I until 12 years ago NEVER ate onions or garlic, but then had to deal with a lousy
Leg Foot Lymphedema
and was told by the specialist that I had to start eating either onions or/and garlic Onions in the meantime have become essential to me and I dropped my objections against garlic

Height above sealevel is not the only criteria. Just compare Geneva and Zürich which are in a comparable height, BUT if you look at the two cities over decades, it is obvious that spring in Geneva starts some 2 to 6 weeks earlier than in Zürich. If you depart from the Lake of Geneva in spring, things often are in full swing, but not at all so here in Zürich.

Swimming. In early summer, the Lake of Zürich tends to be warmer than Bodensee and Lake of Geneva, but in September the two larger lakes are generally warmer than the Pond here

I bet you are glad you did.

I was brought up with the taste of both garlic and onions and love them.

My husband wasn't so keen to start with, and now he's the expert in alioli

And on the Dark Side of the Rossberg (Ausserschwyz) we often skip spring altogether. Summer too, sometimes.

Fortunately Barläuch likes shade and damp...

I a while ago, in Aldi, bought a small bottle of a mix-sauce of olive-oil and garlic. If mixed with soy-sauce and Harissa etc, it is really nice

Went to Uetliberg this weekend and found more bärlauch than I had even hoped for. It is definitely out all over the mountain. Today I saw quite a bit along the limmat beyond werdinsel as well.

I made 3 liters of pesto today :-)

Is it THIS Rossberg




?? If so, you are on the lake at Wädenswil or Richterswil in no time. There was a spectacular aviation event in Hütten some 10 years ago and in Schindellegi is the base of Fuchs Helikopter

Wild garlic is popping up in Baselland. I'd like to pick some in the woodlands. Do I just pick the green leaves? Are there any parts that are poisonous (or just taste bad)? Are there any regulations against this? There was a link on the first post, but it no longer works. Thanks in advance!

No poisonous or bad tasting parts.

Tom

But do test smell for every leaf until you are absolutely sure. Lilly of the Valley leaves look almost the same, but no smell. And they do sometimes grow at the same place- Lilly of the Valley is very toxic.

Best to pick young plants early- they can become bitter when older, but not toxic. If you find plants with flower buds closed, you can pick those separately and pickle them- great with raclette.

Just ask Walter White!

You can eat any and all parts of the wild garlic, from the bulb to the leaves to the buds and later on flowers. Every year I make a shitload of stuff from it.

Attention, the trick about rubbing the leaves to see wether you got wild garlic or one of the poisonous lookalikes is null and void after the first time doing it.

The smell is strong and sticks to your hand, if you then rub a poisonous lookalike you'll think it is ok, coz your hand still smells from the proper wild garlic.

Thanks everyone! I'll be out there tomorrow foraging in the woods nearby.

Made some pesto again yesterday, drying some today, more pesto tomorrow, then pickled buds

It never ends!

Tom

What is your recipe for the pickled buds, please?


BTW dont forget to look out for the elusive morels, coming out now to and often in same places

Same as most pickling I do, 50/50 vinegar/water, salt according to volume, processing in water bath according to jar size, standard stuff.

For pesto no processing, just keep in fridge.

Tom

I was told by my Swiss friend to harvest only the ones on a slope above your waist, beyond vertical reach of of the hind legs of four legged animals that may roam around the area. :-)

What about the two-legged ones?

Yep, this is why I dare not use use the carpets of Bärlauch that take over much of my garden this time of year.

A related question:

As above, the Bärlauch naturalizes where it will - last year it moved into one of my raspberry patches. I *swear* I detected a garlicky note to those raspberries. Is it possible that Bärlauch could influence the taste of the fruit? Or just my imagination?

Allium with fruit trees is a common companion planting. I suppose it's possible that the sulfur compounds it outgasses could settle on your fruit, but that should wash off. It is known to alter the microbial makeup of whatever soil it grows in. (Or you're getting some lauch smell on your hands and then handling the fruit?)