Reflections on Spring Wild Foods & Sourdough Recipes
Support can be found on the ground where we walk
One of the things that I’ve been thinking a lot about lately is how strong the feeling of aloneness can be (maiya mala in yogic terminology), when really all around us, there is so much support. As the air sweeps up against my skin, as I feel the ground beneath my feet, I experience a felt sense of how I am held. And when I look into the grass fields which surround me throughout the Hudson Valley, I see an abundance of food and nourishment all around. Nature’s gentle reminder of it’s overwhelming support reminds me that it is ready and willing to nourish the parts of me that yearn to break free from the confines of limited thinking such as fear, cynicism, and judgement, which all can act as means of separating myself from what may very well be longing for my connection.
Seperation from the origins of food
The illusion that there is not enough is deeply rooted in Western dominant culture, fueling many aspects of the colonialist, industrial complex, an example being the manipulation of crops by chemical and genetic modification. A core concept fueling these modes of production is that the earth is fundamentally incapable of supplying what we need to survive, and so we need to buy goods from stores emphasizing large scale agriculture as the only acceptable means of nourishment.
Even seemingly harmless practices of nutritional healing can reinforce the notion that we need more than what our local landscape can provide. I experience this when I come across recipes requiring precious superfoods, often derived from far-off lands. Increased demand of these sacred foods can lead to over-sourcing. I first realized this while studying abroad in Italy during my college years. While there, I went to an event put on by the Slow Food Movement, during which keynote speakers discussed a major issue in exporting Parmigiano Reggiano (translation: from the region of Parma). This sacred food had been in such high demand overseas, that those native to Parma now had little access to this staple food of their region.
Eating local food is a way to feel a part of it all
One morning recently, I sat outside and observed my backyard, freckled with dandelion flowers. I responded to the urge to walk closer and get a closer look, and became overwhelmed with all of the wild food that surrounded me. Violet flowers and leaves, garlic mustard and field garlic, wild lettuce and chickweed. I then felt a gust of wind graze my body, becoming overwhelmed with emotion. In that moment, I felt encompassed by support, merely by becoming aware that what surrounded both myself and my home was such simple and beautiful means for life.
Exploring what it truly means to be a human being, in my mind, necessitates developing practices which expand capacity to be conscious of all that is. And being in relationship to the land is a crucial as part of that endeavor. Our relationship to nature reflects our relationship to ourselves. When I create a nourishing dish with nutrient dense, locally sourced ingredients, I feel the magic of that food and it deeply nourishes me. Those who join me in eating that food shift into a space of gratitude rather quickly, and we are connected in our mutual awareness that in this moment, we are not alone.
It is crucial we are vigilant towards the thoughts which perpetuate ourselves as not enough, as alone, as lacking what we need. We must protect our bodies and the earth from anything, consciously or unconsciously, that gets in the way of actualizing and celebrating this sacred gift of life. We have everything we need.
Tips for getting more local and wild foods into your diet
Try to eat as local as you can, in integrity with your current knowledge of nutrition and what your unique body needs for nourishment. Infuse nutritious herbs and vegetables in as much of your meal creations as possible. And as much ethically harvested wild edibles you include in your diet, the better. That said, only eat wild edibles if you are sure how to identify them. If you are unsure, reach out to your local herbalist, who might be offering a plant walk or know of one nearby. It is also wise to have a field guide specific to plants that grow in your region (Botany in a Day by Thomas J. Elpel is my go-to for the Northeast). Make sure that the place you are harvesting from is not exposed to chemicals or environmental toxins, and wash your harvest well before consumption.
Of course, there are some key thoughts to keep in mind while building a relationship with wildcraft. Here is a quote from Robin Wall Kimmerer from Braiding Sweetgrass that says it all:
Know the ways of the ones who take care of you, so that you may take care of them.
Introduce yourself. Be accountable as the one who comes asking for life.
Ask permission before taking. Abide by the answer.
Never take the first. Never take the last.
Take only what you need.
Take only that which is given.
Never take more than half. Leave some for others.
Harvest in a way that minimizes harm.
Use it respectfully. Never waste what you have taken.
Share.
Give thanks for what you have been given.
Give a gift, in reciprocity for what you have taken.
Sustain the ones who sustain you and the earth will last forever.
Some ideas for spring edibles to include on the table
Foraged: Field Garlic | Garlic Mustard | Chickweed | Stinging Nettles | Violet Flowers and Leaves | Dandelion Flowers and Leaves | Wild Bergamot Leaves | Clover Leaves | Ramps | Fiddleheads
Cultivated: Parsley | Chives | Mint | Pea Shoots | Leeks | Fava Beans | Rhubarb | Thyme | Snap Peas
Here are a few spring bread recipe staples I enjoy infusing with wild-crafted edibles. And of course, you can always used lovingly cultivated herbs!
Sourdough Crumpets
A delicious way to use an excess of sourdough starter. I make these often to accompany dinner with herbal butter, or eat a few for breakfast with almond butter and jam.
Ingredients
1 cup sourdough starter
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
4 Tbsp milk (preferably raw cow or goat milk, or homemade nut or seed)
1/4 cup seasonal herbs of choice (foraged: mix field garlic, dandelion and violet flowers and leaves, garlic mustard. cultivated: a mix parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme)
Fat of choice to grease the pan with (butter, coconut oil, ghee, bacon grease, lard etc)
Cast Iron Skillet, Wide Lid Rims to Mason Jars
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Add all ingredients up to fat of choice and mix until smooth.
Place a nob of choice fat in the cast iron and heat on stove-top until melted and warmed.
Place mason jar lid rims in the cast iron, edge side face down.
Pour batter into lids and warm until bubbles cover the surface of the batter.
Place the cast iron in the oven and leave 5-7 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch.
Sourdough Cornbread
If I know I am going to attend a potluck a few days beforehand, I’ll set my stride towards this magical bread and butter combination that is sure to please any crowd. Soaking grains and corn is an important step in aiding digestion, so plan accordingly whenever you are making breads or grains.
Ingredients
2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat bread flour
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup water + 2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup yogurt + 1/2 cup water, mixed
3 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup melted fat of choice (butter, coconut oil, lard or bacon grease are good options)
1/2 cup chopped wild greens of choice (field garlic, gill over the ground and violet leaves is my mix of choice nowadays)
Directions
I usually begin this process the morning before an evening potluck.
Soak cornmeal in lime water for around 8 hours.
Add flours and yogurt water mixture and leave covered with a towel for at least 12 hours and up to 24 in a warm place in your home.
After soak time, add remaining ingredients.
Bake in a 325F oven for 45 minutes.
Herbal Whipped Butter
Ingredients
3 oz Butter, room temperature (Preferably raw and grass fed. To find raw butter, contact your local Amish farm! Or ask your local farmer where there might be access locally.)
1 oz herbs of choice, minced (My go to mix is mint, lemon balm and thyme)
Directions
Use a blender or food processor to incorporate all ingredients until smooth.
Yields
1/2 cup.
Daffodil photos by Julianna Blizzard / Crumpet Mixing Photos by Lauryn Bellafiore / Violets and Cornbread by Elizabeth Gross