One of the things I enjoy most about foraging is appreciating little obscure things like bay nuts, which you won't find at the grocery store.
The article is definitely right that roasting them correctly is a bit of a challenge, but it's worth it. If bay nuts were a mainstream thing, the same people who obsess over making the perfect coffee would have a field day with bay nuts.
Come to think of it, making some acorn waffles with ground roasted bay nuts might be pretty awesome. Too bad bay nuts and acorns aren't usually around the same time (I think?).
The article lacks a date, but I assume the best season for nuts is in the late fall, October through November. Does anyone know otherwise? I was planning on going foraging for nuts all last year but couldn't seem to time it right.
It's been a while since I harvested them, but that sounds about right. I'd say early-to-mid Fall because I could swear I've seen them close to ripe in September.
I don't have any advice that's specific to your region other than that the most effective way to learn foraging, in my experience, is to find a teacher in your area. As much as I don't like Facebook, there are lots of regional foraging communities on that site that can provide references to teachers.
Second to that is simply going out into the wilderness, taking pictures of interesting looking plants, and then figuring out what they are online. There's even apps that help identify things, but I haven't used them. I think iNaturalist might have some kind of computer-vision feature. Dunno. But remember to always get a second opinion before attempting to eat something. Again, that's something that being a part of a foraging group can help you with. If you keep it up and you get a sense of how to forage safely, then you can be more self reliant and refer to books if you come across unknowns.
One last thing about foraging that even many foragers often forget is that the smell of a plant is a key identifier. It's often overlooked because people focus on what the plants look like, where they grow, the time of year, etc., and don't think to pick off a leaf, roll it around, and smell it.
If you can't find a foraging community in your area, try your county Extension office. They've got a lot of resources on local plants and animals. My wife's aunt works at one, and it always makes her day when someone shows up with a weird bug or plant they need help identifying.
Exposure to the torn leaves can cause serious irritation too. They smell wonderful though they are NOT to be used as a substitute for "real" bay leaves.
Really? I could believe it since they're very pungent, but I don't recall having any such reaction. I even used the dried leaves in soup. Most of my foraging books have recipes using California bay laurel as well.
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[ 0.68 ms ] story [ 25.2 ms ] threadThe article is definitely right that roasting them correctly is a bit of a challenge, but it's worth it. If bay nuts were a mainstream thing, the same people who obsess over making the perfect coffee would have a field day with bay nuts.
Come to think of it, making some acorn waffles with ground roasted bay nuts might be pretty awesome. Too bad bay nuts and acorns aren't usually around the same time (I think?).
Second to that is simply going out into the wilderness, taking pictures of interesting looking plants, and then figuring out what they are online. There's even apps that help identify things, but I haven't used them. I think iNaturalist might have some kind of computer-vision feature. Dunno. But remember to always get a second opinion before attempting to eat something. Again, that's something that being a part of a foraging group can help you with. If you keep it up and you get a sense of how to forage safely, then you can be more self reliant and refer to books if you come across unknowns.
One last thing about foraging that even many foragers often forget is that the smell of a plant is a key identifier. It's often overlooked because people focus on what the plants look like, where they grow, the time of year, etc., and don't think to pick off a leaf, roll it around, and smell it.