Because they've somewhat fallen out of fashion, many cooks don't realize how important a pocketknife is to a culinary life. Sure we have our chef's knife and our paring knife safely ensconced in the home kitchen. But a cook should always be ready for whatever delicious opportunities are thrown her way and a pocketknife is essential for that readiness. Plus, a pocketknife is a thing of beauty and as such should always be encouraged.

Do you have a pocketknife? What do you use it for? More

It seems like this is a good year for mushrooms, at least in Northern California. In Berkeley, you can find heaps of delicious looking wild mushrooms at fairly reasonable prices, especially chanterelles, which come in many colors (white, yellow, black.) But what caught my eye recently is the oddly named Fried Chicken Mushroom. Is it true? Does it really taste like fried chicken? At $8.99 a pound, I picked up a small handful for around $2, and took them back to my kitchen to find out.
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While traveling through Minnesota the past couple of weeks, we've spotted hundreds, perhaps thousands, of these brilliant red berry clusters in yards and parks. As avid foragers, our first thought was, "Are they edible?!" More

Q: I live in an area where acorns are abundant. I know they are edible, but they have a bitter taste. Still, I came across this: "In some human cultures, acorns once constituted a dietary staple, though they are now generally considered a minor food with the exception of Native American and Korean cultures."

Do you have any info about using acorns, maybe preparing them in a way that takes out the bitterness?

Sent by DH More

I spent last week hiking along rivers and coastal cliffs of Oregon, stopping along the way to feast on wild blackberries, thimbleberries, huckleberries, and one berry that I'd never heard of before – the salal. Have you ever tasted the salal berry? More

When it comes to beans and lessening their "digestive consequences," we have two main strategies: one, soak them before cooking and two, add epazote. More

We are constantly amazed and delighted by the textures and flavors found in wild foods. During a recent foraging class, we made one of our favorite foraging discoveries yet: wild radish seed pods! Wild radish grows throughout much of the US and summer is the season to gather these crunchy, peppery delicacies. More

Gill-over-the-ground, Creeping Charlie, Catsfoot, Run-away-robin, Hedge maids, Alehoof, Tunhoof ... these are just a few of the names given to ground ivy, a member of the mint family found in moist shady areas, along hedgerows and buildings, and creeping through gardens and lawns. Though often considered a weed, the plant's aromatic leaves have played an important role in culinary history. More

My home in central Ohio has a small front yard with a wild tangle of shrubs, plants, and trees. My favorite tree is quite small, with a sculptural braid of thin trunks and a canopy slung low, just about eye-height. It is right next to the front walk, and in spring it is covered with white flowers, followed by red berries in June. I always assumed the berries were ornamental — only for the birds, if anyone — but last spring my landlady surprised me. "Juneberries!" she said. "These are the best." More

When Kathryn posted about miner's lettuce last year, we were surprised to learn that this springtime weed, which grows in many parts of the West, is actually edible – and delicious! More