Author Archives: leda

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by Leda Meredith Edible wild nettles are plentiful in Brooklyn right now. You just might want to grab some gloves before picking them. Ouch! You just accidentally brushed up against some nettles and now your ...

 
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by Leda Meredith Violets can be found now along shady paths in Brooklyn's parks. Both the flowers and young leaves are edible. Violets are in full bloom in BK. I love to see ...

 
Daylily shoots

Daylily shoots and tubers are at the perfect stage for harvesting right now. They can be found in sunny and partially sunny ground in many Brooklyn parks and gardens. by Leda Meredith I love a ...

 
garlic mustard

The mild winter means that wild garlic mustard should be in abundant supply around Brooklyn. With the mild winter we’ve been having in Brooklyn, garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) leaves are still tender and ...

 
Field garlic (Allium vineale) can be found all winter long in Brooklyn's parks.

Field garlic (Allium vineale) can be found all winter long in Brooklyn's parks. There is one wild edible plant that I can count on finding in BK even during the coldest weeks of ...

 
The gnarly sunchoke tuber. Sunchokes can be found in many Brooklyn parks and vacant lots, and they're at their sweetest at this time of year.

The gnarly sunchoke tuber. Sunchokes can be found in many Brooklyn parks and vacant lots, and they're at their sweetest at this time of year. Sunchoke, also called Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) is ...

 
Oyster mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms are a delicious treat that are available year-round in Brooklyn. One of the best wild edible mushrooms is also one of the only ones that I can often forage for even in the ...

 
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You can smell gingko fruit from a block away, and it’s not a pleasant experience. But once you get rid of the stinky orange pulp, there is a culinary jewel waiting in the &#...

 
Leda Meredith

Leda Meredith picks the colorful chicken of the woods mushroom in this week's Foraging Brooklyn. Photo by Ken Clark. Editor’s Note: Mushroom season is still with us, and Leda Meredith has ...

 
Maitake or "Hen" mushrooms, for those in-the-know, are abundant in Brooklyn, often clustering near oak trees.

Editor’s Note: Is there anything better to forage than wild mushrooms? There’s something quintessentially autumnal about pulling out that first sweater of the season to hunt around in the woods for ...

 
The leaves of the squawbush are rounder than staghorn, but the bright red fruit is an good indicator of sumac.

Clusters of red berries on the sumac plant are easy to spot in parks around Brooklyn and have some great culinary uses. I’m not usually a big fan of fuzzy food. But by ...

 
The leaves of the squawbush are rounder than staghorn, but the bright red fruit is an good indicator of sumac.

Editor’s Note: There’s been much ado about the future of foraging in city parks since the New York Times published a story last week announcing city plans for a crackdown. See ...

 
Sheep sorrel is notable for its longer, arrow-shaped leaves.

Yellow wood sorrel, very common in our area, can add a nice sour flavor to soups or seafood dishes. by Leda Meredith I pass through the Grand Army Greenmarket on my way into Prospect Park. ...

 
Juneberries are can be found in Prospect Park and parks throughout Brooklyn...right now

by Leda Meredith The seasonal parade of wild berries is in full swing. I’m gobbling up as many juneberries, mulberries, and blackcap raspberries as I can, as well as preserving some for the ...

 
Elderflower is plentiful in Prospect Park...and you can make wine at home with it!

Elderflower is plentiful in Prospect Park...and you can make 'champagne' at home with it! By Leda Meredith All of NYC’s parks are graced with elderberries (Sambucus spp.), but Prospect Park is ...