Hobbies And Interests
Wood Sorrel
Wood sorrel grows throughout the entire state of Indiana. It is known for having a very acidic taste, and some species taste like a lemon. Some wood sorrels are annual, others perennial. The leaves of the plant are divided into three to 10 or more top-notched leaflets. Most plants of the species have only three leaflets, which results in the plant commonly being mistaken for clover. Some wood sorrel plants have petals, varying in color from white, pink, red or yellow. The fruit on these flowered plants is a small capsule that contains seeds. When consumed, wood sorrel is usually chopped, cooked and added as flavoring to entrees. It is sometimes added to salads as well.
Cattail
Cattail is a plant with long stalks that sprout fluffy, starchy fiber on top. Cattail grows near ponds and other marshy wetlands. The fluffy fiber that grows on top is very nutritious, energy rich and full of starch. The stalks and bases of the leaves can also be consumed, although these parts are more tasteless. All parts of the cattail can be eaten raw or cooked. The plant has been known to cause skin irritation and trigger asthma in certain people, but this is not common. In Indiana, cattail is harvested form late autumn to early spring. It sprouts in the late spring and flourishes throughout the summer.
Wild Carrot
Wild carrot is a biennial plant. Wild carrot, like cultivated carrot, is edible when roots are young. Roots become too woody to consume once they begin to protrude from the ground. It grows up to one meter tall. In Indiana, the plant flowers from June to August. The umbels are pale pink before opening, then bright white in full flower. The umbels produce seeds and then dry up and detach from the plant, becoming tumbleweeds. Wild carrot resembles poison hemlock, which also has a root that smells like carrots. Wild carrot can be consumed raw or cooked. Because it is very nutritious and rich in vitamins, it is often added to herbal remedies.
Morel Mushroom
Morel mushrooms grow throughout the Midwest, including parts of northern Indiana, on hills and in forests. They are considered a delicacy, and are often used in gourmet French cuisine. Morel mushrooms can be distinguished from other species of mushrooms because of their honeycomb-like upper portion, which is a network of ridges and pits. Morel mushrooms can be consumed raw or cooked. They taste like most edible mushrooms found in the grocery store, but are more oily. Morel mushrooms are often sauteed or fried and eaten on top of bread or crackers. It is recommended that you do not extensively wash or soak morel mushrooms, since doing so results in loss of delicate flavor.