Fiddleheads

It’s always interesting to learn how foodstuffs can originate from the most unusual circumstances. Some years ago, as we walked alongside the road near our Berkshire mountain retreat, we stumbled upon a most peculiar sight, a man picking the soon-to-blossom ferns that grew amongst the slew of vegetation. We approached him out of curiosity, and he told us that these furled fronds make for an exceptional delicacy. This surprised us, as we had yet to see anything like that within the confines of the many, many supermarkets we had visited over the years. It wasn’t long before we tried our hand at picking some ourselves, and found recipes that involved cooking them in a pan with oil and garlic. The result was surprisingly enjoyable, with a nice texture and flavor that, personally, reminded me of Broccoli Rabe. Alas, we haven’t been able to find these ferns in recent years, and when we do, the fronds have long since unfurled, robbing us of that alluring spiral shape. 

    From that point on, I was under the assumption that fiddleheads were an esoteric foodstuff ignored by many, but that assumption was proved incorrect as during my daily pilgrimage to my college cafeteria, fiddleheads were being offered as a side dish. They were even prepared the same way as I remember; oil, garlic, and all. It surprised me without a doubt, but finding these culinary connections is always a pleasure.