ME: (accompanied by a photo of the underside of my front porch, sorta) “Hey send me some info. or a link on Fiddleheads and what they’re all about - would love to put up a post vis-a-vis your workshop TYA!” ANTHONY: “Will do! Those really do look like Ostrich Fern, which is exactly what you’re after. They should have a papery covering thats over the unfurled fern, and a u-shaped groove on the stem.” ME: Bammm! (caption to the second photo sent and pictured above). ANTHONY: That is definitely Ostrich Fern. Very nice! Those are on the larger side and look healthy, too. Fantastic! So delicious just fried up in butter! Love to harvest a few!
Above reads a recent text exchange between Me (Paul) and Anthony (Michael Blowers), our main mushroom man and leader of our first 2021 Nature Walk. With a focus on Morel Mushrooms and their well-know mystique (flyer below) our pre-plan also touched on the young, coiled leaves of the Ostrich Fern, aka Fiddleheads. Aptly named because they look like the scroll on the neck of a violin or fiddle, most ferns grow Fiddleheads, so identifying the right type to pick is important. Because choosing the wrong specimen can lead to poisoning (yikes!) I appreciated Anthony’s pictograph that identified the immature fronds, the brown papery sheath, bright green hairless base, and black skeleton of the year’s previous growth.
Here, Fiddleheads unfurl every Spring, bursting to life all over the front yard, and annually unwinding amongst colorful flower beds. Considered a delicacy and favored by chefs, including our own culinary head honcho Chief (spelling au Francais) Chris Ferris, growers have been cultivating fiddleheads with varied success for centuries. Ostrich Fern love our rich soil, high in nutrients fed by the middle branch of the Black River and wetland streams, growing wildly. That’s why my stoke was equally high to see The Chicago Tribune announce their newly Michelin starred restaurants, thinking Chefs from Boka, Goosefoot and Alinea would love to check out our Morel workshop and wild, wild edible scene (sung to The Talking Heads Wild, Wild Life). Whoever shows up, it’s sure to be another great walk in the woods, with good memories of Anthony’s last Fall Forage, registration open for our upcoming Spring Workshop , and a fiddlehead or two fried up just for you.