It's not quite spring, even though I've been willing it to be.I'm craving vegetables, even though the market is full of lovely beets and kale and squash. I want "fresher" vegetables.
I still haven't eaten all my winter menus, like braised this and that, or pots of stewed beans, but I'm dying for summer salads.
I want to start planting tomatoes and herbs in the patio garden, but we're due for more rain this weekend.
What a mess.
On the upside: We're going foraging tomorrow.
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I've determined that it is most decidedly still winter around here. We had ice on our pond the other day and it's too dang cold for foraging.
The only indication of imminent spring is that our apple and fig trees are demanding immediate pruning.
My foraging book suggests that we have wapato in California. I doubt I'll do the barefoot "finding" technique, even if I figure out what it looks like. Have you ever had wapato? I recall a post of yours about a tribute to your dad, and all sorts of native food... but I don't know how to find it. Candle fish, though, I do remember.
I'm looking for seaweeds! (Can't go wrong there; none are considered poisonous.)
I haven't ever had wapato, dang if I didn't just open my Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples book and find my dad quoted in the entry on it!
Seriously. Here's a chunk of text: "Raw and unwashed, Wapato tubers would tubers would keep for several months. They were cooked by baking in hot ashes. Wayne Suttles [er, that's Dad] estimates that before the potato was introduced, Wapato was the most important starch food in the lower mainland."
(How cool is that?)
I should note though, that it also says that one generally gathers Wapato in October & November.
Our local seaweed expert here says you should gather at very low tides or underwater to avoid getting seaweed with all sorts of grotty beach pollution on it.
Oh that's not fair though, you will get summer veggies and Iwont any longer *sigh*
Mrs D: I'm warm all over, just knowing that I induced you to go stumble across your dad's wapato quote. You say wapato, I say potato. (OK, I'll wait until next fall to harvest.) AND! We're having a MINUS low tide this weekend! Way, way low. Too cool.
Clare! It's just that you're, y'know, down under. We trade summers. I'll send you warm thoughts. Just give a holler.
Melissa: You nailed it.
Jennifer: I was a bit lazy today; about to post about my findings. It's really fun; I feel all Girl Scouty.
(checks tide tables)
Hey, we have minus tides this weekend too.... two hours after sunset!
Our minus low tide is midafternoon. I may be out of bed by then! :D
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