Identifying and foraging common wood sorrel. A common edible weed, often mistaken for clover or shamrock. Perfect for beginners.

Identification difficulty: Beginner

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I'm going to try and get this post up early so I can go out drinking :). I'm not Irish, but who does't love a good beer? (Note: I said a GOOD beer. Not that swill they dye green and pour out by the barrel-full!)

In honor of the occasion, I'd like to talk about how to identify common yellow wood sorrel, sometimes called the American Shamrock.

Wood sorrel isn't a shamrock, as a shamrock is a type of clover (Latin genus: Trifolium), and wood sorrel is part of the genus Oxalis. Then again, there is some confusion about what a shamrock actually is! You see,  we associate the classic "3 heart" shape with shamrocks, yet no clover actually has this shape. Clovers are all 3 ovals! Instead, sorrels (Oxalis species) have the 3 hearts.

So who knows, maybe wood sorrel really is a shamrock after all?

As I've mentioned before, wood sorrel holds a special place in my heart. It's the first wild food I ever ate, that I didn't harvest with my mother or one of my grandmothers. No member of my family ever pronounced it as safe, I never picked it with them. I watched other children enjoy it, and picked and ate it for myself. They called it lemon clover. I ate it without hesitation, rather a dangerous precedent when your "expert" is an 8-year old, but it all turned out all right in the end.

Anyway, wood sorrel is easy to identify, and grows throughout North America. It also tastes great, and is a very versatile ingredient in the kitchen, all-in-all, a perfect plant for beginners to forage.

One small note of caution: Oxalis species contain oxalic acid, and shouldn't be eaten by those with kidney or liver diseases, or by those with certain autoimmune diseases, like Rheumatoid arthritis. 

On to identification . . .

Burdock and pokeweed fritters, foraging recipe. Potato substitute with lower calories and higher nutrition.

Looking for a great substitute for potatoes? I really love burdock! 

Burdock, (sometimes called Gobo), is a root, like potatoes. It's an Eurasian plant, related to sunflowers and artichokes, and is an important part of traditional Asian and Mediterranean diets. Burdock has a nice, potato-like texture with a subtle artichoke flavor, but clocks in at only half the calories and a little over half the carbs. Bonus: it's been linked to clearer skin, kidney and liver heath, lymphatic and circulatory (blood health) support, and blood sugar management. 

Those large leaves are burdock. At the center, underground is the large root.

Burdock has been introduced to North America, where it now grows as an invasive species, a common "weed". If you've ever walked through the woods in early fall and gotten the sticky, spikey "burr" seed balls on your clothing, then you already know burdock. 

How I find and safely eat pokeweed shoots in early spring

Hi all, I'd like to start by saying, this post is my personal story about how I safely eat pokeweed, a plant which can be deadly if not properly harvested and prepared.

I prepare poke the way my Southern grandma did; many people say now that the old ways are too conservative, that the plant is safe to harvest older, and to spend less time processing. I believe that those people do what's right for them, but I don't think that there is a "right for everyone" way to eat this plant. 

Though I will share some tips for identification, this is not primarily an identification post, rather a personal experience post. Maybe I'll do an ID post down the line. 

Pokeweed should not be eaten by young children, or women who are pregnant, looking to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

UPDATE: I now have an identification post for young spring pokeweed. Read on to learn how to prepare poke, but to identify, click here.

Pokeweed quick history

Pokeweed was extensively eaten throughout the Eastern and Southern United States until quite recently, sometime in the 1960s. It was an especially important food for the early colonists, some Native American tribes, African Americans, and the people of Appalachia. It's free, very abundant, easy to identify and one of the earliest greens that can be harvested in the spring. Pokeweed also has an important role as a dye for fabrics, and in the traditional medicines of the Native Americans and the people of Appalachia.

Pokeweed was most commonly prepared as "Poke Sallet", sometimes corrupted as "Poke Salad" but it's important NEVER to eat these plants raw, doing so can make you sick or worse. Poke sallet are boiled greens that are then fried up with bacon and butter to make a hearty meal perfect for the season: using the end of last years preserved meats with the fresh taste of new greens.

The Declaration of Independence is written in pokeweed ink, as were many of the letters Civil War soldiers wrote home. (It was free and readily available).  Supporters of 1844 Presidential candidate James Polk wore pokeweed on their lapels. (He went on to win, against the odds, and become the 11th President of the United States). Poke Salad Annie was a 1969 Billboard hit, about a poor Southern girl who has to eat poke, as it's free.

Pickled greenbriar tips foraging recipe. Fat free, gluten-free, vegan, paleo.

It's that time of the year again! Greenbriar   Is a really unique wild edible that you generally can only get in the early to mid spring, March through April around here in Texas, and April through June back where I used to live up north.

Greenbriar, genus name: Smilax, is an easy-to-identify vine, and only the young growing tips are edible, which is why you can harvest in the spring. 

Learn how to identify greenbriar here!

I was only able to get a few handfuls this early, but I'm sure I'll be pulling bags of greenbriar from the woods soon! Because I only had a small amount, I decided to make more of a snack, rather than a full meal. I thought pickling would work out well, and it did! They held their crispness well, and the flavor pairs perfectly with salty, sour, and dill.

Here's what I did, but feel free to try your own pickling recipe:

1. Blanch 2 cups of greenbriar tips in boiling water for 1 minute. Add them to a glass or glazed ceramic container (not metal or plastic)
2. Smack 1 tsp coriander seeds and 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns with the side of a knife a couple of times. Mince 2 cloves of garlic.
3. Bring 2 cups of white vinegar to a boil, add in peppercorns, coriander, garlic, 1 tsp. dried dill, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp powdered cumin, and 1/4 tsp sugar.
4. Boil for 5 minutes then pour in with the greenbriar. Seal and allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Store in the fridge and enjoy them within 2 weeks.

Check out all my greenbriar posts!