05/18/2026
A handful of you know that I (Jen) am an avid forager. I’ve always been into plants—my mom, grandpa, and grandmother all were too, and I picked it up from them.
But it’s only been in the last few years that I’ve become fascinated by just how much food is all around us. Medicinal uses of plants interest me too, but I absolutely NERD OUT over culinary uses.
This is black locust blossom. The trees are beautiful, grow abundantly around Omaha, and the blooms are edible and easily harvested. (The rest of the tree is toxic.)
The blossoms are mild and smell/taste a little like orange blossoms and honey. Here’s how I’ve used them:
1. Water kefir infused with black locust blossoms and foraged chokecherries that I cooked down and saved the juice from—this is a 2nd ferment so it will be naturally carbonated.
2. Herbal iced tea made with black locust blossoms and Greek Mountain Tea (from The Mediterranean Grocer on 85th & Blondo).
3. A few raw blossoms in my salad.
I hope to share this passion more someday—I’m beginning to explore what that could look like. Until then, I’ve decided to share pieces of it here because, like my granola, it’s an expression of my lifestyle and values.
Note: Accurate identification is critical before consuming any foraged foods. If I’m not 100% sure, I don’t eat it.
