Natural Cooking with NFSC
What are you going to cook with your summer forest finds?
The Northeast Superior Forest Community launches NTFP recipe sharing forum
CHAPLEAU, ON – As the summer comes to an end, you must have an abundance of wild berries, mushrooms, and other delicious natural treasures that you found in the forest this season. What is your favourite recipe that calls for wild mushrooms? How about wild blueberries and raspberries? The Northeast Superior Forest Community (NSFC) wants to help you decide what to cook with the edible plants that are native to the Northeast Superior region. In order to do this, the organization has launched a Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) recipe sharing forum on their Facebook group page. Members of the page will have the ability to share their favourite recipes, and at the same time will have access to the favourite recipes of other members and fellow northern Ontario residents. NSFC staff have already begun posting delicious wild mushroom, berry, tree sap, and tea recipes on the page.
The NSFC hopes that the recipe sharing will showcase the diversity of our forests, and maybe even highlight the need for increased business development within the NTFP sector. “There are plenty of opportunities for food-based NTFP businesses in the Northeast Superior region” says NSFC Project Officer Giselle Noel,“ for example, there are very few producers of birch syrup in Canada, and our region is perfectly situated for a business in that field”. Showcasing the hundreds of ways that these NTFP’s can be used as ingredients in baked goods and dinner- time creations will provide evidence of the potential success that businesses could have.
The best part about incorporating NTFP’s like mushrooms and berries into your recipes is that they are absolutely free as long as you are willing to put in a bit of time and effort. Another bonus is that your carbon footprint will be reduced by eating produce that is grown locally, and you don’t need to worry about pesticide use or damage to the food during shipping. Remember to always use a reference guide when hunting for wild mushrooms to help ensure you aren’t picking poisonous species.
There are also many health benefits associated with eating our local plants. For example, wild low-bush blueberries which are common in the region, contain a higher level of antioxidants than most other fruits and vegetables. The berries also contain high levels of dietary fibre, as well as Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Manganese. Additionally, regular consumption of blueberries is believed to reduce the risks of some diseases such as heart disease, inflammation, Alzheimer’s, and certain cancers.
To share your recipes and to have access to a whole bunch of new ones, visit the NSFC Facebook group page and become a member.
Bon Appetit!
About the Northeast Superior Forest Community
The NSFC is a partnership between six municipalities; Manitouwadge, White River, Hornepayne, Dubreuilville, Wawa, and Chapleau, as well as the Northeast Superior Regional Chiefs Forum which represents Chapleau Cree, Brunswick House, Michipicoten, Missanabie Cree, Pic Mobert, and Hornepayne First Nations. The NSFC is also one of 11 Forest Community sites funded by Natural Resources Canada’s Forest Communities Program, and part of a network of 14 sites across the country who combine to form the Canadian Model Forest Network (CMFN).
