From the delicious fruits of the Staghorn Sumac, Sweet Crabapple, and the tart Callery Pear, to the deliciously savory and bitter Mugwort leaf, autumn is a great season to find foraged goodies! Fall foods tend to be warming and have some dense nutrients, all to help prepare the body for the cooler months ahead. The crabapple and the pear, used in some of the recipes below, are often best later in autumn, after the first frost. Frost helps make the sugars bioavailable, which makes them sweeter. This isn’t necessary though, since some folks (like me!) like tart, bright fruit flavors.
Foraged Piyaz Salad
- Tomatoes & Red Onion chopped (to taste – omitted in the dish pictured here due to allergies)
- 15oz. can of White Beans
- Parsley (fresh, if able, and to taste!)
- 2 tblsp. Lemon Juice
- Olive Oil, Sumac, Red Wine Vinegar, and Chopped Garlic Cloves
Combine chopped tomatoes, onions, and beans in a bowl. Stir in lemon juice and fresh parsley. The more parsley, the merrier (if you like the taste)! In a separate dish, emulsify the oil, vinegar, garlic, and sumac to drizzle on as a vinaigrette.
Staghorn Sumac grows beautiful red “horns” in the summer, and the fruits stay on until the winter (or the birds have had their way with them!). Harvest the horns, allow to dry, then use gloves or a paper towel to rub the dehydrated powder off of the fruits. You can also grind the fruits into a powder.
Crabapple-Cedar Handpies
- 1 c. Cored crabapples
- 1/2 c. Sugar or Honey
- 1/4 c. (+1tblsp.) Apple Juice
- 3 tblsp. Finely chopped (or powdered) Eastern Red Cedar leaves
- Cinnamon (to taste)
- Pie Crusts (as per any recipe, or pre-made)
- 1/4 c. Powdered Sugar
- 1 tblsp. Milk
- 1 tsp. Eastern Red Cedar Extract
While the image shows Cranberry instead of apple, both are yummy! I often make the cranberry with leftover Thanksgiving fruits.
Mix fruit and cedar in a bowl along with sweetener and apple juice to make the filling. Leave 1 tblsp. of juice to use later. Cut pie crusts into hand-sized blocks. Spoon fruit mix onto one crust, leaving the edges open, then brush some apple juice onto the open edges. Lay another crust on top of the fruit and gently press the edges together. The juice helps act like a glue. Then, use fork tines to press into the edges, creating a seal. Bake pies at 350 degrees (F) for 12-15 minutes. Add milk and Eastern Red Cedar extract to powdered sugar to create a glaze. Drizzle glaze over cooled pies, then serve!
Orange Mugwort Bitters
- 1 Orange (Blood Oranges are tasty!)
- Leaves of 2 large Mugwort stems
- 3-5 Chopped Callery Pears
- Clear Alcohol (I prefer gin, but any will work!)
Gently wash mugwort leaves, then pat dry. Chop up orange and pears into a sealable 1/2 pint jar. Add leaves and top with clear alcohol. Seal and put in a cool, dry place for 2-3 days. Take a tiny sip to taste, then, when you like it, strain liquid into a bottle. Serve as a bitters substitute in cocktails, or take a sip before a big meal to aid in digestion.
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