Urban Foraging
What is the hottest trend amongst foodies right now? Urban foraging. Greens, shoots, roots, berries, mushrooms. Yup. Those obnoxious weeds popping up in your front lawn….are actually gourmet greens. Everyone knows Dandelion greens are edible (though I've never picked or eaten them myself) but how about Plantain (no, not the banana)? I've got alot of this growing in my backyard, and apparen'tly it is also completely edible and tasty.
Explore your inner Hunter/Gatherer and try taking a little walk in the woods one sunny afternoon – you can gather your side dish for dinner that night. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit. Don't get into foraging or mushroom picking without doing some research first, otherwise you could get into a lot of trouble. There are some great culinary tours in the city of Toronto, including mushroom foraging, that offer expert advice on what to pick and what to stay away from. Bottom line, you really have to know what you are doing and what to look out for. Once you do feel confident enough to forage for your supper, you are in luck. Your local library has numerous books and e-books to help you out when deciding what and where to forage, and how to prepare your foods deliciously once you have them home. With some care, effort and research, why not try something different for dinner one summer night: Stinging Nettle Soup, Wild Greens Quiche and Cattail Pollen Bread with Wild Garlic Butter (all recipes found in The Joy of Foraging by Gary Lincoff). Mmmm.
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