Food Forward Season 1 Episode 12 Wild Food, I Think I Love You

In season 1 episode 12 of Food Forward titled "Wild Food, I Think I Love You," viewers are taken on a journey to explore the world of wild food and foraging. The episode follows a diverse group of people who are passionate about finding and cooking with wild ingredients.

The first segment features a man named Pascal Baudar, who is a self-taught forager and wild food enthusiast. Baudar takes viewers on a tour of the California wilderness, where he finds a variety of wild plants and herbs such as wild mustard, stinging nettle, and pine needles. He explains how these ingredients can be used in cooking and even makes a delicious pesto using wild mustard.

Next, viewers meet a group of Native American women who are preserving traditional foraging practices that have been passed down through their families for generations. They explain the importance of foraging for both sustenance and cultural preservation. The women collect a variety of wild ingredients, including acorns and elderberries, which they use to make traditional dishes like acorn soup and elderberry jelly.

The episode then shifts focus to urban foraging, highlighting the work of a group called Fallen Fruit. This group maps publicly accessible fruit trees in cities and encourages people to gather and share the fruit they find. The group’s founders discuss the importance of community-building and the benefits of using wild ingredients that would otherwise go to waste.

Viewers are then introduced to an eccentric chef named Mia Wasilevich, who uses wild ingredients in her cooking. She takes the audience on a foraging expedition in the hills of Los Angeles, where she collects ingredients like wild fennel and prickly pear cactus. She then uses these ingredients to make a delicious and unique salad.

The final segment of the episode features a man named Hank Shaw, who is a hunting and wild game enthusiast. He explains that foraging for wild ingredients also includes hunting for game, including wild boar and deer. Shaw showcases how any part of the animal can be used in cooking and even shares a recipe for wild boar ribs.

This episode of Food Forward is a celebration of the diversity and richness of wild ingredients. Viewers are reminded of the importance of preserving traditional foraging practices and the benefits of using wild ingredients in cooking. The episode showcases the passion and dedication of those who have made it their mission to explore the world of wild food and highlights the potential for culinary creativity that can be unlocked through foraging.