getting to know about mushrooms before venturing forth to pick them. She recommends the book Mushrooms De- mystified, by David Arora, as a learning tool, and checking with local myco- logical associations for safe mushroom identification. She also likes the advice of “Wildman” Steve Brill, of New York City, who publishes educational articles at WildmanSteveBrill.com. “He knows more about wild foods than anyone I know,” she says. Vermont wildcrafter Nova Kim


Fresh Food Trends Natural Trailblazers in Sustainable Eating by Melinda Hemmelgarn


Food experts have listed local, regional and sustainable foods among the top food trends for 2014. Consumers’ heightened environmental awareness and their love for fresh flavors are responsible.


T


here’s even a new term, “hyperlo- cal”, to describe produce harvest- ed fresh from onsite gardens at


restaurants, schools, supermarkets and hospitals—all designed for sourcing tasty, nutrient-rich foods minus the fuel- guzzling transportation costs. Adding emphasis to the need to preserve vital local food sources, the United Nations has designated 2014 as the Internation- al Year of Family Farming. Here are four thriving food trends resulting from shifts in Americans’ thinking and our growing love for all things local.


Foraging What could be more entertaining and economical than searching for and gath- ering wild foods in their natural habitat? From paw paws and persimmons in Mis- souri to palmetto berries in Florida and seaweed in California, Mother Nature provides a feast at her children’s feet. Commonly foraged foods include nuts,


36 Collier/Lee Counties


mushrooms, greens, herbs, fruits and even shellfish. To learn how to identify regional native wild foods and cash in on some “free” nutritious meals, foragers need to know where and when to har- vest their bounty. Conservation depart- ments and state and national parks often offer helpful field guides and recipes. Jill Nussinow, also known as The


Veggie Queen, a registered dietitian and cookbook author in Santa Rosa, Califor- nia, characterizes foraging as “nature’s treasure hunt.” Nussinow says she forages for the thrill of it and because, “It puts you very much in touch with the seasons.” On her typical foraging excursions through forests and on beaches, Nussi- now notes, “You never know what you might find: mushrooms, berries, miner’s lettuce, mustard pods or sea vegetables. It’s free food, there for the picking.” However, she warns, “You have to know what you are doing. Some wild foods can be harmful.” For example, Nussinow advises


swfl.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com


teaches her students not only how to identify wild edibles, but also how to harvest them sustainably. It’s critical to make sure wild foods will be available for future generations.


Fermentation Kefir, kimchi, kombucha and sauerkraut all owe their unique flavors to fermenta- tion. Sandor Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes From Around the World, is a self-described “fermentation revivalist”. He explains how microorganisms, such as lactic acid bacteria that are universally present on raw vegetables and in milk, transform fresh food into preserved sustenance. Katz recalls how his boyhood love


for sour pickles grew to an “obsession with all things fermented.” An abun- dant garden crop of cabbage left him wondering, “What are we going to do with all that cabbage?” The answer came naturally: “Let’s make sauerkraut.” Subsequently, Katz has become an in- ternational expert on the art and science of fermentation from wine to brine and beyond, collecting recipes and wisdom from past generations (WildFermentation. com). He observes, “Every single culture enjoys fermented foods.” Increasing respect and rever- ence for fermented foods and related communities of beneficial microor- ganisms is a new frontier in nutrition and medical sciences. For example, several researchers at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual meeting last fall in Houston, Texas, described the connections between the trillions of bacteria living in the human gut, known as the “microbiota”, and men- tal and physical health. Kelly Tappen- den, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition and


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72