Friday, November 27, 2009

Getting nutty


Beaked hazelnuts (Corylus cornuta) are not only tasty, they are a great wild source of energy, protein, unsaturated fat, and B vitamins amongst other nutrients. The nut, which is actually the seed of the fruit . . . is one of the few seeds that were consumed regularly by First Nations People in this region. Similar to but smaller than the cultivated variety, beaked hazelnuts can be eaten as-is, roasted, candied, ground into flour and added to soups, breads, sweets and all manner of dishes; and edible oil can be produced from the seeds. Harvest usually occurs in the fall, and the nuts can be stored in their husks for up to 12 months if kept cool and dry. For harvesters with a sweet-tooth, the seeds are softest and sweetest in mid to late autumn.

Beaked hazelnuts are tall shrubs (2-4 m) with rounded, coarsely-toothed leaves that turn yellow in the fall. The nuts are enclosed in husks that are light green and covered with prickly hairs that project into a beak (hence the name), and grow in pairs of clusters of three at the ends of the branches. Hazelnuts grow in open forests and clearings. Their distribution is widespread throughout southern British Columbia and Canada (with some more northerly disjuncts such as near Hazelton), but they are not so abundant that they weren't traditionally worth traveling or trading for, and burning was sometimes used as a management technique to enhance productivity. Competition between squirrels and human harvesters can be fierce; rodents often cache them away for the winter as soon as they start ripening, though sometimes this benefits only the sneaky humans who pilfer them away.

Not simply a wonderful snack, a multitude of medicinal uses have also been developed for hazelnuts. One example, considered inadvisable, is consuming the hulls so that their sharp hairs expel worms. This traditional practice was adopted by early physicians, who later deemed it an intestinal irritant. A bark infusion was used to treat hives, colds, and fevers; the raw nut would be eaten to strengthen women before giving birth (as well as for hay fever); the bark was applied as a poultice to close wounds; and an infusion of the branches and twigs was used to purify the blood and to treat heart and gastrointestinal complaints. The flexible branches were sometimes used for rope or for brooms, and roots were woven into coarse baskets.

Hazelnut cultivation, already considerable in many parts of the world (led by Turkey with about 75% of global production), is increasingly common in the Pacific Northwest. One Vancouver Island outfit is growing hazelnut trees to take advantage of their relationship with truffles, the unique-tasting and extremely valuable underground fungus. While there is no end to the mouthwatering recipe ideas to bring some hazelnut sweetness into your life (e.g. macaroons, sweet breads, butters, sauces, chocolate hazelnut tortes, and the list does go on), this week's focus promotes another non-timber forest product, plantains

Recipe: Hazelnut Plantain Casserole

¼ pound lean bacon, diced (or surely some wild venison will do to stick with the local theme!)
1½ cups stock
½ cup wild onion, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
12 cups plantain leaves cut in strips
2 tbs sugar
½ lb hazelnuts, finely chopped
1½ cups red wine
2 tbs wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a heavy skillet cook meat and save. Cook the onion in the fat until it is soft but not brown. Stir in the plantain leaves and toss until all the leaves are well covered with fat. Put the greens in a 5 quart flame-proof casserole and cover tightly, cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Add the wine, vinegar, stock, salt, pepper, sugar and meat. Cover and bake in oven for 1 hour. Add the chopped hazelnuts, cover and put back in the oven for another hour, making sure the liquid does not cook away too fast. The greens are cooked when they are tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Season more to taste if so desired. Serve with pride.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Fascinating facts most people will never know about clubmoss

In an attempt to move away from mushrooms (perhaps only briefly), and from edibles (though there is such a bounty out there), this week's focus is on clubmoss!

Not quite true mosses, because they have well-developed vascular systems . . . (i.e. "veins" to transport water and nutrients), clubmosses are low, evergreen herbs that often trail along the ground.

This group of species is a relict of the earliest plants that came onto land some 400 million years ago. Some of their ancestors were tall trees, and they now constitute much of the coal and fossil fuels that we currently extract from the Earth. Some common species include ground cedar (Lycopodium complanatum) which grows in dry, open woods, and bears a resemble to a miniature, scaly cedar bough; stiff clubmoss (L. annotium) which appears somewhat like a bunch of little dark green bottlebrushes growing straight up from horizontal runners; and running clubmoss (L. clavatum), similar to its stiff cousin but with a soft slender bristle at the tips of its stems. Clubmosses reproduce asexually (cloning) and sexually (by spores, which are like tiny, simple seeds that the plants produce and disperse in massive amounts).

Some Druid considered clubmosses to be sacred and collected them according to elaborate rituals, displaying them on alters for good luck. Some Ditidaht however believed that anyone who handled running clubmoss would become lost in the woods. This has not discouraged some of them (as well as people from many other cultures) from using clubmosses for Christmas wreathes and other decorations.

While humans have eaten clubmoss, they are generally described as unappetizing at best, and poisonous at worst (though they are occasionally browsed by moose). Medicinally they have quite a bit to offer. Studies show that clubmosses contain alkaloids that can increase urine flow, relieve spasms, stimulate bowel movements, reduce fever and inflammation, and even combat bacteria and fungi! Fir clubmoss (L. selago) contains 'huperzine', which has been shown to improve learning and memory by inhibiting the breakdown of acetylcholine, an essential neurotransmitter, and it is being studied for use in Alzheimer's disease.

The spores of clubmoss are particularly exciting. They are high in oil, which makes them soothing to the skin, resistant to wetting, and flammable. People have of course put these properties to good use, and clubmoss spores have found their way into powder for flash photography, stage lighting, and fireworks. Spores were used traditionally by some Aboriginal groups to dry wounds and treat nose bleeds or diaper rash. More recently they have been used as body powder, as an absorbent in dry shampoos, as a "dry parting compound" in foundry work to prevent metal from sticking to wooden molds, and as a dusting powder for pills, suppositories, latex gloves, and condoms. Some people are allergic to these spores, and there has been concern about "granulomatous masses" (or bumps) on the skin of people using condoms or gloves resulting from this allergy. Not to worry excessively however, these masses are not lethal or carcinogenic, and are easily remedied. Be aware of the cautions included below, but it is of interest to note that the spores themselves have been used as a remedy: for diarrhea, dysentery, rheumatism, indigestion, uterine problems, swollen thighs and water retenion.

Cautions: Some clubmosses contain toxic alkaloids that can cause pain, vomiting, or diarrhea when consumed. Clubmoss spores can irritate mucous membranes and damaged skin. Exposure to spores can cause allergic reactions from dermatitis to asthma.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Though mushroom season....

Though mushroom season appears to be winding down, it is hard to let go, and there are still many around to appreciate- none more so than boletes! The bolete family, which comprises hundreds of species . . . is easily recognizable because the underside has a spongy pore layer rather than gills. And there are many boletes out there worth getting to know.

The estimable 'Mushroom Jim', who graces Royal Roads with the inspired Can I Eat that Mushroom course every fall, distills his considerable bolete wisdom thus: "Timing is everything. It may well be that there is only a part of one day that any bolete or bolete patch is truly at its peak". Indeed. Though it varies by region and by species, wiley harvesters have come up with a variety of climatic cues to tip them off to this peak- three weeks after the first rain; or two weeks after an inch of rain has accumulated. Many boletes are prone to parasites and may quickly rot once they are past their prime, prompting some harvesters to collect early in the morning ("before the insects wake up").

It is certainly not too late to find young fat jacks (Suillus caerulescens / ponderosus, not to be confused with matte jacks, slim jacks, or tamarack jacks), which are still popping up amongst the fir trees on Royal Roads grounds. If the slippery (when wet) top doesn't deter you, they can make fine eating, though they don't quite attract the rave reviews of some of their relatives. Fat jacks have golden-tan caps and a yellow sponge layer. Some boletes will stain a blue or green colour when you scratch their spongy surface; this species does not, though if you cut the base of the stalk it may gradually develop a green hue.

The king bolete (Boletus edulis) is one of the most sought after mushrooms worldwide- "delectable... no mushroom is more substantial or satisfying!" states David Arora, fungal authority extraordinaire. The king has a yellow-to red-to brown cap atop a thick white or brown stalk, and grows individually or in small clumps on the ground in coniferous forests. This species is also known as porcini, because it is 'plump as a little pig'. As one of the official weighers at the Bamfield Mushroom Festival's biggest-bolete competition, I got to admire and handle many of these (all-too-often rotting) kings, and the prize-winner was just shy of three pounds! Not just a hearty meal, king boletes are immuno-stimulating and contain lots of vitamin B, and thereby help to maintain a balanced nervous system. There is also, by the way, a Queen bolete (B. aereus) which has a darker cap when young and grows more commonly among hardwoods in states to the south. Its flavour is preferred over the king by some, but dismissed as bland by others.

Admirable boletes (B. mirabilis) are another gem- they are a respectably sized maroon mushroom with a yellow pore layer, an affinity for hemlock trees, and a lemony flavour.Then there are the birch and aspen boletes, Leccinium scabrum & L. insigne, described as tasty and as excellent respectively. There are also the 'wonderfully dense' butter boletes (B.appendiculatus), and we're just gettign started.

It must be explicitly stated though, that not all boletes are edible. Satan's bolete (B. satanas) is a species best enjoyed from a distance; it has a red sponge layer that stains blue when scratched (if that's not the work of the devil...) and causes severe gastro-intestinal distress. It has never been recorded to cause death though, which cannot be said of the red-pored bolete (B. pulcherrimus), a reddish brown specimen which also grows amongst conifers in British Columbia.

Back to the ones we like to eat though- all of them have high moisture content, so dry-sauteeing them (cooking them without any grease at high heat until they give off water) is a good way to concentrate their flavour. The sponge layer is particularly damp, and some people do away with it altogether (leaving this part it in the forest can both increase the mushroom's reproductive potential and reduce the sliminess of your harvest). Some connoisseurs find this to be the most flavourful part though, and dry it for use in soup stocks.

This recipe is from "Wildman" Steve Brill, who claims that you'll find it difficult to conceive that food can taste so good:

Recipe: Broiled boletes (fit for a king!)

1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp. chili paste or 3/4 tsp. cayenne hot pepper
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp. mellow miso
1 tsp. rosemary, ground
1/2 tsp. thyme, ground
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. juniper berries, ground (optional)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
10 cups king bolete, other choice bolete caps, or other mushrooms

Puree all ingredients except the mushroom caps in a blender and toss with the mushroom caps. Broil on a rack in a broiler 4-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Broilers differ greatly, so check often to make sure the boletes don’t begin to burn. Turn with a spatula, tongs, or fork and broil 4-8 minutes, or until you’ve lightly browned the other side.

Caution: Never, ever, harvest, serve, or eat any mushroom without being certain of the species and its edibility. King boletes can accumulate cadmium, copper, lead, and mercury, so make sure to choose clean harvesting sites.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Peace!

November 5, 2009
The Peace Globe Gallery


To find peace one must be at peace with themselves
To find peace there should be no conflict that can involves violence
To find peace there should always be a solution to solve a problem
To find peace there should always be kindness
To find peace one must desire peace
To have peace in the world one must strive hard in order to achieve peace
With peace there should be no more violence, anger, hatred, war, families torn apart, and anguish
With peace there will be unity, families are together, love is in the air, happiness is all around the world, and in our hearts as well


~Jeffrey Liminsang

Wednesday, November 4, 2009