Throughout much of Canada and the United States, fiddleheads are a sweet sign of springtime. Anyone who has seen these tightly spiraled fronds can attest to their whimsical charm, but the appeal runs deeper than their aesthetic. As with rare wild mushrooms, most who forage for fiddleheads are keen-eyed and experienced, as their season is short and their lookalikes are inedible, sometimes poisonous. These western fiddleheads have a purplish glow to them, and though they don’t generate quite the same amount of attention as their eastern counterparts, they’re perfectly lovely and in season a touch sooner. 

Outside of the United States, fiddlehead ferns have long been appreciated in Asian cuisines. Whether briefly braised in Nori Butter or sautéed with our Murakami Brown Sugar, Horikawaya Nomura Red Miso, and Teka Shouga Pickled Ginger, we encourage getting to know this vegetable and looking forward to its return each spring.

One important caveat is that fiddleheads must be both thoroughly washed and cooked before consumption, as eating them raw is known to upset the stomach. 

Pacific Northwest, United States

1lb bunches