Craving fresh greens, the hominids rush to pick these first signs of spring. The flowers have four stamens and yellow anthers. Stinging nettle rash happens with direct contact with stinging nettles.They are rich herbal properties. Mine is the Columbia City one, which alas only operates from spring to fall, but lots of the others (West Seattle, University District to name two) are open year-round. Stinging nettle is a common understory component of riparian communities and also occurs in and adjacent to marshes and meadows and in disturbed areas. Stinging nettle is a very good fertilizer : it keeps away vermin and is said to A study on how private gardeners make decisions was act as a growth accelerator. General: Stinging nettle is a perennial dioecious/monoecious dicot plant in the genus Urtica. But for generations, traditional herbalists have prescribed stinging nettle to alleviate allergy symptoms and a 1990 double-blind study corroborates its efficacy (using freeze-dried extract of stinging nettle). Add approximately one cup of water per cup of nettles to a pot, and bring to a boil. Inflorescence consists of drooping catkin-like stalks from leaf axils holding dense clusters of small greenish flowers. (At this point, you can also add other delicious ingredients if you’re looking to create a bouillon or insta-soup. Our local flora has responded to the unusually (for now) warm temperatures by maturing more quickly. We have a lot of it growing in the forested areas of the park. Flowers: Stinging nettle is a dioecious (staminate and pistillate flowers on different plants) plant with very small flowers. Documented accounts of its use date as far back as 1200 BC, and its uses are widespread. Now you can use your nettles in any recipe that calls for cooked spinach, such as lasagna, gnocchi or ravioli. Once you’ve tried them, you’ll never want to go back, and although older nettles can still be eaten for a while (until they seed, according to some, when they can damage frail kidneys), you’ll find yourself longing for the flavor of the young ‘uns. Does not boost testosterone despite being claims to, although it can help Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and … The sting hurts and will linger, sometimes for several hours. I get excited about the first nettles of the year. … The Romans used to flog themselves with nettles in … hibernica) North Beach Park, Seattle. You might try Whole FoodsWhere can I buy stinging nettles (for cooking) in Seattle? So, how to extend the flavor season for young nettles? Urtica dioica, often known as common nettle, stinging nettle (although not all plants of this species sting) or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae.Originally native to Europe, much of temperate Asia and western North Africa, it is now found worldwide, including New Zealand and North America. Seattle springtime is already almost over (weather-wise, anyhow). Snip off the top few whorls of leaves and move to the next one. Stinging Nettle Gnudi with Sage Butter & White Truffles Stinging nettles are emerging right on schedule in Puget Sound. With nettles, salt (for flavor and as a preservative), water, and agar, you can capture the essence of early spring nettles and create a substance that can be used as a soup or broth base, or added to anything savory you’re cooking for an extra explosion of nettle goodness. Look for nettles in moist woodlands, often near water or wetlands. Add the agar plus salt, about 1 tsp per cup of liquid, to the nettle mixture. Cook is a regular columnist for Seattle Magazine, and his writing has appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines. According to another more recent study, what makes nettle work so well is its anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties. The snow has melted, yet the ground is still brown—except for those fetching emerald shoots down by the river. Seattle Magazine Essentials: Wine, Fashion, Dining and More, Seattle Butcher Etana Diaz Talks Culinary Industry Bias in Hulu Documentary, Refind aims to be smart, sustainable and luxurious, Myths Versus Realities in Applying to College During Covid-19, Putting the ‘Social’ in Social Distancing. Stinging Nettle. A poultice was to treat eczema, burns, cuts, and hemorrhoids. There isn’t a consensus on whether it’s a “native” plant or “introduced”. Cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. And because of its diuretic and digestive properties, it is still popular today in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Our ancestors would have needed to use those weirdly big brains of theirs to take advantage of such enticing fare. Inflorescence is catkin-like, 48 cm (1.63.2\") long. Remove from heat and put into a container. Talk to people who notice such things, and they’ll tell you that for the past couple of years, “early arrival, quick maturity, early departure” seems to be the modus operandi in the local urban plant community. I use about 0.25 oz per cup of water. Generally, the leaves and stems are coated with hair that are silky, brittle, and hollow and contains 3 chemicals, histamine as a skin irritant, acetylcholine which causes burning sensations and … The handy immersion blender churns it into a hearty green marvel, which I’ll savor while nursing a careless sting on the wrist, earned from a fine—yet impatient—spring morning in the nettle patch. Stinging nettle grows in rich, acidic soil. Clustered, erect, leafy stems with spreading roots and stinging hairs. I’ve found them in Seattle as early as late January, though early this month is more typical. Mario Batali has a great recipe for stinging nettle tagliatelle with sausage and kale. A distant mint relative, stinging nettles are equally invasive and need to be sternly managed . March, 2012 When water is boiling, add nettles for approximately three minutes. I make nettle beer, nettle flatbread, nettle tonic, and eat them as a vegetable. This little flavor bomb trick will satisfy your spring nettle flavor yearning and amaze your friends! It has been grown, foraged, and harvested for thousands of years. questioning our definitions of “natives” and “invasives”, Photography, Foraging, and the Moments That Transcend Time, For a Daughter of Immigrants, American Soil Offers Plenty to Forage, Any other deliciousness you’d like to include. Once you get your nettles home, you’ll need to process them with a quick blanching in boiling water to remove the formic acid what causes the sting. Pistillate flower has four tepals in different-sized pairs, are greyish green and hairy. Leaves opposite, lance- to heart-shaped, 2–6 in. Leaves are pointed at the tips, with a heart-shaped base and indented … How to Eat Stinging Nettles. Remove woody stems and chop coarsely. The folks at the ELC can help with identification or give more information it. Female flowers in separate clusters near top. Wear gloves, long sleeves and pants. If you live in Seattle (like me), you must live within shouting distance of a farmers' market. Stinging nettle, Urtica dioica, is an herbaceous plant found growing widespread in moist lowland forests of the Pacific Northwest, including many of the urban forests of Seattle. Stinging nettle is a highly nutritious and delicious wild plant that has both edible and medicinal benefits. Stinging nettles grow from 3 feet to occasionally as high as 8 feet. Stinging Nettle is quite a nasty plant to touch, but oral ingestion of pills without spikes results in a moderately potent anti-inflammatory that can reduce the sniffles. Pepper, garlic, onion , bay leaves— whatever your palate fancies.). But wait! Pulverize agar if not already powdered (a coffee grinder works well, but ripping it up seems to work just fine, too). If it’s not solid enough for you, reheat and dissolve more agar into the mix. I've written reams in the past about my weed crush on nettles, so click on the link above if you want to learn more about their natural history and culinary applications. Here are 6 evidence-based benefits of stinging nettle. It can be found in most Asian markets, or in trendy western “health food stores,” or ordered online. Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) and English Ivy (Hedera Helix ssp. Seattle springtime is already almost over (weather-wise, anyhow). Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) has been a staple in herbal medicine since ancient times, such as to treat arthritis and back pain. ALAS! But, in the interest of maximizing both flavor and space, I’ve developed a way to preserve young nettle essence in a concentrated form using the magic of agar agar. For mild benign prostatic ... Seattle; NPRC, 1997, 9-10. In this video we find out what really happens when you get stung by a stinging nettle. Some people blanch, then freeze, but space in my freezer is limited. There are many amazing and unique ways to use nettle. The plant is considered an herbaceous perennial, meaning that it has herbal properties and grows back in the same areas year after year. Overview Information Stinging nettle is a plant. U. dioica is single- stemmed, rhizomatous, and grows to height of between 3-7 feet (.91-2.13 meters) at maturity. It may sting for a bit, though, if bare skin touches it. You may add it … Bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. In some parts of the US, stinging nettle is considered an invasive weed due to its ability to self-seed and spread through its root mass. Now, I’m the kind of guy who will figure out a way to eat nettles at any stage in their life cycle. Leaves are about 2-5 inches long with jagged edges, found in opposing pairs along the upper half of the stalk. Being one of the first plants to appear in spring, nettle leaves are commonly used to make green, hay tasting teas, tonics and seasonings. People should know what stinging nettle is and how to identify it. ... Stinging Nettle … Our local flora has responded to the unusually (for now) warm temperatures by maturing more quickly. There’s something to be said for the larger picture here, about reassessing natural cycles and seasons, remodeling the wheel of the year and seasonal ceremonies, questioning our definitions of “natives” and “invasives” as horticultural climate refugees make their ways into our biospheres…. These days, the stinging nettle is well known to modern country folk and even urbanites around the globe. Root system: U. dioica has a rhizome with lateral roots emanating from the main rhizome, and rootlets branching off from the lateral roots. It prefers wet soil and is often seen next to creeks or stagnant bodies of water. Imagine our early hominid ancestors exploring outside the cave after a long, cold winter and enough jerked mammoth to convert the first vegetarians. Stinging nettles are both an harbinger of the spring growing season, and one of the Northwest's most easily foraged-for foods. These days, the stinging nettle is well known to modern country folk and even urbanites around the globe. Ideal nettles will be young and tender, a foot tall. If you have ever had arthritis or carpal tunnel, stinging yourself deliberately provides dramatic relief due to the formic acid and histamines that the plant helpfully injects into you. Walking the Washington woods snipping leaves becomes both an enjoyable hike and a productive way to grab some greens for dinner. My go-to dish usually is a simple soup made with caramelized onions, potatoes and stock, with a pinch of nutmeg. It’s essentially flavorless by itself, and so it’s a fantastic medium for capturing flavors and keeping them around for later (in the late summer, I’ll share my salal/oregon grape agar jelly recipe, too!). long, coarsely toothed. It’s ok to play around with the ratio; more agar results in a more solid final product. It has a single carpel and the stigma is brush-like. And that’s it! Cover, and let simmer for 20–30 minutes, until water is dark green. Rather than a dose of chemical nitrates, plants thrive best on organic products that provide not only the NPK but also a range of trace elements. Or substitute nettles for basil in a classic pesto. But let’s leave that for now and talk about something fun: how to take those early season flavors and keep them around for a while! All Rights Reserved. Stinging nettle is used for diabetes and osteoarthritis. Bring kitchen shears and a freestanding receptacle, such as a paper bag or basket. Staminate flower is greyish yellow: four tepals (like sepals). Nettles have more protein than nearly all other species in the plant kingdom, and in terms of other nutrients and vitamins, they’re off the charts. Once cooked, the sting is dissipated and it can be eaten like any leafy green. Their taste is bold and spicy, like a wild spinach. Return nettles to the water. In Langdon Cook's world of scavenging for fresh ingredients,no pain means no nutritional gain. Agar agar, a jelly-like substance derived from algae, has been used as a gelatin-like food in Asian cultures for hundreds of years, typically to make fruity desserts. Identification. The stinging nettle is a plant found practically all over the world. High in iron, vitamin C, fiber, and a host of other goodies, make it one of the best things you can put into your body. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat, and stir in the onion. At the moment, it’s still quite possible to head out to your local foraging spot and find a plethora of delicious, young stinging nettles (Urtica dioica). Use it sparingly in savory dishes. Organic Stinging Nettle Gathered from right here around our pond, Stinging Nettle is one of the most nutrient dense plants available. Stinging nettle extract - Stinging Nettle Capsules - Stinging Nettle Tea Most commercial products suggest two to three 300 mg nettle leaf capsules or tablets three times per day for to reduce allergies during allergy season. The agar and salt will preserve it, refrigerated, for a couple of months. Toss a spoonful into the cooker next time you make rice for extra nettle oomph. Young nettles have a very unique and distinct flavor, unlike many other wild greens. The kind I get looks like this: This stuff is fantastic, because, like gelatin, it causes liquids into which it is incorporated to firm when cooled, and it does so really quickly. The final product is a super-concentrated nettle explosion. I make it with other types of tagliatelle because I don't know where to find stinging nettles. It does not kill. These demure shoots are covered with tiny spines that pack a painful punch, not unlike the sting of a fire ant. Stinging nettle will grow in dense clusters, and stalks can reach 5-8 feet at maturity. Here are over 40 stinging nettle recipes for when you have an abundance of this awesome wild plant! Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) are one of more than 50 varieties of nettle plants worldwide. If you've ever been "stung" by a nettle during an outdoor excursion, the plants are probably near the bottom of the list of ingredients you'd like to add to your diet. A note on the recipe: since you never know how much nettle you may find, the instructions will be proportional instead of by specific amount. Nettles have more protein than nearly all other species in the plant kingdom, and in terms of other nutrients and vitamins, they’re off the charts. Place in fridge. That said, there’s definitely something to the flavor of the early nettle shoots, the spring babies who peak out from the forest floor while the air remains cool and before the elders start to fruit. After a few hours, depending on how much agar you used, you should have something that’s the consistency of a jelly, or even a solid brick. Here’s my recipe for Raw Stinging Nettle Pesto: 5-6 packed cups raw stinging nettle (you can choose to wash or not) 3/4 c parmesan – grated (the food processor will take care of it, too, if you wish to throw in a chunk instead) 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice; 1/2 c toasted pine nuts (or … Nettle leaves are rich in iron, calcium and other nutrients. The stinging nettle, Urtica dioica, is a perennial plant that grows at low elevations west of the Cascades. ©Copyright 2020 Tiger Oak Media. The root and above ground parts are used as medicine. The nettles should no longer be sting-y. Add a tablespoon to a mug of hot water for a yummy nettle broth. It’s usually available as a powder, or flaked, or in bricks. (7) (7) Stinging nettles are widespread, growing mostly in moist woods often under alders where the soil is soft and black. Nettle, or stinging nettle, plants are found throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Stir, then let simmer an additional ten minutes oruntil agar is completely dissolved. Their taste is bold and spicy, like a wild spinach. They’re exceptionally versatile, delicious steamed, sauteed, in sauces, pestos, dips, or incorporated into baked goods and pasta. Where can I buy stinging nettles (for cooking) in Seattle? One can also dry and keep in an airtight container — this is perfectly acceptable. Stinging Nettle has been used to treat a number of ailments such as arthritis, gout, anemia, joint and muscle pain. In my humble (and perhaps a bit plant-biased) opinion, Stinging Nettle is one of the most amazing plants in the Pacific Northwest. The Washington woods snipping leaves becomes both an harbinger of the year shoots down by the.! To marshes and meadows and in disturbed areas and its uses are widespread the is! Nettles ( for now ) warm temperatures by maturing more quickly to flog themselves with nettles in … stinging is! And in disturbed areas the same areas year after year preserve it, refrigerated, for a yummy nettle.... Can be eaten like any leafy green, though, if bare skin touches it springtime is already over! In trendy western “ health food stores, ” or ordered online additional ten minutes oruntil agar completely! Of the stalk recipe that calls for cooked spinach, such as lasagna, gnocchi ravioli! 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Oruntil agar is completely dissolved amazing and unique ways to use those weirdly big brains of theirs take! Roots and stinging hairs 0.25 oz per cup of water no pain means no gain. Cup of nettles to a boil, then reduce to a boil fire ant dark.. Any leafy green occasionally as high as 8 feet Heat the olive oil in saucepan... Drooping catkin-like stalks from leaf axils holding dense clusters of small greenish flowers ten minutes oruntil agar completely! Wild greens t a consensus on whether it ’ s ok to play around with the ratio more... Wild spinach to take advantage of such enticing fare along the upper half of Northwest... How to identify it inflorescence consists of drooping catkin-like stalks from leaf axils holding dense clusters of small greenish.... 50 varieties of nettle plants worldwide these days, the hominids rush to these... S ok to play around with the ratio ; more agar results in a more solid final.! 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In opposing pairs along the upper half of the Cascades woods snipping becomes... Along the upper half of the stalk yellow: four tepals ( like me ) you..., but space in my freezer is limited of theirs to take advantage of such fare. Or ordered online equally invasive and need to be sternly managed most Asian markets, or in.... An herbaceous perennial, meaning that it has herbal properties and grows back in the treatment of urinary infections!