Of wild carrots and hemlock

 Famed food forager Wildman Steve Brill came to Kent on Sunday to lead an expedition in search of wild mushrooms and other fodder. About 30 people attended his talk at Back Country Outfitters and then joined him for a walk along some back streets, along the edge of Kent Center School and its playing fields, and through some nearby farm fields.

Food safety is one of the most important parts of any talk by Brill, who lives in Westchester and does many of his forage walk/talks in New York City’s Central Park. People more and more are interested in eating locally grown foods, including many that are not cultivated. And while this can be a boon to your health if you are careful about what you choose to chew, it can have consequences that range from harmful to fatal if you aren’t absolutely sure that what you’re eating is, for example, a wild carrot and not poison hemlock.

Wild carrots were among the most plentiful foods that Brill and company dug up (literally) on the walk. Several stalks were found growing on the roadside, and many were found in the dirt along the edges of the parking lot at Kent Center School.

“Remember, if it’s wild carrot, the stem will have a slightly fuzzy feel,†Brill said. “And the root will smell like carrot. If it doesn’t, don’t eat it.â€

Wild carrot can be cut up and eaten raw, of course, but it’s very dense — a quality that makes it ideal for soups, Brill said.

Other foods that Brill showed during his talk and walk included black walnuts, whose trees are a scourge for many homeowners because of their powerful, sprawling roots. Some compensation comes in the form of the green-husked walnuts, which contain a meat that Brill said tastes like commercial walnuts mixed with red wine. To break open the husks of some walnuts that had fallen in the yard behind Back Country Outfitters, he used a large rock. The walnuts have omega-3 fatty acids and many other minerals, he promised.

“And they’re fantastic in baked goods,†he said. “You can use one part black walnut to three parts commercial walnuts, because their flavor is so strong.â€

Those who like apple pie with raisins and walnuts can combine black walnuts with wild raisins (viburnum prunifolium) — although, “they’re not very sweet this year, the weather has been too dry,†Brill said.

Black birch is easy to find in the Northwest Corner. Chew on its twigs for a refreshing bit of birch-beer flavoring — or give a twig to a teething child; the twig has anti-inflammatory powers.

With all foraged foods, Brill warned, always check to be sure that a plant is what you think it is (some guidance can be found at his website, wildmanstevebrill.com). Be aware that it is possible to overdose on products found in nature. And always ask for permission first before helping yourself to foraged foods in someone else’s backyard.

Black walnut cake

Adapted from a recipe at cooks.com

2 1/4 cups sugar

3 1/2 cups flour, sifted

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup chopped black walnuts

1/2 cup raisins

1 1/4 cups butter

1 1/4 cups whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Sift the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Cream the butter and add the eggs. Combine the dry ingredients (except the walnuts and raisins) and the liquid ingredients (not all at once but in increments). Flour the  walnuts and raisins (reserve 1/2 cup nuts for the top of the cake) and add to the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes. After you take the cakes  out of the oven, let them sit in their pans for about 10 minutes and then flip them out onto wire racks. In a perfect world, let the cakes sit overnight before you frost them (that way they won’t crumble as much). You can make a buttercream frosting if you want, but I find that canned frosting works pretty darn well (sorry, baking fans). Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining walnuts.