Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Fiddleheads?

I see on myfishfinder.com the Maine category is singing the praises of "fiddleheads," obviously some kind of plant that is harvested as it first emerges from the forest floor. Here's a pic of them:



Anyone familiar with these and can shed anymore light on what exactly they are? I suppose I could do an Internet search but it's more fun to ask here.

Conversely I asked them if they had morels up there and it doesn't sound like they even really know what they are. Do the forests of New England have them? We're nuts about them here in the midwest.

Here's what they look like for those of you that don't know:

Here I thought you were going to try an new plant in your pond. Fiddleheads are to eat, aren't they? Salt, pepper, and a bit of olive oil, I am with you on those mushrooms, Cecil!

Fiddleheads are ferns that haven't folded out yet.

Yes they eat them.

Ah ha!

Don't you have to boil them to get the poison slime off?

Thought I saw that on Survivor Man or Man vs. Wild.

I think it is the bugs and microbes you have to boil it for. I dont think they are poisonous.

I'll just stick with my Broccoli and other greens. I had some really good Broccoli-Cheese Soup last week. Would have gone really well with a Grilled Head Cheese Sandwich. Oh well...

I had these several years ago at a restaurant in upstate New York. I don't remember the exact taste but during the meal we discussed that if you like asparagus and brocolli and similar veggies you would like these. I remember that they were mild and tender.

I don't think they hunt morels much up east but my daughter-in-law found a bunch in her forested back yard in suburban Boston a few years ago. She called me to verify if they were the good kind or the bad kind and since we were due fly up there a couple of days later I had her hold off until we got there. They were delicious. Clever of me huh!

How many tons would you guys like?

That was clever!

We are starting to get a few Morels up here also. They are only showing up where the thickness of the overgrowth has been cleaned up, and I notice them on the North West side of things.

I still have a long way to go to open this area up. Sun dont shine through in parts, and a bunch of it stays frozen much longer, like into late April, early May.

The are better tasting if you deep fry them in bacon grease or lard.

The are better tasting if you deep fry them in bacon grease or lard. Be careful because they spit, sputter and pop a lot when you drop them in the hot grease.

I'd bet even mountain oysters would taste good if fried in bacon grease. (no I haven't tried them)

For that matter, what wouldn't taste better after being fried in bacon grease or lard??!!

And judging by the smiles on their faces, they may well also use lard in creative ways which follow on with them being in love!

I puked into my mouth just a little bit.

Thanks Todd.

Sunil you are just so innocent and protected.

Lard slathering? Thinking like that you could be president one day.

Just doing my part to help, one little bit at a time.

If I could just figure out how to work a cigar into that equation. . .

That's lard those political critters are slinging around? I thought it was mud! Must be some really filthy lard!

A lard powered cigar candle...

We might just be able to market something like that!

You have to cook the fiddleheads first to remove the skikimic acid, a type of tannin which makes them very bitter if not cooked properly. Boiling for about 5 minutes, changing the water and then boiling another 5 minutes will remove the acidic properties. Fiddleheads taste a bit like a combination of brussel sprouts and broccoli. I've heard they are very healthy for you, as are most "green" things. Acorns for oak trees are similar in the need to cook them first, especially those acorns from the red oak family. White oak species have less tannins are a sweeter, some trees produce acorns so sweet you can eat them raw. Red oak acorns if boiled in 3-4 changes of water are palatable and if then roasted and ground make a very tasty and nutritious flour. Many Native American tribes in the east relied heavily on acorn crops, especially before agriculture became more prevalent.

Morels do grow in the east. I am not sure they are quite as common as they are in the wooded areas of the Midwest. I have found some, but I can't ever seem to find enough consistently to make meals out of them. Perhaps my hunting grounds are not as good as I know a few who have better luck. Morels have specific habitat types they prefer.

I ate a couple of post oak acorns this year to see how they tasted and why deer liked them so much. They were OK and I didn't get a belly ache or grow a third ear.