wild foods in Maine (Stockholm: high school, food, best)

[starwalker]

I was breaking up some (just couldn't help myself-it reminds me of spring-imported-out of season) asparagus for creamed asparagus on toast last evening and got to thinking about the pounds and pounds of the stuff the kids and I used to pick along the roadsides in western CO. We picked, my mom (who was taking care of my dad, at home, fighting cancer) would clean, sort, blanch and freeze it and we would share the bounty.

We've talked about cranberries, blueberries, mushrooms (I think) and Forest's Famous Fiddleheads... but the "speargrass" got me to wondering about other free, wild (or escaped domestic) foods that one might gather in Maine.

What else is there to hunt for once the white goes?

[Bydand]

Cat-tails: Don't laugh, or shake your head just yet. At different times of the year these things can provide food stuffs. When they are in "bloom" shake the heads into a paper bag and collect the pollen. You can use it like flour and it if you make pancakes using cat-tail pollen instead of buckwheat in the recipe, you get a wonderful nutty flavored pancake. Everything from the root up can be used. Google Cat-tail recipes and you will be amazed at how versatile these plants can be.

My personal favorites are the berries. I once made it almost to the top of Kathadin when I found a big patch of wild blueberries off the beaten trail clinging to life between boulders and in a patch of dirt. Never made it out of the patch before I had to head back down. Been to the top before, wasn't about to let the chance pass by for fresh trailside berries. Had a couple of people with me from Kansas and they couldn't believe I didn't pack anything to eat on the start of the hike, I ate all the way up the mountain and all the way back down,

Fiddleheads? Even I draw the line someplace . My Father loves the nasty things though so I get him some from a few places I know around here and drop them off to his house. There is a place out in the boonies by Stockholm that you can get a few dozen pounds without even trying very hard.

[AlisonL]

Dandelion greens. I don't like them but many folks do. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, various apples. I am thinking way back to my high school days and one of my classes, and seems like we gathered something called "goose greens" at the seashore. We made flour from cat nine tail roots.

[Abbymoulton]

[quote=Bydand;3317531]Cat-tails: Don't laugh, or shake your head just yet. At different times of the year these things can provide food stuffs. When they are in "bloom" shake the heads into a paper bag and collect the pollen. You can use it like flour and it if you make pancakes using cat-tail pollen instead of buckwheat in the recipe, you get a wonderful nutty flavored pancake. Everything from the root up can be used. Google Cat-tail recipes and you will be amazed at how versatile these plants can be.

I was telling my DH about this and he was very interested. Now, he just came back in with cat-tail pollen all over his beard and said "Tell Scott that they taste kind of like eating a squirrel before you skinned it."

[msina]

The root of the cattail is a starchy tubor that can be eaten like a potato, best in the late spring or early summer. Pinenuts are awesome too.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by Abbymoulton

I was telling my DH about this and he was very interested. Now, he just came back in with cat-tail pollen all over his beard and said "Tell Scott that they taste kind of like eating a squirrel before you skinned it."

Tooooo funny!

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by Abbymoulton

I was telling my DH about this and he was very interested. Now, he just came back in with cat-tail pollen all over his beard and said "Tell Scott that they taste kind of like eating a squirrel before you skinned it."

Oh I do hope Bert didn't. Naw, couldn't have too early in the season yet.


Got a good laugh out of me though!

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by AlisonL

Dandelion greens. ... Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, ... .

mmm, wine

[Maineah]

Juniper berries


mmmmmm, Gin!

[Abbymoulton]

Elderberries (more wine)