Cattail Chlodnik: Why 'Summer Legs' mean Freedom
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It’s easy to romanticize foraging - picking soft flower petals in a sundress in spring sunshine, plucking morels on a hike through mossy woods… but rarely do those daydreams elicit the mental image of a swamp. While I love frolicking through the woods as the vision of a spring dream, there is something to be said for mud between your toes and twigs in your hair and “summer legs.”
What are “summer legs”? In my family, that phrase referred to the transformation of legs in the warmer seasons to be covered with signs of adventure; uneven sunburns; lots of scrapes, bruises, and cuts; a splash of mud here or there; the welts of bug bites; and layers of scars from summer adventures past. They were a badge of honor in my family, proof that you’d been spending your time in a way my family valued - being out exploring nature - rather than focusing on the beauty ideals of perfectly-tanned and smooth legs typically seen as “more attractive.” Especially as a teenager growing up amongst increasing pressures to be seen as appealing to the opposite sex (a lost cause, now that I know I’m gay), “summer legs” were my refuge of self-assuredness and childhood innocence, permission to eschew the pressures pulling me to self-tanner and instead go off galavanting into the woods barefoot like I always had, only to return with the inevitable mud and scrapes.
While there is absolutely nothing wrong with putting on something that makes you feel beautiful or attractive and foraging in a way befitting a daydream, I also want to emphasize the absolute magic of letting go of any such beauty ideals and just allowing your body to be, and a wonderful way to do so is to take a walk in a swamp. Perhaps I can entice you to try by telling you what you just might find there:
Amidst the muck and the browned leaves of last year’s cattails, new life is pushing up through the water; little green cattail shoots, with a core of white, a flavor similar to cucumbers but a tad sweeter, and the most delectable texture of juicy-crunchy. They are one of my favorite spring snacks, and are super refreshing and cooling. They have a slightly mucilaginous quality (like okra) that is soothing to mucous membranes in the body, and the most beautiful and fascinating pattern if you slice them up. You’ll need to wade a bit to forage them (they’re best when they are about 4-6” tall). Harvest from a clean water source only, and only take one here or there. (Just pull near the base to release one.) Then peel away the exterior leaves to reveal a white core, which can be chopped up and eaten raw in salads and soups, or stir-fried with other spring greens.
Yes, you’re going to get a bit muddy. You’ll probably get some scrapes on your legs from the occasional stick poking up, or from a battle with the brambles on your way to the pond. I certainly emerged from my foraging adventure with some new additions: leaves in my hair, mud on my knees, and a big huge grin about my basket of cattail shoots. Ah, the pleasures of allowing yourself to be a little bit feral.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Cattail Chlodnik
One of my favorite ways to enjoy crunchy, cooling cattail shoots is in chilled summer soups, particularly one pulled from my Polish heritage: Chlodnik. This vibrant, beet-filled soup is served chilled when the weather turns from spring to summer. It’s full of all things I crave this time of year - cooling cucumbers, tangy buttermilk, sour pickles, and earthy beets! The combination of chilled vegetables and hearty flavors feels wonderful in my body on a hot day, when I’m craving nutrition but want something light. It’s also undeniably gorgeous; the traditional hard-boiled egg on top adds both protein and a pop of color to make this stunning soup even more beautiful. Try this when the days are getting warmer and you could use a pick-me-up. I like to think that my ancestors would be proud of my addition to the traditional recipe; it demonstrates resourcefulness, a closeness to my landscape, and a sense of adventure. What do you value most when it comes to time spent outdoors?
Serves 4-8, depending on serving size
Ingredients:
2 medium beets, with greens
1 c. chicken or vegetable broth
½ c. water
2 c. buttermilk or kefir
¾ c. sour cream or yogurt
1 cup of peeled and coarsely-grated cucumbers
1 c. sliced cattail shoots, plus extra for garnish
½ c. coarsely grated dill pickle
½ c. pickle brine
2 Tbs. chopped scallions
Freshly grated black pepper
4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
4 tsp. Finely chopped dill
Thinly-sliced radishes, for garnish
Directions:
Rinse the beets well, then chop off the greens. Slice them finely. Coarsely grate the raw beets, and add both beets and greens to a medium saucepan. Add the broth and water, then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Add the buttermilk, sour cream, cucumbers, pickles, pickle brine, cattail shoots, scallions, and pepper and stir well. Chill until completely cold (at least 30 minutes)
Serve cold, topped with halved hard-boiled eggs, thin radish slices, cattail shoots, and lots of fresh dill.
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Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Join me for a little winter night magic as we bake this cake full of rich seasonal flavors and black cocoa!