Acorns, a vital Michigan local food, are nutrient-dense and versatile nuts. Though processing them is labor-intensive, they can be transformed into flavorful ingredients like nut butter and flour. Gathering acorns fosters community connections, as families come together to shell and prepare them. Recipes, such as acorn banana bread, showcase their culinary potential.

It’s that witchy time of year when the leaves blow from the trees and the winds howl through the misty October darkness. Apple cider, pumpkin carving and costume decorating is underway for the fun celebrations that fall across the last days of October. As a forager and herbalist, here’s my own Scary {but Edible!} list of …

A rose-infused vinegar spray is an effective remedy for sunburns and poison ivy rashes, promoting healing and reducing inflammation. To create it, steep rose petals in apple cider vinegar for two weeks, then strain and store. An alternative is to use chamomile tea bags in vinegar. Order “Midwest Medicinal Plants” for more remedies.

The Delectable Lilac. Gather the lilacs blossoms and bring them into the kitchen, preserving their fragrance for use in drinks, confections, and desserts. The lilac’s memorable springtime scent can be captured in an aromatic simple syrup or lilac jelly. The lilac syrup can be used in refreshing cocktail recipes, lemonades, and soda spritzers.

The dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is much more than a weed — it is a healthful salad green and important herbal medicine. As a food, dandelion should be included at the dinner table. Bitter greens such as dandelion help the stomach in digestion by increasing bile production. It’s a good spring habit to add handfuls of …

Garlic Mustard: An Edible, Bitter Green Dandelion, parsley, arugula, romaine, radicchio, endive are all delicious, bitter greens of springtime that make perfect addition to salads!  Why do bitter flavors matter? Bitter flavors of plants, while having a negative connotation to many, may be one of the keys to our wellness.  Bitter flavors help stimulate digestion, bile …

While on a trail run through the dunes of Hoffmaster State Park this summer I realized that there is no other smell reminiscent of my West Michigan lakeshore upbringing than sassafras. That aromatic, spicy rootbeer fragrance of the sassafras floats on the breeze in the dew of the morning or after a wet, damp rain. It is one …

Super stoked for tonite’s Spring Celebration in honor of The Edible Schoolyard Project. I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since I worked there for the 2000-2001 school year (Look at those #TBT pics — just beginning my delicious journey of a career)! Tonite’s event has a power-team at the helm – including chef Alice …

once you get growing, let’s freshen up our menus with recipes that blend traditional herb flavors with new twists. So, grab your clippers and head into the garden to freshen up your culinary skills – and together let us make it a goal for 2021 to “remerge” with an entirely new portfolio of flavors and favorites.

Michigan Maple Fleur de Sel Caramels  What’s more delicious that home-boiled maple syrup fresh from the sugar shack? A fleur de sel caramel made with said maple syrup, of course! These classic French-style caramels are styled similarly to a Fleur de Sel caramel. The use of maple syrup in lieu of the commonly-used corn syrup …