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Foraging: Tree strawberry and dandelion wines

I'm a forager. In the summer, I can eat my daily serving of fruit by walking Berkeley's streets. I've exchanged my garden herbs for fruit via Forage Oakland.

In my neighborhood, the fruits of the strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo) are ripening. Verifying the edible nature of the fruit, I discovered a blog entry at Algarve Buzz about Aguardente de Medronho, a Portuguese wine made from the fruit.

Another common urban plant is the dandelion. I have yet to forage the dandelion because of its growing sites -- sidewalk planting strips where dogs often urinate. Did you know that wine can be brewed from dandelion?! Felicity at Thrifty Living writes about the process here.

Note: This entry has been cross-posted.

Comments

Karen said…
Dandelions have a ton of botanical and medicinal uses, I just never think to eat them since as you say they grow where they have been "fertilized" by pets or are otherwise chemically altered. My grandad used to roast their roots and grind them up for a kind of coffee substitute during the depression, and young leaves are supposed to be less bitter and full of good vitamins for a salad addition. I just planted a strawberry tree, not sure if the fruit is tasty but at least it's not poisonous and I hope the birds enjoy them. What else are you foraging these days?
Georgia said…
Was foraging plums - purple, red, yellow.
Anonymous said…
i never seen this fruit.