Auction Ends: Mar 5, 2013 09:00 PM EST

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Foraging Tour for Two

Item Number: 295

Estimated Value: 40 USD
Sold: 80 USD to MBauer_KHaslinger

Number of Bids: 14 - Bid History

Item Description

An example of a foraging tour in Central Park, though there are many locations:

The 2013 season, the 31st, opens with this most popular of parks for foragers. Because of its varied habitats and the combination of wild and cultivated, native and exotic plants, Central Park is a great place to forage, even in the winter andearly-spring. Here are some of the species we'll be finding:

Cold-weather greens abound in Central Park in early March. In the Ramble, we'll be finding large stands of field garlic, with mild-flavored onion-like bulbs, plus the tender young leaves, which you use like chives. And the season's first sweet-and-sharp daylily shoots will be popping up along the embankment of the reservoir—a treat for all.

Chickweed, which tastes like corn-on-the-cob, grows across from the Delacourte Theatre, and we'll find new, pungent, young garlic mustard greens, with their horseradish-flavored taproots just south of nearby Belvedere Castle.

Wet lawn areas could feature spicy hairy bittercress and intensely flavored winter cress, while sunny, grassy spots with poor soil may produce shepherd's purse, the most mild-flavored of the mustard greens. A cultivated area near the lake is always overgrown with lemony flavored sheep sorrel, one of the tastiest edible "weeds".

Edge habitats will feature bitter dock, so bad-tasting raw, it took "Wildman" 29 year to try it cooked, and discover that this super-abundant member of the buckwheat family is one of the best-tasting and versatile wild potherbs.

Ground ivy, a.k.a. gill-over-the-ground, is an attractive member of the mint family quite tolerant of the cold. This resident of lawns makes a delightful tea that's used in herbal medicine for water retention.

Sassafras, the original source of root beer, is in season all year in thickets throughout the park. And we'll find several spots for the seeds of the Kentucky coffee tree, for making caffeine-free coffee.

There will also be beautiful early season flowers to observe, including those of witch hazel, common spicebush, and carnelian cherry.

Item Special Note

In 2011, Brill released an iPhone app called Wild Edibles with Wildman Steve Brill, which gives information on 150 North American plants.He created an Android version of his mobile app that features edible plant photos and recipes.

Get the app now!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wild-edibles-plus/id541507798?mt=8