Pat Banker grew up in the Adirondacks with the knowledge that there’s food all around us in nature. In her family, using plants for food and medicine was a common practice, and she has made it her life’s work to bring people of all ages into that world through teaching, but more importantly, through preparing and eating wild foods with others. “You can tell people that roasted dandelions smell like brownies until you’re blue in the face, but until you’ve smelled it for yourself, you don’t really believe it.”
CCE of St. Lawrence County has now hosted two of Pat’s “tasting tours,” one in fall that was focused on roots, and the recent spring one, in which the group tasted and gathered mostly greens. Pat started the class by showing the group her impressive collection of wild plant books, and starting some roasted dandelion tea to steep (and yes, it did smell like brownies!)
Pat then led the group outside and within feet of the door, found around ten edible plants. They included pineapple weed, wild carrot, common plantain, primrose, dandelion, thistle, and shepherd’s purse. Ranging farther afield, Pat introduced the group to yellow dock, stinging nettles, red clover, boadleaf plantain, milkweed, mullein, burdock and wild leeks (“ramps”).
Creating a delicious meal from these plants is the alchemy that really excites people about eating wild plants, and that magic took place with everyone’s help in the Harvest Kitchen here on the Learning Farm. The milkweed was cleaned, wilted in hot water, and then stir-fried in butter for a taste something like asparagus.
Wilted stinging nettles, combined with ramps made for a delicious pesto, seen here with Pat’s dandelion flower bread.
Burdock stems made a great addition to a Sicilian dish. The chopped stems and ramps, combined with eggs, breadcrumbs and seasoning made savory patties to top with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese.
Pat’s classes are always smattered with delightful facts that bring these plants to life with their vibrant historical relationships with humans. In this moment, Pat was explaining the vasodilator effect of mullein, and how puritan women held is to their cheeks for a temporary rouge.
The result of the bustling in the kitchen was a vibrant and delectable meal that will inspire more wild meals and programs to come. As one participant said a week after Pat’s tasting tour, “I loved the class and look at my yard and garden with new eyes. I’ve been eating milkweed and looking forward to receiving the books I ordered for more about the other plants growing all around. Several of my close friends want to take the workshop so please get Pat back!”
If you are eager to wander the landscape seeking edible plants, check out this series of three presentations developed by Pat alongside educators at Cornell Cooperative Extension Warren County: https://warren.cce.cornell.edu/food-nutrition/wild-edibles. The presentations include photos, tips for positive identification, notes on sites to avoid, ethics of harvest, and much more.
Happy foraging!