ottawa foodies

Noticed on a menu, forget where, a dish included "milkweed pods". I had no idea those were edible. Has anyone ever tried them? This is potential free food! I've read about it a bit on the internet, but i'd like to hear what local people have to say. thanks.

I saw these on the menu at Murray Street!

Several parts of common milkweed (asclepias syriaca) are edible, though its milky sap is mildly toxic so you need to boil it in multiple changes of water to remove it. The young shoots, up to about 6 inches, are asparagus like (boil in two changes of water to remove the sap). The seed pods, when small, are also edible when boiled. You can also pickle them. I've done both myself and found they had a light flavor. Nothing spectacular, but you can't complain given their abundance and free-ness. The young flower buds are also edible (boil, batter, fry).
I'm not sure where they'd be getting fresh milkweed pods this time of year. The plants are just reaching 6 to 12 inches tall at this point around here. The pods won't be out for a while.

Someone at the Lansdowne farmers market was selling them a couple of years ago although I didn't try them. The lady that was selling them had an interesting array of products out including purslane which I did try. I didn't see her last year though.

I tried a couple off of somebody else's plate at Murray Street once. Delicate flavour. Kinda sweet. Very pleasant.

Saltsman's hotel in Ephratah NY serves milkweed this time of year. If you are going to Glimmerglass Opera Festival or Baseball Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown it is an easy drive from there. It's been a restaurant since 1813 and we go once a year to sample their simple and delicious "Home cookin'" fare. A word of warning; The quantities they served us over their typical multi course dinner special had the two of us bringing FIVE heavily laden takeout containers home with us. The way they served milkweed the day we had it, it was in a creamy sauce and had a mild, fresh unusual flavour.
www.roadfood.com