Happy October, food & foraging friends!
There’s a lot going on in the world this month, and which harrowing event you choose to claim as this election’s “October surprise” is really dealer’s choice. I for one am ready to turn the calendar page to November! Often, it seems most surprises are the unpleasant ones: deaths of loved ones, unexpected bills, catastrophic world events. On the foraging front, though, this month I have had nothing but happy surprises.
I’ll start with this week’s text from MAW’s former culinary chair: “I have nine large hens I can’t fit in my fridge; can I bring you some, for you and to share with other club volunteers?” John was referring to hen of the woods (Grifola frondosa), which is hands down my favorite mushroom for its texture, flavor and fecundity. If Jesus had multiplied a mushroom along with the fishes and the loaves, it surely would have been this one. A single oak stump can produce several clusters of hen, each weighing up to fifty pounds, which will reproduce fall after fall. It’s pretty easy to identify, and even the potential lookalikes (like the Berkeley’s polypore I stumbled on today) are safe.
Two days later, I’ve already cooked it three ways: with a homemade BBQ sauce, served with creamy polenta; in a butter-sage-miso sauce with spaghetti; and oven-roasted with a homemade marinade with about 10 ingredients splashed in, which my cat loved too.
Another lovely surprise: finding saffron milkcaps in a Saturday market in Antwerp, on a wonderful weeklong lark in Belgium. It’s not quite the same as finding them in the wild, but this beautiful mushroom has been on my wishlist ever since I learned it bled orange. All Lactarius species exude a kind of latex when their gills are cut, but most of them produce white “milk,” with a taste ranging from mild and sweet (hurrah, you’re a winner) to acrid and spicy (not dangerous, but not really palatable). It was fun to find Lactarius deliciosus in Europe, since this species has been consumed here for millennia.
I cooked the milkcaps for my Belgian couchsurfing hosts, a very small thank you for their many gifts: a free room in their lovely home, a decadent meal out and homey meals in, two-wheeled tours of the city and great conversations.
The Belgian hospitality was one of many wonderful surprises I encountered during my journey, along with learning about its rich food culture, literally and figuratively. The wild yeast cultures used in Belgian’s Lambic beers are what make this signature style so unique: rather than using commercial yeasts, craft beermakers deploy ambient yeasts, in a process known as “spontaneous fermentation.” A single brew can be traced to over 100 distinct yeasts, including the local Brettanomyces Bruxellensis and Lambicus. The naturally produced Lambics are hard to find these days, but worth seeking out for the complex flavors. Here’s a deep dive on the wild world of beer yeasts.
Other happy discoveries this month include a delectable syrup I made from the invasive Linden viburnum (Viburnum dilatatum), whose beautiful red clusters are studding the woods right now like forest rubies. I’ve long known they were technically edible, but never seen them used. Indeed the few recipes I found for it online were mainly from Japan (where it’s native, and known as Gamazumi. Cooked down in a syrup, the resulting flavor was tart and flowery like rose hip, great over club soda.
Another little treasure I harvested this October: sassafras leaves, dried and ground for a flavorful soup thickener (or gumbo, as it’s traditionally used). I didn’t bother labeling the container, being sure I’d remember what it was, but came home from travels without a clue. I spent minutes sniffing the contents, racking my brain for a match. It’s sweet and herbaceous like mint, but with a hint of anise; its vegetal scent and beautiful pale green color reminded me matcha. Eventually I remembered, but having to parse out the odors made me realize just how uniquely flavored this favorite tree of mine is!
Foraging can mean more than just eats too — I’ve been saving seeds from my garden to share for next season, and gathering interesting foliage for wild bouquets. (Check out my friends at DC Flower Potluck for an opportunity to play with natural beauties in community.)
So if you’ve been feeling some anxiety this October, one of the best antidotes is to get out outside. This coming Tuesday and Saturday you can join me for one of my last remaining cider tasting and foraging workshops of the season — just a few seats remain!
Wildly yours,
April
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PPS: If you missed it early this month, check out the October edition of the Washingtonian for Nevin Martell‘s piece on wild foods instructors in the DMV, featuring yours truly, among other fab foragers to learn from.