Part of my payment for being the guest presenter for the John C. Campbell Folk School’s Appalachian Heritage Week in 2025 was a free class. Last week I redeemed my instructor resource for a Nature Studies class with Ila Hatter. It was wonderful!

I’ve known Ila for many years and even got to enjoy her company last August when she taught the same class during Appalachian Heritage week. She is a master gardener, master forager, and loves the history and culture of Western North Carolina.

One day of the class was spent preparing a feast showcasing some of the things we had foraged. The meal was delicious!

The day before we ate we went to a trout farm over in Stecoah. Several students caught trout for us to eat for our special meal. Two had never fished before so it was exciting for them and a lot of fun for the rest of us to see how pleased they were with their catch.

Here’s the full menu.

• Trout seasoned with sumac powder and pickled sorrel wrapped in chestnut leaves and smoked
• A mixture of greens: lamb’s quarters, violet leaves, dandelion greens, and beet leaves cooked with bacon
• Persimmon spoon bread
• Sautéed Chanterelle mushrooms
• Sautéed fennel root with beet stems
• Sautéed broccoli with sumac seasoning
• A sweet tea made from spice bush, birch twigs, and wild ginger
• Elderberry flower fritters with rose syrup

I enjoyed it all, but I believe my favorite taste was the tea. The first sip immediately took me back to Mamaw’s kitchen. I’m not sure if she used spice bush for her tea or if maybe commercial tea in those days was different than what it is now.

I’ll share more from my class in the coming days.

Last night’s video: It Took Two Days & A Wreck, But We Got Blackberries Planted.

Tipper

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