Here is a very initial cooking experiment we made in June:
Sweet Chestnut + Wild Herb Crackers
w/ Vegan Marscarpone
& Ramson Kimchi
OR Ramson Capers
OR Food Forest Berry Preserves
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INGREDIENTS FROM:
Amsterdam Voedselbos (Berries)
Voedselbos Thuishaven (Wild Herbs)
Voedelbos Baarle-Nassau (Sweet Chestnuts)
Amstel Park (Ramson)
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SITE VISIT FIELD NOTES
On TUE July 16, 2024 we had a chance to visit the Voedselbos Thuishaven in Flevoland. Our studio has previously procured and cooked with their ingredients, but this was our first time to visit in-person.
We visited 3 areas of the landscape: the romantic food forest (2018), the production food forest (2021/2022) and a wild garden. The surrounding landscape and context, the landscape of Flevoland agriculture, and large windmills is quite unique in terms of our ongoing Food Forest research. More on that in future research into the MOCK WILD + FRACTAL FOOD FUTURES.
But for now onto some field notes:
PRESERVED DUTCH PLUMS: We had a chance to taste salted-preserved green plums which were delicious. (Here is one recipe in english.) Definitley an ingredient we will use in future Food Forest Taste Tests.
INGREDIENT LIST: In addition the 20+ plants that we tested in the kitchen in May 2024, there were additional possibilities for our next test kitchen in September 2024.
MAY 2024 INGREDIENTS
OTHER INGREDIENTS
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SUPPLY CHAINS: The farm is already selling to a co-op in Almere, and selling some processed ingredients (mint, lemon balm, Alexanders[Smyrnium olusatrum] ) to others. (In the past they tried juiced apples, and now have frozen berries, etc.) Lots of low-powered preservation techniques, but a freezer has its uses for sure. * Speaking of our good friend Nicola Twilley has a new book out about the history of refrigeration called FROST BITE.
FOOD FROM THE FOREST ASSOCIATION: We spoke to Anje about her work with https://voedseluithetbos.nl/en/ An amazing project and look forward to learning more.
PLANT BREEDERS & NURSERIES: One question we wanted to learn more about was the landscape of contemporary plant breeders and nurseries who are acting as the suppliers for Food Forests or permaculture projects. Are there public plant breeders who are creating improved varieties for traits that are preferable in the context of food forests? Are there nurseries who specialize in perennial or wild species? One nursery near Utrecht we were pointed to was https://kwekerijstekkers.nl/
CAT TAIL PANCAKES: While walking through one of the designed wetlands on site, Anje mentioned that there is a recipe for Cattail (Typha) Pancakes. Here is one (https://www.natureoutside.com/how-to-make-cattail-pancakes/). However, this left us reflecting on our thoughts about resilience, (in)convenience, taste, sustinence etc. when it comes to eating wild or food forest ingredients.
WIND PARK FLEVOLAND: We learned a bit about the recent history of wind energy production in Flevoland. Originally there were about 200 windmills in the area, each owned and cited by individual farmers, but more recently newer windmills have been put up that are more efficient and generate much more energy. The number has been reduced to 80, the farmers are members of the corporation, and they are installed in straight lines. (The Dutch love their straight lines and grids!). As per the Flevoland website “As few mills as possible that generate as much energy as possible. Placed in lines that strengthen the open character of the landscape.” (https://www.flevoland.nl/wat-doen-we/energie/wind).
AGRICULTURAL CONTEXT: The farms in the neighborhood mostly grow products such as potato, onion, sugar beet and corn.
A NEIGHBORHOOD TASTE TEST FEST / or FOOD FOREST BANQUET: Since Thuishaven is somewhat unique in its approach to landuse and agroecology in its neighborhood, we thought that a really important future intervention might be to create a large meal or food festival on site, and specifically inviting neighbors to taste and experience the landscape with fresh eyes and open taste buds.
This project has been selected for a development contribution as part of the Open Call: Fresh Perspectives by the Creative Industries Fund NL 2024.