Our forests, parks, and even our backyards are full of plants that have moved across the world. Some of these new neighbors are invasive species that can cause big impacts such as native species decline and ecosystem degradation. Luckily, we all have tools that can help keep these invaders in check, our forks and knives!
In this class, we will cover how to identify common edible invasive plants in the Columbus region, how to forage safely, and the best ways to incorporate them into a meal or dessert! We will highlight two common Columbus invaders.
First, we will make a fresh spring pesto featuring the invasive garlic mustard (Alaria petiolata) on top of the fresh pasta, then follow it up with a fresh fruit cobbler featuring the tangy stems of invasive knotweed (Reynoutria ssp.) We will explore how these two common backyard weeds pair with different flavors to create meals good for our plates and good for our planet.
