Edible Mountain Story Archives - Page 3 of 5 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – How To Cook Milkweed Pods

When it comes to eating milkweed no one has a more refined palate than monarch butterflies. In their caterpillar state they feed exclusively on milkweed. Adult butterflies actually recognize and taste milkweed… with their toes.

A monarch caterpillar munching on some milkweed

These globe-trotting butterflies rely on the protective qualities that a milkweed diet affords them. The plant contains a white creamy latex that is made up of toxins called cardiac glycosides or cardenolides. A hungry robin will only eat a monarch larva once before praying to the porcelain gods and thinking, “Never again!”

(We’ve all been there.)

The milk is also toxic to animals including humans, but in that instance would have to be eaten in large quantities to cause death.

Milkweed pods, when prepared properly, are a delicious side dish, but they still should only be eaten in small quantities to avoid intestinal upset.

In this episode of Edible Mountain, Steffi Hone, (a.k.a. the Hunter/Gatherer/Cook) from Pendleton County, shows us when to pick the milkweed pods. Then she prepares a forager’s feast of buttermilk corn meal-breaded pods, steamed purslane with ramp vinegar and olive oil, Baharat-rubbed pork chops with a knotweed jelly in a white wine reduction and sautéed milkweed buds, along with polenta garnished with her homemade tart cherry jam (that is to die for).

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN How To Cook Milkweed Pods

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – Growing Wild Mushrooms At Home

Jeremiah Stevens takes mushroom hunting to a new level. When he finds edible or medicinal mycelium growth, he takes samples home to his lab in Wheeling, WV. Once clean and in a nutrient-rich agar, he makes clones. Finding different genetics, he builds up the varieties.

Stevens’ sterile growing environment enables him to cultivate a nice mess of wild-sourced mushrooms.

Jeremiah Stevens prepares to take a sample of an oyster mushroom.

“After the first original tissue sample is transferred to nutrient rich agar, and one or two transfers after to clean it up, you can continue cloning from the repeated new fruiting bodies that appear as you grow out the species,” he said. “The mycelium from the first few transfers can be extended to a number of new petri dishes.”

The oyster mushroom tends to do exceptionally well as it is forgiving when it comes to coping with possible contamination.

A oyster mushroom sample grows in a petri dish.

Today Stevens sells his goods as Ohio Valley Mushrooms. Besides the the fruiting body he also offers a range of grow kits and cultures for folks to try to grow their own wild mushrooms at home.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – Growing Wild Mushrooms

You can check him out here https://www.ohiovalleymushrooms.com/

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – Jewelweed aka Spotted Touch Me Not

If you find the spotted yellow and orange-blooming jewelweed while out hiking next to a river, grab a sprig and submerge in water. You’ll find out why it’s called jewelweed. Its seed pods also explode when poked—which is always fun and why it’s sometimes called Spotted touch-me-not (and why its
botanical name is Impatiens capensis). The tiny propelled pellets taste like walnuts if you can gather enough to taste. They’re the only raw-edible part of the plant. But certainly not the only perk jewelweed packs. Jewelweed is always found growing near its famous stinging nemesis: nettle. Crushed stock of jewelweed is the magic antidote to burning sensations that come with surprise encounters with stinging nettle. Indigenous Americans were also known to use the same remedy to relieve the itch from oozing poison ivy blisters. Just to be clear, jewelweed will not cure a poison ivy rash. Some studies have found that rubbing Jewelweed juices on freshly ivy-exposed areas will prevent blisters… but soap and water probably work better.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – JEWELWEED

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.

Edible Mountain — How To Make Black Locust Blossom Crepes

The first thing one will notice when the Black Locust tree is in bloom is the wonderful fragrance. Sometimes this scent is described as the smell of relaxation. In the “old days,” folks would dry the blossoms and stuff their pillows with them to promote a good sleep.

These flowers are edible, tasting like a lovely, sweet pea. Use caution. Only the flowers are edible, and the rest of the tree, including the leaves, are toxic.

Black locust blossoms taste kind of like a sweat pea

Melissa Rebholz, chef/owner of Midge’s Kitchen, shares a wonderful recipe that showcases one of the ways to use Black Locust blossoms:

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – BLACK LOCUST BLOSSOM CREPES

Black Locust Blossoms Crepes

Crepe Batter:
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk (you can also use non-dairy milk; I like Oat Milk)
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons melted butter

Blend all the ingredients until entirely smooth in a blender. Pour into a sealed contained and let sit in your fridge for at least a few hours. This helps to eliminate air bubbles which will ruin the consistency of the crepes.

Filling:
1.5 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup diced strawberries
3 tablespoons maple syrup
zest of one lemon

Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl and set aside.

Cook the crepes:
I do not generally cook with non-stick cookware but I do make an exception when it comes to cooking a perfect crepe. Get the pan warm on a low heat and add a little bit of butter to coat the bottom. Turn the heat to a medium/high and start pouring a little batter in. You don’t want to go ALL the way to the edge of the pan because you need to be able to get a good spatula in to turn your crepe.

After a minute or so, use a spatula to gently lift up the edge to see if the crepe is set on the bottom. I like to get a little color on each side of my crepe. As soon as the bottom looks like your desired doneness, you can carefully flip the crepe and cook the other side.

Making the filling for your crepes:
I like to take the circular crepes and put a heaping spoonful in the upper right corner and then fold the other half off, then I put more filling on top of the half and then fold the bottom right up. It makes a little quarter circle triangle/fan-shaped crepe. It evenly distributes the filling within the crepe. If you’re using flowers you can put some inside with filling and also on top to garnish. Use maple syrup, more fresh strawberries and powdered sugar on top.

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.

Edible Mountain — How To Eat Stinging Nettle

Stinging Nettle is growing in popularity with many uses and recipes.

Stinging Nettle is growing in popularity with many uses and recipes. Stinging nettle can be used to make pesto or as an ingredient in smoothies. Use caution when harvesting Urtica dioica (Stinging Nettle). There’s a cocktail of chemicals found in the needle-like hairs on its stem which pack a pretty good punch when touched. If one wants to enjoy eating this nutritional and wild plant there are couple of ways to neutralize the sting.

Chuck Kleine

Stinging Nettle has long thin hairs that contain formic acid.

Have a look at this Edible Mountain episode.

EDIBLE MOUNTAIN How To Eat Stinging Nettle

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.

Edible Mountain – Four Plants In Appalachia You May Not Want To Touch

Everyone knows not to touch poison ivy, but there are several other plants in Appalachia that one should also avoid around these parts. Warning: Some of these plants can be deadly. Here are four plants that you may or may not want to touch in Appalachia.

Edible Mountain Four Plants In Appalachia You May Not Want To Touch

1. Cow Parsnip – There is an old folklore that only a silver nail in its root can kill Cow Parsnip. The chemical in its sap is called Furanocoumarins and is phototoxic, causing nasty blisters if it gets on your skin and then is exposed to sunlight. Despite this, the shoots, flowers, leaves and seeds are edible and have a strong flavor. Wearing glove is highly recommended if you need to handle Cow Parsnip.

2. Stinging Nettle – This common Appalachia plant has long, thin hairs that contain formic acid. It will sting if you brush up against it. Some people use the sting to help with arthritis. Stinging Nettle is edible when cooked or dried, which removes the stinging acid. It’s rich in vitamins.

3. Wild Parsnip – Like Cow Parsnip, Wild Parsnip contains Furanocoumarins, and can cause nasty burns that last up to 30 days. If you get the sap in your eyes, it may cause blindness. The root is edible, but the rest of the plant is poisonous. If you do come in contact with Wild Parsnip, cover that part of your skin from the sun until you can wash it.

4. Poison Hemlock – As the name suggests, you really don’t want to touch Poison Hemlock. Ingesting even a small amount of the leaves can kill you. It can also cause a skin rash if you even touch it. The toxic alkaloids in it are deadly to livestock as well. Poison Hemlock is all over Appalachia and looks a lot like Queen Anne’s Lace.

Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses.