Okay, I'm lying. But great information, a good read, and outdoors fun for the whole fam-damily, I can guarantee.
I think we should teach our children to preserve native species, and what better way than to show them first how they help preserve us? That really didn't come out right, but you get the gist.
And on top of all the neat-o info are these color plates by Ms. Phillips herself. She had never painted before, wasn't even a hobby. Her natural skill is so evident in these primitive and pretty plates. *PPPP.* How talented is that! They're so pretty! There's just no other word! I'm completely tickled by this book!
!!!
I remember these sweet-tarts.
We used to eat them as kids, though I don't really think we were supposed to. Ya' know, the whole don't-eat-those-they-could-be-poisonous shuhbang.
Chicory coffee always takes me back to the Vieux Carré. Beignets on Sundays. You got 'dat roit.
Crab apples are so pretty.
My Dad used to surprise us with these when we were little kids. Imagine the world's best pastry chef makes a custard from a banana sent down from heaven. That's a paw-paw. *misty, far-away look* That's a paw-paw.
Huh. Didn't know we had ginseng. This place is great!
...The monkey chased the weasel.
Aawh. Crap. Now that's stuck in my head.
Hey, its sassafrass! Like, one of my favorite words in the whole world.
Frassy-frass.
Yikes on the FDA warning, though, eh?
Dayang.
I once read a holistic healer who wrote and taught that for optimal health, you should never consume anything that wasn't grown or raised within 100 miles of where you dwelt. Now, at first that sounded silly to me, but as the years have rolled past, I begin to see the wisdom in this mantra. It would be fresher, you would likely know the source/quality, you would be supporting your local economy, you obviously wouldn't be consuming a lot of preservatives or packing materials, and somehow foods we know have a tendency to just agree with us better, don't you think? No, I'm not giving up my chicken tikka masala, or my Asian potstickers, or my sushi and wasabi, but many of those ingredients can actually be found here as well.
I really enjoyed "thumbing" through this book. I'm gonna try to get my hand on a real copy so I can. I miss real books. I fell in love with the color plates, and I was tickled at how many species I recognized, and had even consumed myself. On top of that, and even at the risk of sounding saccharin, this lady is completely delightful. Here's an excerpt:
"...A hiker's delight is to walk into a wild strawberry patch! A field nibble is both thirst quenching and taste-bud arousing. Sometimes sweet, sometimes tart, the wild strawberry is always good. An even greater thrill is to locate a patch big enough to provide a wild strawberry shortcake or tarts and still have enough to make jam!!!
The wild strawberry ranges from the size of a pea to thumb-size. With both size and quantity often small, I frequently make the small quarter-sized tarts [OMG - that's, like, something Strawberry Shortcake would totally do] out of my favorite pie crust recipe and place a tablespoon of berries which have been stemmed and sugared in the tart. This I call Again Strawberry Tart. You'll want it again and again.
In August when the leaves begin to dry, pick them for a tea. The leaves may also be picked in the spring and dried. The leaves are a high source of vitamin C and were welcomed in the spring by the settlers. The dried leaves require 1 t per cup for a tea, and a fresh cup requires 4-5 fresh leaves. Let them steep for 3-5 minutes.
A good recipe for jam is to place equal amounts of crushed berries and sugar in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar melts. Boil rapidly for 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. It is not recommended to fix quantities larger than four cups in one batch. Success will be more likely by making two batches of three or four cup quantities.
All in all, this wilding goes the same places her larger domestic cousin goes. ["this wilding", I love it!]
For an even greater tart or shortcake, top with whipped cream or ice cream - from a wild cow, of course!!..."
Now tell me that's not just too cute for colored TV.
And I'm totally going to try some cattails.
Keep ya' posted, peeps.
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