Foraging
August 9, 2008 by Noel Boehm
Filed under Beauty Products
So, I was listening to NPR’s Weekend America, this weekend.
Yes. I’m one of those people. I have both NPR and KISS Hot 100 preset on my dial. That just shows how complex I am.
As I was saying, Weekend America had an interview with Nance Klehm this weekend. You can listen to it here if you are so inclined.
The point of the interview was that she took two interviewers along a couple busy LA streets, found some weeds and random plants growing through the concrete, and ate them.
She ate them.
Turns out they were all edible. Something in the fennel family. Something in the spinach family.
Food.
They wandered around, she picked things, and she made a salad. With dressing. Well, the “dressing” consisted of juice squeezed from an orange she picked off of a tree, but you get the idea.
She does this every day. She doesn’t buy food. She forages. She finds things growing next to highways or through cement. She picks dandelions for wine and makes salads of weeds.
Isn’t that amazing? I mean, don’t get me wrong. Fear of dog poo and weird waste keeps me from following suit, but think about that for a second.
What is in the stuff we buy, if it isn’t something that was grown or mined? And how much of that could be around us every day?
There was a time that you couldn’t go into a person’s house without seeing an aloe vera plant. They’re easy to care for, and so useful! Treating burns, rashes, and scars. Like nature’s Swiss army knife.
There are so many things I’ve spoken about before: hair treatments made out of eggs or olive oil, watermelons or cucumbers for your face, coffee grounds for your skin…but how many things may be in my own backyard that I don’t even know about?
Off to pick some weeds!
NO WAY, NO – EL!!!
Ugh and Ew! Weeds by the roadside or sidewalk = DANGEROUS!!! Insecticide, dog pee (maybe people pee, too!) and poo. Foraging, dumpster diving, YIKES!!!
I was just at the mall buying necessities at the drugstore, and noticed a homeless man right outside the door retrieving – I think – cans and bottles.
Back in the days when I WORKED at the mall, I would sometimes eat in the food court. Some folks purposely leave their trays with leftovers for the homeless (or they are tourists who don’t know any better). And the food doesn’t remain there long. Sorry – OT.
What I CAN do is make hummus and baba ganoush (or ratatouille) instead of buying those. ~ Soos heads for the kitchen to look for the fixins…
What, no weed salad with pee dressing? Come one where’s your sense of adventure LOL!! Mmm hummus is sounding pretty good right now
NOOO!!!
Made the hummus. Not bad for a first attempt. It’s in the fridge, curing! It won’t last 5 days: eaten with pita wedges or Rykrisp, in a sandwich with feta, tomatoes, basil and olives.
Next time: edamame “hummus”. Note: in our “neighborhood” they are just plain SOYBEANS. Boil ‘em ’til tender with lots of salt for a great high-protein snack. In the bars here, they are topped with a sauteed garlic, chili and oil mixture some folks like.
Next: ratatouille!