The Season Begins

Yeah, okay, there was still snow on the ground two days ago, and it was chilly today, BUT the daffodils are blooming in Prospect Park, I did my first major foraging of the season, there is a robin perched on my fence, and my schedule is imploding. Must be spring.

For me the season kicked off with a food preservation workshop for The Trade School a week ago (this pic taken by Nick Normal)

Yesterday I was out in the park shooting a video project with fantastic videographer and storyteller Liza de Guia.

As part of the shoot, I collected wild edibles (dandelion, garlic mustard, bishop’s elder, field garlic) for a wild greens pesto.

I also collected some daylily shoots that didn’t make it into the video, but did end up in my pasta sauce that night.

Today I taught my second food preservation workshop of the season at The Commons for NYC Preppers Network . Here are purple and green sauerkraut, lacto-fermented apple chutney, and some pickled carrots, radishes, and celery that we made today.

Yeah, I know-apples, cabbage, root vegetables-the same old storage crops from last year’s harvest. That’s still all that’s available at the farmers’ markets. But we jazzed them up into appetizing options.

And with edible wild greens and flowers appearing and the seedlings on my windowsill thriving, I am optimistic and relishing the change of season.

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

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