Forager's Log, First Week of May 2012

I spent my day off visiting fellow forager Kat Morgenstern in Germany. It took several trains to get to her from where I’m staying in Switzerland, but it was worth it.

Despite a few rainy hours, we got in two good walks out in the hills, past berries-to-be,

Salsify blooming amidst dandelions already gone to seed,

Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum multiflorum, not the P. biflorum I’m used to back home),

wild garlic (Allium ursinum, a close cousin to ramps or A. tricoccum)

and tons of nettles. We picked some of the garlic flowers and some nettle leaves to add to a casserole-style “bake” that Kat made. She’d already harvested lots of immature burdock flower stalks for it (one of my favorite wild vegetables).

Kat also shared some of the elderflower syrup she made last year, which was wonderful with strawberries and yogurt for breakfast. I’m really hoping I won’t totally miss the elderflower season back in Brooklyn.

The food was delicious, and the company was wonderful. It is always a pleasure to spend time with Kat, and on this visit I got to see her husband Tino as well. Here’s to the next time!

Upcoming Foraging, Cooking and Gardening Workshops

The Locavore’s Handbook: The Busy Person’s Guide to Eating Local on a Budget

Botany, Ballet, & Dinner from Scratch: A Memoir with Recipes

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