In a recent post, I wrote about my coming of age as a forager, marked by my ability to recognize wild chicory. Now I thought it would be interesting to show what happens when chicory comes of age.
It’s late spring and the edible wild plants have pretty much closed up shop, shedding their tender leaves for the season. And where all that tasty chicory was growing in my front yard, there is now this delightful display of purple-blue flowers.
I have seen these cheery blossoms a thousand times. They sport their beauty in the early morning, but by mid-day, there’s not a trace of bloom – only their stiff, twisty stems. In my growing consciousness, I now recognize that they are: a) not weeds, and b) the inevitable manifestation of a beloved plant as it moves along its life cycle.
What we see is one thing, but what we recognize can be another – particularly regarding outer appearances over time. An intimate acquaintance with edible wild plants reminds me of that.
And if somehow, you hadn’t heard, my new book, Breaking Bread in Galilee – A Culinary Journey into the Promised Land, is now available. Be the first on your block to read it!
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