Michigan Food Writer Releases New Wild Edibles Book
Julie Bitely
| 2 min read
Grand Rapids resident Lisa Rose sees potential in weeds that others might pass by. Oftentimes, they make for a great snack.
With Midwest Foraging, Rose’s recently released book, she aims to take the mystery out of foraging with plant descriptions and photographs of 115 edible plants that can be found across the Midwest. The book includes a seasonal chart, a section on how to identify plants and their culinary uses. Rose also includes tips on how to safely forage and what to be mindful of to ensure healthy and sustainable plant communities.
She hopes the new book will inspire more people to learn about the wild weeds around them, to view the edible plants as an important part of the local food system as the organic foods being grown by local farmers.
“Wild foods are nutrient dense. Wild foods are a source for unprocessed minerals, an alternative to commercial supplements,” Rose said. “They are plants local to our bio-region and grow naturally. This is especially relevant with today’s concerns around water conservation in agriculture. Wild plants are part of our local food system.”
From dandelions to nettles, edible plants are everywhere you look. Rose said once you eat a foraged meal, you might not want to go back to the produce section at the supermarket.
“You might find yourself craving the bitter flavors of the wild chicory and will cherish finding the smaller, but more flavor-packed wild strawberries you discover in the open fields of early summer,” she said.
You can find Midwest Foraging at local book retailers throughout the Midwest as well as online.
Had any luck foraging for culinary delights near you? Tell us your favorite Michigan finds in the comments.
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Main image photo credit: Jonathan Stoner Photography
Book image courtesy of Timber Press
