Fiddlehead Fern @ SF Ferry Building
Ummmm, LOVES IT!
How fabulous is this!?
The other weekend I was at the Ferry Building in SF, doing my normal troll of all things fabulous. Really, if you haven’t been there – go! It’s pretty much like Mecca for those of us whose God is food. Yes, you will have to go early to avoid the dreaded mom’s with their entourage of strollers – or those coffee lunatics who create a line with as much depth and length comparable to the great wall of China – but beyond that, it’s fabulous.
Once I got my peas from Louie, some flowers from Cypress Farms, and all the cheese I can get my hands on from Cowgirl Creamery, I drifted over to my fav part of the market. You see, vegetables are great and everything but chocolates are better, and they are located inside. But it was the mushroom stand that had these fiddlehead ferns for sale. They are commonly used for cooking, but I’d love them just to keep in a bowl in my kitchen. Gorgeous.
18 Responses to “Fiddlehead Fern @ SF Ferry Building”
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The Ferry Building Marketplace is fabulous, I love it! So much nicer there than it was 20 years ago, and they’ve made such excellent use of the space. I don’t think I’ve ever seen fiddle head ferns like that for sale. $17 a pound! Wow, well, I suppose it is a specialty food item.
Salivating reading this post!
I’ve never had fern fiddlehead, but I’ve always heard they are delish. Wanted you to know I received the scrub and the two teas yesterday. Thank you so much. I know I will enjoy both thoroughly. You were too kind.~~Dee
I’ve never had fiddleheads either – sure are pricey though! But I’d still try them.
I have eaten fiddleheads and they taste a lot like asparagus. Very delicious. A friend recently gave me about 30 crowns of various ferns- I’m definitely going to have to start harvesting them for $17 a pound!
I have had fiddleheads before. Sauteed in butter…drool! But I don’t think that I’d pay that much for them. I know where I can find them for free
These are very beautiful. I could see using them as decorations as well.
I’ve never eaten them before… I fell in love just because of how wonderful they looked in that box. Very different. They would look fantastic under a glass cloche on a coffee table or book shelf… I’m a fan of putting weird shit under glass and calling it interesting.
Nice… the shoot or rather the youngest parts of fern is the best! ~bangchik
I would love to try fiddleheads sometime~but that aside, they look super in that wooden box! gail
Pretty?? I think they look like deformed worms! Yuck! But to each her own I reckon. I eat nasturtiums but they’re way prettier than fiddlehead ferns.
(I think we have a common friend in Felder Rushing, I wrote the foreword to one of his books: “Tough Plants for Northern Gardens.)
I have always wanted to go to the market at the Ferry Building. Next trip to SanFran it’s a must!
Yes! I love Felder… he interviewed me on his radio show about 6 or so months ago. He’s a southern gardening gem!
Oh, they do look pretty – but I must admit I was mystified as to what they were doing in that tub! I haven’t heard of anyone eating ferns over here in Oz. But then again, there are a lot of things I haven’t heard of, so I’ll have to investigate!
I was glad to get to the end of this post and see that the fiddlehead ferns were edible because that picture made me hungry! Great shot. I would love to have a farmers market like the one you describe in my town…
ah, delicious fiddle heads, i usually just go stalking in the forests when you can find alot of them, at least here in east hawaii
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ooh, I did not know you could eat these! They look really crazy in that box! However, all I can think is that these poor little fronds did not have a chance to unfurl and become gorgeous ferns!
I was thinking the same thing!!
fiddleheads are a regular treat in the early spring in New Brunswick Canada. We pick them wild at just the right stage before the “fiddle-head” begins to unfurl into the fern leaf – clean, steam well until tender, cover with butter and vinegar and enjoy. Some have had modest success cultivating them, but it is difficult apparently.
Make sure they are well cooked – they can be toxic when not fully cooked.