Fiddleheads are a Maine delicacy.
Fiddleheads ferns are an early springtime Maine delicacy that tastes like a combination of asparagus and mushrooms. They are an excellent source of vitamins A and C and are low in calories. The name "fiddlehead" refers to the tightly coiled top of the young ferns that resembles the scroll at the top of a violin's neck piece. Although most ferns have fiddleheads, the only edible ones come from the ostrich fern, therefore proper identification is crucial.
Instructions
1. Plan your search for fiddleheads in April and May. Look in places along side brooks, streams and rivers. The fiddleheads of ostrich ferns prefer to grow in damp areas with little sunlight.
2. Examine any dead ferns lying around the ground from the previous year. Ostrich fern leaves are wider in the middle of the stem and taper to each end. Also notice if there are any erect brown spore-bearing fronds still present. These resemble the "plumes" of an ostrich. Either observation helps in the identification of ostrich fern fiddleheads.
3. Look for small clusters that are at a height of 1 to 2 inches above the ground. Ostrich fern fiddleheads grow in groups of three to 12 per cluster.
4. Examine the cozier; this is the coiled up head of the ostrich fern. It should be dark green in color and measure approximately 1 inch in diameter. There should be a peeling, paper-dry, parchment-like covering around the uncoiled fern. This is one of the most distinctive features of an ostrich fern fiddlehead. Fiddleheads from other ferns have coverings that are fuzzy or woolly.
5. Look at the stem; it should be smooth with a "U-shaped" groove running up the entire inside of the stem.
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