If you can’t beat’em, eat’em!
Some invasive species are surprisingly tasty. Herewith, inspiration for putting our problems on our plates:
Garlic mustard: Use to make pesto or mixed with salad greens
Phragmites: Take the shoots right where they meet the roots, boil and toss with butter.
Green crabs: Use the meat any way you’d use any crab meat.
Japanese knotweed: Since this tastes something like rhubarb, use it in similar ways — in baking, soups, or stews. Or steam it and toss with garlic. Take the shoots when they’re 6 to 8 inches tall. Any taller and they’re tough.
Autumn olive: Use the berries in smoothies, mixed with yogurt, or make into jams and jellies
Kudzu: Parboil the leaves to soften the sometimes bristly hairs and then use in salads, or as wraps.
Honeysuckle: This one below comes courtesy of Suzan Bellincampi.
Spirited Honeysuckle (Strain out the spiders)
Collect honeysuckle flowers and fill a mason jar (do not crush or pack in flowers)
Pour your favorite spirit over the flowers (vodka and gin work well)
Store in a cool place for a few weeks
Strain out pollen, plant bits, spiders, and other debris
Use in your favorite cocktail or make a simple syrup (feel free to infuse more flowers) to make it a liqueur or cordial
Cheers!
