Fern parts

A notice landed in my inbox tonight that Misty Mountain Mushrooms was following me on Twitter. The polite thing to do is to "follow" back, so I clicked on the link to find out more. Based in Richmond, BC, this guy is following nearly 2,000 people, has almost 500 followers - and only one update. How does that work???

Anyway, his one and only post read, "Does anyone want some yummy fiddleheads?" with a link to his web site.

It reminded me that we've got a record crop of fiddleheads in the yard. The unfurled new growth of a fern is purported to be so named because of their resemblance to the scroll of a violin head, which somehow doesn't have quite the same ring when talking about something edible...

Ferns grow best in wet weather areas - along both US coastlines and parts of Canada. And trust me, you haven't seen ferns until you've been to the rain forests of Western Washington or the west coast of Vancouver Island.

While our yard ferns don't compare, it never occurred to me to pick and cook the fiddleheads. Though they're cultivated by places like Misty Mountain, fiddleheads are a true foraged food - available to anyone with a sense of adventure. Like mushrooms, some are quite toxic - foraging requires some research. The ostrich fern is the type most likely to be flavorful and cause the least stomach distress.

I've only had fiddleheads once as part of a meal. I remember a strong bitter taste, not particularly appealing, despite a slathering of butter. I hear they taste similar to asparagus, but that's not my recollection. I love asparagus!

However, health and wellness is another passion, and at our house, we try to eat whole, local and organic food whenever possible. Fiddleheads are apparently very high in nutrients - they're loaded with iron, potassium, and vitamins A & C, the B vitamins Niacin and Riboflavin, along with trace minerals and other nutrients. For those of us interested in greater self-sufficiency and getting the most nutritional bang for the buck, so to speak, these are both good reasons to give them another try.

To reduce the bitterness, fiddleheads must be well-cooked. Boiling is most often suggested (imagine that!), although other methods could work. Their season is short, no matter the locale, but they can be purchased frozen (I think Trader Joe's even carries them in their frozen foods section). Fresh fiddleheads are a crisp bright green, so if you're foraging and come across fiddleheads with fuzzy brown scales, leave them behind.

I'm sure the farmers markets sell them in season. Or find them in the woods when out hiking, or maybe in your own - or your neighbor's - back yard. Other than the massive dose of butter, that makes them pretty affordable, too!

(Photo: Ferns, sans fiddles...missed the opportunity window...)