The Rebel Palate

(Click here to jump to the recommended song, Maple by Galgox (Googie on YouTube)!) In New England, maple trees are everywhere. We know them mostly for their sap that’s boiled down into delicious syrup, but they give us other things, too. Yes, other than wood. In fall they drop their helicopter seeds, and in spring they drop red or green blossoms (depending on the species). Spring is also when the seeds grow into little tree sprouts. Recently, I’ve figured out how to take advantage of this. The blossoms can be made into tea and the sprouts can be made into… cooked sprouts. This is a short one. I’m still trying to figure out the Average Joe Rule I talked about in January . Health and safety disclaimer: I highly recommend you wash anything you find in or on the ground. I mean, I’m pretty sure you do that anyway.  Also, I only think these are edible because I’ve eaten them and not died. Eat unfamiliar foods at your own discretion. MAPLE BLOSSOM TEA If you want maple blossoms, now’s th...

Turns out acorns aren't just for squirrels. They're for humans, too- and they tase pretty darn good in biscotti. Weird, natural AND obscure! (Click here to jump to the recommended song, Brains by Aurelio Voltaire!) Howdy, rebels! Sorry for the embarrassingly short post on Thursday . I must take full responsibility for the crappy way I handled it. I didn't think the subject matter would be an absolute nothing sandwich, and I'd already "promised" to write something about maple syrup being out-of-season . So yes, apologies. Can't say it'll never happen again because I'm in the Early Installment Weirdness phase. I'm sure one day I'll regret 11 out of 10 of these posts. Anyway! Every fall I used to make acorn bread. My family hated it, but they were too nice to say so and ignored it instead, making me (read: our chickens) eat the rest. My dad said it "tasted honest", which I take as a compliment, but ...

(Click here to jump to the recommended song, Bone Wagon by Peter McConnell!) Dandelions! You may hate them, but add spices and you've got yourself a nice cup of tea that's perfect for fall. Read this to find out how! Howdy, rebels! We're well into October. The leaves are changing into beautiful, warm colors, the air is crisp and my white girl instinct has been activated. I'm not a fan of pumpkin spice lattes, or any lattes for that matter, but this is the time when my cravings for chai-analogous spices kick in. It just so happens that I make a dandelion root tea using such spices! Let me show you how. First, a word of warning: Dandelion sap is a natural form of latex, so use dandelions at your own risk. I advise against using it if you're allergic to latex. If you're not sure, you may want to rub a broken stem on an inconspicuous area of your skin. You really should ask your doctor, though. I don't want to be responsible if you break out into a rash or g...

(Click here to jump to the recommended song, An American Trilogy as performed by Elvis Presley!) Monday is Memorial Day, and what's more patriotic than making a beverage for your cookout using an ingredient from your own backyard? If you're a New Englander like me, you may have seen bottles of birch beer in restaurant fridges or even at your local grocery store. If you've never tasted it, it has a delighful wintergreen taste that slightly resembles root beer. I myself have drunk storebought versions and made my own for years! Now it's time to show you how. NOTE: This recipe takes HOURS to make, so you may want to do this on a day off... maybe Sunday!   Also, this is a non-alcoholic recipe. If you're looking for a fermented birch beer, there are plenty of other tutorials for that on equally rebellious blogs. ;) I may make such a tutorial myself once I'm of age. YOU WILL NEED: - Sharp, straight-edged knife - Mixing Bowl - Pot/Saucepan - Hella birch twigs - Sugar ...