 Although I haven't been able to find any of the wood sorrels, luckily I was able to locate sheep sorrel (also known as schav), which has a flavor similar to unsweetened lemonade. In early Spring, sheep sorrel appears as a basal rosette. From a distance it looks a bit like a broad grass and in fact the leafstalks are quite grass-like, being broader than they are deep and having a center rib. From the end of each leafstalk grows a glossy three lobed leaf, the middle lobe of which is thin and arrow shaped, and the two lower lobes are small, narrow and are perpendicular to the leaf stalk, though they often curl inward. Examined closely, the leaves have a stippled appearance. Sheep sorrel is most commonly found in gardens, abandoned fields and disturbed areas. (Right: Sheep Sorrel by wide eyed lib)
Some people think that the leaf, held upside down, resembles a sheep or cow's face, with the smaller lobes representing the ears, and this is where the common name comes from. This resemblence is strongest when the leaves are small because as the plant grows, the leaves get longer and thinner and the resemblance becomes tenuous at best.
Later in Spring, sheep sorrel develops an upright, leaf-studded flower stalk nearly 2 feet tall. Tiny rusty red flowers form long, narrow spikes shortly thereafter, followed by round, shiny, yellow-brown fruits that are easily overlooked due to their small size.
Sheep sorrel grows in all 50 U.S. states, Greenland and the southern Canadian provinces, as well as many other places throughout the world. It is the main component (along with egg) in the traditional Jewish soup called schav and a very different sorrel soup that is very popular in France. Sorrel leaves can be eaten raw and do not get more bitter as the plant grows. They add a wonderful bright flavor to any dish. For a delicious summertime treat, lightly crush about a cup of raw leaves and steep in 4-5 cups of water. Once the water is infused to taste, strain and sweeten. (Above: Sheep Sorrel Leaf Detail by wide eyed lib)
Because sheep sorrel, like wood sorrel, contains oxalic acid, it is perhaps best avoided by anyone suffering from kidney disease or rheumatoid arthritis.
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 Found all over the Eastern half of the U.S. and Canada, the common blue violet is a delicious and sadly under-appreciated wild edible. The heart-shaped, lightly toothed leaves appear as a bright green, basal rosette in early Spring, and the earliest leaves gently curl into themselves. (Right: Common Blue Violets by wide eyed lib)
By mid-Spring, the five-petaled flowers have appeared. Interestingly, these Spring flowers are sterile, and in autumn violets develop an inconspicious brown flower close to ground-level. This flower is self-pollinating, and will only open once the seeds inside are mature. The leaves, stems and Spring flowers are edible, but the brown autumn flowers and all underground parts are not. (The rhizome is in fact quite poisonous.)
 Violet leaves have an ultra-mild peppery flavor and are delicious raw or briefly cooked. When cooked, they have a slight thickening ability. They are best gathered in Spring or early Summer before the leaves get too large and tough. The Spring flowers don't have a great deal of flavor but look beautiful in salads and as a garnish. The leaves and flowers can also be dried and used at any time of year. (Left: Blue/White Violet Hybrid by wide eyed lib)
Although the blue violet is the most common, white violets and various white/blue hybrids are widespread and equally edible. However, if you should find any yellow violets, please show your appreciation for their beauty by leaving them be. They're quite rare.
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 Mugwort is one of those plants that you can eat utterly without guilt. In fact, you'll probably be doing the area a favor. Mugwort is highly invasive in the Eastern half of the U.S., along and the West Coast and throughout Southern Canada. Thus far, the Southwest and parts of the Great Plains have been spared. Mugwort loves sunny, disturbed areas, and forms dense, monoculture stands because its roots release an herbicide into the soil. (right: Mugwort With Winter Stems by wide eyed lib)
Mugwort is a tall, downy-stemmed perennial originally from Asia. It has pointed, deeply divided leaves cut into many lobes, dark green on top and wooly and silvery on the reverse. In early Spring the young leaves have a blue cast. Come Summer, mugwort will develop leafy upright spikes which will burst into vast quantities of tiny, green flowers. Although frost will kill the plant to the ground, the tall flower stalks often survive the winter and tower over the growing plants the following year.
 Raw, mugwort has a musty flavor that some people might find unpleasant, although I don't. I like it mixed with other herbs and sprinkled over hot pasta that's been drizzled with olive oil. It's a well-known ingredient for herbal tea in some cultures where it's known for its warming properties, and it also causes certain people to have particularly vivid dreams. Sadly, I don't seem to be one of them. It's also supposed to be good for menstrual cramps, although it should be avoided during pregnancy. (Above: Mugwort Leaves by wide eyed lib)
The best way to eat mugwort, in my opinion, is lightly steamed, where it loses its mustiness and tastes very similar to spinach.
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Today's final plant is common plantain. Mentioned by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet, plantain in this case isn't the banana relative but a small herb that grows in a basal rosette in early Spring. The leaves are  oval with parallel veins and may be hairless or slightly hairy. In late Spring through Fall, a green center stalk rises to about 4 inches high and quickly becomes covered in a multitude of tiny, greenish-white flowers with nearly transparent petals. The miniscule seeds appear soon after, packaged in tiny green or brown sacs.
Plantains grow all over North America except the most northern parts of Canada. They were imported, probably inadvertently, by the earliest settlers and settled in so rapidly that they were assumed to be native. They grow in sunny fields, on lawns and in disturbed areas, and I've read that they have no poisonous lookalikes.
The early leaves are the best, and they taste fresh, crisp and green. By summer, the leaves become stringy, although it's possible, if labor-intensive, to peel off the ribs and enjoy the leaves all summer. Alternatively, the summer leaves can be used to flavor soups and stocks and removed prior to serving. The leaves contain mucilage, which has been shown to reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. The tiny seeds can also be collected and eaten. They taste a bit like unroasted peanuts.
Apart from their edibility, plantain leaves are very useful medicinally. Crushed and rubbed on the skin, plantain leaves soothe insect bites and all kinds of skin irritations, including the rash of poison ivy, though it may take more than one application. Chewed, the leaves make an impromptu breath freshener, perfect for countering the effects of field garlic and garlic mustard.
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I hope you've enjoyed this week's foray into wild edibles. Please feel free to post photos in the comments and I'll do my best to help identify what you've foraged.
Here are some links you might find useful:
"Wildman" Steve Brill's site
"Green" Deane Jordan's site
Green Deane's foraging how-to clips on youtube
Steve Brill's book, Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places (read reviews here, but if you're feeling generous, please buy from Steve's website)
Steve Brill also offers guided foraging tours in NYC-area parks. Details and contact info are on his website.
The USDA plants database is also a great place to look up info.
See you next week!
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