Mulberry Recipe - Mulberry Jam

Mid June brings us mulberries in two different colors, red and white. Calling them red and white mulberries is a bit misleading, as the red mulberry (Morus rubra) will ripen to red or black, and the white mulberry (Morus alba) will ripen to white or a light purple. The red mulberries have a more balanced, sweet-tart flavor while the white mulberries are incredibly sweet. We often see small trees along city streets, with a berry-covered sidewalk beneath them, filled with squawking birds. Mulberries are quickly gathered by spreading a tarp or sheet beneath the tree and giving the branches a shake. We de-seed and de-stem our mulberries with a food mill, the Roma Food Strainer with a berry screen for a thick, pulpy jam that goes really well spread over toasted cornbread. If you don't have the food mill, you need to cook the mulberries with a bit of water and pass the pulp through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds and stems and obtain 5 cups of pulpy juice. So far, we have made some jam from the ripe, black berries. The white mulberries are about a week behind in ripening.

Mulberry Jam                makes 9-8 oz. jars

5 c. seedless and stemless, pulpy mulberry juice
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 box Sur-Jell pectin (1.75 oz)
7 c. sugar

1. Sterilize and heat jars and lids.
2. In a large pot, add mulberry pulp, lemon juice, and pectin, whisking together. Bring the mixture up to a rolling boil.
3. Add all of the sugar at once, stirring until it is dissolved. Return to a rolling boil and cook 1 minute.
4. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam. Ladle into hot, sterile jars, and process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Cool.

Microfungi and Slime Molds

The macro world is truly fascinating. Robert is teaching himself how to photograph smaller and smaller specimens, taking them home and carefully controlling the environment and light to try to get their features in focus. Even the slightest breeze at these magnifications creates a blur. Most we have no ideas on, or even where to start looking for identification information. Lots of helpful suggestions come from social media, some from Googling "slime molds", and some from the members of CVMS. I just find these things beautiful. I added the sizes of the specimens to the captions.

Arcyria cinerea, on decayed beech, 3 mm tall

Fuligo septica, on decayed wood, mass about 14 cm X 6 cm

Physarum viride, on decayed beech, 2-3 mm tall, each head had burst open
by the next day into a fluffy pom-pom

Stemonites species, Chocolate Tube Slime, on decayed wood,
about 2 cm tall

Trichia decipiens, on decayed wood, 2-3 mm tall

Unknown stalked cup, on decayed wood, 4-6 mm tall

Sweet Cicely Identified

We have been seeking out sweet cicely (Osmorhiza longistylis) in Connecticut for a couple years, but it was not until Wildman Steve Brill physically showed it to us one day last autumn that we encountered it. It turns out that the green foliage dies back in the summer, and unless you know what the seed pods and dried stalks look like in the forest, you will not find sweet cicely easily. Robert dug up a few roots and replanted them in a large pot outside so we can observe the plant during all seasons, watch how it changes, and use it as a good indicator of when to seek it out in the wild. With this familiarity, we can find sweet cicely all the time in its different stages in places we commonly visit.

As tall as Gillian

hairy stalk

Sweet cicely is an herbaceous perennial that grow from a fibrous taproot. It is native to North America, and there is another cicely that also grows in Connecticut, Osmorhiza claytoni. The two cicely species are differentiated by root size, flavor, and by examining the seeds. The cicely we find often is the Osmorhiza longistylis, the more fragrant and flavorful plant whose seedpods have double points and longer roots. Sweet cicely grows in rich soil in shady woods from southern Canada to Alabama, and as far west as Colorado. In spring, the leaf stalks emerge from a single basal rosette, reaching from 1'-3' tall. The leafstalks are often purple and covered with fine hairs. In late summer, the foliage dies off and the dry leafstalks remain behind with the dried seedpods. In the autumn, new leaves will emerge from the basal rosette again, for a second chance to seek and harvest the plant.

Sweet cicely is related to carrots and parsley, so the leaves are large, compound, and toothed. This may not be an ideal edible for beginners, as it could be confused with poison hemlock. The leaves are doubly-compound and divided into groups of three irregularly toothed and lobed leaflets. The green leaves are lightly hairy, very tender, taste like anise, and can be eaten raw or steeped in a tea. The plant produces an umbrella-like cluster of five-petaled white flowers on the stalks in the spring, which are also edible.

Flower cluster, or umbel

Dry, mature seedpod

Handful of the immature seed pods

The seedpod of the sweet cicely develop after the flowers pass, in the late spring. When they are small, only about 1/2" long,, they are very tender, succulent, and intensely sweet and anise-flavored. As the seedpods mature, the will be about 1" long, curved, and black. The seedpods of the sweet cicely end in one or two pointed ends, depending on species, and this pointed end works like a hook to allow the seeds to be transported on animals or your pants to another site.

The root is the strongest tasting part of the plant. It is light beige, branched and gnarly, up to 6" long. The main taproot is rather fibrous, but can be grated on a microplane to be added to a cookie dough or cake batter. Gillian likes to chew on them raw while walking in the woods. The roots make a good tea to relieve an upset stomach. Robert is infusing some sweet cicely roots into vodka for an aromatic spirit.

Fungi and Slime Molds

When we go out with the Connecticut Valley Mycological Society (CVMS), we are looking for all mushrooms and fungi, not just the edible mushrooms. Often several slime molds are collected and identified as well as some unusual small mushrooms, some weird cup-like fungi, and some specimens that are unknown. The season is still a bit early for terrestrial (ground growing) mushrooms, most are growing on decayed wood or leaf matter, including mulch and wood chips. There are also very few edibles available yet, as we did not manage to find any morels this season. Robert is still kept busy photographing the fascinating and often tiny specimens that are found, and they make lovely compositions.

Gymnopus subnudus, previously known as Collybia subnuda,
about 2-4 cm tall on rotten wood

Unknown ascomycota, cup fungi about 2-3 mm wide

Abundant rain for the past two weeks has brought out several slime molds, which are not fungi, but often found along with fungi. Most of the slime molds are best viewed under magnification, where the amazing features like hairs, spores, and tiny structures are suddenly visible.

Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa, slime mold, tendrils about 5 mm long, on rotten wood

Lycogala epidendrum, Wolf's milk slime mold, each sphere about 4-7 mm wide, on rotten wood

Dandelion Festival 2012

Earlier this month, we packed up and headed off for the weekend to Dover, Ohio and the 19th Annual Dandelion Festival that is held at Breitenbach Winery. We had never traveled to Ohio, and the scenery was very rolling and relaxed. The green pastures were punctuated by barns, silos, cows, and farmhouses. The whole area supports a large Amish population, and we witnessed horse drawn buggies and shopped at Amish markets for some cheese.

We attended the festival on Saturday, May 5, pulling into the secondary location at the Roadhouse Amphitheater up the road from the winery just as the marathon runners were starting off on their 3.5 mile run. The day started out overcast, but the haze burned off and the sun came out. Music, entertainment, food, the dandelion cook-off, and kids activities were on the calendar for the day, along with a tour of the winery and a visit to the retail store.

The fair food was pretty standard, but it also included some dandelion-based offerings. I tried the dandelion sausage, and had a cup of the dandelion wine-based sangria for lunch. Robert tried some mushroom and dandelion soup and some curly fried potatoes. Gillian ate a big bowl of dandelion ice cream, made with yellow flower petals. The winery was making mashed potatoes with dandelion gravy, and another vendor was selling dandelion lasagne. The winery was also offering samples of their many wines for 25¢ apiece. We purchased two bottles of the dandelion wine for ourselves, and another copy of The Great Dandelion Cookbook for a future giveaway!

The dandelion cook-off was the main draw for us. The winery had just completed a new building at the second location, and inside was where the cook-off was held, along with some cooking demonstrations. The cook-off contributors made a wide range of dishes featuring dandelion greens and flowers. Most of the cooking demos at the building were pretty basic recipes that just had some dandelion greens tossed in, but the cook-off dishes were great. Yahoo was on site, filming the festival for a show called Blue Ribbon Hunter, about interesting festivals and fairs. First place went to Sherry Schie for Dandelion Stuffed Pork Loin. You can look at her full recipe here, along with the second place winner, Dandelion and White Bean Crostini. Robert took several pictures of the dishes, and we also purchased a hand painted wineglass, covered with pretty, yellow dandelion flowers to enjoy our wine.

Panko Crusted Chicken with Dandelion
Artichoke Sauce

Dandelion Cookies

Buffalo Chicken and Dandelion Stuffed Peppers

Dandelion Calzone

Dandelion Oladi (Russian Pancakes)

Dandelion Stuffed Beef Braciole

Dandelion and Goat Cheese Flan with Cheese Fondue

Dandelion Blossom Custard Peach Pie

Italian Wedding Soup

Dandelion and White Bean Crostini

Photo Collage - Black Locust

Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is native to the Appalachian Mountain area, and is considered an invasive tree in other places. It grows quickly, and often in clusters, crowding out native vegetation and aggressively invading fields.  The bark of older Black Locust trees is grey and deeply furrowed. The tree can grow up to 100 feet tall, and the trunk is usually crooked. The wood is very strong and rot resistant, often used in posts. The leaves are compound with 7 to 21 oval, smooth edged leaflets. On smaller trees, a pair of thorns grow at the leaf axils. For about only one week in mid-spring, the white flower clusters droop from the trees, making the entire tree appear white. Each flower in the cluster has a yellow spot on its top petal, and the flowers look like pea blossoms. They are crispy when picked, and can be refrigerated or even frozen for later use. They are most fragrant right before opening, or within a day or so. If the blossoms are browned or falling to the ground, it is too late to pick them. The roots of the trees alter the nitrogen content of the soil. Most parts of the tree are toxic, causing digestive system problems. In late summer the tree produces flat, green seedpods that looks like beans containing flat seeds. It is only the flowers that we gather and consume.



The best way to eat the blossoms is raw from the tree, and the taste of the raw flowers is sweet like fresh peas.  Use them in a salad, or stir them into hot oatmeal. We remove the flowers from the brownish-green cluster stem and add them to pancakes and doughnut batter, or add them to an egg custard. Robert makes a sweet drink with the flowers steeped in water, honey, and lemon juice. Last year we made a peasant wine with the blossoms, and it is fantastic--floral, mostly dry, and wonderfully clarified. We have also made some black locust flower jelly and some flower-scented sugar. Robert also made a black locust blossom syrup, which we mix with seltzer for a bubbly non-alcoholic cocktail. The blossoms attract lots of bees and ants, and the trees will seem to "hum" with activity as you walk past one in mid-spring.

Kids and Wild Food Foraging

Yummy Wild Carrots!

Gnawing on knotweed

Gillian tasting maple sap

Given the opportunity, kids love to be out in the woods or in a field, searching for bugs and sticks, flowers and rocks. Showing them that you can eat some of those plants should not be scary, but fun. With a little caution, and plenty of encouragement, the kids will be able to positively identify many common and safe wild edibles. With simple explanations and repetition, children will absorb information without realizing they are learning something, they will just think that eating stuff outside is cool.

Wildman and Gillian

Gillian has always come out foraging with us. When she was small, we had her in the hiking backpack. Now she is seven years old and while she may sometimes be cranky about walking, she still comes with us every time. She can identify many wild edibles with confidence, and has several favorites like wintergreen leaves, dandelion flowers, lemony wood sorrel, cattail shoots, and every berry available. For five years now, we have taken tours with Wildman Steve Brill, and his daughter Violet often accompanies him. She is just a little bit older than Gillian, and that girl really knows her stuff! Wildman is working on a foraging book aimed at parents and kids, possibly an app too.

Black raspberries

Some of the best edibles to teach are the obvious ones without poisonous look-alikes. Berries like blackberries and wineberries are widespread and sweet, great first edibles. There are many different species, like dewberries, Himalayan blackberries, black raspberries, and more regional ones like salmonberries and loganberries. All are edible and tasty to different degrees. While most berry canes have thorns, picking them is generally easy and large quantities can be harvested. Freshly picked blackberries on a bowl of breakfast oatmeal taste way better than any store bought ones.

Gillian with some cattail-on-the-cob

Cattails are another good edible for kids, since the taste is mild and there is always the potential of getting muddy and wet. Gillian loves to eat the heart of the cattail shoots in the spring. It is tender and tastes a lot like raw cucumber, and relatively easy to gather even for a kid. Once you find a stand of cattails about 2' high, you pull apart the outer leaves, grasp the few leaves in the center, and give them a tug. The "heart" will pop out, and the bottom 4" or so is white and the part you want to eat raw. Another great part of the cattail comes later in spring, when the flower stalks come up. They will still be sheathed in one leaf, but are easy to cut from the plant. We then pull the leaf off, check for bugs, and boil up the flower spike and eat it like corn on the cob. The male portion of the flower is the upper section and has much more pulp than the female portion on the bottom of the flower spike, and can be used in a pancake batter and soup.

Edible flowers are another fun food for kids. Popping off the big, yellow heads of dandelions and munching on the flower petals is great fun, and the kids can't seem to get enough. Violets are pretty and edible, and the taste is very mild. Lilacs are more fragrant, but still pretty flavorless, it is the thrill of eating a flower that will keep children happy. Black locust flowers are actually tasty, with a flavor and crunch similar to raw peas. Adding colorful edible flowers to a salad will instantly make it more appealing to any kid.

Sulphur shelf

Gillian is also really good at spotting mushrooms, probably due to her closeness to the forest floor. All mushrooms should be cooked before consuming them, so she knows to never put any mushroom in her mouth. She has a favorite wild mushroom (sulphur shelf) to eat, and can identify several other species already. We used to have a monetary incentive of a quarter for every mushroom she spots, and while it helped fill our basket, it also quickly emptied our pockets. We still try to make mushroom hunting fun by bringing a magnifying glass with us to examine some of the fungi we find. Get your kids outside, and show them a few cool mushrooms, even if they are not edible.

Gillian's puffball