Northern Light
Superstar
As a foodie, one thing I've got into in the last while is enjoying 'Wild Foods'. These are items that foraged (sustainably and legally) and typically not available from cultivated/farmed sources. Most often they are from right here in Ontario, but sometimes from further afield.
At any rate, I wanted both to offer a list of where such things can be found, and to ask any one else with a similar interested to contribute if I missed anything.
First a quick list of some 'wild foods'
Wild Mushrooms - including morels and chanterelles and matsutake (pine)
Wild Rice (not really a rice, but never mind)
Birch Syrup (if you have not tried this, you should, makes a great marinade for grilled pork, similar to maple syrup, but less sweet)
Wild Leeks/Ramps - seasonal in spring, tastes like a cross between garlic and onion
Sea Asparagus - a form of seaweed, taken from the ocean, makes a yummy and very salty snack
Saskatoon/Serviceberries - a lovely, slightly tart berry, makes good pie
Wild Blueberry, of course
Wild Strawberries (smaller and sweeter than the supermarket variety)
Lots of other things grow in Ontario but may not be thought of as wild food because they are also cultivated, plums (Canada/American Plum); Raspberries and Blackberries, Walnuts (Black Walnut)
Also worth including are local fish, such as pickerel and whitefish
****
On availability
I highly recommend Forbes Wild Foods
www.wildfoods.ca
They sell at Brickworks, Riverdale and Dufferin Farmer's markets and at several
retailers, including Pusateri's, for a full list, see their website.
Also worth checking out is Akiwenzie’s Fish & More for Whitefish and Lake Trout, they sell at many of the same Farmer's markets.
You may also find things like Wild Mushrooms or Sea Asparagus through Harvest Wagon on Yonge Street or McEwan up at Shops of Don Mills.
At any rate, I wanted both to offer a list of where such things can be found, and to ask any one else with a similar interested to contribute if I missed anything.
First a quick list of some 'wild foods'
Wild Mushrooms - including morels and chanterelles and matsutake (pine)
Wild Rice (not really a rice, but never mind)
Birch Syrup (if you have not tried this, you should, makes a great marinade for grilled pork, similar to maple syrup, but less sweet)
Wild Leeks/Ramps - seasonal in spring, tastes like a cross between garlic and onion
Sea Asparagus - a form of seaweed, taken from the ocean, makes a yummy and very salty snack
Saskatoon/Serviceberries - a lovely, slightly tart berry, makes good pie
Wild Blueberry, of course
Wild Strawberries (smaller and sweeter than the supermarket variety)
Lots of other things grow in Ontario but may not be thought of as wild food because they are also cultivated, plums (Canada/American Plum); Raspberries and Blackberries, Walnuts (Black Walnut)
Also worth including are local fish, such as pickerel and whitefish
****
On availability
I highly recommend Forbes Wild Foods
www.wildfoods.ca
They sell at Brickworks, Riverdale and Dufferin Farmer's markets and at several
retailers, including Pusateri's, for a full list, see their website.
Also worth checking out is Akiwenzie’s Fish & More for Whitefish and Lake Trout, they sell at many of the same Farmer's markets.
You may also find things like Wild Mushrooms or Sea Asparagus through Harvest Wagon on Yonge Street or McEwan up at Shops of Don Mills.