Fiddlehead
Fiddlehead is a name referring either to a young
fern or to the top part of immature fronds that appear curled. The fiddlehead, or
circinate vernation, unrolls as the fern matures and grows due to more growth in the inside of the curl.
The fiddlehead resembles the curled ornamentation on the end of a stringed instrument, such as a
fiddle. It is also called a
crozier, after the curved staff used by shepherds and bishops.
The fiddleheads of certain ferns are eaten as a cooked
leaf vegetable. The most popular of these are:
*
Bracken,
Pteridium aquilinum, found worldwide
Encyclopedia
Fiddlehead is a name referring either to a young
fern or to the top part of immature fronds that appear curled. The fiddlehead, or
circinate vernation, unrolls as the fern matures and grows due to more growth in the inside of the curl.
The fiddlehead resembles the curled ornamentation on the end of a stringed instrument, such as a
fiddle. It is also called a
crozier, after the curved staff used by shepherds and bishops.
The fiddleheads of certain ferns are eaten as a cooked
leaf vegetable. The most popular of these are:
- Bracken, Pteridium aquilinum, found worldwide
- Ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris, found in northern regions worldwide, and the central/eastern part of North America
- Cinnamon fern or buckhorn fern, Osmunda cinnamomea, found in the Eastern parts of North America
- Royal fern, Osmunda regalis, found worldwide
- Zenmai or flowering fern, Osmunda japonica, found in East Asia
- Vegetable fern, Athyrium esculentum, found throughout Asia and Oceania
Some ferns contain carcinogens, and Bracken has been implicated in
stomach cancer. Despite this, most people can eat ostrich and cinnamon fern fiddleheads without any problems, and ostrich fern fiddleheads are a traditional dish of
New Brunswick. The New Brunswick village of Tide Head bills itself as the Fiddlehead Capital of the World.
In 1994, there were several instances of
food poisoning associated with raw or lightly cooked fiddleheads in
New York state and Western
Canada. No definitive source of the food poisoning was identified, and authorities recommended thorough cooking of fiddlehead ferns to counteract any possible unidentified
toxins in the plant.
Many ferns also contain the
enzyme thiaminase, which breaks down
thiamine. This can lead to beriberi and other vitamin B complex deficencies if consumed to excess or if one's diet is lacking in these
vitamins.
Fiddleheads have been part of traditional diets in much of
Asia,
Australia and
New Zealand, as well as among
Native Americans for centuries. In
Japan, bracken fiddleheads are a prized dish, and roasting the fiddleheads is reputed to neutralize any toxins in the vegetable.
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