Fiddlehead Ferns

Fiddlehead Ferns

As you head toward Mount Desert Island, it's common to see vendors on the side of the roadways selling produce from the back of a pickup truck. In spring, you're likely to see signs offering clean fiddleheads. Unknown to many Americans, the fiddlehead fern is one of nature's true delicacies. Fiddleheads are the tightly coiled tips of newly emerging fronds, and are about the size of two or three quarters stacked on top of each other.

Fiddleheads come from different varieties of ferns. The best fiddleheads come from ostrich ferns, which, unlike most ferns, have hairless casings. You can also eat the fiddleheads from cinnamon ferns but they have a fuzzier casing. You shouldn't fiddle with some ferns, however. The bracken fern is similar to the ostrich fern, but it's hairy and can give you quite a stomachache. It can be difficult to identify ferns, but if you are determined to forage, you can identify the type of fern by examining the dead stalks from the previous year. Often these stalks will hold firmly to the plant even after a winter of heavy snow and ice.

Even the best fiddleheads require a good cleaning, and should be thoroughly cooked. If you pick some fiddleheads, be sure to boil them for 10 to 15 minutes. The best method is to boil them for about 7 minutes in one pot, then discard the water and boil them in fresh water until they are tender. Fiddleheads have a distinct flavor that aficionados say is somewhere between asparagus and spinach. Many area restaurants will offer them as a side dish, toss them with pasta, or add them to other dishes. Be sure to give them a try if you are visiting in springtime.