bush tucker

Food topics, including recipes.

Re: bush tucker

Postby Mark F » Sun 07 Feb, 2016 1:24 pm

Beware of eating bracken. I believe unprocessed bracken croziers (the curled young fronds) contains a toxin that needs to be soaked/processed out of it before eating.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby MickyB » Sun 07 Feb, 2016 1:42 pm

Mark F wrote:Beware of eating bracken. I believe unprocessed bracken croziers (the curled young fronds) contains a toxin that needs to be soaked/processed out of it before eating.


I definitely wouldn't eat the croziers from braken. They contain cancer causing-producing substances.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby walk2wineries » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 11:04 pm

Moondog55 wrote:It isn't urgent but I like to plant locally rare and/or endangered species when I can but I need to keep the height lower than 450mm so some stuff like Emu bush and Kangaroo Apple aren't suitable


Scrolling for a new post and noticed this again. Moondog, Eremophila species are very variable and I've just put in a couple that are ground covers... I think its E.Glabra but I wouldn't put money on it. Banksia and Grevillia come as more-or-less groundcover forms as well. Dianella OTHER than the Tasmanian varieties are bushfood and I quite like them, most are under your 45cm limit although a few grow taller. I've recently got rid of all the agapanthus that came with the house and replaced them with Dianella...now all I have to do is remember which was the non-edible one! Years ago a neighbour had a front garden given over to silver eremophila with mauve flowers and dianella - stunning combo.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby Moondog55 » Mon 15 Feb, 2016 11:38 am

I've now got Small Berry Saltbush established, very happy about that. The Yam daisy came up but all died it was so dry and then we got flooded
What I really need to do is burn off the nature strip but council take a dim view of that
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: bush tucker

Postby Son of a Beach » Mon 15 Feb, 2016 11:45 am

walk2wineries wrote:http://gracelinks.org/blog/2296 Interesting idea; pretty sure Bracken isn't endangered!

Not endagered, but maybe carcinogenic? That page says,
The bad news? There is pretty compelling evidence that some types of fiddleheads cause cancer, most notably bracken ferns
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Re: bush tucker

Postby MickyB » Tue 16 Feb, 2016 6:15 pm

Bracken is also very poisonous to livestock when eaten in large quantities (both green and dry fronds).

I have read that the juice from young croziers/fiddleheads of common bracken (Pteridium esculentum) is effective in relieving pain of various insect bites when applied direct. I have never tried it so I'm not sure how effective it is. I'm also not sure if it works on Australia's other two bracken ferns (found in northern Queensland)
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Re: bush tucker

Postby Son of a Beach » Wed 17 Feb, 2016 10:34 am

I've tried it on jack jumper bites a few times. I think it might help a bit, but perhaps not enough to be worth the trouble (which is significant, considering the lack of sap in the stems). It may also have just been a placebo effect for me. I guess sometimes it may be worth the trouble just so you feel like you're doing something about it.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby MickyB » Wed 17 Feb, 2016 12:57 pm

How did you apply it Son of a Beach? My thoughts were mashing up the crozier and then applying it to the skin. I wonder if it would have effect on stinging nettle.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby Son of a Beach » Wed 17 Feb, 2016 1:45 pm

I just snapped off the stem (well, bent, twisted and tore the stem, because it doesn't break all that easy), and then rubbed the broken end on the skin.

Haven't tried the curled up fronds - but then I don't think I've ever been stung when they are curled up - maybe that's the problem. I will have to look out for them next time (there's always a bit of bracken over the road from home, and plenty of jack jumpers on my property).
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Re: bush tucker

Postby MickyB » Wed 17 Feb, 2016 2:56 pm

From what I read it was the crozier/fiddle head that is used. Not sure if there would be much difference between using the crozier or the stipe/stem. I'd be interested to hear of your results if you decided to experiment with the jack jumpers.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby Son of a Beach » Wed 17 Feb, 2016 4:18 pm

I've been stung twice this summer (both ankles within 30 seconds of each other - both stung THROUGH my socks!) and have killed 3 nests near my house. I hope I don't have the opportunity to experiment further for some years to come. But if I do, I'll try to remember to post the results. :-)
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Re: bush tucker

Postby walk2wineries » Sat 20 Feb, 2016 6:38 pm

Moondog55 wrote:I've now got Small Berry Saltbush established, very happy about that. The Yam daisy came up but all died it was so dry and then we got flooded
What I really need to do is burn off the nature strip but council take a dim view of that


Ruby Saltbush can look quite pretty. And the berries they taste nice - I've scrounged them in the Flinders Ranges. You'd only need a couple to stave off scurvy but it takes an awful lot to make a small handful!
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Re: bush tucker

Postby Bogong Moth » Wed 16 Mar, 2016 11:08 am

walk2wineries wrote:BTW I am ALMOST sure that there are lots of Pine mushrooms near me, going for $28 for 1/2 kg in the central markets & looking much more tired. Where can I get these identified? There are aminita species in the same forest unfortunately..... The red and white ones are obvious, but...



I'm unsure where you could. I grew up eating them, as my family had Czech friends that recognised them for what they were straight away. As far as I am aware these two mushrooms grow exclusively around pine trees and don't have any really poisonous 'look-alikes' on the SE coast. BUT buy some books, do your OWN research and don't trust random nobodies on the internet!

1. Saffron milk cap https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactarius_deliciosus are extremely identifiable with their very bright orange colour on top and on the gills. When cut, the liquid is vivid orange. When they're old or bruised, that area on the mushroom becomes a blue-green colour. These are fabulous eating, partly because they retain structure when cooking.
2. Slippery jacks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suillus_luteus. They have a slimy chestnut brown coating on top, and they don't have gills- but a lemon sponge instead (as they are a bolete). Peel the brown slimy skin off the top and discard the stem prior to eating. They don't keep long, and drying is kind of frustrating because they have a very high water content. They're best to flavour stews and suchlike as they lose their structure. I understand all the relevant lookalikes are different colours (e.g. red underneath instead of yellow) and unlikely to be mistaken unless colourblind.

The common Fly Agaric amanita is apparently edible... if you boil them for an hour with copious volumes of salt water to leach out the toxins. Not a good bushwalking strategy! And I haven't been game enough to try it, although apparently they're quite delicious after that fried in butter. There are a couple of completely poisonous lookalikes about too. I'd stick to using these mixed with milk as a fly-killer (that's how they got their name, after all)
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Re: bush tucker

Postby Maaxxx » Sat 19 Mar, 2016 2:20 pm

From past experience, I can vouch for the effectiveness of bracken for the relief from the pain of stings. Over the years, I've used it on nettle stings and insect bites and stings which, I'm fairly sure, would have included jack jumpers, as I've lost count of the number of times I've copped it from those little buggers.
I use the milky fluid from the underground bits (roots, rhizomes, whatever)). Just pull up it up and, as long as it's not too dry, twist and tease out the white fluid and apply it onto the area needing attention. In no time at all, pain dissipates. It's not permanent but does last for quite a while and I really believe prompt application can also lessen the longer term effects of the bite.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby MickyB » Sun 20 Mar, 2016 1:57 pm

Maaxxx wrote:From past experience, I can vouch for the effectiveness of bracken for the relief from the pain of stings. Over the years, I've used it on nettle stings and insect bites and stings which, I'm fairly sure, would have included jack jumpers, as I've lost count of the number of times I've copped it from those little buggers.
I use the milky fluid from the underground bits (roots, rhizomes, whatever)). Just pull up it up and, as long as it's not too dry, twist and tease out the white fluid and apply it onto the area needing attention. In no time at all, pain dissipates. It's not permanent but does last for quite a while and I really believe prompt application can also lessen the longer term effects of the bite.


Great to hear first hand experience with bracken being used on bites and stings with good results. Interesting that the rhizomes were used and not the croziers. A lot of the places I go has stinging nettle so I might try this method next time it's needed. Thanks for the tip Maaxxx. There are a lot of ferns that look similar to bracken such as common ground fern (Calochlaena dubia) and ferns in the genus Hypolepis (Harsh Ground Fern, Ruddy Ground Fern etc). I wonder if their rhizomes would have similar results to bracken?
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Re: bush tucker

Postby walk2wineries » Sat 26 Mar, 2016 7:53 pm

drakkar wrote:This is something that interests me quite a bit, but is also quite hard to find solid info on. There is a few books on the topic but nothing beats hands on experience.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to go on a guided walk/tour (somewhere in victoria preferably) where you learn to identify the different edible plants and learn how to prepare them.

I'm either putting the wrong terms into google, or it seems something like this doesnt exist?


http://www.diegobonetto.com/shop I think there's another in Melbourne although its more weeds than indigenous . Also see https://www.facebook.com/groups/914102721973899/
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Re: bush tucker

Postby walk2wineries » Fri 12 May, 2017 5:57 pm

walk2wineries wrote:BTW I am ALMOST sure that there are lots of Pine mushrooms near me, going for $28 for 1/2 kg in the central markets & looking much more tired. Where can I get these identified? There are aminita species in the same forest unfortunately..... The red and white ones are obvious, but...


Well, have been on a learn-to-forage walk and can confidently tell you that there are lots of edible boletes (Slippery Jacks and Weeping boletes) on the Heysen trail through Crawford; FB friends have been posting heaps of photos of saffron milk caps and porcini found in the same area but I've had no luck. The Torrens linear park has a lot of ruby salt bush fruit at present so I imagine that the Heysen going through the Flinders will have the same....
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Re: bush tucker

Postby AWTtrekker » Fri 12 May, 2017 9:15 pm

I know the question was asked a while ago but in answer to Moondogs question about sourcing plants, particularly yam daisies. I used to work at Bulleen Art and Garden and was in charge of ordering all the native tubes :) We sourced them from LaTrobe University nursery(where I also worked at one stage!) at Bundoora and they definitely stock the daisies.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby AWTtrekker » Fri 12 May, 2017 9:18 pm

I often collect the curled tips of bracken as I go and add them to my dinner as a source of fresh greens. They have a slightly nutty flavour
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Re: bush tucker

Postby Mark F » Fri 12 May, 2017 9:35 pm

AWTtrekker - I would be very careful about eating bracken croziers. They need to be processed by soaking or baking to remove the toxin. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracken in the poisoning section and above about breaking down thiamine causing beriberi. You no doubt need to eat a reasonable quantity but I know the Japanese always soak bracken croziers (warabi) - I think in brine and from memory at least 24 hours.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby AWTtrekker » Fri 12 May, 2017 9:41 pm

I only use a few things under the guidance of my local indigenous bush tucker guides. They also warn about eating them in any quantity without processing. Eating more than a few raw without cooking at all will clear you out fairly well, they soak them first overnight usually.

Other treats can be found along the way if you know what to look for such as native sarspiralla to chew on, however once again too much is not advised.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby TerraMer » Sun 14 May, 2017 4:48 pm

+1 weed foraging
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Re: bush tucker

Postby walk2wineries » Sun 21 May, 2017 4:30 pm

Definitely pine mushrooms - saffron caps and boletes - on the Heysen going through Mt Crawford..
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Re: bush tucker

Postby walk2wineries » Wed 04 Oct, 2017 10:51 pm

This is new, and a very good source. https://www.thewildfoodhuntress.com.au/weedsonwalks/ You might also try the fb page "foraging australia." (Used to be foraging south australia) Lots of three cornered allium out, good addition to stir-fries, salads, sangers etc; wild turnip flowers are one of my favourites. Our group walked in the Adelaide Hills last week & I found watercress in Brownhill Creek, if anyone is doing the Yurebilla! Also morels are out but not easy to find. Most foragable greens seem to be introduced weeds but that is a Good Thing is it not? eat 'em up.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby walk2wineries » Sun 22 Jul, 2018 4:28 pm

Moondog55 wrote:It isn't urgent but I like to plant locally rare and/or endangered species when I can but I need to keep the height lower than 450mm so some stuff like Emu bush and Kangaroo Apple aren't suitable


Adelaide Parklands are using heaps of Eremophilia - particularly a prostrate "Karibaldi Gold" one of the Eremophilia Glabra species, which I tried & which seems to be taking over my yard. Very pretty at the moment with yellow flowers and birds like it. And apparently its okay to heavily prune the higher ones. Maculata seems to be pretty idiot proof.
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Re: bush tucker

Postby Huntsman247 » Wed 15 Aug, 2018 8:55 am

Lomandra can be eaten. Haven't tried it myself but hoping to give it a go some day. The white part of the leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and soaked and grounded to make flour.
Has anyone here tried it?
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