Learning From Central Park’s ‘Wild Man’
by Yuridia Peña
On May 12, a group of retirees went foraging with the Wildman of Central Park, Steve Brill. Their mission? To explore Central Park looking for edible plants.
After they set out from West 103rd Street into the park, one of the first plants spotted was the cool-season, invasive herb, garlic mustard that really does taste like garlic! “Its great in pesto and salads,” said Mr. Brill, who is a NYC plant expert.
During the walk, retirees sampled shepherd’s purse, June berries, poor man’s pepper (with a horseradish flavor), wood sorrel (leaves slightly reminiscent of lemon,) chickweed, and common mallow. The foragers also observed the poisonous plant white snakeroot, which caused an epidemic of deadly “milk sickness” in the early part of the 19th century. Cows fed on the plant, and the poison passed into their milk. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people died in the first half of the 19th century including Abraham Lincoln’s mother.
Mr. Brill’s first brush with fame occurred in 1986 when two undercover park rangers arrested him for eating dandelion greens in Central Park. The Parks department ultimately dropped the charges and hired Mr. Brill as a tour guide. Today, he continues to lead nature walks around the city. (Visit www.wildmanstevebrill.com.)
For those who are serious about eating NYC’s natural produce, Mr. Brill has recently released his Wild Edibles App for iPhone users that provides information about 165 North American herbs. The application identifies wild edibles, and filters herbs by habitat, edible part, type, and seasons available. The application also describes poisonous lookalikes, and includes harvesting methods and recipes.
