"Wildman" To Devour the Leatherstocking Trail on November 16

from the "Wildman" Nature Program

(November 6, 2003) There's a "Wildman" in Larchmont. Naturalist "Wildman" Steve Brill, that is. Environmental educator and author, Steve lives in Mamaroneck, but roams the Leatherstocking Trail in Larchmont hunting for wild edible plants and mushrooms. Turns out this winding greenway of woodlands, wetlands, and streams is replete with common, renewable edible and medicinal species. And at 12:30 PM, Sunday, November 16, the naturalist will be leading a tour along this trail.

Geared to everyone from young children to seasoned nature-lovers, the "Wildman" tour will demonstrate how to identify, harvest ecologically, and use some of the best-tasting, renewable, late-season edible greens, herbs, and roots. And he'll season the plants with science, folklore, history, ecology, mythology, anecdotes, comedy, and humor.

The group will look for sheep sorrel, which grows in sunny areas, and tastes like lemonade. They'll also hunt for field garlic, a relative of chives with edible leaves and bulbs. Garlic mustard isn't related to garlic, but defends itself from insects with a garlic-like flavor nonetheless. Said Brill, "The defense fails when Italian insects find it." The bitter-spicy greens are great in salads, and make a superb pesto.

Common spicebush provides twigs you use for making an allspice-flavored tea. Make the tea strong enough, and it will make you perspire and help you break a fever. Mullein, another medicinal herb, has been used since the days of the ancient Greeks to make a tea for coughs. The common dandelion, bitter during warm weather, comes into its own in late fall. You can add the leaves to salads, or sauté them and simmer in sauces to make create savory dishes suitable to international cuisine. It also made Brill world famous.

In 1986, NYC undercover park rangers infiltrated one of his tours and arrested and handcuffed him for eating a dandelion in Central Park. The "Wildman" became a cause celebre in the media, and the NYC Parks Department was forced to drop the charges and hire Brill to lead the same tours he was leading when arrested. (He returned to freelance work in 1990, and now works with schools, libraries, day camps, and other organizations, and leads birthday party tours throughout the tri-state area).

Chickweed, which tastes like corn-on-the-cob, is another great vegetable for salads and cooked dishes. Sassafras, on the other hand, has been used to make root beer since Hires invented the drink in the 19th century. And black birch makes a beverage that tastes like birch beer. After heavy rain in late fall, the dead trees and logs are sometimes covered with enoki mushrooms, coveted by Japanese chefs, and oyster mushrooms, one of the best gourmet species.

The November 16 trip will be one of the last opportunities to enjoy foraging before winter sets in, and one that shouldn't be missed. You may also visit the "Wildman" at his website www.wildmanstevebrill.com. It includes lots of plants, mushrooms, and recipes, along with his photographs and artwork; press clippings, information about his work and background, and excerpts of his 2 nationally-published books: Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not-So-Wild) Places (William Morrow Publishers, 1994), and The Wild Vegetarian Cookbook (Harvard Common Press, 2002).

The 2-hour walking tour of The Leatherstocking Trail begins at 12:30 PM, Sunday, November 16, at The Sheldrake Environmental Center, 687 Weaver St. in Larchmont. The suggested donation is $10/adult, $5/child under 12. Call (914) 835-2153 24 at least 24 hours ahead to reserve a place.

Garlic Mustard Pesto

From THE WILD VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK When I served this on one of my Central Park tours, people couldn't believe how good it was, and I had to post it on my website pronto, because everyone was collecting the plant to make the recipe.

4 cloves of garlic
3 tbs. garlic mustard taproots
3/4 cups parsley
1 cup garlic mustard leaves
1 cup basil
1-1/2 cup low-sodium olives
2 cups walnuts
1 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup mellow miso
1-1/4 cups olive oil or as needed

1. Chop the garlic and garlic mustard roots in a food processor.

2. Add the parsley, garlic garlic mustard and basil and chop.

3. Add the nuts and chop coarsely.?4. Add the olive oil and miso and process until you've created a coarse paste.

Makes 4 cups

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Dandelion Columbo

From THE WILD VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK

Like the curries of India, Colombo is a traditional blend of herbs. Originating in Sri Lanka and Senegal, it migrated to the French Antilles islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. A Haitian friend described it to me, I applied it to wild dandelions in America, and I'm offering it to you. Simple!

2 tbs. peanut oil
6 cups dandelion leaves, wild or commercial chicory leaves, or other bitter greens, chopped
1 medium cauliflower, sliced
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 small hot chili peppers, seeds and ribs removed, or 1/4 tsp. cayenne hot pepper, or to taste
1 tsp. coriander, ground
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds, ground
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup silken tofu, drained
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 tbs. mellow (light-colored) miso
1/2 tsp. rum extract, or 2 tbs. rum or any wild wine or sherry (optional)

1. Sauté the dandelions, cauliflower, garlic, and chili peppers in the peanut oil 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, puree the remaining ingredients in a blender.

3. Mix the puree with the sautéed ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook another 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.

Serves 6

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