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Award-winning chef, author and forager Alan Bergo. Food is all around you.

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Sweetgale or Sweetfern Liquor

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Sweetfern or sweetgale liquorSweetfern (Comptonia peregrina) and sweetgale (Myrica gale) are both aromatics that deserve some play in your kitchen. a simple sweet fern recipe you can make to get an idea of the flavor is a simple liquor. 

Both plants have leaves that give off a great aroma, but for me personally, the seeds are the best part of both plants, and I find the aroma stronger with them. Since the seeds are smaller and more compact than leaves, it’s also easier to weigh them or measure to have good results that are pretty easy to reproduce. 

I came up with this simple liquor when I read that sweet gale leaves used to be used to flavor different types of alcohol. The seeds, as I mentioned, have a much stronger than the leaves, so a little goes a long way, just a small handful of seeds will flavor a jar or a bottle. I add a small amount of maple syrup to mine, but you can omit it if you like. 

Sweetfern or Comptonia peregrina nutlets or seeds in their husk

Sweetfern nutlets, seeds, or whatever you want to call them. They resemble mini chestnuts to me.

Taste 

The flavor of the finished product will vary a bit depending on which plant you end up using, or have access to, but it will be strongly herbaceous, piney, and resinous. I’ve had friends compare sweetfern liquor to herbsaint, and it will have a similar aroma to other liquors made from botanicals.

It is a strong taste, which is why I typically dilute it with something mild like soda water. Sweet fern tends to make a liquor that has a slightly milder taste, where sweetgale will be stronger. If you have access to both plants where you live, I’d suggest you start out with sweetfern. 

Fresh or dried 

Either fresh or dried fruits can be used to make this. Since I am harvesting so many things during the growing season, I find it easier to reach for a jar of dried fruit than fresh. Both will work. 

Sweetfern or sweetgale liquor

Sweetfern or sweetgale liquor and sweet gale seeds
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Sweet Gale or Sweet Fern Liquor

A simple macerated liquor made from sweetfern or sweetgale seeds.
Prep Time5 mins
Macerating time7 d
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Sweetfern, Sweetgale

Ingredients

  • 300 grams Vodka or about 1.5 cups
  • 7 grams 3 Tablespoons Fresh sweet gale nutlets or sweet fern nutlets or 2 T dried
  • 60 grams or 1/4 cup Maple syrup

Instructions

  • Gently pound the nutlets in a mortar and pestle to release their aroma, then combine with the vodka and maple syrup in a non-reactive container, such as a pint mason jar. Allow the mixture to macerate for a week, then strain and store in a cool dark place.
  • Serving
  • The flavor is strong and herbaceous, so I like this mixed with soda or another lightly flavored mixer.

More 

Foraging and Cooking with Sweet Fern 

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FORAGER | CHEF®
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Author: The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora
James Beard Award ‘22
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Alan Bergo
HALP! I’ve been keeping an eye on two loaded mul HALP! I’ve been keeping an eye on two loaded mulberry trees and both got a bunch of fruit knocked down by the storms and wind. 

If anyone in West WI or around the Twin Cities knows of some trees, (ideally on private property but beggars can’t be choosers) that I could climb and shake with a tarp underneath, shoot me a DM and let’s pick some! 🤙😄

TIA

#throwadogabone #mansquirrel #beattlefruit #mulberries #shakintrees
Lampascioni, or edible hyacinth bulbs are one of t Lampascioni, or edible hyacinth bulbs are one of the more interesting things I’ve eaten. 

These are an ancient wild food traditionally harvested in Southern Italy, especially in Puglia and the Salentine Peninsula, as well as Greece and Crete. I’ve seen at least 6-7 different names for them. 

A couple different species are eaten, but Leopoldia comosa is probably the one I see mentioned the most. They also grow wild in North America. 

The bulbs are toxic raw, but edible after an extended boil. Traditionally they’re preserved in vinegar and oil, pickled, or preserves in other methods using acid and served as antipasti. (Two versions in pic 3). 

They’re one of the most heavily documented traditional wild foods I’ve seen. There’s a few shots of book excerpts here.

The Oxford companion to Italian Food says you can eat them raw-don’t do that. 

Even after pickling, the bulbs are aggressively extremely bitter. Definitely an acquired taste, but one that’s grown on me. 

#traditionalfoods #vampagioli #lampascione #cucinapovera #lampascioni #leopoldiacomosa #foraging
Went to some new spots yesterday looking for poke Went to some new spots yesterday looking for poke sallet and didn’t do too well (I’m at the tip of its range). I did see some feral horseradish though which I don’t see very often. 

Just like wild parsnip, this is the exact same plant you see in the store and garden-just escaped. 

During the growing season the leaves can be good when young. 

They have an aggressive taste bitter enough to scare your loved ones. Excellent in a blend of greens cooked until extra soft, preferably with bacon or similar. 

For reference, you don’t harvest the root while the plant is growing as they’ll be soft and unappealing-do that in the spring or fall. This is essentially the same as when people tell you to harvest in months that have an R in them. 

#amoraciarusticana #foraging #horseradishleaves #horseradish #bittergreens
In Italy chicken of the woods is known as “fungo In Italy chicken of the woods is known as “fungo del carrubo” (carob tree mushroom) as it’s one of the common tree hosts there. 

My favorite, and really the only traditional recipe I’ve found for them so far is simmered in a spicy tomato sauce with hot chile and capers, served with grilled bread. 

Here I add herbs too: fresh leaves of bee balm that are perfect for harvesting right now and have a flavor similar to oregano and thyme. 

Makes a really good side dish or app, especially if you shower it with a handful of pecorino before scooping it up with the bread. 

#chickenofthewoods #fungodelcarrubo #allthemushroomtags #traditionalfoods #beebalm
First of the year 😁. White-pored chicken of t First of the year 😁. 

White-pored chicken of the woods (Laetiporus cincinnatus) are my favorite chicken. 

Superior bug resistance, slightly better flavor + texture. They also stay tender longer compared to their more common yellow-pored cousins. Not a single bug in this guy. 

#treemeat #ifoundfood #foraging #laetiporuscincinnatus #chickenofthewoods
TBT brisket face 💦. Staff meal with @jesseroes TBT brisket face 💦. Staff meal with 
@jesseroesler and crew @campwandawega
📸 @misterberndt 

#staffmeal #brisket #meatsweats #naptime
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