Foraging wild plants and mushrooms can open up a whole new world of flavors not found on supermarket shelves, but weeding out the edible varieties from the ones that are unpleasant or downright unsafe can be tricky.
Foraging instructor Mike Krebill, author of "The Scout’s Guide to Wild Edibles," says there are a few simple things beginning forages should keep in mind to enjoy the experience and avoid getting sick.
Learn from the experts:
The first step in finding edible plants is simply learning what to look for. Krebill said the best way to identify edibles is to have an experienced forager point them out.
"Ideally, this person should be a knowledgeable forager, with years of experience," he advised. "The expert should not only know what the plant is, but should be able to point out how to distinguish it from plants that look similar."
To find such a person, Krebill recommended the website Eat the Weeds, which includes a state-by-state list of foragers who are willing to help the inexperienced.
Know where to chomp:
Once the forager can pick out the plants they're looking for, the next step is finding out which parts are edible and which parts are decidedly not.
Krebill cited the mayapple as an example of a plant that is both good and bad. The ripe fruit is delicious and can be used to make marmalade, but the rest of the plant is poisonous.
Similarly, the tops of Scotch bonnet mushrooms are great cooked, but the stem is stringy and too difficult to eat.
Knowing what to eat makes a can make big difference in the foraging experience.
"The best part of a successful forage is the enjoyment of eating what you have found," Krebill said.
Don't forget the back yard:
While scouring forests and hillsides for hidden delicacies can be a big part of the fun, Krebill said it's worth remembering that finding edibles doesn't always have to be difficult. Many are common, like dandelions.
Krebill uses the yellow part of the flower to make dandelion donuts and vegetarian burgers.
"The secret to really good dandelion donuts is to get rid of the bitterness," he said. "The green part that’s right below the yellow is horribly bitter.”
He suggests squeezing the flower head where the yellow meets the green and rolling it around in your fingers. This will make it easy to separate the two. Use only the yellow in a recipe.
Another common edible is the seeds from the silver maple. The seed is surrounded by thin "wings" that make them spin like helicopters as they fall in great numbers from trees in the spring.
"Put them on a cookie sheet, sprinkle a little bit of peanut oil on them and roast them in an oven for 20 minutes or so and they become like potato chips!" said Krebill.
He recommends adding just a pinch of salt.
Even the top of the common cattail can be used as a substitute for pulled pork. He said the texture is almost identical.