Why? Because you can! And pickle, and jam, or otherwise celebrate the resurgence of the domestic arts our forebears held so dear. Put on your best apron and step into our kitchen, won't you?
If you think that gathering stinging nettles is not your cup of tea, I hope to change your mind. Nettles are one of the first things that can be foraged, at the first sign of spring, and they are extremely plentiful. Even kids can join in!
This is how I made a really tasty wild nettles beer with foraged stinging nettles and a wild culture. It was pretty simple, and came out like a nice IPA!
Native Americans as well as the Scottish discovered that stinging nettle can be used instead of stomach enzymes to make an very herbal softer to semi-hard cheese like a feta or gouda. Coexist with stinging nettles and make cheese!
Vegetable rennet is a natural enzyme that coagulates milk and separates the curds and whey when you are making cheese. The main ingredient for homemade vegetable rennet may be growing in your backyard or a forest nearby.
How to identify and forage stinging nettles, with a recipe for Scandinavian nettle soup, nasselsoppa. (Guest post on Culinate.com by Heather Arndt Anderson of Voodoo & Sauce.)
