foraging - stinging nettles

I've always been curious about the stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) in European folklore and, more recently, its role as a nutrient-rich wild food source. I found a patch of beautiful new-growth nettles and gingerly harvested a few stems and leaves until I managed to pluck a leaf off of one plant and have it slap against one of my knuckles despite my gloved hands (note: use thick leather gloves! I only had a pair that was rubberized on the palm-side and knit/woven on the top and foolishly figured those were good enough). Immediately I felt its notorious sting! Luckily there was plenty of chickweed growing amongst the nettles, so I plucked a few stems, mashed them up and rubbed the poultice onto my hand; within a few minutes the sting was far less severe and never got the chance to swell.

Back in the kitchen I boiled some water and examined the goods. Check out those trichomes, eek! They're composed of silica and are basically natural hypothermic needles with a venom-filled bulb at the base of the structure. The slightest touch breaks off the tip and delivers a good dose of sting to whoever's unfortunate enough to disturb it. I'm glad I know how the sting feels now, but am even happier that I didn't, oh, fall face-first into a big patch of these guys while I was clumsily foraging about. Anyhow, I enjoyed the nettles as tea, which is famously great as a spring tonic that clears nasal passageways/sinuses/detoxifies the system. Or something. I honestly was just very curious about its flavor, which I would describe as earthy and robust and totally worth getting stung for. I was a little nervous about consuming the greens after steeping them for tea, but their quick boil/soak in water definitely removed the sting from the needles, so I had the wilted greens with some eggs along with my tea. Tastes a lot like spinach!

And here is the stinging nettle in its natural element. I regard these guys in a totally different light now, for the better!