thelovingspoonful.net

This post is inspired by a buddy of mine, Teishan.  Until I met him, I never knew anyone who was even remotely interested in the edible bounty that could be found in different urban settings.  I thought I was the only one who would sneak onto UC Irvine’s campus at 7AM (before the bees came) to harvest lavender!

All it takes is some self-teaching.  Learn to identify fruits, herbs, and even tasty blossoms.  You will be delighted to discover a whole new world of tastes and smells blooming constantly around you!

Recently, I came across a fascinating new project dreamed up by colleagues, Kaytea Petro and Oriana Sarac, as their final project at Presidio School of Management.  It is called Neighborhood Fruit, and will soon be a type of educational networking website for people in urban areas (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, etc.) to come together, and share tips about where to find edibles near their location.  It is still a work in progress, but promises to be a wonderfully fun tool – provided that people give back more than they take away!

N  E  I  G  H  B  O  R  H  O  O  D      F  R  U  I  T

Now that summer is here and the mussels in Newport Back Bay are death sentences waiting to happen, I am excited to see what else is available outside.  I hope you will rub the sleep out of their eyes, and try to spot some hidden treasures for yourself!  A tip to start: There are some tasty Natal Plums growing in the upper-crust neighborhoods of Corona del Mar.  They’re found in bushes along pathways – which start in front of the residential area – and lead down to the beach (think Marguerite Avenue).

Natal Plums (Carissa Grandiflora)

Natal Plums are native of South Africa.  They grow among dark, glossy green leaves, and have fragrant jasmine-like blooms.  The fruits are reddish-pink, slightly elongated, with points at the ends.  Natal Plums are available now, but should be especially tasty in 6 to 8 weeks.

*Images courtesy of Neighborhood Fruit and Flickr user peregrin@