Its been almost four weeks since we went to a grocery store. Although we have plenty to eat, we have no fresh vegetables. Over at our Spring House, the water that exits that building trickles down a ditch into Dutchman's Creek. Each Spring, that ditch is filled with wild watercress.
Watercress is a
nutritious plant
and
has long been used as a
Spring Tonic
. We are cautious. We
definitely know that livestock have not been using the ditch where it is growing. We harvested only the leafy parts growing above the water. We examined it for parasites and triple washed it.
Raw watercress is tender and has a strong peppery bite, like radishes on steroids! Because of the bite, sometimes is is used as a garnish for rich and fatty meats. For a salad, you can tame the bite by using Blue Cheese, Roquefort or Ranch salad dressings. You can
sauté
it i
n bacon fat as you would kale or collard greens. It is also enjoyed on small buttered tea sandwiches.