Parietaria officinalis, called pellitory-of-the-wall, upright pellitory and lichwort, is a plant of the nettle family. It is easily recognized by the leaves covered by tiny curved hairs, so that they adhere easily to your clothes (it is not the only
Galinsoga quadriradiata (= G. ciliata) is an annual weed which is known by several common names, including shaggy soldier, Peruvian daisy, hairy galinsoga. Galinsoga parviflora, also known as the gallant soldier, is very similar but has no hair. They are
In early spring spruce trees put out their light green buds, more or less at the same time when Black Locust flowers appear. Spruce tips can be picked to make a delicious jelly, traditionally made in northern Italy. I know
I have some Goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus) in my garden. Today I noticed they were nearly overgrown, so that’s the time to set up a recipe, now or never! Nature does not wait until the lockdown is over. I then
Stinging nettle it’s the queen of all the wild edibles: easy to find in great quantites, easy to pick, impossible to be mistaken with poisonous species and very easy to preserve in winter. The plant has a long history of
After the post about wild edble flowers, we will see now some edible flowers from our garden. I will list them by colour. WHITE YELLOW AND ORANGE PINK AND VIOLET Besides the ones I listed, there are many others. I
Salad burnet leaves (Sanguisorba minor), have a cucumber-like flavor. A fresh and surprising taste, excellent for a quick raw pesto. For the cheese I use, in this case, the Grana Padano. Parmesan and pecorino have too strong an aroma that
Commonly known as autumn crocus, meadow saffron or naked ladies, is a toxic autumn-blooming flowering plant that resembles the true crocuses. It is deadly poisonous due to its colchicine content, and no antidote is known. In spring its leaves are
Even if springtime is a little bit late, it’s time to get ready for edible flowers time. Some of them are really delicious, some only nice to use as a decoration for your plate. But all of them can give
Flowers are blooming, meadows are gently waving in the wind, showing the vibrant violet of Salvia pratensis flowers. On my way home I see a elder tree with branches bent beneath the weight of its umbrella-like inflorescences. The scent fills
I can’t remember exactly when, but one day somebody asked me: “did you ever try to use green wild edibles to make cakes?”. Not, but that’s an idea! … Here the starting point of a new experimental project. So far
This is a classical recipe with a touch of wild taste from the ground elder, fresh and spicy, and a cruchy touch given from the phyllo pastry. I found some ground elder in my spring walks, and I cooked it
Manfrigole is a traditional dish from Valtellina, northern Italy. They are a kind of buckwheat crespelle (crêpes), with a cheese and bresaola filling, or local seasonal ingredients. It was originally made in order to use the stale bread, because in
Foraging season is nearly over, but I won’t give up. I have dried nettles and barberry. Here’s the wild finger-food!
The salad burnet is one of the many underrated wild edibles. Called also small burnet, it has a fresh and surprising taste, similar to cucumber.
When black locust flowering is towards the end usually spruce tips season begins. That’s how this recipe was born.. two precious baggies of flowers and spruce tips and … what do I do with them? Why not use them both
Elderberry, pigeons and inspiration It is still snowing outside and, while waiting for the springtime, I decided to cook some elderberries (Sambucus nigra) I froze last autumn. What to do with it? Even if my aunt asked for the jam,
Whatever you call it, Lamb’s Quarters, Goosefoot, Pigweed or Fat-hen, is a common annual weed traditionally used for cooking in many countries. It’s easy to recognize and it has a delicate flavor. Cooked like spinach goes well with any dish.
This easy recipe is the first that comes to my mind, full of childhood memories, when I hear the sweet scent of black locust in spring. Crispy flowers, fragrant and sweet, with a slight aftertaste of fresh-cut grass. The ingredients
Black locust flowers (Robinia pseudoacacia) Here they are! Silly spring and late Black locust flowering, this year. And now that they’re finally here I took a lot of flowers at the first opportunity. I do not feel in the least
