As always, Will goofed around a lot too.
Yesterday, I spoke about regenerative and restorative ways of cooking with a few of my heroes. From left to right, Principal John Curtis of Bridgeport Aquaculture School, Seaweed Doc Yarish, and Chef Mark Shadle of GZen Restaurant.
We have, finally, made it back to the farm. We have foraged ramps, chives, garlic mustard, and Japanese knotweed. Vasi found some dandelions too. I’m excited to dry and roast the root to make iced herbal coffee, just like the Native Americans used to.
The shoots of the knotweed should be juicy and the outer skin peels off easily. You can eat the citrusy shoot raw but I’m going to preserve them for later.
Today, I foraged with the lovely Vasilisa. She helped me collect a lot of invasive Japanese knotweed. For edible knotweed, it’s late in the season so most of them were too mature to eat. Here, Vasilisa has a bunch of shoots.
Japanese knotweed, a plant that causes billions of dollars of damage each year. It’s listed as one of the most destructive invasive species in the world. It was brought to our country by gardeners who appreciated its bamboo like beauty. It’s an edible plant that has high concentrations of the antiaging polyphenol called resveratrol. I’m really at the tail end of being able to harvest the plant. In a week the stalks will become too woody to eat. I plan to kraut and pickle them. As always, be careful not to forage in contaminated soil.
Leftovers of bread, cheese, olives, wine, sake and sushi. A melding of cultures. Two different ways of eating but they harmonize nonetheless. Life on Earth depends on diversity. We must find ways of embracing one another’s differences.
Every bite made me want to sing, especially Lori’s two mustard potato salad. Oh, and Michel’s unforgettable fire pit grilled steak rubbed with freshly picked oregano! And the wild coho salmon and grilled onion medallions! Oh life is joy!
A joyful dinner at the Nischan’s magical hideaway hut.”The kids can have the house,” kidded @michelnischan. On the right is @the_green_tayst, the author of Chefs Can Save The World. Everybody in the hut lives by that mantra, including The Dressing Room’s wonderful young chef @jonvast
Here’s a soup that I made with a crisp Pinot Grigio, winter carrots, celery, pole caught CT porgy, and reindeer moss that Chef Marcel foraged the other day. Vasi had two helpings!
