Clay's Corner: Autumn Wild Edibles

Passion Fruit

Also known as Maypops, both the fruit and stunningly beautiful flowers of this common vine are edible. The flowers are widely used in supplements and are thought to ease anxiety and cure insomnia. However, the real treat is the fruit that ripen in early fall. Once the round or oval shaped fruit have become heavy and turned from green to pale yellow, break them open to reveal candy-coated seeds of a flavor you won’t soon forget.

american persimmon

American persimmons are abundant in the eastern US, from Texas to Connecticut. The fruit do not require a frost to be edible, as many have prescribed, but they must be ripe. They are ready for recipes or to be eaten from the tree when they are orange, soft to mushy and sometimes with wrinkled skin. Unripe persimmons are extremely astringent and will have a lasting, bitter flavor. Each fruit will have several seeds to be discarded. They can be eaten raw and many Thanksgiving tables have been adorned with persimmon pudding or bread.

chanterelles

Chanterelles are among the most sought-after of the wild, edible mushrooms. Most are orange or yellow, funnel shaped and meaty. They have smooth, sometimes wavy caps. Instead of gills, the undersides have rounded, forked folds that run most of the way down the stem, which tapers away from the cap seamlessly. Chanterelles can be stir-fried, cooked with eggs or added to soups and stews. A level of caution is strongly encouraged here. Mistaken mushroom identification can have severe and irreversible consequences. While chanterelles are easy to identify, they do have some similar lookalikes that are not at all toothsome. You won’t regret taking an experienced guide on your first foray for chanterelles.

Black walnut

The Eastern American Black Walnut is a native, deciduous tree growing mostly in stream and river corridors along the East Coast. After a significant drying and shelling process the nuts are enjoyable raw and have a sweet, earthy flavor. They are delightful in a salad or over ice cream. Other recipies involve baking with whole walnuts or grinding them into flour. Custom walnut crackers are available online but my preferred method is with a hammer and an anvil by the woodstove on a rainy, winter day.

pawpaw

There’s a good chance you have never heard of, much less seen or eaten a pawpaw. They may be one of Americas best kept secrets and are only native to the eastern half of the country. Pawpaws are the largest edible fruit native to North America and will leave you wishing their sweet, banana, mango, custard-like flavor was more abundant. They can be found in the understory of lowland forests and are fond of damp areas. The fruit are large, up to 6 inches, and often eaten raw but would make a delightful ice cream or baked dessert.