Chefs, foodies look for wild ingredients nobody else has

People in the US are turning to foraging to find exotic plants for cooking and be mindful of their environmental footprint

- AP

Standing barefoot in a grassy patch of dandelions, Iris Phoebe Weaver excitedly begins listing the many ways the modest plant can be used medicinally and in cooking.

"I just picked a bunch of dandelion flowers yesterday and threw them in vodka with some orange peel and some sugar, and that's my dandelion aperitif," Weaver said. "That will make a lovely mixed drink at some point."

A longtime herbalist and foraging instructor in Massachusetts, Weaver takes people on nature walks that transform their relationships with their surroundings. Lately, she's been encouraged by the uptick in interest in foraging, a trend she sees as benefiting the environment, community and people.

"There is just an amazing amount of food that is around us," Weaver said. "There is so much abundance that we don't even understand."

Humans have been foraging long before they developed the agricultural tools some 12,000 years ago that quickly overshadowed the ancient act that helped sustain early humans. Yet foraging enthusiasts say the search for wild mushrooms, edible plants, shellfish and seaweed has grown more popular in recent years as people tout their rare finds. Others share knowledge on social media, and experienced foragers offer training to novices on safe and sustainable practices.