Foraging—The Serendipity of the Find
“Kate could make pretty floral arrangements using only the blossoms from weeds she picked in fields.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
Last weekend we went to Elkhorn Slough Reserve for a foraging walk. Under the guidance of Bree Candiloro, a stewardship specialist at the reserve and Dr. Keith Rayburn, a physician who has studied natural medicines we identified thirty-five plants that were used by the Ohlone Indian tribe. Many of the plants served multiple purposes: food, medicinal and utilitarian. Our curated walk took us to areas normally off limits to visitors, from bright sun dappled open spaces, a field lush with natives grasses and then under a canopy of native California oaks we found the vibrant green growth of a forest. We located the ultra hip stinging nettle and after the walk tasted stinging nettle pesto. I was able to bring home some nettles and used them in Lasagna with Stinging Nettle, Asparagus and Peas. Once the nettles are cooked they lose their potent sting and have a mellow grassy, herbaceous taste. It’s really quite amazing to find that so many plants native to California have uses that were discovered centuries ago by the Ohlone Indian tribe.