Fiddleheads and Leeks

Some springtime goodies from the yard...

Looking around for some fiddleheads to munch on.  Apparently Ostrich fern is the type that's best, and I know where there's a good patch of them in the back yard.

NOT Ostrich Fern.  These ones you're not supposed to eat.

These are the ones I'm after!

 In just a couple minutes of picking, I had enough for two meals.  I've read you're only supposed to take a couple from each "bunch", so you don't weaken or kill the plant.  There weren't many unfurling yet, so it was easy to avoid.  Should be a bunch more in the coming weeks.

Bag of fiddleheads.

Fiddleheads acquired, I headed back toward the house.  Lots of turkeys making racket in the distance.  Spotted a bird I've never seen before but couldn't get any pictures of it.  Drew a sketch from memory when I got back to the house, then identified it as a male rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus).  Pretty neat.  Also passed through abundant wild leeks:

Wild leeks aplenty, as usual. 

Didn't take any more than I needed, despite the thick carpet of them.  They'll be around for a while, so I can get more when I want them.

 Once I got home, I decided I'd combine the two and cook myself a foraged lunch!  It turned out excellent.  Here are a couple photos to document the (simple) process.

Fiddleheads, leek bulbs, and leek leaves.  Diced the leeks and sauteed the lot in a bit of butter.

Voila!  Mmm, mmm good!