Years ago I had heard that pokeweed was edible and when I found a bush I sampled the tip of a leaf, not knowing that a mature bush was toxic. Within a minute my mouth started to react to the toxins and I knew something was terribly wrong. I spit out the contents and washed my mouth out thoroughly and fortunately nothing became of it. I learned an important lesson regarding the nature of pokeweed.

Now that it’s Spring new shoots are emerging everywhere and I decided to harvest and prepare pokeweed properly. The plants should be harvested when new and seven inches or less in height. Remove the leaves and avoid purple colored areas. There are a multitude of ways to prepare it with as many opinions of it’s toxicity. In the end I chose a 5/5/15 minute tri-boil cooking method to remove it’s toxicity and raw taste.

I put two pots on the stove, the first one containing the pokeweed covered with water and a second larger pot full of water to bring to a boil for the water changes. After the first pot boils for five minutes I drain the water and refill it with water from the second pot, then after another 5 minutes I repeat the process with the third pot and let it boil for 15 minutes and then drain the water out.

Once completed the pokeweed has a mild and “yummy” flavor, much like buttery spinach. It tasted great all by itself (al dente) but I can imagine that taste enhancements like bacon grease, butter, salt & pepper or other condiments would take it to the next level of greatness.

Chickweed is simple to identify with opposite pairs of small, teardrop shaped leaves with tiny white star-shaped flowers. The stem has a delicate almost hollow-like structure with a single line of hairs that run up one side. The flowers close at night and open in the morning and seem to respond to changes in air pressure as they stay closed during a low pressure system.

In common with most edible weeds, it is both edible and medicinal. It is very nutritious containing a high level of vitamin C as well as a variety of other vitamins and minerals. It can be eaten raw in the field or added to salads or cooked as a pot herb, tasting somewhat like spinach but without the bitterness associated with many other edible weeds. It has been used to treat skin ailments, obesity, and as a diuretic. Be moderate in consumption as too much can cause adverse effects like diarrhea.

As usual, plants should be collected from pollution-free areas – not by roadsides or areas sprayed with herbicides or pesticides. It wouldn’t hurt to stay clear of your pet’s trail as well!