Foods in Season: Satisfying the Growing Wildcrafted Market
In the mid-1970s, John Anderson worked at a plywood mill in White Salmon, WA. While the mill filled his weekdays, John’s true passion consumed his free time. On weekends he could be found in forests in the Columbia Gorge, expanding his understanding of the land and the edible feast it offers. Long before “wildcrafted” and “foraged” would grace the menus of the Northwest’s trendiest restaurants, John began introducing Portland chefs to what he felt was a compelling way to eat: seasonally and from the forest.
Finding chefs initially reluctant to expand into unfamiliar varieties of foraged foods, John remained diligent in demonstrating to local restaurateurs and eventually grocers why their customers should know and love Morel mushrooms.
The industry has certainly evolved. John’s son, Johnny, now Vice President of Foods in Season, chuckles at the notion of having to convince any present-day customers about the culinary merits of a Morel.
Along with his two siblings LaDawn and Jared, Johnny now runs Foods in Season, which his father founded in the early 1980s after he quit his mill job. Johnny remembers the company’s earliest days, when his father would pile them into the family RV in late May and spend the next few months traveling through Oregon, along the northern California border, and over into rural areas of Idaho, guided by what could be foraged and when.
Family-founded and operated, Foods in Season is proud to have cultivated relationships with other families of foragers who they still work with closely to this day. “We’ve worked with the same folks since the 80s,” Johnny shares. “Some of them, we’re now working with their kids.”
These relationships have been foundational in Foods in Season’s success. They have allowed the business to reliably source the best foraged goods from the Pacific Northwest and beyond. What began with Morels and Chanterelles has expanded into an impressive list that also boasts spring greens and other specialty foraged goods from many US regions.
Ramps, for example, is one product sourced from Michigan that the company relies on a long-time partner to forage. For over ten years, a partner family that resides in Washington state has traveled to Michigan to forage and ship 80 percent of the Ramps that Foods in Season sells each spring.
Foods in Season and their partners’ depth of knowledge and intimacy with the land help craft their teams’ nomadic, seasonal journeys to forage varieties that typically appear for very short windows of time. Their teams may begin one mushroom variety’s season in the Rogue Valley, then onto Mt. Hood, and eventually into the Cascades. They closely monitor the weather patterns and temperatures that create the correct conditions for growth and harvest.
The wildcrafted goods that OGC sources from Foods in Season are a main portion of the small percentage of total items purchased annually that aren’t certified organic. Though the foraged industry isn’t subject to the same certifications as agriculture, they are limited by various bureaus, such as National Parks, to how much they can lawfully forage and from where. Food safety procedures are also closely monitored by third-party agencies, and Foods in Season is stringent on ethical harvest and food safety protocols both in the field and in their warehouses.
If there were any remaining doubts amongst consumers about their interest in wildcrafted foods, they’re quickly dissipating. Trends in recent years have positively impacted demand for foraged foods as consumer knowledge around the health benefits of wild mushrooms and Nettles has increased.
Johnny also notes that the pandemic has positively impacted their business, even though sales to restaurants have declined amidst social distancing protocols. Eaters are translating restaurant experiences into their kitchens where they are keen to explore less-familiar ingredients.
Beyond an interest in sharing food that they’re passionate about, Food in Season is enthusiastic to see this upward trend as their success translates to the livelihoods of the families they have long worked with.
OGC is thrilled to offer products from Foods in Season throughout the year, with spring presenting one of the best opportunities for enjoying wild foods. Check out the wildcrafted availability chart to plan for the year to come, and read on to learn more about the six spring items available this month!
Morel Mushrooms
With their distinctive honeycomb appearance and a woodsy, earthy scent, Morel mushrooms are highly desirable among chefs and fungi-loving eaters. Satisfyingly toothsome with a meaty texture, Morels add a depth of flavor and umami that justify their price tag! Hobby foragers often express exasperation at locating this often elusive mushroom variety in the wild, so be sure to satiate their craving by including this forest treat in your mushroom display this spring!
Ramps
Sometimes referred to as Wild Leeks, Ramps are similar in appearance to scallions with slightly more delicate leaves and stalks. Stronger in flavor than a leek with delicious garlic notes, ramps are popular among allium-loving eaters. Primarily found growing in the Midwest, interest in Ramps has been ‘ramping up’ with Northwest residents. Now is the ideal time to introduce this item to shoppers looking to incorporate new-to-them ingredients in their home-cooked meals!
Nettles
If your shoppers have encountered nettles in the wild, they’ll surely be familiar with the least desirable trait of this perennial plant: it stings! Wearing gloves is required during prep, but that extra step is worth it for this mineral-rich green. Formic acid present on nettle’s fine hair produces a sting when it comes in contact with skin, but luckily for eaters looking to incorporate nutrient-dense nettles into their meals, formic acid is neutralized by heat. A quick blanch is all it takes to prepare Nettles and use in place of spinach in their favorite recipes. Nettles’ slightly herbaceous flavor is ideal for blending into soups, adding color and flavor atop homemade pizza or deep green, healthy minerals to pasta!
Fiddlehead Ferns
These newly-sprouted, tender fronds of the Ostrich fern are harvested before they begin to unfurl and mature. Bright green, tender, and crispy with a flavor most closely akin to asparagus, Fiddleheads are a spring treat that is here-and-gone before you know it! Shoppers should be advised to blanch or saute Fiddleheads to thoroughly cook them before eating, as raw consumption can produce stomach irritation. Prepared as a simple side dish with garlic and butter or combined with other seasonal items to compose a light spring meal, Fiddlehead ferns add visual interest and fantastic flavor!
Sea Beans
Like many foraged goods, Sea Beans are from a coastal plant variety that shoppers might have already been exposed to but didn’t realize that they had thrown their beach blanket down next to an edible treat! Sometimes known as Sea Asparagus, this succulent-like plant grows above the high-tide line in coastal regions around the world. Crisp in texture, its briny flavor is described as grassy, deeply salty, and reminiscent of the ocean. Like asparagus, Sea Bean’s color turns from pleasantly green to electric when exposed to heat, and eaters will find its saltiness is mellowed through cooking. Sea Bean salad makes for a perfect side to any sea-themed meal!
Miner’s Lettuce
Found growing along the West Coast from Alaska to California and some parts of Mexico, Miner’s Lettuce is said to have derived its name during the Gold Rush when its high Vitamin C content provided vital nutrients to pioneers. Native and Indigenous communities, however, have used Miner’s Lettuce, a member of the Purslane family, to treat skin, joint and eye ailments or incorporated into meals for centuries. Also rich in magnesium, iron and calcium, this tender green is best consumed raw in salads to maintain the integrity of its nutrients and delicate flavor. Perfect for shoppers looking to bolster their immune systems, Miner’s Lettuce will add interest and variety to your produce display!