Does anyone eat/cook chickweed?

One of my favorite local growers at the Farmer's Market introduced me to chickweed two weeks ago which was included in a bag of mixed salad greens. I loved it. When I spotted it in the bag, I thought she must have just pulled up a weed that was growing among the crops - indeed it was. Here is an article about Wolfgang Rougle that I thought you might enjoy. She is a young, beautiful lady, working her farm of 20 acres just outside of Redding. She is passionate about what she does and it shows,,,in her eyes, here glowing skin, and very dirty and worn fingernails. She educated me about chickweed and now I am looking out for other weeds that are edible in our own yard.

http://anewscafe.com/2010/04/17/to-everything-there-is-a-season-wolfgang-rougle%E2%80%99s-twining-tree-farm-winter-csa/

All the time Karen! As you might know, I am an avid forager and chickweed is one of my favorites. I usually just add it to soups and salads, but have made chickweed pancakes. My next use will be a fresh corn and chickweed salsa, since chickweed tastes exactly like corn silks to me. YUM! (FYI, I don't eat the fuzzy version).

All the time Karen! As you might know, I am an avid forager and chickweed is one of my favorites. I usually just add it to soups and salads, but have made chickweed pancakes. My next use will be a fresh corn and chickweed salsa, since chickweed tastes exactly like corn silks to me. YUM! (FYI, I don't eat the fuzzy version).

CORN...that is what I thought, as well. At first, I thought it was a pea shoot, then I found pea shoots further down in the bag, tasted and realized I was wrong. I am loving this new find.

[Jenise]

CHICKWEED'S EDIBLE????

I had no idea. Every year some pops up around here (though I have yet to see any this year), and when we lived in Alaska it was like an all out war to get rid of it and I'm not sure we ever did. Had no idea I was throwing out good salad fodder.

One of my favorite local growers at the Farmer's Market introduced me to chickweed two weeks ago which was included in a bag of mixed salad greens. I loved it. When I spotted it in the bag, I thought she must have just pulled up a weed that was growing among the crops - indeed it was. Here is an article about Wolfgang Rougle that I thought you might enjoy. She is a young, beautiful lady, working her farm of 20 acres just outside of Redding. She is passionate about what she does and it shows,,,in her eyes, here glowing skin, and very dirty and worn fingernails. She educated me about chickweed and now I am looking out for other weeds that are edible in our own yard.

http://anewscafe.com/2010/04/17/to-everything-there-is-a-season-wolfgang-rougle%E2%80%99s-twining-tree-farm-winter-csa/

For Christmas I requested and received from my dear spouse a book by Arthur Lee Jacobson, [u]Wild Plants of Greater Seattle[u]. It is a great source for "weeds" that are edible. Honestly, I had to Google chickweed to find out what it was and now realize I just pulled out some of the first I have seen in this area. The book says "Chickweed is much esteemed as a wild edible plant for three solid reasons: year-round availability, great abundance, and flavor mild enough to be the single best wild lettuce-like substitute for mixed salads." He also suggests cooking it.

Because of the book I found I have Hairy Bittercress, also called shotweed or spitweed, in my garden. It is also abundant and available year round. It is in the mustard family and in the words of Mr. Jacobson, "is a delicious, nutritious wild edible, reminiscent in flavor to watercress". It is a fun addition to a salad! And, NO, Jenise, I have not served it to you, yet.

[url]For Christmas I requested and received from my dear spouse a book by Arthur Lee Jacobson, [u]Wild Plants of Greater Seattle[u]. It is a great source for "weeds" that are edible. Honestly, I had to Google chickweed to find out what it was and now realize I just pulled out some of the first I have seen in this area. The book says "Chickweed is much esteemed as a wild edible plant for three solid reasons: year-round availability, great abundance, and flavor mild enough to be the single best wild lettuce-like substitute for mixed salads." He also suggests cooking it.[/url]
Did this book come with color photos of the wild plants? The one I mentioned in my post has hand drawn sketches of the wild plants in our area, and I have not bought it because of that. Close-up photos would be much better. I'd don't want to eat the wrong thing and end up sick or worse.

[Jenise]

For Christmas I requested and received from my dear spouse a book by Arthur Lee Jacobson, [u]Wild Plants of Greater Seattle[u]. It is a great source for "weeds" that are edible. Honestly, I had to Google chickweed to find out what it was and now realize I just pulled out some of the first I have seen in this area....And, NO, Jenise, I have not served it to you, yet.

We need to take your book over to Kathy and Jack's (the Howard Johnson extended family vacation home below you and across from me). They have some serious weed problems and we might be able to relieve them of a few.

No, but Maria is welcome to come up here and harvest all she wants, particularly that is in our flower beds.

Karen,
My book has black and white drawings, as well. They are pretty detailed and I usually follow up with checking Google images, just to be sure.