Stuff you had no clue was edible...

[Cattitude]

There is a rather common weed here, called lamb's quarters, that is a delicacy in salads in five-star restaurants. And to think I have a gourmet treat growing wild in my garden! and my yard! and my pasture!

Passion fruit, which my grandma called maypops, also grow wild here. (Tennessee)

 

[Farmfresh]

The only bug that I willingly ate was a great bit old gnat. We were eating cake at a picnic and the gnat flew onto my cake and got stuck in the icing. My sis was SO grossed out and making SUCH a big deal about it ... I just ate it!

I told her it was sweet, delish and tasted just like icing! By the way we were BOTH adults at the time.

 

[2dream]

Well crapola - looks like I will have to do a taste test. Can't promise pictures though since my camera seems to drain batteries in a matter of hours. I have a new battery waiting to go in and will try this weekend to capture a couple of the critters and boil them.
I will report back then. But not before this weekend. If you never hear from me again you will know that I am suffering from post tramatic roly poly syndrom and am locked in my room.

 

[Wifezilla]

http://books.google.com/books?id=sI...Q6AEwBTgK#v=onepage&q=sow bugs edible&f=false

 

[2dream]

Thanks WZ - now I don't have to try roly polys - do I?

 

[urban dreamer]

Aww I love rolly pollies! I would try them, but the chickens have cleaned me out! I've never tried a bug, but I'm curious. The only "wild" foods I have found around my little yard are poke weed and figs. We have some of those wild, little, bitter onions growing too. I wish I had someone to teach me to forage.

 

[woodwzrd]

Those orange daylilies that you see in roadside ditches.

The roots are edible although I have not tried them and the flowers make the best tempura!

The flower pods of the daylillies are really good. They taste a little like asparagus. My wife likes her flowers to much so we ussually have to forage them from the road sides.

Dandelion root can also be dug and roasted to make a coffee substitute. I have never tried it but I know one of the coffee substitutes I have tried in the past had it in there. My grandmother used to make a dandelion green salad with hot bacon dressing when I was a kid that was outstanding.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Ah, the coffee reference made me think about acorns. We make tea with them. Shell them, wash them & discard any black or discolored ones. Soak them overnight in fresh water, rinse then soak once more. Then simmer a cup of acorns with about 2 quarts of water for 15-30 minutes. Strain out acorns, add sweetener and enjoy. You can usually brew 4-5 batches from one batch of acorns. The newer acorns require less simmering time than those that have been used a time or three.

We tried roasting them for coffee like many wild foodies say to do, but they were horrible. Tea is way better.

So no rolly polly taste test? Awww, I was actually getting excited. I might have to do it anyways.

Urban dreamer, the way I've found some edibles in my yard was to search for wild edibles in general, write down the names & then search for pictures online. I have chickweed, purslane, yellow dock, wood sorrel, sheep's sorrel and nut sedge all growing in my "lawn".

 

[ducks4you]

noobiechickenlady, you are FAR too trusting--STAY AWAY FROM THE MUSHROOMS!!!!!!!!

 

[Wifezilla]

I used to eat acorns fresh when I was little. It must have been from a white oak because there wasn't the tannin taste they warn you about.