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What are Fiddleheads?
All ferns can be called Fiddleheads, but only the Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthioteris) is considered to be edible. The tender curled heads of the fern are picked just after it makes it’s appearance out of the husk that houses the fronds in the spring, late April through the month of May.
Where do you find Fiddleheads?
Fiddleheads can be found growing along the sandy banks of rivers and steams as well as at the edges of swampy areas in the forest here in New Brunswick
You can also find Fiddleheads (depending where you live) at your local produce markets, roadside stands throughout New Brunswick, Quebec & the New England states , and most grocery stores during the month of May.
How do I store my fresh Fiddleheads & how long will they last?
Fiddleheads will keep crisp and green and last up to three weeks in your fridge in our vacuum packed bags. Or you can keep them up to a minimum of two weeks if you keep them submerged in ice cold water in your fridge, with a change of water every two to three days.
When I was a boy, my parents would keep our Fiddleheads in onion bags in our ground spring ( that was also our drinking water) for up to two months after Fiddlehead season was over. If Fiddleheads are kept in ice cold running water they will stay fresh for a long, long time.
That is why grocery stores in our part of the country display their 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 freshness and color. Fiddleheads that are displayed in regular open bins in the grocer isle will turn brown and limp from exposure to the air.
Nutritional information:
We are not nutritionists, but the following information seems to be consistent with everyone I have consulted with on the subject
Health Canada suggests that you should cook Fiddleheads for a minimum of 10 minutes
Fiddleheads, cooked
Amount: 3 1/2 ounces. Calories: 33. Fat: 0.3 grams. Protein: 3.8 grams. Vit. A: 719 (IU). Vit. C: 29 milligrams. Iron: .55 milligrams.
Composition of fresh Fiddleheads
Moisture: 86.88%. Fat: 0.40%. Ash: 0.83%. Crude fiber: 1.35%. Crude protein: 4.55%. Total carbohydrate: 5.99%
Or you can got to: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3055/1 for a complete chart on the subject. But don’t forget to come back when your done to order some Fiddleheads!
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