Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Cossack Asparagus


My foray into cattail harvesting happened, admittedly, after I had departed Ukraine. It wasn’t until I was harvesting young shoots in the spring, and cattail pollen in the early summer, that I began to learn about the way in which the cattail and Ukraine are deeply connected. Also known as “Cossack asparagus,” a wild edible’s guide to the plants of Poland (Dzikie Rosliny Jadalne Polski: Przewodnik Survivalowy) notes that a 19th century traveler to Ukraine commented that, “cattails were eaten in spring with religious passion, and they were visible everywhere, stacked in each yard.” A simple search into cattail as an edible pulled up multiple references to Cossack asparagus and traditional recipes.


For my first attempt, we gathered small shoots, cleaned and washed, and served a simple sauté with stinging nettle. Though the fall doesn't present as many opportunities for harvesting shoots and pollen, the rhizomes are busy storing food to make it through the winter months. Next time I travel through Ukraine, I will certainly be looking for evidence of this past tradition!


2 comments:

  1. As Montezuma, NY, Town Historian I invited Linda Norris as a consultant to help our historical society develop an Interpretative Plan. I remember during our discussion on the natural resources, the plant "flag" or cattails came up. I was aware of its uses during the early 20th century for paper making, furniture making and barrel stays, but until this post was unaware of its source as an edible plant. This led me to finding an interesting 1954 Charleston, SC newspaper article about studies done on the plant at nearby Syracuse University. So thank you, Pickle Project for enlightening me to cattail cuisine

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  2. Thanks for the information..specially those on pickle

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