[Sca-cooks] Siege Cooking Contest this morning

[ranvaig at columbus.rr.com]

>2) Also if something similar were done at Pennsic, what would there be to
>choose from?  In thinking over the Pennsic site, it seems to me that there
>are dandelions there.  What about blackberries, raspberries, asparagus,
>roses, violets, angelica, carrots, clover, elderberries, cress, garlic,
>dill, onions, daylilies, honeysuckle, mint, ramps, lettuce, oats, mustard,
>turnips, parsnip, dianthus, strawberries, purslane, pokeweed, yarrow,
>sunflowers, sorrel, fruit trees, willows?

But what was available wild to our personas??

There is also the issue of what is in season.... I'm sure you would 
find dandelion, but they are most edible in the early spring, they 
will taste VERY bitter in August.  Lettuce too.  Asparagus is a 
spring food.  Day lily flowers and buds are pretty much over by Aug, 
are the roots edible too?  Raspberries tend to be spring and Sept, I 
think you wouldn't find many in the heat of August. August is a bit 
early for most nuts.

Some other things to look for are burdock, nettle (but again, mostly 
in spring), chicory (spring), clover, nuts, acorns, dock, cattails, 
watercress, chamomile, mallow, rose hips, pokeweed, lambs quarters, 
amaranth,  gooseberries, currants, I've found garlic mustard listed 
as edible, but I don't like the taste or smell.

Ranvaig