One of the most ab-fab things about our village is that we have these wonderful paths for walking and biking (well, they're pretty nice for farmers and all of their equipment, too). This one runs behind our house.
Remember how I was talking about borage recently? Another wild plant growing in insane abundance around here is stinging nettles, and I found a perfect patch flourishing alongside this path.
As you can see, I had thought to bring my colander, scissors, and the all-important gloves. I'm new to using nettles, but I've been doing some research, and with the new fall crop so handy, I thought it was a great time to do some harvesting.
I'd been out solo that day, but a couple of days later, The Husband and I headed by bike into the forest that begins just down our street.
Of course, we spotted loads of nettles, and I (necessary supplies in tow again) had to stop for more. This patch wasn't as fresh-looking--I can afford to be picky--but I still snagged enough for two nice cups of tea that evening. The Husband is usually willing to try my foraged concoctions as long as he feels certain I'm not trying to poison him; The Boy, who needed the tea due to a cough, is a tougher sell. After repeated urging, though, I think he drank most of his. He hadn't keeled over from the potato and nettle soup I'd served the night before...
For a fantastic array of info on using nettles, go here.
6 comments:
Such a great informative post today! I never knew anything about nettles, but now I'm keen to use it as a tea. I think I would have given you a double take, if I saw you walking down the road with your colander..did you turn any heads? :)
I'll have to try this the next time I'm back in Ireland. Unfortunately (or is that fortunately) there's no nettles in New Zealand.
I remember my mother, never one to waste anything, trying to convince us to eat nettle soup when we were teenagers.. perhaps I'd better give it another go!
Ha--Maureen, that's a very good question! I may have turned a couple of heads, but maybe not--anyone who saw me probably just thought, "oh, it's that American."
Crafty Mermaid, too bad there aren't nettles in NZ!
hausfrau, I must say, the nettles were quite nicely disguised in our potato soup...
Ooo nettles are great. I've been making infusions out of them lately myself, as drinking them is apparently really great for when you're pregnant (and in general too of course). Don't love the taste yet, though I don't dislike it either. Don't they almost taste green?
Ah, yes, click clack gorilla--I've heard that about nettle tea. And you're right, nettles do really taste green!
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