If you're interested in incorporating a delicious wild herb into your cooking, look no further. Instagrammer and wild food educator Forage Colorado (@foragecolorado) shared all the details for adding wild bergamot to your favorite dishes.
The scoop
Wild bergamot, or bee balm, is a wildflower that's native to most of North America. Forage Colorado gave some tips on how to identify and eat this tasty plant.
It's a member of the mint family, and "like the rest of the mint family, it has a square stem and opposite leaves," they said. The plant also gives off a strong scent of mint, citrus, and oregano.
The tubular flowers bloom in ragged puffs and, according to Forage Colorado, are also edible. They said, "I harvest the leaves and flowers and dry them both. The leaves make a great substitute for oregano, and they add a little bit more citrusy minty flavor to your dishes."
Forage Colorado goes on to share that the herb is great to use fresh on homemade pizza, and the flowers and leaves also make a delicious tea.
"It tastes amazing!" they said.
While you can find this herb in the wild, it would also be a great addition to your own garden. It's native, and pollinators love it.
Forage Colorado said, "It has so many great culinary applications, both in the mint realm and in the oregano savory realm. It's one of my favorite plants."
How it's working
Gardening and growing your own food offers so many benefits. Getting your produce from your own backyard saves consumers both time and money. Store-bought groceries can take a toll on your bank account, and gathering food from right outside your home saves the time it takes to run to the store and search for what you need. Also, food you grow yourself just tastes better.
It provides excellent heart-healthy exercise and also offers mental health perks like lower stress and anxiety levels. Gardeners who grow their own food also get the added benefit of eating a healthier, more fiber-full diet.
Gardening and growing native plants and your own food also adds critical biodiversity to the environment and creates a healthy ecosystem for pollinators so they can do their important work of protecting our food supply.
What people are saying
Instagrammers were excited to try growing and eating this wild herb. One user said, "[The] scent is like Earl Grey tea...love it...never thought to add it as a seasoning."
Another commented: "I have a huge bush that is just coming into flower now. I'm [going] to dry it and use in my spice blends."
One surprised user said, "It grows wild in my yard, I didn't know you could eat it!"
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