Spring in New Brunswick means mayflowers and fiddleheads.
Mayflowers are tiny pink or white flowers that grow wild in the woods. They are very small and very fragrant. When I was young I would go every spring with my grandparents for a muddy tramp through the woods searching under trees for these tiny flowers. They are only around for a few weeks and the smell is wonderful. Sadly the place we use to go to pick them has since been developed and I haven't the faintest clue where to get them in the wild now. I am forced to pay outrageous prices for two small tinfoil wrapped bunches at the Farmer's Market - one for me and one for my Gram.
Fiddleheads:
Few things make my mouth water like the thought of fiddleheads. They are only available for brief time in the spring and are a New Brunswick delicacy. For those of you who thought a fiddlehead was only the end of a violin here is a picture of a fiddlehead in the wild.
Yes, it is a baby fern, and yes we eat them – by the bucket.
When they are cleaned and steamed and ready to eat they are the most brilliant and appetizing shade of green. They have a taste that is described as being similar to spinach or asparagus. The first time I had asparagus I thought it tasted almost like fiddleheads.
They are eaten with lots of butter, garlic butter, lemon juice or vinegar. (I prefer just butter with just a bit of vinegar.) I have never prepared them any way but steamed, why mess with perfection, but I am anxious to try a fiddlehead chowder recipe I found.
If we manage to save any in the spring we freeze them for special occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Like anything, they are not as good from frozen as they are when they are fresh. I’ve heard that McCain’s sells frozen fiddleheads at the grocery store so if you are not fortunate enough to live in the Maritimes or New England then you can try to find them at the store.
I'm going to have to make a trip to market this weekend to see if either are available yet.
1 comment:
You're true New Brunswick girl! Being from "Upper Canada", I would have never mentioned fiddleheads, despite the fact that they are tremendously YUMMY! You know that I'm going to have to go and check in the woods tomorrow now, don't you? ; )
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