What is there to eat on campus? There are a few obvious answers: food from restaurants at the Cougareat, meals from the dining hall, snacks from vending machines. But hiding in plain sight are some other delicious options: plants!
Led by foraging expert Tom Smith, participants in the Wild Edibles Nature Experienceship spent a Saturday morning exploring the world of edible plants. Participants picked, gathered, tasted, cooked, ground, and sampled all kinds of food that you couldn’t find at a regular grocery store. On a tour of campus, they learned to see familiar places through new eyes - learning what plants can be eaten fresh, what can be cooked into delicious sauces or jellies, how to grind flour from acorns, and how to tap syrup from trees. Tom Smith entertained us with tales of foraging from his own life, and examples of how using what’s around us can be an everyday principle.
After the excursion, the team returned to the kitchen to sample some incredible dishes. Acorn flour cookies and bread, elderberry muffins, and homemade chocolate were all a huge hit, as well as a puffball mushroom soup. New tastes and smells were experienced by all, and participants had an unforgettable morning learning what wonderful things there are to eat all around us.
Leah, museum educator
No comments:
Post a Comment