One food you have never had... but are curious

[Hello]

Deer. Never had it before.

 

[BeerGrylls]

I (and nearly 10 million Greeks) eat them quite regularly during the summer. I just pull them straight out of my yard while doing yard work, throw them into a pile, and my wife cleans them. You need a great big pile of cleaned leaves to make one batch.

They are bitter as all hell if you don't cook them properly. First, throw them into a pot without any water and cook them slowly until they release all of their own water. Pour the water out, add fresh water and boil them again. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water, drain thoroughly again - repeat this process twice. They will still be bitter. Put them into a big bowl and pour in equal amounts of olive oil and lemon juice, enough to make them all shiny and easy to stir around, don't be stingy. A little bit of sea salt don't hurt, either.. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the fridge for at least 2 days - then it's ready to eat. You eat it cold or at room temperature, not warm.

The Greeks call it "horta", and it goes well as a side dish with anything.

Cool explanation, thanks. I hadn't heard that preparation before. I have had dandelion wine, though. I'm not sure how popular it is, but mutt father liked it a lot, and I got a chance to try it at a farm that makes a lot of different fruit wines. Not my cup of tea, err I mean wine.

 

[BeerGrylls]

Deer. Never had it before.

It's delicious! Especially braised in red wine.. Mmmmm

 

[podz]

Never had moose or elk, though a lot of people around here hunt them. I have eaten plenty of reindeer, though - fantastic!

 

[BeerGrylls]

I could've done without eating bear, though. Tastes like old tough steak marinated in used motor oil.

 

[bleme]

I could've done without eating bear, though. Tastes like old tough steak marinated in used motor oil.

Odd. The bear I had was great, both in stew and as jerky.

 

[bleme]

I read somewhere that dandelion leaves make a good bitter salad green. I plan on trying this, and hopefully getting into more foraged food. Anybody have any links for that?

I don't know about links but you should be able to get the old Foxfire books from the library. Books 1-6 have great information about foraging.

When I was little my Mom used to take us out to forage to supplement our groceries. I had no idea at the time that it was financially necessary.

 

[BeerGrylls]

I don't know about links but you should be able to get the old Foxfire books from the library. Books 1-6 have great information about foraging.

When I was little my Mom used to take us out to forage to supplement our groceries. I had no idea at the time that it was financially necessary.

Good experience to have, imo

 

[podz]

When I was little my Mom used to take us out to forage to supplement our groceries. I had no idea at the time that it was financially necessary.

That, and there are also plenty of things which are just not sold in stores.

Stinging nettles are also a very good source of greens. You need gloves to pick them, but after they've been boiled they are highly edible and tasty!

I'm thinking that maybe we should start a foraging thread.

 

[OkashiiBrew]

Durains. Stinky Fruit. My wife got one to try, cut it open and I caught a wiff..... tossed my cookies within seconds and ran for outside as it was that bad. Didn't come back inside for hours. Had to air the house out and I refused to move the garbage can to the curb on trash day, it was that bad. Why so many people love it I have no clue.

 

[BeerGrylls]

Durains. Stinky Fruit. My wife got one to try, cut it open and I caught a wiff..... tossed my cookies within seconds and ran for outside as it was that bad. Didn't come back inside for hours. Had to air the house out and I refused to move the garbage can to the curb on trash day, it was that bad. Why so many people love it I have no clue.

I think people like it because it tastes good. But yes it does stink terribly. I think it smells like garbage juice and rotting flesh. But it tastes like vanilla custard.

 

[Subsailor]

I read somewhere that dandelion leaves make a good bitter salad green. I plan on trying this, and hopefully getting into more foraged food. Anybody have any links for that?

Very good, pick younger leaves, rinse well. We cook them up like most kinds of greens or have them fresh in salads with olive oil and vinegar.

Deer. Never had it before.

mmmmmmm Venison!

Never had moose or elk, though a lot of people around here hunt them. I have eaten plenty of reindeer, though - fantastic!

mmmmmmm larger Venison! We get Reindeer (domestic) and Caribou (wild) and I would have a hard time choosing between the two. Also love Elk! Moose and Elk may be my favorites.

I could've done without eating bear, though. Tastes like old tough steak marinated in used motor oil.

I have had bad bear but that was more due to time of year and bad preparation. Up here you don't want to eat coastal bear that's been on the salmon in the fall - nasty. I like sppring black bear or interior bear that's been on the berries!

That, and there are also plenty of things which are just not sold in stores.

Stinging nettles are also a very good source of greens. You need gloves to pick them, but after they've been boiled they are highly edible and tasty!

I'm thinking that maybe we should start a foraging thread.

I remember Nettles from when we lived in the States, they were good.

I'll bet there are quite few foragers around here that would participate and those who would be curious to know what's growing and edible in their neck of the woods!

 

[liquiditynerd]

Dandelions? Dents des lion's or teeth of the lion, pis en lit. GF and Subsailor are right, if you can get the root along with the leaves, we soak and rinse thoroughly, seperate young leaves ( preferably spring or fall) discard or make veg broth with old leaves, rerinse root, chop up, roast in oven until desired roast, grind in coffee grinder and percolate. An amazing decaf cafe that is really good for u (liver! !!!)

Oh and those coyotes are getting bolder come dark season, getting my old school Browning Cobra on target instinctvily, yip yip again and its on.......

 

[dinnerstick]

I remember Nettles from when we lived in the States, they were good.

some people are (understandably) afraid of them but they are really very good. and here they are horridly abundant, on the edges of woods and along streams. any recipe with cooked spinach or greens, try subbing in nettles. just don some dishwashing gloves, pick the young leaves and get rid of any older stems as they are fibrous, and avoid the tops that have flowered. the taste is not that close to spinach but they work in the same way. a simple nettle, onion and potato soup blended with cream is excellent. and (at least here) you can pick them in the spring and again in the autumn when they often make a new bit of vegetative growth. big nettles fan!

 

[liquiditynerd]

I'm thinking that maybe we should start a foraging thread.

Hmmm. Maybe, I remember a thread about mushrooms and not sure where that went but I now have Turkey tail, reshie, maitake, and shiitake started. We've been picking white chaneterelles all fall. I'd love to see our hb talk collective knowledge!

 

[JDGator]

I could've done without eating bear, though. Tastes like old tough steak marinated in used motor oil.

Well who ever cooked it did a horrible job. Or someone didn't take care of the meat. With all that fur, you need to get it dressed out quick!!

Its not my favorite but its not horrible.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Id love to try bear.

 

[bleme]

My mom has been talking about making Nettle Beer since before I even started brewing. I don't know the exact recipe, but you fill a bucket with nettles, add sugar and cover with water. Float a piece of bread on top. I think you put some bread yeast on that bread, but I'm not sure.

 

[dinnerstick]

My mom has been talking about making Nettle Beer since before I even started brewing. I don't know the exact recipe, but you fill a bucket with nettles, add sugar and cover with water. Float a piece of bread on top. I think you put some bread yeast on that bread, but I'm not sure.

i remember reading this recipe for nettle 'wine', the guy has some interesting ones (also some seriously outdated homebrew advice) but i have never made/tried one
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/allotment/2012/mar/09/allotments-gardens
(the guardian, uk)
Nettle wine
1 carrier bag of nettles
1.5 kg sugar
4 litres water
1 orange
1 lemon
Half a cup cold black tea
1 tsp wine nutrient
White wine yeast

Wash the nettles and place inside a fermentation bin with the sugar, tea, nutrient and the juice and rind of the citrus fruits. Allow to cool to room temperature then add the white wine yeast. Stand the bin for five days in an area that is consistently warm (no more than 21°c). After about five days strain into a demijohn, attaching an airlock and bung.

Rack once during fermentation. Bottle when fermentation has ceased, this should be in about 3 months depending how warm you keep it.

Nettle wine does not benefit from laying down, so drink immediately and enjoy.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

It just dawned on me, I've lived here in MT all these years & not once ever tried eating bitterroot. Native Americans have been eating it for a thousand years. I'll have to rectify that one of these days. The bitterroot:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitterroot
Regards, GF.

 

[unionrdr]

So what does it taste like? Sounds interesting with grouse...

 

[bleme]

So what does it taste like? Sounds interesting with grouse...

Just judging by the name, I bet you could use it in beer....

 

[Subsailor]

I just saw where somebody made a comment in this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/whats-your-favorite-snack-while-brewing-443333/
about: Whale Blubber...Yum

I've eaten muktaq (whale blubber) and I gotta say, the only type I kind of liked was the Beluga Whale blubber. Didn't really care for the Gray or Right Whale blubbers and definitely do not like Seal or Walrus blubber.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

So what does it taste like? Sounds interesting with grouse...

Apparently Lewis & Clark found them to be bitter, hence the name. Can't really find much more about the flavour online, other than cooking reduces the bitterness, but I might be able to find out more detailed info on the reservation. I'll just have to figure out who to ask 1st.
http://davesnaturephotos.com/writings/articles/bitterroot.html
Regards, GF.

 

[unionrdr]

It'd be interesting to find out if it could be used in a beer somehow. Maybe bittering with some flavor?...

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Just judging by the name, I bet you could use it in beer....

Well, the name Bitterroot Brewing is already taken:
http://www.bitterrootbrewing.com/
Far as I know, they don't use the bitterroot plant in any of their brews. They do happen to make one of the tastiest brown ales I've ever had, it's my fav.
Regards, GF.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Deer. Never had it before.

Hit one of the damned things with my car on the turnpike. It was a messy night. They make good eating.

 

[aiptasia]

The French Ortolan, in the traditionally prepared way.

 

[dinnerstick]

The French Ortolan, in the traditionally prepared way.

wow.... i had to look it up, here are some excerpts from the wikipedia page in case it is blocked in your country by the bird protection lobby or chinese government.

For centuries, a rite of passage for French gourmets has been the eating of the Ortolan. These tiny birds—captured alive, force-fed, then drowned in Armagnac—were roasted whole and eaten that way, bones and all, while the diner draped his head with a linen napkin to preserve the precious aromas and, some believe, to hide from God.

The ortolan is force-fed by being placed in a dark box with millet, where as a reaction to darkness it proceeds to eat continuously. One way French diners ate ortolans was to cover their heads and face with a large napkin for the gourmet's aesthetic desire to absorb the maximum odour with the flavor.

 

[BamaProud]

Yikes...The 6 Most Sadistic Dishes From Around The World

http://www.cracked.com/article_16951_the-6-most-sadistic-dishes-from-around-world.html