My Biggest Foraging Win

Hello, tender friends!

I’m here with the chickens because they’re free-ranging, and it feels amazing to sit down since this is the first time I have all day.

But let’s get right to it, because this foraged snack made me feel like a millionairess. Remember when I said that shishitos taste expensive?

Well shishitos pale in comparison to this, because this is probably the most high-end flavor I’ve ever achieved. My only regret is that I don’t have these things in abundance to recreate them on a massive scale… yet.

That may not look like much, but it started with foraging squash flowers.

I foraged them from our compost pile. Our compost pile produces squash every year, but they’re typically not good. Some of them are odd hybrids that grow up to 20 lb, and while technically edible, tend to taste like feet. But the blossoms are just like any other blossoms.

I heated olive oil up in a saute pan until the olive oil was fragrant, then I threw those beauties in with some fresh garlic.

I sauteed the flowers until slightly brown on each side.

I removed the squash flowers from the pan and lightly sauteed purslane in the same pan, foraged from the yard. (Thank you, Susan, for the reminder to eat some purslane! While we had occasionally been eating it raw while we were out working in the yard, the light saute brought out a flavor that knocked my socks off!)

I combined everything on my plate and seasoned with salt, red pepper flakes and nutritional yeast.

C’etait magnifique mes amis!

Other than the olive oil, this meal was technically “free” other than our sweat equity. But the complexity of flavor was heaven on my palate. And while I haven’t discovered it yet, this experience made me wonder if there are free materials that everyone could be foraging that are being prepared and sold at a high price in five- star restaurants.

Seriously. The last time I ate in a five-star restaurant seems like more than a lifetime ago, but this dish reminded me of that time.

This experience taught me that it’s possible to feel extravagant without actually doing anything fiscally irresponsible. It’s possible to feel like a queen (or king) with the ingredients that God has given us for free.

Of course, I’m also feeling good because this is one of the first nights that Anthony has been home in weeks because of work. So I have a date now with a delicious piece of fiction since he’s giving me a break!

and to continue with the French theme since I’ve told you this dish is magnifique, a bientot, mes amis! (Sorry for the lack of punctuation, but I don’t know how to set my phone to French to get the right characters.)

Okay, that’s all for today, tender friends! Thank you for stopping by, and thank you for sharing!

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  1. ladysheepdog

    Oh what a pleasant surprise this post is. After leaving a reply to a comment on my post, I decided to check out my reader and lo and behold this was at the top of the page. And I thought, “Oh yes, it’s been a while since I left a comment for Stacey, I need to let her know I haven’t forgot about her.” I do see your posts in my inbox, I have just taken a somewhat break from WP press for a bit. AS I was reading, I was thinking, ” I believe just sitting on a lounge chair in Stacey’s backyard would be so relaxing. Wish I could be there and just hang out. And then I got that shout out – lol. Thanks. Did I tell you the story behind finding out about purslane? It’s a great story, let me know if I haven’t.

    And, yes, I would love to come and hang out and feel like a queen at your place. It all looks yummy. And healthful. Hugs, Sorry I have been scarce. We do have to manage things in the different arenas we frequent, right? I don’t plan on going MIA for two years, as I have done in the past at this site. Two weeks, maybe, sometimes.

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    1. Stacey

      I totally understand what you mean about taking a break from wordpress, susan! To answer your question, no, you have not told me the story about purslane.

      The backyard is truly an oasis! Even though the chickens can get wild and break through the fence, it’s such a special time of day to be back with them.

      I know I need to take a look at your blog and get caught up on your posts too!

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    2. ladysheepdog

      Oh and I forgot to say, the French reference is so apropos, as tomorrow the Olympic opening ceremony is tomorrow in Paris. I’m interested in it all this year, having taken a break for some years. I think their motto this year, “Chasing Gold” is something for me too. I have been working on perseverance and going for the brass ring. And pursuing my dreams and not giving up no matter how hard things become. Trying to be a spiritual olympian, right? Endeavoring to win the gold/crown of endurance.

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      1. Stacey

        I love the way you think, you spiritual Olympian!

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      2. ladysheepdog

        oops – typo – one too many * tomorrow * – lol

        The story behind the purslane is this: As a kid we had a Hispanic family that live behind us. As was common in the 1970’s in Southern California (and probably other areas), our back yards were separated only by a chain link fence. So us kids would just crawl over the fence, back and forth to play at the other family’s house. The adults at that house didn’t speak much English, and of course were fluent in Spanish.

        One day as my mother was weeding the garden, the mother of the children was in the backyard, probably hanging clothes on the line as that was also common back then – lol. We had a clothes line that my mother used always in good weather.

        Anyway, this lady saw her picking the “weeds” and and pointed. “Verde largos.” she said, and then pointed to her mouth. She brought out one of the kids, who could speak English, to translate and told my mother that she could cook those planets with some tomatoes and onions in a skillet and they are good to eat. Or edible. So, my mother tried them and I liked them and so did she. I don’t remember if my sisters did. And this was during the time my father had been arrested and taken out of the house and my mother was then left to fend for three girls, a couple dogs, a house and a car by herself. She then started to work outside the home, and anything to help with expenses was a great help.

        Years, later after getting married, I saw those plants in our yard and was telling my husband about them. But, at the time I didn’t know their English name, just what that lady called them in Spanish. I was able to do an internet search and tracked down the English name – purslane. I now tell others about purslane, just in case they don’t know. And that’s my story and I am sticking with it – lol.

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      3. Stacey

        well I enjoyed hearing about that slice of your childhood life growing up in California. (Although I’m very sorry to hear about the parts with your dad).

        thank you for sharing that!

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