By Nikki Fotheringham

Not so long ago, foraging was a part of everyday life. I’ll bet your grandma and great-grandma would forage for seasonal staples like strawberries in the spring, and mushrooms and apples in the fall. It’s a beautiful, rewarding art that I encourage you to revive in your own household.

For my new book, Taste Buds, I’ve referenced common variety plants and flowers that should be a piece of cake to identify. Most are found in the garden but some, like sumac and cattails, grow in the wild, and you will need to forage for them.

If you’re new to foraging, let’s start with the first rule: Don’t eat any part of a plant unless you’ve made a positive identification of it. I’ve chosen ubiquitous flowers that don’t have poisonous doppelgangers, but always use a field guide to make a positive identification. If you’re unsure, err on the side of caution and don’t consume the plant.

Another cardinal rule of foraging is that it must be done with respect. When you forage properly, you don’t leave the forests and meadows in a poorer state. Proper foraging can encourage growth in some plants, but it should never lead to the disappearance of our favourite flowers.

The over-foraging of wild leeks (also known as ramps) is a classic example. Ramps (Allium tricoccum) belong to the same family as onions and garlic but are not farmed. They are wild and ephemeral with a very short season. When ramps became a popular gourmet ingredient, wild ramp patches were overharvested by people who didn’t know how to harvest responsibly. They were almost entirely eradicated throughout Canada. The areas where they grew were left exposed, allowing invasive species to take hold.

Whatever plant you’re harvesting, stick to these basic principles:

• Forage only what you need and never damage the plant.
• Only harvest a maximum of ten percent of the available bounty.
• Never harvest the first or last flowers you find. These are for bees and other pollinators.

Before you pick a flower, inspect it carefully and shake it gently to ensure any bugs are set free. You can provide homes for bugs by leaving the leaves of the plants behind, as many bugs lay their eggs on the leaves. You can also install nests and bat boxes to increase habitat options for some of the locals.

Consider giving back to the land by removing invasive species when you come across them, and providing water, food and flowers for pollinators, birds and other woodland creatures.

Make sure you harvest your flowers in areas where they have not been exposed to pesticides, but if you’re in any doubt, wash them thoroughly. Washing them in cold water will remove most pesticide residue, and you can make certain by adding 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of baking soda and a squeeze of lemon juice to your rinsing water.

If you want to save the flowers for future use, gently pat them dry with a paper towel after washing, and then freeze them in a freezer bag for up to three months.

You can also lay the clean flowers out on a paper towel to dry over several days. I press flowers between two sheets of paper towel and a couple of cookbooks to use as decorations on cakes and other baked goods.

The final thing to consider, especially in cities, is pets. Those park dandelions may look delectable, but they’ve probably been peed on by more than a couple of dogs, so I wouldn’t recommend using them in a salad!

Responsibly living off the land has sustained our species for millions of years, and when done with respect, will keep the meadows and woodlands healthy and happy. You can enjoy a wonderfully beneficial and reciprocal relationship with your garden and all the creatures who call it home. I hope you will enjoy learning about edible flowers, harvesting them and bringing their beauty into your life.

I use both violets and pansies in my spring and summer dishes. I love their happy little faces and plant them all over my garden and in tubs on the porch. In addition to cooking and baking with them, I add them to salads, decorate cakes with them, press them for winter projects, and candy them for kicks.

Pansy Fresh Spring Rolls

Serves 8

These sweet little rolls are a healthier alternative to fried spring rolls. Play around with the fresh ingredients to find the flavour combo you love best. I’ve used pansies here as they have a fresh, subtle taste, but feel free to experiment with other flowers. Nasturtiums will add a spicy kick, while marigolds will add a sour edge. The peanut dipping sauce is my favourite, but you can also serve them with a sweet chili sauce.

Ingredients for the Rolls

4 green onions, julienned

1 carrot, grated

1 mango, julienned

½ purple cabbage, thinly sliced

½ cup (125 ml) basil leaves

½ cup (125 ml) cilantro leaves

8 rice-paper wrappers

1 cup (250 ml) pansies, washed and dried (see page 45), stems removed

1 (8.8 oz/250 g) package rice noodles, cooked

1 cup (250 ml) cooked shrimp (optional)

Ingredients for the Dip

½ cup (125 ml) creamy peanut butter

1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

¼ cup (60 ml) water

1 Tbsp (15 ml) honey

1 tsp (5 ml) rice vinegar

1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce

Method

1. Place the green onions, carrots, mango, cabbage, basil and cilantro in a medium bowl and mix to combine.
2. Dip a wrapper in a pie plate filled with lukewarm water for 15 seconds and lay it on a plate carefully so it doesn’t stick to itself.
3. Place 1/8 of the pansies in a row down the centre.
4. Add 1/8 of the rice noodles and then 1/8 of the veggies and 1/8 of the shrimp, if you’re using them.
5. Fold up the bottom of the wrapper and stick it down on the sides. Fold down the top and stick it to the sides. Wrap the left side over the filling, then wrap the right side over the top, pressing gently to ensure it all sticks together.
6. To make the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and serve on the side.

Excerpted from Taste Buds by Nikki Fotheringham. Copyright © 2024 Nikki Fotheringham. Photographs by Laura Berman.
Published by Appetite an imprint of Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.