Pickling is one of my favorite ways to preserve hen of the woods. Their firm, meaty texture holds up incredibly well in a vinegar brine, and this version brings in a few wild flavors with spicebush berries and wild grape leaf. Juniper, dill, garlic, bay, and star anise round everything out. Ingredients Instructions Clean the hen of the woods well, …

Pawpaw season in the Ozarks is short, sweet, and something I look forward to every year. When the fruit starts dropping in late summer, there are few things better than finding a perfectly ripe pawpaw and turning it into something that really lets its tropical flavor shine. This Pawpaw Honey Bread is one of my favorite simple ways to use the fruit. …

Jezebel sauce is one of those wonderfully old-fashioned Southern condiments built around contrast: sweet fruit, sharp mustard, fiery horseradish, and just enough acidity to bring everything together. Traditionally, recipes often rely on fruit preserves such as pineapple or apricot, but this version takes the sauce in a distinctly Ozarks direction by letting native pawpaw provide the fruit and sweetness. Pawpaw’s naturally rich, almost custard-like …

Rose hips are the fruit of wild roses, forming after the petals fall. They’re naturally high in vitamin C and antioxidants, with a flavor reminiscent of tart cranberry, pomegranate, and citrus. Traditionally used in teas, syrups, and preserves, rose hips bring both nutrition and bright acidity to the table.This no-bake, dairy-free rose hip crème brûlée highlights that natural tang and …

Acorns are harvested in the fall, and are a nutrient rich additive to any baked good. Because acorn flour dosnt produce gluten (what makes breads spongy and light) you have to add in small amounts substituted for regular flour until the desired consistency you are looking for. For example: 10% acorn flour, and 90% regular AP flour. For breads it …

Making acorn pasta dough can be tricky because acorn flour does not produce gluten.

Persimmons have an unusually long ripening period.