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Christopher Arndt gets ready for a foraging trip in east Hamilton. He has nearly 10 years of experience foraging the escarpment for mushrooms and other edible plants.By Barry Gray The Hamilton Spectator file photo
As the weather warms and more wild plants begin to grow, there are plenty of offerings to be foraged right here in Ontario.
Here’s a list of 10 wild foods to forage in Ontario during the spring and summer months, provided by Dyson Forbes, marketing manager at Forbes Wild Foods, a Canadian company supplying wild, hand-picked foods.
“Foraged foods can be a great way to stay active and be in nature. It’s important to be prepared and to have the right equipment to prevent injuries while foraging. It’s also important to know how to correctly identify edible foods to avoid poisonings — while severe poisonings are rare, they can be fatal,” said Dr. Linna Li, medical officer of health for the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit.
“Mushrooms are a frequently foraged food, and many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes. More information about foraged mushrooms can be found here. Correct identification of foraged foods is based on both knowledge and experience.”
Caution is urged when foraging. This list should be used as a rough guideline. Consult an expert in your local area before consuming any foraged items. Online images are not perfect — colour and other variances occur.
Wild leeksWild leeks (also called ramps), while environmentally sensitive in some regions, are often considered a gateway plant for people to start foraging — with both the bulb and early leaf having culinary significance. However, it is important not to overpick wild leeks as that can cause them to become eradicated from a forest quickly.
Wild leeks: Both the bulb and early leaf have culinary significance.
By JP Bushey photo
FiddleheadsFiddleheads, specifically ostrich ferns, are a wonderful early spring wild food. Care should be taken in harvesting and preparing them. Fiddleheads that grow near water may need to be cooked longer than ones picked from higher ground, or dry regions where the chances for water-born parasites are lower.
Fiddleheads, specifically ostrich ferns, are a wonderful, early spring, wild food.
By Toronto Star file photo
Spruce tipsSpruce tips are a versatile and nutritious spring food. Great fresh and used in salads or for making beer. Preserved, they can be used in place of capers and dried, they work well in teas and in baking. Spruce has a wonderful resin/citrus flavour.
Fancy chefs in gourmet restaurants create world-class foraged food with spruce tips.
By Doris Villemaire photo
Jerusalem artichokesJerusalem artichokes are best collected when the plant is dormant, late fall and early spring before they have new shoots. Roasted or boiled, sliced or mashed, they are a starchy tuber full of flavour.
Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes) are gaining favour among Canadians. They're wonderful roasted, or pureed into soup.
By Laurie Smith photo
Day lilyWhile care should be taken to avoid mature green parts of the day lily, the early shoots have a lovely pea-like flavour, while the flowers can be used in salads or stuffed and grilled.
Montego Melon Kokomo Daylily.
By John Rennison / The Hamilton Spectator
Wild garlicWild garlic shoots can be used much like chives when they first poke out of the ground, before nearly everything else in the spring. The bulbs can be used like normal garlic and their seed heads are like mini garlic bulbs with twice the spicey garlic flavour.
Wild garlic shoots can be used much like chives when they first poke out of the ground. The bulbs can be used like normal garlic and their seed heads are like mini garlic bulbs with twice the spicey, garlic flavour.
By Theresa Forte Metroland photo
CattailsCattails can be consumed many ways. Their early shoots are tender and fresh-tasting. Later in the year, when they start to develop, you can harvest their pollen and use as a flour. Late in the season, you can harvest their roots and grind them into a flour.
Cattails can be foraged in Ontario.
By Toronto Star file photo
NettlesNettles are a great spring edible. Use nettles like spinach, cooking them removes their sting. Be careful when harvesting them.
Indigenized sourdough with cured salmon, topped with yoghurt mixed with stinging nettle puree.
By Toronto Star file photo
Wild strawberryWild strawberries can be time-consuming to harvest, but the payoff can be amazing. They have a strong, tart, sweet, intense strawberry flavour and are often hiding underfoot. Wild strawberries make the best preserves and pastries.
Harvested wild strawberries.
By Dan Kislenko photo
Saskatoon berriesSaskatoon berries, also known as service berries, June berries or sugar plums, are healthy and often have a distinctive cherry and blackberry flavour. One of the first berries to adorn trees, they make excellent pies and preserves. There is some variation in saskatoons, but most wild varieties still have great-tasting berries.
Saskatoonberry, also known as service berry, in a backyard garden.
By The Hamilton Spectator file photo
To check out foraging classes and tours in Ontario, click here.
来源链接：
https://www.toronto.com/news/what-10-wild-foods-can-you-forage-in-ontario-during-the-spring-and-summer/article_cd4da9be-4bed-5902-b43d-25dd6a88f221.html
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