Springtime is stingtime! It's stinging nettles season: events & recipes

It is getting to be the time to break out the rubber gloves and paper bags and trot out into the wild to harvest some nettles. In the interest of complete transparency, I actually haven't been out into the wild myself in the past few weeks so I don't have personal knowledge as to the state of our nettle union is right now, but they are in the farmers markets, so they're springing somewhere!

If you're new to the world of nettles, and want some guidance before head out, check out the below nettle foraging classes and events.

Stinging Nettle Slideshows

Here are some slideshows from nettle events I've attended in the past.

• Nettle Foraging Class with Langdon Cook, March 23, 2011
• Nettle Foraging Class w/Chef Becky & Ecologist Jet, April 17, 2011

Stinging Nettle Recipes

Already up to speed and stocking up? Or maybe you're happy to just pick them up at the farmers market? Check out these recipes from Seattle-based folks for some tasty ways to use them.

• Nettle soup is a classic preparation. Check out this version from chef and author Greg Atkison.
• Jess Thomson created another nettle soup (this one with sorrel) for Edible Seattle.
• Cookbook author Lorna Yee puts them to use in a stinging nettle risotto.
• Forager and author Langdon Cook decided to go global, making a stinging nettle paneer and a stinging nettle curry.
• Linda Miller Nicholson - aka Salty Seattle - classes them up in a nettle gnudi with crisped sous vide duck and rhubarb reduction.

Stinging Nettle Events