What flavor profile should foragers expect when harvesting onion grass shoots emerging in early spring versus grass that has grown long?

Answer

Early harvesting yields tenderness, while waiting develops stronger character.

The optimal culinary quality of onion grass is tied closely to its developmental stage, much like wild asparagus. When the shoots are just emerging in the early spring, they are noted for their tenderness, and their flavor profile is consequently milder and less developed. If the harvesting is delayed and the grass is allowed to grow longer, particularly from a lawn that has been undisturbed, the plant matures, and its flavor becomes slightly more pronounced or stronger in character. This difference in flavor intensity between the nascent shoots and the fully grown foliage dictates when a forager might choose to gather the plant.

What flavor profile should foragers expect when harvesting onion grass shoots emerging in early spring versus grass that has grown long?

#Videos

Edible Onion Grass / Crow Garlic / Field Garlic (Allium vineale)

What to Do With Wild Onions and Garlic in Your Lawn - YouTube

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