Wild GourmetShow "Picking Cattail Shoots" Part 1

In part 1 Chef Lee Gray Takes you out to a swamp to pick cattail shoots in the wilds of the Oregon coast.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Wild
• Foods

[lbrewer42]

He also forgot to say that when you eat cattail shoots, they have a slightly numbing effect on your tongue, throat, etc. Its almost like the stuff the dentist uses to numb the area that he will apply a novocaine shot to. Cattail is delicious though.

[wildgourmetblog]

If you got that numbing or stinging sensation then you were not eating cattail but on of the wild iris's, that look very similar that also grow wild in amongst the cattail. You need to be carfefull not to confuse the two because the iris is very toxic. I show you the diference in my video you need to go back and watch again. It is all green with no blue tinge. Try again but don't kill yourself. Good luck. Keep eating wild but be safe!!!

[lbrewer42]

Unfortunately some pencil pushing probably-never-been-outdoors-i­n-their-life beaurocrat in Harrisburg made it a 50.00 fine per cattail that you pick in the state of PA. The excuse was that it destroys the natural wetlands. Even those in a roadside ditch are illegal to pick!

[wildgourmetblog]

You should write a letter to them and inform them that the the plant has rizomes under the surface of the mud and the cattail shoot is the same as pick ing a rose from a rose bush, or harvesting from any other plant. The more you pick from the plant the better it grows. Its called prunning. The only resaon they've posted a fine to this is to rip off the public for anyone smart enough to be able to pick food for themselves.

[Snowwarrior]

incredible video

[wildgourmetblog]

Thanks I'm glad you enjoy my videos. It's your comments that make it all worth while

[Eriana0]

Thanks for showing me the difference between the Iris and the Cattail! Everything I read told me that one was poison and the other was not, but they never told me how to tell the two apart. Thanks so much! :D

[84HarleyD]

Thanks for the wonderful lesson. For anyone watching this video, Lee's part 2 has valuable & important information on choosing locations for gathering. I really learned a great deal from the 2 videos. I have a fair amount of wetland areas on my ranch and can't wait till spring to try this out. 3 feet of snow and sub-zero temps are kinda hindering my curiosities right now. :) Thanks, Lee!

[wildernesswikiup14]

the "punks" those heads, those can be eaten to help stop internal and external bleeding, and the cattail root contains 10X more starch than potatoes. also the cattail stalks can be used for arrow shafts. it really is an amazing plant

[tigersire]

Great video. Hope to take some of your classes soon.