Traipsing through the country harvesting the bounty of nature on a foraging expedition has become a regular weekend activity for many dedicated foodies. This fun, free pastime hunting wild greens and edible fungi can introduce some novel flavours into the kitchen, helps cooks get up close and personal with Mother Nature and connects them with one of the greatest groundswells in global food trends. In Italy, there’s one man who is known for foraging above all else; Heinrich Schneider. As the head chef of the Michelin-starred Terra, he uses over fifty different ingredients found in the woods and mountains of South Tyrol in his dishes.
Northern Italy is one of the most exciting places in the world to carry out this wonderful pastime, particularly in South Tyrol. Home to the Dolomites and with more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other region in Italy, it’s a haven for foodies looking for something new. Whether you want to go out on a foraging trip yourself (always go with a guide so you don’t accidentally eat something poisonous) or want to leave it to the experts who will cook the local herbs and flowers with finesse, it’s an incredible place to visit.
There are around 130 species of plants that can be found in a healthy South Tyrolean mountain meadow, including many wild herbs that have played an important role in traditional folk medicine for centuries and now play a part in the dishes of this gourmet region. Chefs such as Heinrich Schneider, who grew up exploring the Dolomites, have always loved utilising wild herbs to expand the depths and flavours of food. He says there are over fifty different edible wild herbs in South Tyrol – here is a description of five of the most interesting ones featured on Heinrich’s menu.
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Mountain culture: foraging with Heinrich Schneider