Cow Parsnip
A week ago, the chef from Minnesota I follow published a post about preparation of the cow parsnip blossom. Although mushrooms are my main interest, I forage for many other things. In the spring, my favorites are chicory and dandelion greens. I guess I picked up that tradition as a child in my homeland (Croatia). The Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum) is unknown in Europe. It is native to North America and apparently quite common. I did not have any experience with this particular plant. The only thing that I knew was that it can cause a bad rash, activated by ultra violet rays. In my book, avoiding it was a good idea. Howver, the Alan Bergo post peeked my interest. I happen to know a forest fringe area with quite a presence of the Cow Parsnip, and according to Mr. Bergo, this is the perfect time to harvest unopened blossoms for food. I put on a long sleeved shirt, pocketed a pair of gloves and went on the trail. The Cow Parsnip is a big plant and hard to miss. I must admit that unopene...