Do you forage for fallen fruit? Do you hunt out your local mulberry tree? Does canning take over your kitchen in the middle of the summer? If any of those are true, then one of these t-shirts might be your new summer uniform. More

In yesterday's post about elderberries, a reader commented that you can batter and fry the aromatic flowers. Incidentally, the Guardian just posted a recipe for elderflower fritters, which they dub "the perfect summertime dessert." Do you have elderflowers you can forage for in your area? Have you ever cooked with them? More

Here's something we picked up at the farmers' market that is often foraged in the wild: elderberries. Ripening in summer, these clusters of currant-sized berries come from the same bush that gives us elderflowers for syrup and liqueur. More

For years we lived among yucca plants, not realizing their pretty white blossoms were edible until one day someone knocked on our door, asking if he could harvest some of the flowers in our front yard. Since then we have only eaten them raw – they make gorgeous cake decorations! – but we are looking at ways to cook them this summer. More

Q: The NY Times published an article recently about using wild violets in foodstuffs. My understanding was that the typical wild violet in the Midwest or Northeast (Viola sororia or papilionacea) are not the same as the violets used in, for example, France.

Last night I picked lots of wild violets with the hope of making violet syrup. However, the result neither smells nor tastes anything like the lovely, light, springtime syrups with which I am familiar. What can you tell me about using Viola sororia or papilionacea in cooking? How can a novice tell the difference between "American" violets and the violets (Viola odorata) used by the French? Are Viola sororia or papilionacea the correct type to be used in syrup-making?

Sent by Lexy More

Small bunches of this peppery green can be found in the aisles of your local market or grocer's. But did you know you can go straight to the source and find watercress in natural springs and streams, too? More

It's springtime, which to mushroom enthusiasts means morels! My local mycology club's email list has been abuzz with discussions about morel sightings and morel forays. These little honeycombed mushrooms are front page news these days in culinary circles. More

Pine nuts are the edible seeds produced by pinecones. Most pine nuts are too small to make it worth the time and trouble to harvest; only a few species of pine nuts are large enough to make it worthwhile. First, they have to be extracted from the scales of the pine cones, and then the hard outer shells have to be removed. Unless you really want to forage for your own, it's probably best to just buy them already shelled at the store! More

I recently realized that I've done a lot of posts on edible wild food, and with Spring coming up, I decided it would be fun to create a roundup as a definite guide for you all, so you can go out and forage for some tasty things to eat! I think everyone should experience the simple pleasure of hiking in a park or field and picking enough greens for a salad, or berries for pies and jams. Some of my favorite childhood memories are foraging for wild foods with my parents, my brother, and our dog in the North Carolina mountains. More

One of the first things I noticed about this mushroom is that instead of gills under the caps, they have "teeth." Can you see them in the photograph above? These are the spore-bearing structures. More