A few weeks ago I wrote about serving fiddleheads when my sister was visiting, and lots of people told me they had to consult Google to figure out what in Sam Hill I was talking about…
I’m here with answers!
Fiddleheads are the tightly coiled fronds of the ostrich fern, and they pop up in boggy/flooded freshwater areas in early spring—right when the snowmelt recedes and water levels in rivers start to drop. The timing is very specific and varies year to year (depending on temperature, the amount of snow that fell over the winter). Within a week it can go from nothing… to too late and already unfurled into fern mode (when they’re no longer edible). Foragers have to go out multiple times in the season to catch them at just the right moment.
They’re a seasonal delicacy in Eastern Canada (and I think parts of New England too). They taste kind of like grass and asparagus. They’re earthy and a bit… nutty? I’ve never really tried to think too hard about what they taste like; they’re delicious. Apparently they’re also full of antioxidants and omega-3s.
Both kids love them, and so does most of my extended family. When my niece came to visit she requested fiddleheads for breakfast (we had them for supper instead).
My mom blanches giant pots full of them and freezes them, and we steam them throughout the winter. I like mine topped with butter, salt, and pepper. Sometimes I’ll add a splash of white vinegar.
They’re expensive in stores, and I’ve never actually bought them. I’m lucky enough to have someone who knows where to go 😉
Part of what makes them so special is they can’t be cultivated commercially. They only grow in the wild, and only in certain places. People find their “spot” and go back year after year. My dad has been going to the same place for decades: it’s a 45-minute drive, then a 25-minute canoe paddle out to a little island in the middle of a river. (The pictures above are of a spring we took Belle out!) In other words… it’s a whole thing. But he harvests buckets full and it’s an annual adventure.
Some quick safety notes:
- Ostrich ferns are edible. Most ferns are not!!!
- Fiddleheads must be cooked. They’re toxic if eaten raw.
And there you have it! Fiddleheads 101.
- Has anyone reading here had fiddleheads before?
Header photo by The Matter of Food on Unsplash
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Oh my goodness, that’s what fiddleheads are!!! Now I’m wondering – what about fiddlesticks? Are they also something edible??
I love the treasure-vibe around the whole thing – a 45-minute drive plus a canoe paddle to a secret island spot sounds perfect. No wonder the kids love them – it would never taste the same if you were to buy it in a grocery store.
Thanks for filling my education gap, Elisabeth!
Fiddlesticks are instruments!
I have never heard of fiddleheads before. I’ve just had a quick Google and the only way they’re available in the UK is to ship them from Canada or pickled, in a jar for about £50! How interesting.
Eeks! Those are expensive!!!!
Yes, they grow here in Mid-Atlantic Virginia, US. We don’t have quite the extravaganza that your family does, but we like to pick a few for a side at one meal each spring. Yummy!
Fun! They really are delicious! And there is something whimsical (to me) about foraging food. It’s not very common in modern society and there is something uniquely satisfying.
I’ve heard of fiddleheads but never eaten them. I’ll definitely try them if I ever get a chance! I love the story fo your dad going out in a canoe, which makes them extra-special. And I love how your niece wanted them for breakfast, ha.
They’re delicious, Jenny! Definitely try them if you ever see them on a menu!
I was on this planet for 50.5 years before learning that fiddleheads were a thing. I’m putting them on my list for my next visit to NS! I know some people…
I will HOOK YOU UP, Birchie!
I’ve never heard of eating them. I’ve seen them and thought they were cool looking, but I’ve never eaten one.
Around here they go harvesting for Ramps — they are like an onion. And a lot of people go foraging for those and sell them on the street corner in bundles. They are around in late spring. I’ve tasted them and to me they have a very strong onion taste that I am not fond of.
Ramps! That’s a new one for me!
There is a local hair salon that specializes in curly hair named “Fiddleheads”, which I always thought was brilliant! 🙂
I hope to try fiddleheads one day!
That’s hilarious! And very fitting! They are tightly coiled and I can see the resemblance to curls 🙂
To quote Jess Mariano, learn something new every day! I’d never heard of them before!
They’re a niche item that only grow in a few places, so it makes sense these haven’t crossed your radar.
That is so interesting. Foraging is a skill that should be passed on.
I used to have a canoe just like that. Sold it with my car, because Momscar doesn’t have a rack on top to transport it. Aging is about loss. . . (Yep, it is my car now, but its name is “Momscar” because she gave it to me, and it isn’t cool like my old car.)
The 2nd wildflower that appears here in winter is the fiddleneck.
P.S. Your Patreon site won’t load. Is it because they got in a fight with DuckDuckGo or is something broken there?
Hmmm. I haven’t had anyone else say Patreon isn’t working and I know people were able to view today’s post. I’m flummoxed, Jana. Let me know if it’s still not working by Thursday and I will see what I can do!
Aside from fiddleheads, I don’t know how to forage anything!
We also used to collect fiddleheads on my parents land when we were kids, but haven’t done it for a few years now. You have given me the desire to get out there this spring and do it again. We never froze them though, just ate what we picked.
They are best fresh, FOR SURE. My parents just collect so many there’s no way they can consume them all fresh! My favourite “feeds” are always when they’re freshly picked. SO GOOD!
I have never eaten a fiddlehead fern, but I know what they are. The way you described how they taste is exactly what I would have expected. They sound sort of good to me.
They’re delicious!!
I was today years old when I learned about fiddleheads. I love it! If I just heard the name, I would assume it’s something to with a violin or a similar instrument.
If I ever have the opportunity, I will certainly try them.
They really are delicious!
Interesting. Never heard of them before.
They’re not widely available so this makes sense! But they really are delicious!
I was one of those people who had to Google fiddleheads while reading the post about your sister’s visit. Thanks for the extra information. Do you think you will be able to keep up the tradition of fiddlehead foraging if your dad can’t?
Sadly, no. I don’t know if they grow anywhere in Nova Scotia? If so, I don’t have intel on where. I think I will try to buy one “feed” of them each season after my parents no longer harvest them.
I have heard of fiddleheads before, and have seen them very occasionally in our grocery store, but I have always found them kind of intimidating. Something about their shape maybe??? I loved reading this post and learning about them! Grass and asparagus flavor sounds kind of appealing and I think it’s so cool that they can’t be grown commercially.
They’re really delicious and look so unusual! I’m fascinated to hear you’ve seen them at the grocery store (it would only be occasionally because there is such a short season). Let me know what you think if you ever get to try them!
I had never heard of them but they sound delicious since they are similar to asparagus, which I love. When I was growing up, the only asparagus we ate was the asparagus that grew wild in the ditches by our house. Even though it was on private land, there were people who would sneakily come and pick asparagus which is NOT COOL! Now I only eat asparagus from the grocery store which is still good, of course. But I miss the days of wild-harvested asparagus!
I’ve heard of wild asparagus but know nothing about it and certainly didn’t know it was a thing that was accessible to forage in North America. This is so cool! (Not cool people took it, though!!)
I have heard of these, and never really knew what they were/took the time to investigate. But this was fascinating! I’m wary of things that taste like the color green, but this is such a cool concept/thing I might have to be brave and try them if ever given the chance 🙂
I also had to consult google – I have seen them but didn’t know you can eat them. What do they taste like?
They’re so delicious. A bit hard to describe; grassy? A bit like asparagus? But also unique! They’re delicious.