Exploring the Wild: Harvesting and Preparing Wild Sumac

Uncover the secrets of staghorn sumac, a visually striking and edible plant widespread across North America. With its fiery red berry clusters and tropical appearance, this sumac variety is both a beautiful and a flavorful addition to your culinary spice collection. Often mistaken for its toxic relative, poison sumac, the edible kind features vibrant red berries and can commonly be found thriving alongside roads in New England and Upstate New York.

How to Harvest and Process Wild Sumac

• Timing: Aim to harvest sumac when the cone-like clusters are fully vibrant, typically from late July to early September in New York and New England. The optimum moment is before any heavy rainfall, which can wash away the delicate, flavorful hairs surrounding each seed.

• Cutting: Use clippers to snip the sumac clusters right below the cone ends.

• Drying: Allow the clusters to air-dry in a sheltered, dry spot for a couple of days to ensure they are moisture-free and to prevent molding.

• Separating: Over a sheet tray, gently rub the clusters to detach the individual berries. Leave these to dry further on the tray for about 24 hours.

• Grinding: Half-fill a spice grinder with the sumac seeds and pulse. The grinder will separate the hairy texture from the harder seed inside.

• Sifting: Transfer the ground sumac into a sieve and shake over a bowl to separate the fine sumac powder from the seeds.

• Drying the Powder: Spread the ground sumac on a large sheet tray and let it dry for another 24 hours to ensure all moisture is removed. For a quicker result, a brief stint in an oven set to 140 degrees or a microwave may be used, though air-drying is recommended for the best flavor.

• Storing: Keep the sumac powder in an airtight container stored in a cool, dry pantry. It retains its quality indefinitely and can add a distinct lemony and tangy flavor to your dishes.

Sumac-Inspired Recipe: Sumac Lemonade

Immerse yourself in the tangy essence of sumac by preparing a refreshing Sumac Lemonade. This delightful drink is perfect for summer days and showcases the unique zesty flavor of your freshly harvested sumac.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of ground wild sumac
• 1 liter of cold water
• Honey or sugar, to taste
• Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a pitcher, mix the ground sumac with cold water.
2. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, allowing the sumac to infuse.
3. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into another pitcher.
4. Add honey or sugar to sweeten it to your liking.
5. Serve chilled with an optional garnish of mint leaves for an extra refreshing touch.

Enjoy each sip, reveling in the flavors foraged from the wild! This fusion of local harvest and homemade craft celebrates nature’s bounty and enriches your culinary experiments.