Editor’s note: The following is part of a series featuring recipes with ingredients harvested from public lands.
The U.S. Department of the Interior has compiled its favorite recipes of dishes that "include ingredients you can hunt, fish, or forage on public lands," and has given GPM permission to reprint their creations here. Before you fire up your campfire or woodstove, however, DOI reminds us:
Hunting and fishing are outdoor activities with tasty results. Before you go after game or cast your line, check out our hunting and fishing guides so that you can make sure you’re following the rules, have the federal and state licenses you need and are keeping safe.
On many public lands, gathering natural, renewable products — such as fruits, berries, nuts or sea shells — is permitted, subject to certain conditions set by each location or state office. Be sure to check nps.gov, fws.gov, blm.gov or the websites of specific parks and national wildlife refuges for the most up-to-date information on availabilities and quantity limits before going to pick plants. Always make sure to properly identify plants before picking them, as some can be hazardous.
Woods Tea
Curling up with a cup of warm, flowery tea is the perfect way to end a day spent at public lands. Woods Tea is a mix of all natural ingredients that not only taste good, but are good for you. Full of vitamins and health-inducing elements, the following recipe will help your body recharge to take on another day of adventuring in public lands.
You can adapt this recipe to your tastes. To get a more bitter flavor, use more coneflower petals or raspberry leaves. For a more aromatic and tart flavor, use more woods rose. To sweeten things up, try adding a spoonful or two of wildflower honey. This tasty tea recipe was created by Brendan Bombaci, a Bureau of Land Management employee.
Ingredients:
Raspberry leaves
Mullein flowers
Purple Coneflower petals
Woods Rose buds
Directions:
Place equal parts of all ingredients in a fine-meshed cheesecloth or a tightly woven cloth teabag.
Steep in sub-boiling water for 5-10 minutes.