Elderberry Season Has Begun!

If you are new to foraging, mark your calendars for Elderberry season. Start checking the beginning of August. If you picked out bushes/trees this spring while they were flowering, now is the time to collect. Some berries will continue to ripen over the next couple weeks.

Here's a tip. You will frequently find elderberries next to telephone poles. Birds perch on the top and, well, you can guess the rest!

No Knead Rosemary Garlic Peasant Bread

This bread is incredibly easy to make and has the ability to be very versatile depending on what herbs you have.  I could easily see using wild onion, perilla, ground ivy or horseweed as an herb.

No Knead Rosemary Garlic Peasant Bread

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups flour
2 t sugar
1 1/2 t salt
1 t dried rosemary
1 t minced garlic (from jar)
1/2 t dried oregano
1 t yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl.  Add garlic and water and mix.  Dough should be sticky. Cover and let sit over night. Time is flexible.

The next day, add a lot of flour to your surface.  Coat your hands with flour.  Pour your dough onto the floured surface.  Mold into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let sit.

Turn your oven on to 450 degrees.  Add your covered pot.  I use a cast iron dutch oven.  Any sturdy baking pot with a lid will do.  Let heat up for 30 minutes.

Carefully remove pot and put dough in the center.  Return lid to pot and put into oven.  Bake 30 minutes.  Remove lid and continue baking 7 - 10 minutes until golden.