The "Wildman" is Coming... And He's Going To Eat Forest Park

At 11:45 AM, Saturday, March 15, naturalist/author "Wildman" Steve Brill will lead his first 2003 Wild Food and Ecology Tour of Forest Park.

Forest Park's woodlands, cultivated areas, and thickets make it an excellent place for late winter and early spring foraging. This mature woodland, with associated sunny, cultivated areas, is loaded with renewable herbs, greens and roots, even in late winter. Spicy field garlic and garlic mustard both have edible greens and roots. So does sweet cicely, which tastes like black licorice. The twigs of the black birch tree and the roots of sassafras, on the other hand, taste like birch beer and root beer respectively. The piquant shoots of the day-lily, the same Asian plant people cultivate in their gardens, are perfect for Asian recipes. One of the best-tasting vegetables in the savory common is the dandelion, but only now, before the flowers appear and the leaves become very bitter. If spring is early, the first hint of burdock leaves will reveal where the roots lie. Wild parsnip leaves will also be up at this time, with sweet-savory taproots to flavor any soup or stew.

The four-hour walking tour of Forest Park commences at Union Turnpike. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Nobody is ever turned away due to lack of funds.

To attend this feast, or for more information, call 914-835-2153 at least 24 hours in advance and reserve a place. For the 2003 tour calendar, send a SASE to 320 Palmer Terr., 2A, Mamaroneck, NY 10543.