A Forager's Feast

How to Bag Groceries [START FREE TRIAL]( or [LOG IN]( [America's Test Kitchen: Notes from the Test Kitchen]( [America's Test Kitchen: Notes from the Test Kitchen]( [FIND RECIPES ›]( June 28, 2024 [A collection of recipes from this newsletter]( [A collection of recipes from this newsletter]( What’s New at ATK [Groceries]( How to Bag Groceries, According to an Expert The Winner of the National Grocers Association’s Best Bagging Competition shares her secrets. [Read more →]( Should You Wash Mushrooms? Some sources insist yes; others say no. [We tell you exactly what you need to know. →]( A Note From Our Test Cooks [New-School Sautéed Mushrooms; Hannah Crowley's Headshot]( A Forager’s Feast From Hannah Crowley, Executive Editor ATK Reviews They say a bad day fishing is still better than a good day in the office, and for me, gathering wild food feels the same way. I can’t tell you how many miles I’ve hiked, tripping over roots hunting for culinary delights, only to emerge empty-handed. But when you do find something? Pure delight! I found morels for the first time this year and am still riding the high. At home I riffed [on this recipe]( from [my pal Lan](. A pile of mushrooms with crusty bread for dinner never hit so good. Chanterelles are popping near me in Vermont now, and watercress. If the stars align, I will be having more gorgeous piles of buttery mushrooms for dinner (for free!), alongside this [beet salad with watercress](. I started gathering wild foods 15 years ago and have slowly added new specimens to my repertoire ever since. [My mentors]( ship their finds, gathered from the woods of Vermont, if you can’t or don’t want to gather on your own. But pure beginners can enjoy nature’s delights—you just have to get out there. Here are a few tips to get started: - Get a guidebook local to your area; broader ones won’t be as fruitful (literally) to your gathering. [This is the one I use](. - Apps such as [Picture This]( can help with basic IDs, and it’s nice to not have to tote a guidebook around the forest. - Always cross-check with several sources, and if possible an expert, before eating anything. - Facebook groups local to your area can be a fount of information. This year, I watched other local morel hunters post their hauls and knew it was time to get out there. - Learn to collect each plant respectfully. Some are invasive and you can take as much as you want, while others need to be intentionally harvested or left completely alone. - For mushrooms, start with “[The Safe Six]( six mushrooms without dangerous lookalikes. Happy hunting! Members get every recipe, review, and video. Get instant access to everything from the most trusted cooking experts. [Start your 2-week free trial](. Getting Fungi [Our Guide to Fresh Mushrooms →]( [New-School Sautéed Mushrooms →]( [Pasta for Mushroom Lovers →]( Peak Produce [How to Store Fruits and Vegetables →]( [Showcase Your Fruit in a Grunt, Slump or Buckle →]( [Get the Most Out of a Summer Vegetable Gratin →]( Serve Up Something Refreshing [Napa Cabbage Salad →]( [Thai-Style Chicken Salad with Mango →]( [Chilled Soba Noodles with Cucumber, Snow Peas, and Radishes →]( [Try Digital All Access. 14,000+ Reliable Recipes, Tips and Tricks, Mobile App, 8,000+ Product Reviews, Cookbook Collection. Taste the Test Kitchen difference in everything you make. Get 14 Days Free. Salmon Piccata.]( [Mushrooms]( From Our Online Cooking School Mushrooms 101 Expand your mushroom horizons and learn about other types of mushrooms you might find in your grocery store or at your farmers’ market this summer. 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