F is for Foraging originally published on Food and Fond Memories on April 7, 2011 by sandyaxelrod 4 Comments (Edit)
F is for Foraging
Freshly Picked Carrots
Our ancestors were hunter-gatherers. That’s how they survived. But somehow with mega-supermarkets and the invention of frozen food we have gotten away from that innate urge. I am happy to say that is not really true anymore. Chef’s across the country have been touting the benefits of eating locally grown food. As a result of this heightened awareness there is a movement afoot for us to forage for our own ingredients. People everywhere are beginning to gather wild foods in forests and parks. They are sharing produce grown in neighborhood gardens or growing their own fruit, herbs and vegetables right in their backyards. I know from my own experience that being able to go outside and snip fresh herbs, yank sweet carrots from the soil or pluck a ripe juicy tomato right off the vine is quite rewarding indeed. Nothing tastes better than eating the fruits of your labor.
I have a cousin who forages for ramps in Spring and for unique varieties of mushrooms while he is on hikes. Local chefs depend on him to supply them with these items that he has found growing in the wild. The chefs say that their flavor is far superior to cultivated varieties.
