Secret Recipe: Wildcrafted Urban Condiments!

New to foraging? Learn more about ethical and safe foraging (plus how to get started) here!

Dear Patrons, 

I am so excited to share this series of recipes with you! I've broken the post into two parts; today I'll tell you about making purslane relish, wild mustard mustard, and feral plum ketchup. Then tomorrow I have a special recipe they can all be used on. ;) I hope you enjoy!

Bountiful Urban Foraging: 

As a mountain girl now living in a city, I have the uncanny ability to see food absolutely everywhere, and the awkward impulse to wander into stranger’s yards in pursuit of weeds. (Don’t worry, I have enough self-control to wait until I have permission for that. ;) Walks around my neighborhood in the summertime leave me astounded with how much nutritious and tasty edible food goes to waste, simply because of the biases that accompany it. Many of the most common garden weeds are edible; and yet they are destined for the compost (or worse, sprayed with herbicides) simply because they are “weeds.” As an urban forager, you can bet that I know where the vacant lot full of purslane is, or what plum trees have the biggest mess underneath them in summer’s heat. I’ve written letters, knocked on doors, and brought my extroverted friend along with me to obtain permission to grab a few weeds from a neighbor’s garden. I’ve explored the local community garden, knowing that harvesting the weeds growing in the vegetable patches will be seen as an act of service to the garden while also providing me with something tasty to eat! I know the edges, the public spaces, the kind neighbors, the hidden gems. 

Another reason most people don’t mess with these free sources of food is because they tend to be a little more labor-intensive than the more accessible foods that can be purchased at the grocery store. It’s true that processing foraged foods can take time and patience, but it’s something that keeps my hands busy while my mind is free to wander, talk to a friend, or listen to an audiobook. Sometimes I set all the distractions beside and get lost in the flow state of sorting wild mustard seeds or de-pitting plums. Not all foraged foods need much processing, either. Purslane is delicious just rinsed and eaten in a salad! A crock pot does the work of reducing plums to a thick sauce. A food processor makings grinding greens into pesto a simple task. Not all wild food takes time to process into something edible and delicious! Here are three recipes based on the unwanted plants that can be found in urban settings. Always forage with safety and respect, and try to only gather from unsprayed areas! 

Find the rest of this post and the Secret Recipes over on Patreon.com/thewondersmith!

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