Connecting with Nature One Bite at a Time

WILD HARVESTING
By WREN SMITH
Shopping around in your backyard will not only save you money, but will also provide a vitalizing dose of direct contact with the natural world. When I notice the parade of plants that pop up in my yard and along frequented routes, I often contemplate my next plate of nourishment from the… »

Tips for Harvesting Wild Edibles

WILD HARVESTING

Be respectful! Consider the relationship that other species have to plants and leave some for other people and wildlife. Get permission if harvesting on other peoples’ property.

Acquaint yourself with the poisonous plants in your area, especially those that resemble something you wish to harvest.
Positively identify any plant before eating any part of it…. »

Bread Puddings Your Kids Will Remember

By ELLEN BIRKETT MORRIS
Certain foods provide instant comfort. When I’ve had a hard day, I hanker for the butter and sugar sandwiches on white bread my mom used to serve me and my sisters. They were a snack with a story.
Growing up in southern Indiana, my grandma had made them for my mom and… »

FICTION

Growing-Out Jericho

By WILLIAM R. WOODARD

Vengeful teenagers dyed my golden retriever pink to get even with me for kicking them off Jericho Island. I was shaving Penny’s once-platinum locks to the skin when Kera called.
“Gus,” she said, “I know what happened. Is Penny okay?”
“She’s fluorescent pink,” I said. “How’d you find out so soon?”
“The kids posted a… »

Dishes for a Wild Green Dinner

Photos and recipes submitted by KAREN DILL

Grilled Ramp Soup

½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 quarts chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Emeril’s Original Essence
4 bunches fresh ramps, trimmed and large leaves removed
For garnish:
4 grilled ramps
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
Crust bread
Combine vegetable oil and flour in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium… »

ESSAY
All Things Wild and Wonderful:
How a foraged mountain food connected two children

Essay and photos by KAREN DILL

In April, the wild things emerge: Bears crawl from their dens; baby wolves are born while their parents howl at the moon; and mysteriously tender green shoots climb bravely from the ground. To an unsuspecting eye, the tiny foliage may resemble weeds, but to my mountain-bred father, they were supper.
My… »

The First Feast of Spring

By CONNIE FOSS

My first memory of eating creamed asparagus on toast goes way back to a Sunday after Easter when I was about 4 years old. I remember bouncing into the kitchen and immediately stopping short, accosted by the aromas of burnt toast and hard-boiled eggs. But mixed with those unsavory odors was the anticipation… »

Grandma Neal’s Oatmeal Cake

Submitted by MAEGEN NEAL
This recipe was given to my by my mother, who got it from Grandma Neal. Grandma used leftover oatmeal to make this recipe, but if you are not feeding a crowd of hungry boys like she was, you can just make the cup of oats you will need.
Pour ½ cup boiling water… »

ESSAY
Food, Love and Ms. Fannie Neal

By MAEGEN NEAL

As a choir of tree frogs and cicadas sang the night’s lullaby, the soft laughter of Fannie Neal’s survivors echoed off the evergreen trees and rusted junk cars. The thickness of a Kentucky summer still hung in the air, perspiring onto the blades of bluegrass and weeds that grew together in a sort of… »