Where do you find Fiddleheads?
Fiddleheads can be found growing along the sandy banks of rivers and streams, as well as at the edges of swampy areas in the forests of New Brunswick.
Fiddleheads can also be found (dependent on where you are) at your local produce markets, roadside stands throughout New Brunswick, Quebec, and the New England states, and most grocery stores in May.
How do I store my fresh Fiddleheads and how long will they last?
Our vacuum-packed Fiddleheads will stay crisp and green for up to three weeks in your fridge. Submerging them in ice cold water in your fridge, with a change of water every two to three days, will keep them fresh for up to three weeks or more as well.
When I was a boy, my parents kept the Fiddleheads in onion bags in our ground spring (which was also our drinking water) for up to two months after Fiddlehead season. If Fiddleheads are kept in ice cold running water, they will stay fresh for a long, long time.
In our part of the country, our grocery stores display Fiddleheads in large plastic barrels with a constant supply of fresh running water. You simply scoop them out of the barrel with a dip screen and let them drain a few seconds. This is how all grocery stores should keep the Fiddleheads they sell, to retain their freshness and spring green color. Fiddleheads that are displayed in regular open bins, in the grocer aisle, will turn brown, limp and dry out from exposure to the air.
