipe. My children and I gathered red huckleberries from the woods around our property today. We made your compote and served it with tilapia. _Oh_my_goodness_… it was the best thing I’d tasted in a VERY long time. My husband says, “restaurant quality!”… and he eats in lots of restaurants when traveling in europe on business.
Thanks again!
Real New Englanders don’t use bacon, they use salt pork. And they don’t thicken with flour either. If you must thicken rather that reduce, use instant mashed potato.
Real New Englanders use salt pork, not bacon. They reduce not thicken with flour. If you must thicken use instant mashed potato.
Seafood! I love seafood a lot! The photo makes my mouth water! 🙂
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Yummy. My aunt’s family always harvest oysters, her parents are fishermen.
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Carter – We wouldn’t want to offend the sensibilities of those “real New Englanders” now, would we…
Great post! Very informative. The pictures are nice too. Looks like you had fun, and ate a great meal!
Former New Englander myself, currently living in Virginia Beach. I have to agree with you, with all the great seafood around here, no good clam shacks. The Hatteras clam chowder isn’t even a creamy soup.
I always make sure I get a lobster roll and some fried clams when I go visit my parents.
All Star Charters ROCKS! They are the best…
I make Oregon Grape jelly every year, and I use my steamer pot..I just throw the grapes in, no crushing or anything..they steam for about 3 hours and the juice comes out clear, skin and seed free and not bitter at all…the pot I have has been a godsend this year it is called the Mehu-Liisa Steamer/Juicer from Lee Valley..made in Findland. I also make syrup as well from the juice… cheers from BC
What a good idea this was. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I decided to biol it for longer time, then removed the skin and bones, but some of the smaller bones cooked and became part of the soup. I am not sure if this is OK, tasted very nice though.
We picked enough grapes to make 11 1/2 cups and I added 10 ounces of sweetened raspberries and the one for one cup of sugar, it was superb!! Thanks for a great recipe.
I read your posts about fishing and clam digging and I’m so jealous. I’ve convinced Hubby we should try fishing ourselves and he’s agreed. Mind you, we both haven’t fished since we were kids, so this is going to be interesting. Luckily, we have a friend who knows about fishing and is willing to take us out. I’m so excited!
the food looks great
I recently watched a video with Lincoff, and I think, Evans about mushrooms and an older Telluride festival on youtube, it was informational, comic and sweet at the same time. I love magical mushrooms, but the time is not right for me to partake right now. I am just beginning my education on all mushrooms, besides the edibles. Telluride is a future destination, along with the assorted NEMA forays in New England. Lovely post!
Awesome blog, Lang. Can you suggest a good resource for id’ing the “right” kind of amanita in the wild?
Sounds like fun, but… If you ate the Silver the night you caught it, you were about three days too early. It would have still been in Rigor Mortis, which makes a salmon tough and strong flavored. This also applies to freezing; should let them relax first. Rigor usually goes after a day or so, flavor improves over the next couple days.
Thanks for sharing, I learned much about huckleberries thanks to you.
As to it being sedative…more likely than not. Chamomile and Pineapple Weed are in the same genus, and the active flavone (Chrysin)is in both. On the other hand, it’s never simple with plants…so try it out, see what it does. I think it made me a bit relaxed
actually, the amanitamobile runs fine, and didn’t break down. we just don’t run its monoxide engine when we’re parading down colorado avenue — no sense poisoning our patrons…
shroompa
Tim — For definitive information about the genus Amanita, consult Dr. Rodham Tulloss’ site: http://www.amanitaceae.org/
He also participates in MushroomObserver.org occasionally, and is good about responding to requests for information, when he has the time.
— Feral Boy
Just got the magazine and the article is great. My husband and I are planning on taking your shellfish foraging class. Love your book, by the way.
Congrats on the terrific Sunset spread! “OMG, I totally know that guy!” [Only via your blog, but still.]
Dug clams with the parents at Pismo ages ago, and now I can’t wait to give it another shot.
Hazzahs and high-fives all around!!
And don’t forget you’re going to be a celebrity speller (mis-speller?) at Seattle’s Richard Hugo House on 9/15 at 7:30 pm.
Awesome to see you on the show! Especially since I’m pretty sure that I never knew what a geoduck was until I read about them on your blog. They’re even more, um, suggestive on video than they are in photos.
My very first mushrooming experiences were in Telluride (hi Art! Can’t believe the shroom-mobile is still going!). Inspired by the festivities we went up to Lizard Head and came home with pounds of chanterelles, which we cooked up with chicken and cream and all went ooh!! aah! One of my happiest memories — 20 years later, and I’m off this weekend hoping the porcini haul near Helena is as good as it was last year. It was the mushroomheads of Telluride who convinced me that you could pick your own …
I have a soft spot for the red huckleberry because we used to pick them in old clearcuts when I was kid at Hidden Valley Camp, back when Granite Falls was WAYYYYY out in the boonies. There was even a “Huckleberry Hill.” I didn’t know huckleberries were anything but red until years later.
We’d take the old big coffee tins, fill them up, and take them to the camp cook. I recall the most amazing fresh huckleberry pie that she concocted. Food memory is strong! She topped the delicate crust with a sweep of sparkly sugar, oh my was it delicious. Thanks for the memories. BTW, congrats on all your press, saw you in Sunset. I’m blogging away in obscurity but honestly I do it because I love doing it. period. Keeps me writing and seeking “blogworthy” experiences.
Great website, looks very clean and organized. And very interesting to read Your the article!
Love it. Really instructive.
rental boat guy – Thanks, and see you on the shellfish flats!
Luisa – I’ve never dug the fabled Pismo clam. I see a trip to SoCal in the making…
Martha – Geoduck. G-E-O-D-U-C-K. Geoduck.
Kimberley – And that was a small one…
Neil – Red huckleberries are still out there, and mountain huckleberries are just hitting their stride. Go get some.
Jill – No way! My son went to Hidden Valley Camp for the second summer in a row this year. He came home singing the huckleberry song and talked about picking berries up on Huckleberry Hill. Granite Falls isn’t quite so far out in the boonies as it used to be, but it ain’t the city either. Thanks for sharing your huck memories and good luck with the blog.
The 3 Foragers – Thanks for stopping by and sharing your mushroom thoughts. Definitely get to Telluride if you can. Beautiful scenery, fun people, and good hunting.
Tim – Get yourself copies of Arora’s books: “Mushrooms Demystified” and “All That the Rain Promises.” And what do you mean by the “right” kind? Be very careful with Amanitas.
Art – It was a pleasure to meet you at Tride. Maybe next year we can get Billy Joe over for the fest.
Feral Boy – Good resource.
Charlotte – Thanks for chiming in. Tride’s shroom fest is 31 years strong and continues to churn out new mushroom people year after year. Good action!
Emily – Thanks, it was a very good meal with good company.
adalynfarm – I’ll be going out with All-Star again fer sure.
dp – Good on ya! Report back on your fishy progress.
PTjim – I dunno, they were pretty darn tasty. I’ll look into your thoughts on fish cookery for a future post, thanks.
Fivecard – Always good to hear from you…
Ha! That’s cool about your son gong to HVC, and wow can’t believe they are still picking the berries on Huckleberry Hill! Thanks.
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Langdon,
The soup looks amazing! I’m happy you chose to make it and I’m even happier you found another way to use fish bones and throw away vegetable parts. So cool!
Eric
Tease! I want the video!
I vote this the best recipe title ever! (Too land-locked to actually give it a try until my next summer on Cape Cod, but could taste it through your words–thanks!)
Just a note that the otters you saw in the kelp beds in Washington are river otters and not seas otters. Sea otters are extremely endangered and only abundant in the north Pacific.
No less beautiful though!
No water in the brine? I’ve never pickled kelp before, but it seems odd to have vineagar only in the brine.
This sounds tempting…have tried frying kelp before, but it was disgusting (quite possibly down to my cooking skill)
Chris – That’s right, river otters, though sea otters certainly use the kelp beds in their range.
Evalyn – No water in this recipe.
Mike – Try kelp pickles. Might be more in your wheelhouse.
Looks stunning!
You have never said truer words. I look forward to a fall trip, weather permitting (and often not), into the Northern Cascades for some high-mountain huckleberries. I always bring a bit of bacon and some pancake mix. Best breakfast ever.
We had a lot of luck further southeast in the Umatilla Mountains this year. I’d give you specifics, but, well…
Gabriel – This is the best time to be in the mountains for an extended backpack. Mushrooms, berries, fat trout… And not so many daytrippers. Hope your excursion is bountiful.
Megan – Love that area. High plateaus with miles of easy walking through the huckleberry patch. Haven’t been there in a few years. Might be time for a return trip.
Good luck with the berries. I also have found the hucks aren’t very sweet this year – last week on Pilchuck, while some of the blue variety were plump and ripe, they weren’t very sweet. Same for some reds that I encountered over on Bainbridge a few days later. But still. More character than the domestics!
We had a good early season on the hucks here in Sandpoint but the later high mountain ones just don’t have the quantity. but on a better note the raspberries, blackberries, and Eldar berries are loaded! We have also got pretty heavy into Lobster mushrooms and a few Chantrelles.
I just got back from being away for a few weeks and was trying to find out if the huckleberries were worth a trip up to the mountains this year. Glad you’re blogging about berry picking! Hope they’re still decent this weekend.
I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Glad you had a fruitful 2011 run. I really thought my first try at Pacific salmon would be as amazing as I’d always heard it could be. “Just throw something pink out there, and you’ll land one every cast!” Well, let me tell you, nothing could keep me from leaving my wife and young children each weekend to go and lose all my [admittedly cheap] gear on the rocks. But after four long days on the beach: zilch. I’m from the south, so I’m totally out of my element here, but to me catching a salmon is like winning the lottery. I don’t discern any noticeable element of skill involved. At least, no one is going to just tell me if there is anyway. Everyone seems to just run up and down to beach to wherever they seem to be hitting and put on whatever they seem to be biting, usually to no avail. If I’d brought home some fresh wild protein I would be singing their praises, but until 2013 me and the pinks are on the outs. Now bring on the fungi.
daddisan – It’s raining right now. Bring on the fungi, indeed! You’ll get the hang of this salmon fishing thing. There’s no skill involved except learning how to count yourself among the 20% who catch 80% of the fish. Now go get yourself a land fish! Mushrooms are a-poppin’.
Langdon,
Wish we had Salmon out here on the East Coast. I’ve greatly enjoyed your informative posts. Check out my blog at http://www.AnthroHemian.Blogspot.com for a smattering of what’s going on in the out of doors on the East Coast. Keep up the good work!
That sounds really good. I have never tried Smoked salmon (HIDES LOL) But I am going to make sure i do SOON!
bahahaha…ornery 6 yr olds are funny….so are rabid 4 yr olds with the wild black raspberries we have taking over our property!!! I have a big need to get informed on wild berries… I was back at the in-law’s hunting camp near Parham Ontario and spied a bazillion berries and have no idea what they are…so i only took pics for future reference…
hot damn, i’m keeping this recipe bookmarked for spring when our asparagus comes back again…can’t wait!!!
Picked some beautiful chanterelles on Vancouver Island this week, making your stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you!
Salal, sweated sweet onion, some sorrel or oxalis and a little salt & pepper for a grilled salmon compote – best of the fall flavors
the young leaves are surprisingly tasty and easy to gather. They taste like a mild sheep sorrel. Its a spring thing. I’m slightly skeptical about consuming them by the bushel though; as there doesn’t seem to be alot of info out there. I assume they contain a decent amount of oxalic acid?
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It is very interesting for me to read that article. Thank author for it. I like such topics and everything connected to this matter. I definitely want to read more soon.
AndrewM – Your fall compote just rose to the top of my menu.
chiefbellevue – Thanks for the 411. I’ll be trying salal leaves next spring, though I bet you’re right about oxalic acid.
I use salal leaves in my herbal antiseptic spray. If you chew a leaf, you’ll find that your mouth gets very dry. That’s the medicine of salal. It dries a weepy wound or sore and promotes fast healing.
Thanks for the recipe! I’m saving it for next spring. Meanwhile, what about a recipe for rose hip syrup or jam? Many years ago I spent a winter in the Argentine Andes and someone suggested I make pancake syrup from rose hips, and I followed her recipe successfully. The syrup was brilliant orange, tart, and sweet. It’s been so long, I can’t remember what I did. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!
My 5 year old son had Friday off from school so we headed to the hills and found the best chanterelle patch I’ve ever seen. Beautiful fresh mushrooms. Grilled coho filet Friday night with them sautéed. Making mushroom soup today. Go get ’em.
Anonymous – You’ve for the fever now. Watch out!
bummer about the bad shroom conditions. I just returned from Italy, where I had the most amazing porcini dishes ever in season….porcini with tagliatelle and cipolline, porcini risotto, porcini bruschetta, etc. Divine!
The season has been a bummer for us out in Vancouver, BC, too. You may recall my photos from last year… that simply won’t be happening this season.
However, yesterday was my first mushroom gift- gigantic patches of shaggy manes all over campus. I am hoping for more luck, but it’s been tough to make the perfect timing after the rains as I’m trying to finish my degree.
A fellow pining lover-of-mushrooms…
~Cameal
How interesting! I love that you got to be a part of the SE Asian community/festival. A pop singer! I’ve heard wonderful things about Laos. Anyway, I noticed last year driving between Arlington and Darrington that the pickers along the roadside seemed to all be Asian.
That said, I still recall a terrible story when I was a kid in Oregon – a party from Portland went picking mushrooms, had a dinner party, then 5 died that night the the other had to have a liver transplant. This was way back in the 1970s so I don’t remember the details, but I swore i would never eat a wild mushroom. I’ve relented over the years and enjoy chanterelles, morels, porcini, etc. and haven’t heard any similar horror stories for years – have you? BTW – another HVC mention on my latest blog post…
Wow! Not as fishy as the name implies. I used my homemade kim chi because I found no radish and added mushrooms because I dig fungus! I also did leftover basil stems in the second boil. Fantastic!
Jill – Many of the pickers on the PNW mushroom trail are of SE Asian heritage, presumably because they come from cultures in which foraging is a regular feature of life. As to poisoning deaths, it’s important to remember the forager’s golden rule: never eat anything you can’t ID with 100% certainty. Glad to hear you’re enjoying wild mushrooms despite your initial trepidation. It’s not difficult to learn a few delicious species.
We found a bounty of beautiful white chanterelles on Friday, but we are really bummed about fall boletes. We found three very soggy, buggy sad little kings… spring is too long to wait.
Great post Langdon! I’d be keeping your Tuna Noodle Surprise recipe for our fishing trips as well. I’d say it’s pretty easy to make and looks pretty delicious as well! Thanks!
Kevin Snow
Ask About Fly Fishing
Visit Us At: http://www.AskAboutFlyFishing.com
I just found your blog after hearing you on KUOW this morning. All I can say is that I think I have found a new favorite read. I am nursing a terrible cold this morning, my cabin is cold, my four sons are ornery, and it is gorgeous outside. I am so grateful for such a great read this morning to take my mind off of all the things I am missing. I live in the cascade foothills out of Snoqualmie (rattlesnake mountain). We are the only people on this side of the mountain, and we love to forage. Thanks for all of the inspiration.
For 10 years I lived in Seattle where foraged mushrooms are available in favorable seasons at the closest farmers’ market.
When I moved to Providence, RI last July, nothing of the sort was available here.
As I have started selling vegetables at the market, I have had the opportunity to market a little bit of fungi as well. The maitake season was pretty great this year, and I made them available for a good month at the market I sell at.
Ha Ha Ha this is so cute. Another friend of mine has several chefcrushes and her husband is not that thrilled either.
But biscuits? Better than her buns, I guess 😉 But everything I’ve heard about this book and the recipes I’ve seen really make me want to buy it.
Fabulous. And peaches with pork is stunning! And LOVE sweet potato biscuits!
Interesting post. You have posted some stunning pictures here. Thank you for sharing with us.
i just discovered a few of these today when i was out picking chantrelles. I can’t wait to sautee them up and try them :).
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to learn more about mushrooms so I can go hunting!
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congratulations!! what a rough season for matsutakes in washington. your dish looks great. i made a sukiyaki with a hedgehog mushroom found in quilcene. hedgehog is probably better used as a water-soluble ‘shroom, no?
Loving your blog! I hope its okay that I plan on sharing you with my blog readers as much as possible! I do seasonal local Northwest and West Coast foods and you are quietly my hero!
JacLynn – The zombies don’t care for shrooms, except for the poisonous false morel aka brain.
Greene Treats – I think of hedgehogs as more of a fat soluble shroom, in the same category as chanterelles. In fact, any recipe with chanties can substitute ‘hogs–and now is the time to get them in WA.
Anna – By all means! Share and share alike. Cheers!
Does the picker you profile have an agreement with the private landholder to pick mushrooms on their property?
Also, I have never found hedgehogs in WA state, but I gather they mostly grow on the coast?
K Lambert – The timber companies have a color-coded road system: green-dotted gates are open to recreation, red-dotted are closed. I’m not sure about the rules specific to commercial mushroom harvesting within that system. A permit might be needed. Hedgehogs mostly fruit on the coast, but I have some good mountain patches too.
I love that you’re cooking from Land of Plenty – It’s my favorite cookbook and I’ve made dozens and dozens of dishes from it.
I’m curious: What do you use for Dou Ban Jiang?
It’s very hard to find good Dou Ban Jiang which uses fava beans instead of soy here in Seattle. The one brand I knew of seems to have discontinued the fava bean version – so I went to every market in the ID and bought every single jar I could find!
Other than that I’ve used Youki brand which you can get at Uwajimaya, but it’s VERY expensive.
Anyhow, just curious!
I will have to keep an eye out for hedgehogs, then.
On the east coast (NJ) they appear in the late summer in oak/maple forest.
Probably too late for the mountain patches, as I’m sure it’s all frozen up there.
Thanks.
I love the abundance of this variety but have had poor luck in ever finding any that weren’t just coated with one form of dust, insect debris (most often with the insect in residence) or other form of undesirable. I’ve often just given up, correctly assuming it’s going to take hours to sort through the resulting mess I end up taking home. I must be picking in the wrong kind of forests!
yum! what elevation do you usually find chanterelles at?
VGCHM – Look for winter chanterelles (yellowfoot) at low elevations in the coastal ranges. I’ve found them in the Cascade foothills and mid-elevations in the old growth, too.
Awesome post as always – we had only 5 mushrooms this year – hope they are all hiding for next year – peace
I would love to have the opportunity to go and pick my mushrooms from the forest, but I live in a busy town.
I used to regularily get salmon heads and other leftover bits in the supermarket as they are cheap: my favourite is creamy pasta sauce.
Boil or rather, steam the head until done, pick out the meat – there is usually a large amount in the neck, cheeks some but not so much – mix with slightly fried, finely chopped onions, cream and seasoning of choice, fresh dill, chives and/or parsley for example, garlic, black pepper, lastly add lemon juice to avoid the cream separating. Stuff your face with this and pasta. Om nom. Am cookinga head at the moment, not sure what will come of it.
I’m out in the Chicago area, but we get excited about winter harvest, too … found three large clusters of tan oyster mushrooms yesterday, almost 5 pounds worth! They were frozen solid, which actually worked out well – it was a long hike back to the car and being frozen they didn’t get all broken up in the sack. Had to be patient when cooking them though – once thawed they were even more wet than usual. What a treat!
Buddhist monks slaughter cows to celebrate? I guess they’re no less hypocritical than the rest of us.
And seriously! How is it that all these feel-good foragers and vegetable renaissance men pull off rejoicing in the earth’s bounty or whatever twaddle we’re presently using to sell a plate of carrots decorated in ‘soil’ for $40 by killing a cow? I’m sorry but what a load of bollocks. This back to nature crap. All a bunch of self-serving shite.
Elena – Even busy towns have wild edible mushrooms. I pick birch boletus (a type of porcini) two blocks down the street from my home in Seattle. Go get ’em.
Anonymous – Nice score!
I first saw these mushrooms. They are edible?
I would love to attend this next time we are in Oregon. Our friend Jim Bower who passed away this past year..spoke highly of the festival.
Yipee another mushroom to hunt for, great post as always. Good thing you didn’t stop by, I only found 3 pines this year – no boletes even – peace
Dawn – I’ll make sure to post after the event with a low-down.
Ruth – It was a poor year for matsutake and porcini in the mountains. Better on the coast but not great.
HI, I have a dog, trained at the truffle-fest a couple of years ago, but I need a ripe truffle to refresh him. Do you know where I might find one or three? I’d like one or two of each different kind of truffle we have around the Pacific NW.
Thanks mate… just dropped by. Will look for BIKE STN when we get to Seattle. Still in Buenos Airies.
Any recommendations for good places to source truffles… for those of us who live too far from the source to forage?
Farmer Lady & Lo – Try Foraged and Found Edibles in Seattle.
We love foraging for them, and we love eating them. Anyone in the Bay Area who wants to get rid of matsutake should get in touch with us.
That was a wonderful post to her. I bet she was blushing and whispering in your ear at the same time when you wrote it. 🙂
What a sad story. I know a lot of people are missing her right now.
What a lovely tribute, Berly said my thoughts perfectly, sorry for your lose. Peace
Thank you Langdon, She was a very ♥beautiful woman inside and out. So glad to have been blessed with the chance to know such and Awesome person.
What a tremendous loss to our community, and what a loving remembrance of such a bold beautiful soul. We will miss her and think of her, and her legacy will be our continued commitment to sharing the joys of each season’s bounty with our friends and family. Thank you Langdon for helping her feast not go forgotten.
I like thise site
I loved Nettletown. Loved the vision, the food, the atmosphere, the creativity, and the passion. Although I never personally met Christina, with all of the positive things being said about her around the community, coupled with her commitment to the NW and its food, I am sure she was remarkable. Our region feels a great loss.
Mushroom cookies! Seriously unusual. And the maple syrupy-ness of it is even weirder. I can see them being good in a Christmas pudding or mince pie. Will have to investigate mushrooms in British dessert. Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh man, I love candy caps! Last year was a banner year in the areas I most often frequent in the SF Bay Area, but as good as last year was is as bad as this year has been, unfortunately. I was already craving candies, but this post has pushed me over the top! I’m going to have to put a concerted effort into finding a patch that’s holding in the coming days I suspect. Thanks for the inspiration to switch my focus away from the black trumpets and tubies I’ve been picking recently and get back to my bay area-local varieties! Mmm, candy cap ice cream, here I come!
R.I.P.
This sounds absolutely incredible. We don’t have candy caps here and I’m to ordering some online, thanks to this recipe.
I keep coming back to this site and others about Christina Choi. I did not know her but we had something in common – the giant cerebral aneurysm. Mine leaked about 15 years ago, I was flown to Harborview where I underwent a coil embolization procedure to stop the leak, using 10 coils because the aneurysm was so large. On December 31, 1997, I underwent open brain surgery with clipping of the base of the aneurysm. Giant cerebral aneurysms are rare. Christina is the only other person I have read about having this and I have researched aneurysms extensively over the past 15 years. I am opening a small bakery/cafe in Olympia,WA next month using local, fresh seasonal ingredients. I am trying to think of something I can create to honor Christina. I wish I had known her. Your post about your friend is inspiring. Thank you for sharing this.
That’s really a marvelous post. Some interesting thoughts here. Thanks for this post
So… how did they taste? How was the texture of the mushroom in the cookie? I have a few quarts of dried candy caps and am plotting a few desserts with them, but I was thinking about powdering them, not chopping because of the texture. Thoughts?
Did you get the candy cap’s maple flavor in the braise? I keep telling myself to make a candy cap dish with duck, but I haven’t gotten around to it.
Lisa – Well thank you! Let me know how it turns out.
Hank – Oh yeah. Plenty of maple flavor. Should pair nicely with duck.
Mrs Flitter – Christmas pudding would be an ideal use of these mushrooms. Please report back on your findings.
Carter – Yeah, not a great mushroom year for Cali. I just got back from the North Coast and the lack of rain (until the other day!) has taken a toll. That’s why we put up candy caps, black trumpets, and the rest for an unrainy day!
Hank – The mushrooms are diced up, sautéed, and then baked, so the texture isn’t too prominent, a little chewy. The nuts add much more texture. But the maple syrup flavor is strong. In the end, these cookies are mostly a novelty.
Looks amazing, I will try this when I get my hands on some good porcini.
Hi! I am just amazed by your Food Blog! Can’t wait to read more interersting stuff! Caan’t forget this Nettle tea taste. Yuo just made my day to share the recipe! I will try it out!!! Many thanks!
Looks incredible. I can’t wait to dig my parsnips up this spring. And I’ll be leaping for joy when it’s trumpet season again.
Thanks for sharing this!
They have nice parsnips at the farmer’s market and they almost always have watercress at HT at Oak Tree. Good stuff, even without foraging.
Awesome post as usual – thanks for sharing sooo much – peace
Yes, this is a really great post! Thanks for visiting us at Willamette Valley Vineyards!
Great friends, indeed:) Cheers! Until next year…
Jen
I’d like to hear more about finding the watercress and trumpets in cali. Does it grow year-round there? there isn’t any watercress around here in feb, is there? I know I’ve seen big plants growing in Dec.
oops; I scrolled down and got my aforementioned description of the hunt.
Ruth – My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it.
Willamette Valley Vineyards – You guys rock! Thanks for the awesome hospitality and frequent pours. 😉
Jen – Great meeting you and thanks for the photos. Next year indeed!
Hi Langdon. My favorite dish at the Grand Dinner was also the poached egg…it was so perfectly cooked! So happy I came across your blog on the OTF FB page, we’re amateur gatherers/foragers and I know I’ll learn a lot as I peruse your postings.
Hi Langdon,
I just found your blog, and it’s fantastic. Especially the recipes! I just started a blog about plant chemistry, and wild food/foraging is one of my main interests. Can’t wait to come back for more ideas!
Hi Langdon,
Also just found your blog and look forward to using some of your recipes. Am living in China, down south in clear sky Yunnan where there is plenty of good local produce. Your term 21st century forager is great. Here there is much to forage, mainly in the pine forests where there are mushrooms galore. Will make your site a daily visit
Andrea – Welcome! I hope you find inspiration here for your work and pleasure.
Bob – I’ve read a lot about Yunnan via David Arora’s mushroom adventures there. It sounds like a beautiful and bountiful place. Welcome to foraging in the new, global millennium.
Excellent post! Good to see a young chap interested in this sort of thing.
Regards, Keith.
http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/
Always good to hear from you, Le Loup. Happy hunting.
Now this is a mouthwatering recipe I will try today. But mostly I wanted to stop in to comment on how awesome Riley is, spawn off the ol’ forager for sure! While we still have snow here, am I to understand white truffles are ready when nettles are just starting? Peace
De ser meget nice! Tak for deling!
Great to know the nettles should be popping up! I will check the woods here in Paris this week.
Just finished your book and had to find your blog. Great first read, now I’ll read for clues to sites and savor the recipes. See ya at South Sound Mushroom Clubs meeting.
Wish I’d been there but it was way beyond my budget. Can you teach us? Bring your truffles to the South Sound Mushroom Meeting and your truffle foray tales too…
We’re in Enumclaw and I went out looking this morning, but didn’t see any. Perhaps it is still a bit too early here, or I’m not looking in the right places. I’ll try again later in the week. Thanks for your very informative posts!
Thanks for the spring preview, Lang. The gnudi look great. We’ve had an extremely mild–and disappointingly snowless–winter here, but still can’t hope for green stuff for a few weeks. Do you have wood nettles out there?
Brett
Ruth -There are two species of Oregon white truffle, with a winter and spring variety, respectively, which means a nettle pairing is in the wheelhouse, but don’t try to time truffle availability by nettle season. And you’re right about Riley. You should see him wield a flyrod!
Tara – Temperate maritime climates are always first, then the interior. Good luck!
PNWNana – I’m looking forward to it, with some delectable slides.
PlateauGardener – Too early yet for Enumclaw but won’t be long…
Brett – I’ve seen wood nettle before but haven’t tried it. How do they compare? BTW, I’ll be reviewing your book in the near future…
Very young wood nettles are among my favorite wild greens to eat straight up–that is, just steamed, or blanched and sautéed. And they’re among the earliest green things here, making them especially treasured. They have a nice al dente quality to them when lightly steamed, and a mild, green-beany flavor. They’re generally more tender than stinging nettles. For that savory depth in a broth or soup, though, they don’t stand up to stinging nettles. They DO, however, more than match them in stinging quality, despite their innocuous name.
Hope you’re enjoying my expanded vision of the forager’s purview. I’ve had enough of “foraging” at the co-op and in my freezer, and am eager to get back out in the woods come spring! Well, even sooner it’s sugaring time, as soon as I can get the taps in.
Brett
Yum! That dish you made is so mouthwatering. I have tried quite a number of mushroom dishes, but not the winter chanterelles. Oh, I wish I can try them one time.
Just signed up. Can’t wait!
Ravenous Woman – That’s what we like to hear! See you March 31.
I have been visiting your site for several years and have posted on a few things… I have recently read that there is such a thing as false morels (maybe from you can’t remember) but they are not safe to eat false morels are hollow and good morels are solid, is this true?
Sounds and looks incredible! It will be the first on my menu as soon as there are nettles to harvest here in VA — thanks for sharing!
Looks yummy. I had a terrific nettle pesto pizza at Carmelita’s on Greenwood last Thursday. It was NOT pretty but the combo of flavors with a blood orange glaze, wild mushrooms, and a crown of argula was memorable.
BTW saw some stinging nettles peeking up from the forest floor this afternoon at Carkeek. To think I used to live in fear of their sting when playing in the woods as a kid. Ouch!
Sounds yummy! The nettles are in full sting here on Bainbridge. Had my first soup of the season last week.
Hi Langdon, I’m glad to have discovered your blog. My kids also did WAS and learned all those tricks about harvesting nettles and relieving their sting. WAS was really a great experience for our family, not just the skills but the whole attitude they learned.
Nice recipe. You might like my take on sichuan chicken. http://caroleschatter.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/my-take-on-sichuan-chicken.html
Thanks to your earlier posts I’ve long wanted to go clamming, but this fresh spring story with great pics (and that recipe) really pinned it to my mind. We’re Minnesotans, so I think razors will have to wait and we’ll stick to the local goods for now.
p.s. Nice Westy! As an owner of an ’89, I think they’re the ideal vehicle.
I have never been clamming but it looks like so much fun plus you get an amazing reward at the end of the day! A delicious meal.
Julia – Ours is an ’88. I’m afraid we’ve been hard on it, but the Loaf (as it’s known) still gets us where we need to go–and the kids love it. Keep an eye out for land fish (morels) in your neighborhood soon.
Kindra – Razors are my favorite clam to dig, though successfully extracting a geoduck is in its own category.
This sure looks good and I trust you realize it has more grams of fat than three Big Macs.
hey I didn’t know the ferns that grows out of moss on our trees had a name! (duh). I have lots of photos just like those from many hikes. Will have to go get some halibut and try this one.
What’s the deal…some of these rhizomes are awfully bitter and some are not. Is it purely seasonal, or are there other factors at play.
Your blog makes me swoon, can’t wait to eventually, finally take one of your classes.
I didn’t know you could cook with licorice fern. How fun! Thanks for sharing.
We used this ‘FAT OF THE LAND’ recipe, except that we didn’t blanch the nettles first to then have to squeeze out the water. We skipped that step and sauteed them in olive oil. It was the best pesto that my husband and I ever had! I’m having this season’s first cup of stinging nettle tea; has a pleasant light aspargus/cucumbery taste…
Donata & Kate – Sorry for the delay in posting your comments. I’ve just switched over to moderated comments because of all the spam I was getting and didn’t realize I wouldn’t be notified by Blogger of pending comments. Hmm…seems like an obvious fix. Hello, Blogger?
I made some of your bread today. I swapped out the egg for EnerG egg replacer, almond milk for cow’s, and agave for honey. Delicious.
I must add that washing the flower heads before you cut them makes them really difficult to handle. So probably better to skip it or wash the petals after they are separated.
Greg – you’ve hit on one of the main problems with our West Coast fiddleheads (and possibly the rhizomes as well, though I don’t have as much experience with that part of the fern). Our native western lady fern fiddleheads can vary widely in taste, with some quite bitter and others not. If you find a less bitter patch, stick to it! I’ve talked to commercial foragers about this phenomenon and so far haven’t gotten a satisfying answer. The only thing I can say is to experiment with different locales.
Wow–licorice fern roots are STRONG. I love licorice, so I thought I’d try a root while out foraging last week. I think cooking with the root and not chewing it like the natives did might be the better idea… Thanks for all of the good info here!
Thanks for such a wonderful afternoon! Never dreamed I’d learn so much, or that such a tasty lunch can be found in the great wide open.
I posted about the day here: http://www.ravenouswoman.com/2012/04/fantastic-forage.html
In Michigan,the first morels to appear are the Morchella angusticeps ( easily most flavorful) followed by the grays
( we call them ‘deliciosa’), then
the small whites ( esculenta) and
finally the large yellows ( crassipes). Check out my commercial-free hunts on YouTube
at videomorelhunting
I finally gathered nettles while bike riding near Port Townsend, WA and made this recipe and it turned out really well! I added more olive oil than you suggested, as I like my pesto creamy. Thanks for a terrific blog!
My Swiss mother demands it be called Knopfli. I’ve never tried it with any greens, sounds delicious.
Your mother is right, but only partway. Spätzle tend to be a bit longer and are often made with a ricer. They are made with flour, eggs, water, and a pinch of salt. Knöpfle or Knöpfli are shorter and made with the spätzle makers and milk is usually substituted for the water.
The “origional” spätzle were made with neither a maker or ricer but with a cutting board and scraper. The batter is spread a bit at a time onto a small board and scraped in stripes to the edge where it drips into the pot of simmering water. I have tried this and it is a bit tricky but makes great spätzle once you get the knack!
We blanche (3min) then freeze …we enjoy fiddleheads all year long! Balsamic vinegar is also yummy on them!
Your “pull” dumplings are often done in Hungary and its environs. There are all sorts of local names for them, but they’re an awesome weeknight thing to do. Just make dough, let it rest an hour (or not) and toss bits into boiling water.
I read recently that to avoide the toxicity in the fiddleheads, they should be harvested before they start to uncurl. Any comments?
Regards, Keith.
http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/
Some of us out here in Pacific county have been picking nettles for tea and stir fry. Today I had some fiddle head ferns to go along with them. I’m excited to try the pesto idea.
Bassist: Your description of Knopfli is exactly how I learned to make it. Although, my mom didn’t like her spaetzle maker and made it just using a fork to drip the dough into the water. It made the pieces a bit larger, and randomly shaped.
Hank:What’s the advantage of letting the dough rest for an hour?
Le Loup – That’s true. The unfurled fronds of ferns are toxic. Only eat the newly emerged and tightly curled fiddleheads. And only certain species. In the U.S. it’s mainly the ostrich and lady ferns.
Adamnfinetrout & Basic: I’m thinking mine is closer to Knopfli, in that case. As for the original way to make spaetzle, I think I’ll pass. Technology is good for some things.
Hank: There are few pasta-like foods as quick and foolproof as Polish (and Hungarian) dumplings. But man, the wee bit of extra effort to make spaetzle/knopfli/etc is sure worth it on some occasions.
This brings back memories of my mother making Polish (which she is) dumplings as well, but I wound up making hundreds of pounds of Spätzle at the Palace Kitchen in the first few years of that place.
We flavored them with thyme and used a full size hotel perforated pan and a bench scraper to boil them ahead of time. For service we browned them in clarified butter to serve with applewood roasted pork. Reading all of this makes me miss them.
Very interesting – had never thought about eating those. Too bad about the allergy though – I found out last year that I’m allergic to lupines as I had picked a bunch to dye with and a similar reaction to what you described.
this is a great comment section that I’m actually going to bookmark! need to get myself a spatzle maker.
These are the best. I just made a batch (haven’t pan fried them yet) and will post it to my blog soon with a link back here. Never going back to store bought gnocchi or gnudi, these are just too good and easy to make.
Hey Langdon!
What a coincidence! I just put up a post on my blog about my experience with a maple flower recipe. It was a good one! Your pictures look just as tasty as mine did.
Thanks for the heads up on not eating the flowers when they are too far along. I got them early when the buds had just burst and they were delicious. I have been eyeing the larger flower buds, but wondered if they’d be nearly as good.
I like the idea of a tree growling on a slope….watch out! It bites!
Have you ever tried making maple syrup from bigleaf? I’ve heard it can be done. Too late this season, of course, but there’s always next year.
k – The allergy seems to be one of those late-onset deals. Only noticed it in recent years, but now I know at least one species responsible.
Chris – Just checked out your post. Cool. We’re on the same page, if not the same boat. Try using the older, larger flower clusters to make pesto. Your gig up in the San Juans sounds most excellent.
K Lambert – Ha, I’m tempted to leave that typo. From what I’ve heard, bigleaf maples can be used for syrup, but it takes more sap than a sugar maple and no small effort. I have no plans to go sugaring any time soon, though I once helped my college roommate’s family in Vermont for a weekend of sugaring.
Cool!!!! I love this idea.
Last year I had maple syrup with maple blossoms at Portage Bay Cafe. I’m not sure how much flavor was imparted by the maple blossoms, but it sure was interesting.
I live in eastern Washington and we have what we call vine maple. Have you ever done anything with the blossoms of these?
Very cool, bummer about the allergy. I don’t think we have the big leaf here in new england, at least not as plentiful as I recall it out there … of course everything is bigger out there 😀
Try small pancakes baked over a fire with sugar and Ramps flower heads, delicious.
/Rikke
I tried the Dandy Bread recipe, it was soooo easy, and it turned out beautiful! I will definitely make this again, and I am eager to try other Dandy recipes on your page. Thanks!
Marcus – I haven’t heard of using vine maple blossoms. They don’t have the same sort of heft as a big-leaf maple.
How about the RED elderberries that are all over NW Oregon? I have been trying to find out if I can use them, but the info on the web is so conflicting! From OSU I was informed I could use them after cooking. But many other foraging sites I found say “NO! don’t use them! They are poisonous!” Now I’m just confused…
Do you have any experience using the RED elderberries? (S. racemosa).
Farmer Lady – I haven’t used red elderberries for precisely the same reasons you list. Hearsay suggests it’s possible to cook out any toxins in jellies or jams, but without a definitive authority on he subject I’m hesitant to experiment, especially when delicious blues are only a hop over the mountains away.
The advantage of letting the Spätzle dough sit has to do with the flour used. Usually a couple of tablespoons of meal are added to give the spätzle more bite. If you don’t let the dough sit, it just ends up tasting like spätzle with sand.
Great recipe! I’ve only seen this done with elderberry blossoms before (usually with a side ofapple sauce or a preserve.) Any other blossoms this would work for?
yes! I’m making pizza for dinner with nettle pesto from the freezer, asparagus, and these fresh morels..just searching my blogroll for how to prep the morels and came to this posting! Even though you don’t give details, I am encouraged to forge ahead…..mmmmm….
This is such a cool idea, I can’t wait to try it!
This makes me miss the East Coast so much! My favourite was fiddleheads with a little cider vinegar on top. Delicious! I’m happy to follow your foraging!
Over here in the UK the Elder flowers are starting to bloom. Usually this calls for wine making but I’m definitely going to investigate the fritter option whilst I wait for the wine to ferment…
Cheers Langdon
Thanks for the idea – I have know of using it to keep the insects at bay, but never thought of it as a tea. With all the vanilla leaf around here these days, I will definitely have to try it!
Wow, cool! I never knew the name of that pretty plant, nor did I know that we could use it as a tea. Thanks so much for sharing!
Do you have to dehydrate it first? Or if you get fresh leaves, can you make a tea from them?
What timing! I just learned this plant and this use (vanilla tea) from Brian Luther during the Cispus Foray yesterday. He mentioned harvesting once the flowers have started wilting. Have you tried harvesting at different times or noticed any difference?
Anonymous – I imagine you can use it fresh for tea like stinging nettles, but dehydrating first really brings out the vanilla.
Jeff – I’ve only harvested young plants when the flowers are either just appearing or absent. Report back here on your experiments.
Hmmm. I’ve read many times that Vitamin C does not survive cooking – it is destroyed by heat. Wouldn’t that mean that the rosehips, whilst rich in Vitamin C when raw, would not be much use as a source of Vitamin C when used to make syrup, jam, tea or anything else involving cooking? That being said, the recipe sounds delicious, whether or not it contributes Vitamin C to the diet.
I have a patch of this and had not thought about making tea with it! Glad I saw your post. My goosefoot patch is here:
http://back2theland.blogspot.com/2012/05/goosefoot-aka-vanilla-leaf-aka-achlys.html
I hope to attend your Roundtable on Bainbridge Island next month. Thanks for the great blogging!
Here in Sandpoint (North Idaho) the early lower elevation season was pretty poor, but now the higher elevation ones are out in full force. We are having some great fun picking after the last couple years being hard to find for us. Hope it gets better for you there!
Geno – That’s good to hear. It’s definitely getting better here in the Cascades as the snow melts in the upper elevations, but nothing to write home about.
that looks delicious! thanks for the great post.
oh this looks incredible! Got some at the farmer’s market and too expensive to buy more than a few at a time, $30 and $40/lb ooh la la! Will probably just sautee in butter and EVOO and throw on some pasta or chicken.
Where have you seen vanilla leaf referenced anywhere else as a tea? I couldnt find anything in the old books or online. Was this a recent discovery or some old folk method that never made the press?
Bonnie – See you next week!
Seth – Jeremy Faber at Foragef and Found Edibles turned me on to vanilla leaf tea. Try it, it’s good.
I LOVE tempura and out of found foraged food makes it all the more delicious! What a lovely post and most interesting to boot. Cheers. 🙂
Hi,
I read your blog a lot and love your book. I like reading about your mushroom finds, but it’s driving me crazy!
I have had no luck finding spring porcini, and found a grand total of four morels this year. Today I went down 97 and drove up various forest service roads, like 7324
and 9716. Elevation where I was walking is about 4000. The trees are mostly pine. The ground seems very dry.
Am I even in the right general location? Any pointers appreciated. Cheers,
Branden – Mostly pine means you’re probably on south facing slopes. Too dry. Try the north facing slopes and look for more mixed conifers. As for, porcini, they’ve been slow to flush, so there’s still time. Keep at it!
That chowder looks yummy. I wish you hadn included a picture of the clam shell for identification.
Evalyn – Here’s a post that shows points of identification.
Clam Chowder is a true reminder for me of the Pacific Northwest. The recipe looks wonderful..I will have to make an effort to go clamming with the family so it gives me an excuse to make it.
Now I have been eating it for a couple of weeks. Foraged and Found Farmer’s Market in the half-pound bags for sale has been made, and I scarfed last week some of the Oyster Dome trail
Instead of squeezing your juice down the drain, squeeze into a cup and drink it as tea. That way you don’t miss a single nutritional element!
Don’t throw the juice down the drain, sqeeze it into a glass and you’ll get the full nutritional benefit of eating nettles.
Just heard about langdon on npr, very curios about foraging in new mexico. Awesome story!
This looks really yummy! I have a lot of miners lettuce where I live, in the spring.
This smoothie looks very yummy! During the spring and winter I have lots of miner’s lettuce growing where I live.
Thanks for the info, Langdon
I tried again up on 97 at about 4500 ft
Found quite a few newly flushed morels, quite a few coral mushrooms, and surprisingly, many russulas. Mostly the large white (probably brevipes) but many with a purplish tinge, too.
No porcini, though. I thought maybe I was too high up – maybe I’ll wait a week and check those spots again.
Cheers
That chowder looks beautiful and yummy! best recipe books provide more recipes detail just try .
Great looking rex-veris! And I miss baps – used to live in London…A nice snack on the way home from the local.
I was hiking last week below Peshastin and saw a few old morels but no boletes. Every mushroom bump in the forest floor was a white russula – hundreds of them. What elevation were you finding the rex-veris, and what kinds of trees? I was on the Swauk Forest Trail which is mostly fir trees. Great blog.
Do you find spring porcinis to be less flavorfall than fall porcinis?
K Lambert – I’m itching to get back there and hike the coast to coast trail. Could be some good mushroom hunting along the way too. You might try different elevation for porcini, though the tree composition is good.
Anonymous – I like the firm texture of B. rex-veris and its floral aroma, which lends it to shaving raw over a salad (most wild mushrooms you should cook, btw). I’d say fall porcini has a richer, nuttier flavor. Both dry nicely.
A bap is originally a type of bread roll, really soft (with a crust kept from firming too much by a flour coating) but you can use the word to describe the sandwich itself, too. 🙂
I absolutely love this blog, I heard your interview on NPR a little bit ago and have been hooked ever since. I have become a vegetarian in the past three months and love reading about all of your mushroom findings, since they are one of my favorite foods. I just wanted to show my gratitude for the work you do, and for acknowledging the bounty of the planet. I’ve been telling all of my friends about it! Thanks so much again! -George
Hey there! I just wanted to express my love for this blog. I listened to your interview on NPR recently, and have been hooked ever since! Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods, and I have switched to vegetarianism in the past 3 months so all of the information on here has been lovely. As a fellow lover of the Earth I just wanted to pour out my gratitude, thank you again!
FromTheRoad – Thanks, and welcome aboard!
I’ve had spring kings rest in my fridge for 10 days and be fine, but occasionally I also see nice firm buttons turn into dryers, too. I never slice my porcini in half before I cook them, either. Maybe things are less buggy in California?
I’ve got some in the fridge right now that have been there a week, no problemo. But I check them periodically, and occasionally I lose some that look perfectly fine on the outside. It’s true that some areas are buggier than others, though it varies regionally, not by state. My experience is that higher elevation patches are less buggy, but that’s not a rule of thumb. BTW, scrupulous commercial buyers cut most in half except for smallest buttons; only makes a difference if you want a whole cap for broiling, stuffing, etc. It’s my opinion that cutting in half and trimming can vastly improve your quality over the long haul.
I love Morels and my French husband usually makes them with cream this is a much healthier version! Thanks for sharing!
You are probably right, and especially so in the case of commercial pickers. It’s just sad to see Whole Paycheck selling wan, dried-out, cut-in-half porcini… for $39.99 a pound. 😉
I enjoyed listening to this while I did our laundry! I just happened to turn on the radio and was pleasantly surprised to hear you being highlighted. It was really nicely done.
FYI, the first 18 minutes of the Blue Lifestyle Radio podcast are ads, promos, etc. If you want to hear Langdon’s interview skip to minute 18.
Cool to hear you getting some press, Langdon. Well deserved.
Nice! I only recently checked out your blog, but have enjoyed the post and will be back to read more.
Great interview on NPR Langdon. You made me want to get in the forest and find mushrooms. You bring out the explorer in everyone.
Amen to that! I commented on the EPA site, lickety split. Will science trump politics? This is a moment of truth for the EPA…
Yes! get the oil out of our waters! We have such a huge shortage of salmon from the trawling & farmed fish that we’re about to lose out way of life and the LAST RUN OF SALMON IN THE WORLD! Please sign and forward: http://signon.org/sign/end-salmon-halibut-bycatch
Thank you so much for using your space to raise awareness about this issue. Though Alaskans and local fishermen have been fighting this mine for years, it is just starting to seep into the greater public awareness. Bristol Bay IS an incredible and unique public resource. Pebble Mine IS a destructive proposition for private profit. The issue could not be simpler. Again, thanks for your support!!!
Thanks for getting the word out! I just went to the site and added my name!
glad to see your support behind this campaign, Lang! We also need to work hard to ensure that the Bristol Bay fish and other NW fish and shellfish aren’t exposed to toxins in our home waters, thus posing (disproportionate) public health and food security & food sovereignty threats to fish-consuming people (ourselves included). One tool for raising these environmental standards is being revised in WA state. Dept of Ecology needs to set the bar much higher for it’s Fish Consumption Rate. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/toxics/fish.html
cheers!
Many authentic dolmades/mahshi recipes include lamb, and I wouldn’t recommend taking a short cut with those. And fresh grapes can be tough if they aren’t cooked long enough. You can make them in the crock pot though, and then you don’t have to be around for the longest part.
My recipe is here. It feeds 25 people. I’ve never tried to cut the recipe down smaller; it would be interesting to see how it affects the overall quality.
Your dock dolmades look yummy!
I love your blog! I’ve learned a lot!
Thanks and ditto Jesi. I know some folks who were hired to do environmental analysis for this project, and I’m not at liberty to discuss any more about it. I’ve been aware of this for a few years. However, I’m happy to throw any support to stop this project. The fishery is worth so much more in literal and intrinsic value than the mining. This one has got to be stopped.
Nice! Never done it with dock leaves before, although I’ve used mallow leaves and wild grape leaves.
you meant coarse salt, of course…
Hello,
I was wondering if you have ever made juice from the Oregon grapes? I was going to attempt it this year after reading about all the benefits from this plant; however I didn’t want to add any sugar. Do you think this would be safe enough to do as I cannot find any recipe’s online for just juice.
Cheers from BC
My in-laws bring along an ice chest and then put some dry ice in the box after picking their porcinis. They swear that it helps kill all the buggies that live in the fungi.
We had a good morel season. Did you?
For allergies, arthritis, BPH, excessive bleeding, hair loss, hypertension, inflammation, prostatitis. This herb is uplifting for a weary body, relieve fatigue and exhaustion.
This is great especially for kids, they are very sensitive especially on allergies
Hey Langdon, I just wanted to make sure you had seen the recent Frontline episode about the Pebble Mine. I thought it was fascinating and well made. It can be watched in full online at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/alaska-gold/
Gregory Tilford mentions Oregon Grape jelly in his book, so I had to give it a try. It really makes a great-tasting jelly, reminiscent of concord grape juice!
Just a note, though: maggots are sometimes in the Oregon Grapes, so pour a salt water mix over them to draw the critters out. ‘Works wonders!
Seriously, do you have any comment on the profound similarity to the cover of Prodigy’s album of the same name? I saw your book in a bookstore, and I assumed there was some connection. Infinitely curious.
Martha, you must be eating farmed mush trout, because it is one of the tastiest fish that swims. Caught and released fish often die anyway.
A profound coincidence, Mike.
Ashley – I’ve only made jams & jellies with it, though I don’t see why you couldn’t use it for juice. I’d probably mix with with some sweeter berries or fruits.
Looks like a fun trip Langdon! Anxious to read the book. ~Brad
Welcome home! Can’t wait to hear more!
I am completely in love with miners lettuce, but I went out and foraged own I never have, and instead rely on the farmers market in the lovely folks. It is designed to mix with a little frisee salad is a simple one is probably the most beautiful. Great post mate. Love a bit of video.
Hai
Interesting blogs.Thanks for sharing the information about China Tours Thanks
Great report, Lang. I wasn’t really keyed in to fungi during my time in that part of China, but now, of course, I really wish I had been! My wife and I traveled extensively in western Sichuan in ’92, and our trip was spiced up by extreme weather and frequent landslides, too. You got on the bus in the morning, and never knew what lay in the road ahead. It is indeed an awe-inspiring part of the world. Thanks for bringing back some fun memories.
Brett
p.s.~ How did you like tasting ma la cuisine at the source? Hope you brought back a nice sack of fresh hua jiao.
We eat the best boletes the night we get back and save a few (cut in half) for fersh– all others are sliced up for drying which can preserve a lot of “started” ones.
We are in New Mexico and I wonder if our very quick drying doesn’t help– you can see maggots “jumping ship” on our drying screens and trays almost immediately.
Mil – Good call on the dry ice. I’ve never tried that approach before. Our Cascade morel season was so-so for naturals. Some really nice fat singletons, just not bucket loads.
Steve – Thanks for the visit (you’re in my library!). Years ago, before I got a Nesco dryer, I used a homemade contraption–basically window screens stacked on books on our south-facing front porch with a fan blowing on them. One year I used Bill Buford’s “Heat” as one of the books, the hardcover with a bright yellow cover. Interestingly (and fittingly), all the maggots sprinted for Buford’s book, where they shriveled up en masse. You can see a picture here.
Thanks for the recipe. 🙂 Just finished making a batch (it’s in the canner now, hoping it will jell). Great use for a berry i’ve always admired but never been able to use.
so do you consider curly and broad to be equally as edible? I always thought people only used the curly.
Sounds fascinating! When I went trekking in Bhutan a few years ago it must not have been mushroom season – ahead of the monsoon in late April. However, it was fiddlehead fern and wild asparagus seasons and we had those all over the country. Alas, overcooked in too much oil. And I suspect they fed us tourist food also. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip.
Lang, looks like it was an amazing trip.
Gary J. Whitehead
Wonderful! BTW, David Duncan was my brother David’s best friend when they were kids growing up. I spent many hours at the Duncan’s after school. He was the nicest of my big brother’s friends to a little sister. And he references my father in his first book The River Why. Small world. Great writer. Your trout cakes look very tantalizing, might try that one myself with store-bought salmon from PCC.
Chief – I don’t have deep opinions on the various docks. There are many edible Rumex. Curly is the most common where I live, but other varieties are more popular elsewhere. As with any wild food, don’t pigeon-hole; use the given attributes to best effect.
suppeou 9trueve! ttMy family homesteading in western Colorado in 1857; part of the original homestead is now a national park. But I agree, very few thing compare to a fresh trout right out of the water into the skillet. I started trout fishing early as well, but much older than Riley…I was 4 or 5. The kids will remember this forever no matter where they travel. Than you.
Reminds me of the strange, yet interesting man Richard Brautigan and his less than famous, but entertaining “Trout Fishing In America.”
wow just discovered your web space ,Amazing alot to take in will do in time blew me away 🙂
You’re not kidding about “value” of the lobster mushroom. In Connecticut, they are sold dried at Whole Foods for $99/pound. I laughed when I saw them with another bulk jar of black trumpets for $95/pound.
It is difficult to find them here before they are bug filled.
I tend to concur on the rain v. temp question. I used to start looking for chanterelles the first or second week in August, but in the last few years of historic warm spring and summer temps, I now go out the first week in July. A Wisconsin forager told me he found them 45 days earlier this year than ever before! We had a freakishly hot March, and that set the tone for the whole season. Hen of the woods, which I think of as a September mushroom, started popping in the middle of a very dry August.
Brett
My lobsters were right on time, though I felt sure they would be late given the hot summer weather and relative dryness we had here in central MN. Ours start popping right at the beginning of August and though it wasn’t a bumper crop, they were there.
My chanterelles and black trumpets however were very scarce and I’ve yet to find a chicken mushroom, which is odd.
Great post and lovely looking dish. Just wondering, what’s your go-to fly for silvers?
Ryan – Depends on season and whether I’m fishing salt or fresh. In the salt this time of year I use baitfish patterns in green, blue, pink, white: variations on traditional patterns like clousers, deceivers, crazy charlies, etc. Shrimp-like patterns too, especially earlier in the year when resident silvers feed on a lot of amphipods. In fresh, I’ve taken coho on all kinds of flies, from steelhead patterns to sea-run cutt patterns like reverse spiders. Presentation and finding aggressive fish is probably more important in fresh water than fly selection, though I don’t claim to be any kind of expert. And as much as I enjoy fly-fishing, I do more saltwater beach fishing with lures.
As nice looking as any restaurant dish, Lang, and prepared with so much more care. Love it.
Its a nice mushroom but newer tried. Im located in central Europe but never seen this one. It is my habit to go to forest and pick up some shrooms and now its a season for it. So Im planing a trip soon. Good pick
Candlefish patterns. I used to keep my aluminum boat chained up at the Fauntleroy Ferry dock in West Seattle and would go out after work with my elect. trolling motor, anchor out just opposite the shoreline and cast back toward the beach. They would be in close to shore in shallow water. The largest resident coho I caught was 6 pounds. Good fun…caught lots of blackmouth too.
Chanterelles are my favourite mushrooms. I got my fill recently on a trip to Germany, where I first tried them as a child. Just the sight of them makes me happy. I wish I could find them as easily here at home in Ontario.
I have been making rose hip “jam” for years, but actually it is more like rose hip butter like the apple butter one makes.Great on toast or pancakes or ice cream!I can’t imaagine why peope say wait for frost before picking. Here they are completely shriveled up and gone by then. I pick them when they are ripe in late August or very early September. I do use equal sugar and prepared thick pulp (4 1/2 cups) and one package of Certo. I came up half a cup short of pulp and added 1/2 cup apple juice!
When I use my search engine to look for blogs to read yours has come several times on different categories. It made me want to read more, I can see why. It is excellent. Keep up the awesome work.
Did you by any possibility forget the part about roasting the salmon, or should we just use our usual technique?
Calhoun – I probably could have added a line in there about roasting. I brushed the skinless fillets with olive oil, seasoned with s & p, and placed on a piece of tinfoil on a roasting pan in an oven pre-warmed to 450 degrees. It took several minutes. Cooking time depends on thickness of fillets, but it’s easy to check just by looking at the sides of the fillet. Oven roasting is a super easy way to cook salmon and gives a “restaurant-style” look to the finished plate.
For someone that would be starting out to fish for salmon and doesn’t own a boat. What would you recommend? Is that possible around Seattle?
Anonymous – Plenty of opportunities in the Seattle area to fish both beaches and rivers. I’d choose one or the other for starters. Visit a local tackle shop and talk to the staff before deciding what kind of fishing you want to do, then you can get the appropriate gear. Beach fishing is probably easiest in terms of startup gear and skill. Beach coho season is winding down now, but we’ll have winter blackmouth (resident chinook) soon. Good luck!
Included a link to this post, hope that’s ok. Thank’s for sharing 🙂
http://wildcraftvita.blogspot.it/2012/10/rosehip-collection-25-things-to-do-with.html
I subbed in 50-50 venison and chicken sausage. It is a great reciepe.
yum. remember going hiking some years ago with a bunch who didn’t grow up here, and all resisted when I excitedly harvested some huckleberries along the side of the trail and ate on the spot. Silly them! They missed out on a treat.
I’d be careful with this one. According to HerbVideos.com, “[Vanilla Leaf] contains coumarins which thin blood (anticoagulant) and may make the use of Achlys risky.” Could be a good tea for menstruation then? But bad if you have thin blood or are on any medications that already thin your blood.
yeesh, that first news story was no good. i thought it was interesting the way they finished it by recommending to not eat wild mushrooms altogether. i agree with you that caution is definitely needed and to not eat anything you can’t positively identify, but i think it’s a bit unfortunate that some people’s approach is total avoidance and fear.
incidentally, we just enjoyed some tasty chanterelle pasta for dinner.
K – Chanties and pasta…made for each other. As for fear…a little knowledge goes a long way to dispel it.
LOL. This is one of my signature desserts! I have served this at several of my book dinners, and it is da bomb. Nice photo, too!
Think I’ve commented here before about the group in Portland, Oregon, area (might have been outside the city) that foraged mushrooms, cooked a feast, and then most of them died and there was a liver transplant. This was I think in the 1970s when I was a kid, but I remember vowing never to eat wild mushrooms. I’ve relented and now enjoy chanterelles, porcini, and morels for sale at farmer’s markets, local stores, etc. Haven’t tried foraging myself yet though, but intrigued after the Wild Mushroom show a few weeks ago at the Mountaineers.
Gorgeous pictures- I’m drooling jealously right now. And that mushroom! Holy toledo. I’d cry with delight if that was in my kitchen.
I was near Shelton last weekend but didn’t see much except a few white chanterelles and even they were pretty wet. No other mushrooms. Were you all the way to the coast or on the east side of the Olympics? Shouldn’t porcini be growing now too?
I love watercress (and arugula)! I didn’t realize that it grows so easily around here. Thanks for the tip, and the recipe!
Looks tasty. Just grind up a couple of Lipitor with the breadcrumbs…
Salt pork? Really? I cringe. Would non-salt pork work as well?
Evalyn – Embrace the pig…
how do you prepare the nettles for the soup? do you cut them small and throw them in?
thanks rachael
Would the cooking time change if you cooked it in a large gratin dish instead of individual dishes?
Anonymous – The final bake is really more about allowing the ingredients to marry and to bring the whole dish up to temperature. Once it’s bubbling, you’re good to go.
I wish I had your luck and skill with ‘shroom hunting! All we seem to find growing here on our farm are amanitas, false chanterelles and giant king boletes that have been half eaten by the chickens. :\
Looking for a good source of common juniper – e-mail me at ctremewen@telus.net so we can converse. Thanks
Michelle – Don’t fret, it’s a tough season for everyone in the PNW. Too little moisture too late.
Thanks for another inspiring and lovely post! I’m glad you provided links to those clam chowder recipes, too.
Rachael – The simplest way is to wash the nettles and add directly to the boiling soup. Then use an immersion blender or food processor.
Thanks for the recipe–had to wait until the next season to give it a go, but glad I tried it. It was enjoyed by family and friends twice over the last few weeks.
Didn’t have dried porcini around, but it turned out well adding pig’s ear in the first batch and dried suillus sp. and b. zelleri in the second–just wasn’t able to keep the golden color.
Anything to make ends meet this season 🙂
I love this site and now have your book in hand, which I look forward to reading.
Make sure not to waste the liquid left in the vac sealed bag after you defrost them-pure, concentrated matsutake essence.
FYI – I received a message from Sam Schaperow reminding readers that there is a deadly coral in Japan that could conceivably hitch a ride to North America the way the non-native Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) did. Here’s more on it.
Yumsters! Been down to Indian Heaven during huckleberry season a couple times, amazing!
Happy New Year to you! Here’s to a year full of bountiful and flavorful foraging. (I am itching for those morels to start popping up.)
This looks great! Was that a 1/4 cup of sugar??
Geno – I’ve been having dreams about big fat burn morels–troops of grays and greenies as far as the eye can see! Hang in there, it’ll be spring soon enough…
Seth – My bad. That’s a quarter cup of sugar, though to be honest you could cut the sugar a scosh.
Thanks a million for the recipe! I just tried it last week to cook Sparassis for the 1st time – came out great!
Picked about 40 lbs. of Yellowfoots last week…. half of them popsicalshrooms… But Thawed out nicely. Crop is only about 1/3 of last year, But lots of little ones pinning.
BTW…Thats on the BC coast….
Nice story. What a wonderful year you must have had in the woods. And you’ve carved out a nice path for yourself after the corporate gig.
I love wild watercress on homemade pizza….
Who wouldn’t love to attend this, especially if you have a grand hanging out in your pocket with nowhere to go!
Ladyflyfish – You’re right–it’s not cheap. But most people I talked to felt like they got value for their money. And for those who truly love truffles, there aren’t many options, barring a trip to Italy or France, to enjoy them in abundance.
It’s true! It’s worth it and so, so much fun. The wine is free flowing and they bus you everywhere. OTF usually exceeds our expectations in some way, they do a really nice job pulling it together every year. Look forward to learning next year’s theme!
There must be something wrong with me, or perhaps my taste buds, because I just don’t get all the enthusiasm about truffles. I’m no expert, but was on a trip to the Alba area of Piemonte in Italy, and had their famous white truffle shaved over a pasta dish….and the flavor was subtle, at most. The aroma is certainly distinctive, but the taste is not…at least in my limited experience.
But is it just possible that “the emperor has no clothes”?
Calhoun – Nothing’s wrong with you or your taste buds. Some folks are floored by truffles, others are left unmoved. Almost seems like there’s a genetic component at work. Don’t feel bad about saving a lot of cash next time the waiter appears tableside with a scale and truffle. But for those in love with truffles, the extra charge will be gladly forked over.
Now that’s a combination I would never think of….hmmm. I’ve not been thrilled with the truffle-laced food I’ve had. Perhaps not executed properly? Not sure I’m crazy about the earthiness. I would call this a galette, suppose crostata is to a latte as galette is to cafe au lait. But I don’t claim to be an uber foodie.
Oy, was that good! And only ONE stick of butter among 5-6 of those Frankenstein-y confections. I give the ugly pie a 5!
Bummer I missed it, but it *was* the last weekend of duck season…
Wonderful read about the Oregon Truffle Festival Langdon. I appreciate your shout out to John Getz. He is very modest and a true master, along with his wife Connie and their dog, Chloe. I was one of the other dog handlers on your OTF foray and I consider myself to be a very lucky person indeed, to be able to learn from them.
Can’t wait for January 2014. Only eleven more months to go!
I’ve had clams on the brain, been cooking lots of them lately. So we definitely need to join you for the next trip, do you always do it around this time? And…love me some guanciale!!
Greeting from the Isle of Wight in England!
I often look through random food blogs for recipe ideas rather than rely on the usual standard stuff and came across your article on the finding and cooking of Razor clams.
Whilst we did not catch our clams – rather bought them in a fish market in Portsmouth – I shall be following your recipe when I cook them tonight.
I had razor clams last in Venice a few weeks ago and they were delicious … I hope my attempts this evening will be as successful.
I shall, if I may, send you a link to the food blog I write for so that you can see what we produced.
Kind regards
Peter
Stinging Nettle scramble at Smiths on Sunday. Went in for the mussels but they where serving brunch.
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I am the Education Manager at Mt. Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, and I am looking to buy a jar of Oregon Grape Jelly as a good “interactive tour prop.” We are teaching kids about the ethnobotany of the area. Do you have, or know anyone who has, a jar I could purchase? Thanks!
Fran Rosenthal
education@mountpisgaharboretum.org
we just foraged for nettles on the island and made this pesto. yummy again! i also thinned it a bit with lemon juice and olive oil and used it as a salad dressing and it was good! thank you for all the nettles tips!
Fantastic. Love “nature’s banquet.”
Nice post. Love the pics.
What an intriguing story. Congrats on the book. I can’t wait to read it!
Langdon- Congratulations, it looks like a great book. I can’t wait to read it in September, just before mushroom season begins!
¡Felicidades en tu publicación!
Me fascina tu bitácora.
¡Pronto lo compraré!
Saludos cordiales.
Great post about a true (and too little-known) NW delicacy. Thanks!
I miss the Salt and Pepper spot prawns at Sea Garden. God I can almost taste them! Oops, a little salivating on the keyboard…..
Cool! Do you add stories from you trip to the Himalayas? I met Daniel at an event last fall, sounds fascinating.
Lang,
Tried your simple butterfly and butter saute method last night for the spotties a friend gave me, paired with a rhubarb wine from Whidbey Island. Was incredible. Thanks for sharing this! So much better than boiling them.
Jeff
Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!
Looking forward to reading. I have been very curious about commercial pickers since starting to hunt a few years back and hearing stories about them. I haven’t encountered any while picking, but am curious how much the generalizations recreational mushroom hunters tell about commercial pickers are true, false, or just more nuanced.
I live in Eastern Washington and middle of May to end of May is the best time to find Fiddlehead ferns, all depending on the weather how cool or how hot the weather. My mom is korean and she and I would go Gosari picking when I was a kid. I just went out last week and found a load of it. Today is memorial day and my husband told me he knows of another patch…must go out before it is too late. I boil and dry my gosari so I can make it last until next May. Brings back memories.We used a gas burner turkey fryer tall pot of water and do the boiling outdoors. So as to not smell up the house.
Do you find that people have very different perceptions of the bitterness of dandelion greens? I rather like them but my wife can’t hack what she describes as extreme bitterness?
Also, any experience with drying the leaves and then crumbling them on salads, omelets, etc? Does drying reduce their nutritional value?
I love your point of view – and think, for the first time, I’m going to make fish soup. My allergic son will just have to eat something else.
The Kuo et alia proposal was preceded by a French proposal, which although less thorough, may take precedence, and change almost everything – again. See the latest issue of Fungi magazine for “Morels – The Name Game” by Britt Bunyard.
Exquisite photo. I’ve been sauteeing morels in EVOO with greens from my garden and throwing over baked salmon. Dinner last night and breakfast this morning. But I just buy them from the foraged edibles guys at the farmer’s market.
Looking forward to your new book.
I’ve been having pretty good luck up near the Table Mt. fire area – but not in the burned patches. Rather, I’ve been able to find many pounds of naturals away from the burns (and away from the many commercial pickers.) Where I hunted at the end of June last year, I found 5 lbs. the first week of June. Perhaps because of that heat wave mid-May preceded & follwed by some rain…
Still trying to dial in the spring porcini – found a few last year, mostly accidentally. I know the habitat to target. Any thoughts on elevation right now? Cheers.
AndrewM – I’d heard about a competing study. The name game indeed! Will check out Fungi Mag.
Jill – We love them simply sautéed and tossed over salmon, too. A seasonal pairing that can’t be beat!
K Lambert – Me too, and I prefer the naturals. As for spring porcini, the season got off to a great start and now appears to be fizzling with the heat wave. There was a big pop last weekend. Unless we get some badly needed rain and there’s a second flush, I’d start checking higher elevation spots, which is to say above 3K feet.
Anonymous – I’d suggest that Americans in general have difficulty with foods on the bitter end of the spectrum. We’ve been conditioned by fast food and the proliferation of corn (i.e., high fructose corn syrup) so we yearn for sweet. Farmed dandelions were once a common food in the U.S. and are still widely eaten in Europe and elsewhere. You can limit the bitterness by picking leaves before the plant buds. As for drying and nutritional value, I’m not sure. I dry stinging nettles but not dandies.
Langdon,
I’m wondering about you and the others on the west coast a lot lately. Are you guys starting to worry about your fishing with the Fukushima disaster likely worse than advertised? It’s hard to separate fact from fiction on the internet, but even the bbc is now reporting Japan has downplayed groundwater contamination concerns and that those waters are flooding the pacific. Do you have friends who are looking into the plankton in your area for any radiation contamination? I simply don’t trust the FDA to keep us properly informed. I’m landlocked here in Tennessee, but the thought that your coast, which I visited for the first time this summer, could be in the early stages of disaster breaks my heart. I’d love to know what you’re hearing and anticipating, and my fingers are crossed that your fishing stays good.
Best,
Andrew Gustin
Andrew, thanks for your concern. Your comment is a reminder that we need to be mindful about where our food comes from. I haven’t looked deeply into this issue, but now that you’ve raised it, I will start asking around among my scientist friends. As you point out, reliable sources can be hard to come by.
heard you on NPR today ! it was great !
i used to live in the Pacific Northwest and i really miss it !
i also love mushrooms of all kinds:)
We’ve enjoyed so many wild blackberries this summer, and I even found some wild plums. But I had no idea about huckleberries! I’ll have to hurry up and get back out there! How exciting!
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Hi Langdon, I found a beautiful “bunch” of grays in a burn this summer. It was like a flower patch! There were all together, 24 mushrooms growing as one! It was amazing and the most beautiful mushroom find…can’t wait to get out there again. I think the gray’s have a nice, chewy texture but are more mild in taste. By the way, read your book this summer, it was great.
Susan (obsessed mushroom hunter)
I’m making this the next time we go out clamming! Thank you for the idea! 🙂
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Crab is Awesome, anyway you eat it! But with 7 billion hungry humans on this here ball of dirt, maybe there is not enough crab!
Yes!! Can’t wait to find a Sparassis!
Got to try this, looks so fantastic!
Wonderful news!
Félicitations !
Congratulations! And thanks for the links.
May be someone can help me with this problem! I do not know if I am doing something wrong during the process or the trout roe that I am getting has a problem. I have done this process 5 times and the first three batches where great but my last two badges have being a problem. I received the trout roe in the sack, first I put the whole sack in a salted brine for 10 minutes to harden the eggs a little and then start the process of the warm water (105*F to 110*F) by soaking the sacks for a few seconds until the sack turns almost white. I start getting the eggs out of the sack. When the roe is clean I brine the roe for 30 minutes in salted water, soy sauce and brown sugar. After brining I rinse the roe with cold tap water. The skin of the roe does NOT harden and within a day I start losing eggs (they lose the liquid in side). The first three times I did this it worked beautiful! I am afraid of ruining more trout roe! Anyone has had a similar bad experience?
We have a wonderful harvest this year and I have been making lots of jelly and syrup. I agree with you that the colour is most appealing, and I wish more people would make use of these gorgeous little berries. Thanks for sharing your recipe and tips.
Garlic?
Your call! The dish is plenty flavorful as written.
I have been making chokecherry jelly since I was a child and I agree that it is a special treat! One little trick I learned from my grandmother is to add a 1/2 tsp. almond extract to the pot of jelly after you skim off the foam that arises from the addition of the pectin. This extra tiny bit of complementary aromatic really sends the jelly into another realm!
Hi Langdon,
Morels are so fun to find and eat! But it turns out those rare colors, like pink and green, are not associated with just one species of morel. At least two of the burn morels can show green and pink forms, and even Morchella snyderi, our big fat natural black morel, can be a bit greenish yellow in its youth.
So just enjoy them, but don’t get too hung up on a latin name. It will take DNA to ID most of those pesky burn morels (other than grays, which really are morpho distinctive), and really, a morel by any name will taste as savory!
If you do want to dive into some of those new latin names, here’s a write-up I did for western morel species back in 2015:
http://www.bayareamushrooms.org/mushroommonth/california_morels.html
Eagerly anticipating the start of our 2017 western morel season,
Debbie Viess
Bay Area Mycological Society
http://www.bayareamushrooms.org
Mr. Cook. Mr. Profumo suggests that steelhead spawn and die like the Pacific salmon. As a fisherman you are aware that steelhead do not die after spawning although many not make it back to the ocean if they perish due to otters or seal predators, disease, or are sport caught. We call these “come backs” which should be released to possibly return as a trophy.
Thank you. Bruce Stevenson, MD, Woodinville, Wa.
we enjoyed your presentation last Friday at Village Books. i asked about the SeaDoc Society and if you had had any contact with Joe Gaydos there (http://www.seadocsociety.org). Joe is a respected veterinarian/scientist, PhD/DVM who has led the SeaDoc effort over some 20 years now. Their focus is on the science and providing understanding that can lead to better decision making.
the SeaDoc Society has a series of presentations at the YMCA Camp Orkila that is well respected and attended. if they aren’t fully booked, i would suggest seeing about speaking there. Also, there is Darvill’s book store on Orcas, smaller but highly supported.
There is another organization that you might contact if you haven’t. It is Long Live the Kings that had its start on Orcas Island, also with a hatchery and returning chinook salmon (https://lltk.org; Restoring wild salmon and supporting sustainable fishing in the Pacific Northwest).
I was on the SeaDoc board for a numbers of years while living on Orcas Island.
Best wishes, Alan Fritzberg
fecund.
Hi! I’m a big fan of your ur blog and recipes. You mention here that the ramps cane from East of the Rockies. Are there any ramps that you know of in Eastern WA?
Hi Maya – sadly no wild ramps in E. WA, and I’m told they’re difficult to cultivate outside their native range.
Hi Langdon
The flavor of this when I made it was great but the color didn’t have your super bright green tint – more pale yellow/green.
I grabbed tips off the trees at Hama Hama oyster farm on Hood Canal a few weeks ago.
Does the variety of the tree influence this probably?
Hi Sean – if you’re using Doug fir tips, the color is most influenced by how you strain and filter. Repeated straining will remove sediment and also color. Many mixologists are looking for that ethereal transparent appearance with just a hint of tint, which requires a coffee filter and plenty of time. Mine in the photo was strained through wire mesh and then cheesecloth as I recall. Remember to only use the newly emerged tips, which will be soft and a lighter, brighter green than the rest of the foliage.
Finally rained here in Central Oregon, a man from Quebec came to visit and we found a few nice Matsutake, we had some fun with butter, salt, pepper, maple syrup and Merchen spice from Chile. Very good! Thanks Langdon!
Thank you for sharing and spreading awareness! It is nice to know how to spot the right mushroom in the wild. Nevertheless, we can still eat some of them even if they are not medicinal it can still cure our hunger. It has endless capabilities!
Hi there, I was searching online for foraging watercress and I came across an article dating few years back about you foraging watercress. Foraging is where I spend time with my kids and get them to notice more about Mother Nature. Moreover, watercress was something I want to show them because of the beautiful green color and how they live in streams and creeks; however, I have not been able to locate any in Seattle. I am wondering if you are able to tell me if you know any places in or near Seattle as the article had mentioned about you foraging in the Pacific Northwest.
Also, this webpage is awesome and love seeing pictures of you adventures with you and your children.
Best,
Nancy
articolo perfetto grazie
I would like to do some foraging classes. Do you offer these or do you know where I could find a good instructor. Located in South Puget Sound. And have property on the peninsula.
Yes, I teach wild food and foraging classes. Check http://www.fieldtripsociety.com for classes in the spring and fall.
I grew up in NE China. Honey mushroom is the most cherished among all species. My parents picked them young and dried them. They stewed (2-3 yrs old) chicken and glass noodle with it. I miss the dish and wish I learned more about how to identify them.
This recipe is so, so, so, so delicious. And forgiving! I’ve made it quite a few times now. When I follow the recipe it tastes amazing. When I stray from it a little (or a lot), it still tastes amazing. I never have a need to even try another mushroom risotto recipe ever again. This cooks up the perfect bowl I dream of, every time.
Thank you so much for sharing it! I am grateful!