Food from Mother Nature- Cibo da Madre Natura

Burdock-Bardana

I know we’re all worried about our future, but life must go on even if we’re stuck at home and would rather be somewhere else. Let’s try to make the most out of our time at home. Let’s try to be optimistic. This pandemic will end sooner or later. We have been lucky in the 21st century, we had it all and probably didn’t realize how lucky we were up to now. Today is the time to reflect and cherish our loved ones. Think of it as a vacation. Positive thinking helps the body heal.

Capisco che siamo tutti preoccupati per la nostra salute e per i nostri cari, ma la vita continua. Cerchiamo di sfruttare al meglio il tempo che abbiamo a disposizione. Dobbiamo essere ottimisti. Questa pandemia finirà prima o poi. Siamo stati molto fortunati nel 21esimo secolo, avevamo tutto e di più senza rendercene conto. Oggi è il momento di riflettere e prenderci cura dei nostri cari. Pensate a questa quarantena come se fosse una vacanza. Pensare positivo aiuta il corpo a guarire da solo.

Primrose-Primule

So let’s talk about spontaneous veggies you can find in the country. Mother nature has always been generous.

Ora, parliamo delle verdure spontanei che madre natura ci ha regalato.

If you are lucky enough to live in the country, you can pick your own fresh veggies.

Se avete la fortuna di avere un piccolo appezzamento di terreno potete cogliere i frutti della natura.

For salads:

Un’insalata per esempio:

Primrose (Cowslip) – flowers and leaves

Primole- fiori e foglie

Common daisy- Margheritina

The common daisy is edible. Flowers, and tender leaves

Margheritine (Bellis perennis) le infiorescenze e le giovane foglie si possono mangiare.

Burdock leaves- boil the tender new leaves and make an omelet by adding dandelion leaves as well, and if you can find them, add nettle leaves.

Bardana i così detti Lappigni forse è in dialetto Arquatese?

You can make burdock (Arctium lappa) and dandelion tea that helps boost your metabolism.

From top left-to right-primrose, nettles, burdock-dandelion.
Dall’alto verso destra-Primole,ortica, bardana,tarassaco.

Potete preparare una tisana con le radici di bardana e tarassaco (denti di leone)

Bardana maggiore

Dandelion  Taraxacum officinale

Check out what Micheal Tierra says about these herbs

Il link sopra per Micheal è solo in lingua inglese purtroppo.

You can dig up burdock and dandelion roots. The burdock plant is known for its bur—a round ball of seed material covered in hooks or teeth that get stuck to your clothes and shoes as you pass by. We all know what dandelions look like, right?

To make a cup of tea, place about 1 tbs. fresh burdock root in a teacup, pour approximately 1 cup of spring or filtered water over the herbs and boil for at least 10 minutes and let it sit for a maximum of 10 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Strain the loose pieces and enjoy.

Per preparare il decotto, mettete 1 cucchiaio di radici di bardana e denti di leone (denti can) in una pentola. Aggiungete almeno 250ml d’acqua e fate bollire per almeno 10 minuti. Lasciate riposare per altri 10 minuti. La bevanda è un po’ aspra ma salutare.

For an omelet- add fried onions, parmesan cheese, marjoram, 4 eggs and a handful of previously cooked burdock and dandelion.

Here’s a recipe for burdock roots.

Per una frittata, utilizzate le foglie della bardana (quelli piccoli e teneri) + le foglie di denti di leone.

Fate bollire le foglie fino a quando non sono teneri, scolate le foglie e sminuzzateli. Fate soffriggere una cipolla, poi in una ciottola sbattete 4 uova, aggiungete una manciata di formaggio parmigiano, la maggiorana (un cucchiaio) e sale quanto basta. Aggiungete infine la cipolla soffritta. Ungete un tegame mescolate tutti gli ingredienti e versate il tutto nel tegame.

Are you out of coffee? Dig up the dandelion/burdock roots, dry them in the oven and grind them. Tastes just as good as the real stuff.

Se siete a corto di caffè potete raccogliere le radici di bardana e denti di leone. Fatele essiccare nel forno e macinate le radici secche. Sarete sorpresi, non noterete la differenza.

Fear not, follow the rules dictated by the authorities, stay home and we will soon see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Abbiate fiducia, stiamo alle regole dettate dalle autorità e tutto andrà per il meglio e vedremo la luce alla fine del tunnel.


Discover more from

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Author: eleanorannpeterson

I’m a nature-loving adventurer and children’s book author/illustrator whose life has been an exhilarating journey. Originally hailing from Ottawa, Canada, I developed a deep fascination for wildlife while chasing after wild animals in the swamps. Although I initially aspired to become a veterinarian, my path took an unexpected turn when I relocated to Italy. In Italy, I pursued my passion for nature by earning a BS in Environmental Sciences and Territorial Management. This educational experience further ignited my love of writing about the natural world and its diverse wildlife. I’m an active member of several professional organizations, including SCBWI, 12x12PB Challenge, ICWA, and the Children’s Book Academy. Constantly seeking growth and connection within the industry, I engage with fellow writers and storytellers. Despite my affinity for all creatures, I humorously admit that my nine cats can be the most challenging animals to handle. When I’m not wrangling my feline friends, I spend my time writing, doodling, playing with clay, gardening, and exploring the enchanting Italian countryside with my husband. I also love preparing homemade pasta, showcasing my culinary skills.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.