You know you've won, in life, when people pay you to do what you would pay them to let you do


Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Cattail on the Cob

Years ago, my cowboy and I went to Montana (not too far from Southern Alberta) and I saw this cookbook, it had a section on wild foods. We were young and poor but he bought it for me anyway. It has the best recipes. (Again, I don't know what's got into me. Maybe I'm just hungry from working.) This is one of them and today I cooked it up with pictures so you can tell I'm telling the truth. (No one ever believes me)

I've been watching the cattails for a while. It's easy to miss this stage if you aren't checking them out often.

For this recipe it is best to get them before the top part gets fuzzy but I picked one so you could see the difference. The fuzzy part on the bottom one below was shedding yellow pollen (very nutritious).



You break off that top part and put it in boiling water, boil 8-10 minutes.

Take out, drain, and butter and salt them just like you would corn on the cob. 


Then eat them up. The one that was entirely green still had all it's pollen and was delicious (enough butter and salt can make anything taste good) and the other one was a bit soggy tasting but still edible.


And there you have cattail on the cob. Remember that cattails help to make water better so be responsible and don't pick and eat too many (you need cattails next year too). 

I saw this lovely little bird (I wonder if it's a Spague's Pipit, another "Species at Risk" bird) today when I got out of the truck to open a gate on the way back from checking cows (and collecting cattails). She was really hoping I wouldn't come any closer.


And then there was this weird mushroom thing (beside cow pucky, of course).


And the dragon flies are out (no wonder with all the mosquitos). This one landed at my feet so I could take his picture. Blue is my favorite colour.


He was right beside where some cow had lost part of her dentures




Just another interesting day full of little surprises and my favorite cowboy. He stopped me here to show me the wild rose growing it this buffalo berry bush. It's eye level with him on his horse, taller than any wild rose I've ever seen.

Oh and there was this mystery. All cows have to come to the lease with a calf in May.

Yes, this is today and yes, that is afterbirth guk? We are still scratchin' our heads on this one.


10 comments:

Crystal said...

Hmm ever since you told me about that, I was wondering if they were really good, well now I know they are edible if I am ever starving.

That looks cute with the calves following the horse :)

Sherry Sikstrom said...

"Enough Butter and salt can make anything taste good" cute ,I wil take your word for it on the Catail cobs. Hubby would think i was completely off my nut!LOL
Hopefully Rob is reading your blog now and will tell us something about the bird and mushroom.I saw the pretiest bird today ,should know what it is.Black and white with a scarlett splash on his front, a little smaller than a robin.Any thoughts?
Oh yes and that ain't no May calf! Funny how they slid one by,maybe thought she was open and were grassing her till fall? or is she a stray?

Shirley said...

Interesting about the cattails. We have them here, I might just try that. I love the photo of your cowboy at the rose bush with the calves following him. (Cow whisperer!)

BridgeEtta said...

We laugh often about being the entertainment on C.O.W. tv.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love the picture of your hubby on horse with the 2 calves behind him. That's great! And I had a cow that didn't clean, we didn't know she was bred and we lost her :(. She was my cow too :(. I have the biggest cookbook collection, but I'd still buy one like that if I ever saw it. My future Mother-in-law wants to buy me one that is a remake of 1930's recipes.

LindaG said...

I remember back in the 70s when natural food was the 'thing' that they talked about eating cattails and pine seeds, among other things, haha.

That's interesting to know about cattails, though. Any ditch that holds enough water around here, has cattails growing. :)

I think the mushroom looks like an immature puff ball, but I could be wrong. ;)

Anonymous said...

I have never heard of eating cattails! Can't wait to tell my hubby something new today! ;)

Linda said...

LOL corn was only 40 cents a cob the other day in Stupidstore....I think I'll pass ;)

Jazlyn Oliver said...

That baby calf is super cute, who's cow is it? Cattails sounds interesting, you never fed me anything like that, I am going to how to try it sometime, I am not sure if they have cattail in australia

Rachel said...

Well, I came over from the other post, how cool is that, I never would have guessed that you could eat the things... hum.
We eat prickly pear, just burn all the needles and stickers off, and then clean up and slice in lengths kinda like a french fry, and then put some butter and salt and maybe if you like spice some sliced jalepeno in a skillet and cook like a stir fry, and that is YUMM!
When we tell peeps this, they are like, NO way, well, yes it is true, and it's mighty yummy too.
Of course there are other ways that people eat them too, some pickle them, and I'm not sure what else they do, but they are good for you.
If your ever in Texas we'd be mighty glad to give you some, course it has to be when they are putting on new leaves, the young and tender are better for that.

:) Interesting things, huh? God is so wonderful, all the things we have in this ole world... it's just amazing!