RECIPE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEXANDRA HUDSON
A sweet bite of the winter forest
Winter rains bring scores of cone-tipped redwood branches, usnea lichen bundles and madrone berries to the forager’s collection basket. The bright flavors of these forest gems are bound to enchant the epicurious and leave holiday guests intrigued about your mysterious ingredients. With this recipe we take a journey through the magestic redwood ecosystem for our inspiration and ingredients to prepare a panna cotta that is unique to our bioregion.
The citrus-like flavor and immune-boosting properties of redwood needles infuse easily into heavy cream. To make redwood-infused panna cotta, we employ an herbal medicine technique, mixing shredded needles with a bit of high proof alcohol before infusing them into the cream; for those short on time, this step can be omitted.
Huckleberries can be harvested in late summer, then frozen and prepared as compote for bursts of brilliance in the winter. Huckleberries resemble their relative, the blueberry, (which can be substitued when wild huckleberries are not available) and fruit prolifically in sun-drenched spots.
REDWOOD PANNA COTTA WITH HUCKLEBERRY COMPOTE
RECIPE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEXANDRA HUDSON
A sweet bite of the winter forest
About the author
Alexandra Hudson is a California-born clinical herbalist, wild foods chef and holistic educator. She lives with her family out in the Day Valley redwoods, where she tends to her land and offers classes and sessions to clients. For more information on Hudson’s practice and classes, visit alchemistress.world.
