Fiddleheads

Wild Fiddlehead Ferns

Fiddleheads are the tightly coiled tips of ferns. The fiddleheads eaten in North America are usually from the ostrich fern. These delicate delights are available only in early spring when ferns grow their new shoots. Fiddleheads have a grassy, spring-like flavor with a hint of nuttiness. Many people agree that they taste like a cross between asparagus and young spinach. Fiddleheads are tasty steamed or sautéed, and pair well with butter, lemon, in egg dishes, or in combination with their foraged brethren, morel mushrooms. Fiddleheads can also be frozen or pickled making them enjoyable all year long.