Foraging in Taiwan and Estonia

Two weeks into September my grandmother calls me. She went to the little bog twenty minutes from her house to scout. Some cranberries were already dark red, others will probably take another week or two. Am I free next Sunday? 

September is the peak foraging month in Estonia. The short Nordic summer has left the shadowy forest floors and sinking bog turfs dotted with shades of reds, blues, and yellows: cranberries, bilberries, wild strawberries, lingonberries, cloudberries. As the months advance into autumn and the weather turns colder and wetter, it’s time for the mushrooms: chanterelles, boletus, milk-caps, russulas. And my grandmother, like most Estonians, spends the majority of her free time gathering what nature has to offer.

What is foraging?

Simply put, foraging is the act of gathering wild food for free without intentionally shaping the environment (Ovenden). Before the birth of agriculture, foraging, alongside hunting, was the primary food source for humans (Wikipedia). Although there are a handful of tribes around the globe for whom that remains true to this day, for most people foraging is no longer a way of survival, but a chance to diversify their diet in a healthy, environmentally friendly way, and to spend more time in nature (Tuulberg, Kaevats, 2019).

Foraging culture in Estonia

I was brought up with foraging fixed in my yearly cycle as permanently as Christmas or New Year’s Day. Wild berries and medicinal plants in late summer, mushrooms in autumn, and edible weeds in spring. In my grandmother’s youth, selling the foraged foods she and her sisters had picked was the main source of income for the family. After marrying my grandfather she became a librarian, and with my grandfather working as a mechanic and the two owning a vegetable garden and livestock of their own, there was no longer any immediate need to go foraging. But even now in her mid-eighties, every sunny autumn day she lifts her huge wooden basket, a pair of wellies, and a bottle of water into the trunk of her little Volkswagen Golf to spend another day combing the local bogs and woods. 

And she’s not the only one. Going for a stroll in Estonian forests in the autumn, you will almost certainly come across at least a couple of locals crouched on the ground with their baskets, picking berries or mushrooms. Elderly people, families, groups of friends. Even people walking their dogs or going for a run along the forest trails cannot help but stop in their racks and whip out a plastic bag from the pocket of their jacket when they see a particularly good patch of mushrooms. People’s social media accounts boast photos of baskets filled to the brim, morning talk shows interview foraging experts from around the country, and even the news shows stories of mushroom species especially abundant this year.    

So ingrained is foraging in our lives, it has always seemed to be something passed to us through blood. As though it is a fundamental feature of being Estonian. Looking into it more thoroughly, however, I was surprised to learn that historically foraging has not been held in very high regard among most of the populace.  

History of foraging in Estonia

Before the 20th century, nearly all Estonians were farmers. They spent their days working in the fields, growing grains such as barley and rye, root vegetables, and legumes. For meat people raised pigs or sheep, and for dairy there were cows and goats (EE, 2011). Berries and nuts from the forest were largely considered women’s and children’s food. A way to pass the time for a herdsboy during his long days out in the pastures tending to the sheep, or a snack for the kids to pacify them until dinner was ready. Foraging as a way of survival was only common among poorer families, or during times of war or famine when an extra source of food and income was needed (Flavours of Livonia). 

The most commonly foraged foods at the time were wild berries, hazelnuts, and medicinal plants. Since the know-how on preserving foods was limited, most berries were gathered in small amounts and eaten right away. Only berries that contained natural conservatives, such as cranberries, lingonberries, and bilberries, were stored in sugar water over winter (Eesti Märgalade Ühing). Foraged berries were also used in drinks, medicine, and seasoning. Cranberries brought down fever and were used to dye vodka. Cloudberries were considered the best medicine against scurvy, a mix of dried berries was used in making tea, and juniper berries added an extra kick of flavour to meat roasts (Flavours of Livonia).

Though mushrooms rank alongside wild berries as the most commonly foraged foods in present-day Estonia, historically they were not part of the diet for most Estonians until well into the 20th century. This is shown by the limited number of mushroom names in common Estonian. Most of the names we use now are borrowed from Russian and German. Using mushrooms in cooking has traditionally been an important part of Slavic cuisine, and the areas of Estonia closest to Russia are also the only ones where mushroom foraging was historically common. Some Estonian farmers would also pick mushrooms for the German nobles for a little extra income, but generally speaking, the nutritional value of mushrooms was not considered high enough to be included in the daily Estonian diet (Flavours of Livonia). 

At the beginning of the 20th century, with the knowledge and methods of food preservation becoming more accessible, foraging also became more widespread. Cooking classes on how to make jam and compote, marinate mushrooms, or press juice out of cranberries were held in local community centres around the country, while recipes with foraged goods began appearing in magazines and cookbooks (Flavours of Livonia).

During the Soviet occupation, foraging grew even more in popularity (Eesti Märgalade Ühing). With an undependable government and the lack of many basic food products, people had to rely on their own prudence, so they started stocking their cellars with jars of pickled mushrooms, bilberry and cloudberry jams, and syrups from wild cranberries and lingonberries – a practice that has continued fairly steadily to this day.

Foraging in present-day Estonia

Nowadays, foraging is not simply about filling your belly or getting more nutrients into your diet, it’s a political choice. With the negative impacts of intensive farming and capitalist consumer culture becoming more evident, people are beginning to look towards environmentally friendly alternatives. Foraging allows people to spend time in nature, see where their food comes from, gather and process it themselves, and know exactly what they’re putting into their bodies (Tuulberg, Kaevats, 2019). It is a way of leading a healthier, more sustainable life in harmony with nature.

Over recent years, foraged foods have even found their way into high-end restaurants. “From Forest to Table”, for example, is a culinary event held yearly in South Estonia where restaurants offer menus featuring locally sourced foraged ingredients (Visit South Estonia, 2024). The list of restaurants participating in the event even includes establishments listed in the Michelin guide.

Foraging culture in Taiwan

Foraging doesn’t only teach you about the flora and fauna of an area but can tell a lot about the culinary practices and history of the people. So when I travelled to Taiwan, I was keen to learn more about the foraging here as a way to truly immerse myself in the local culture. And nearly every resource I looked into at least mentions the Taiwanese indigenous “grass-eating people” – the Amis. 

Foraging practices of Amis

Taiwan has sixteen indigenous tribes and with a population of over 200,000 people, Amis are the largest one. Situated along the east coast of the island on the plains south of Liwu River between the Central Mountain Range and the Philippine Sea, Amis are known for their extensive use of foraged foods (Council of Indigenous Peoples, 2021). The morning markets in Hualien and Taitung have stalls of wild fruits and vegetables, while night markets offer stir-fried snails and other dishes cooked up on the spot from nature’s gifts (Taiwan Panorama, 2023).

From Formosan palm, breadfruit, and pigeon peas widespread in many subtropical indigenous societies (Po-Jiun, 2021) to Taiwan wampee, Ailanthus prickly ash, and wild cinnamon, the diversity of foraged foods used in daily Amis cooking is astounding (Taiwan Panorama, 2023). The famous Amis “ten vegetable soup” for example contains – you guessed it – ten different wild plants!

Historically, the Amis have been fairly isolated, which allowed them to maintain the traditional practice of cooking with foraged foods well into the 20th century. The first time Amis came into contact with the outside world was when the Dutch conducted gold expeditions to the east of Taiwan about four hundred years ago.

However, that encounter didn’t leave as considerable an impact on the community as the migration of Han Chinese into the area in the second half of the 19th century. The new settlers brought with them agricultural practices such as paddy rice farming which soon replaced millet as the staple food for Amis.

The Japanese plan of rebuilding East Taiwan from scratch during the occupation years of 1895-1945 brought many conflicts for the indigenous tribes, including Amis, and the increased urbanization from the 1960s onwards has resulted in many Amis people settling in cities around Taiwan (Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Centre). These developments have resulted in some loss of traditional knowledge, such as the old plant names in the Amis language, but the knowledge of what’s edible and what’s not has largely remained (Chen, 1998). And if anything else fails, according to the Amis you can always lick the leaves of the plant, and if your tongue doesn’t tickle then you’re good to go. 

Nowadays, there is a revival of appreciation for indigenous knowledge and practices, with tours to indigenous communities popping up in almost every travel site about Taiwan, and Amis’ use of foraged foods in cooking is garnering more attention. In 2000, Dongi Kacaw, an Ami herself, published a book on the wild plants Amis forage called Edible Wild Greens of Taiwan’s Pangcah People (台灣新野菜主義). Originally written in Mandarin Chinese, the book has now been translated into both English and the Amis language and has been reprinted eighteen times. The book contains 63 entries on different plants Amis forage, which not only showcases the importance of foraged plants in Amis diet but also the amazing diversity of edible wild food in Taiwan. Dongi also helped estabish a wild vegetable centre opened in 2020, that offers workshops, tours, and exhibitions about these plants, and aims to preserve the species facing extinction (Cheung, 2022).   

Other foraging practices in Taiwan

Coming from a Nordic climate where the season of fresh fruits and vegetables is limited to a meagre two or three months, the plethora of edible plants available in subtropical Taiwan all year around sounds like a forager’s heaven. However, outside of the Amis, I could find very little evidence of foraging being practised in Taiwan.

One example of a slightly unusual style of foraging comes from Taipei, where Tiffany Lay and Zo Lin run a tea shop that utilises the city’s unwanted weeds. Strolling around Taipei, they simply pick the plants from parks and vacant plots, which they then mix and brew into aromatic blends of tea rooted in Taiwanese herbalism (Wei, 2021). The two women are practised herbalists, so they know which plants to choose. In addition to flavour, they also consider the plant’s impact on its environment, preferring to gather invasive, more dominant plants in order to leave space for native species (Roma). This kind of selective foraging helps to improve the natural biodiversity of Taipei.

Cross-cultural analysis and common threads

Taiwan as a subtropical country offers a rich array of edible plants all year around, which has been utilised by the Amis for thousands of years. Estonian climate, on the other hand, is harsher and the availability of wild foods is limited to a shorter time span. Hence foraging as a primary food source is not viable, and with the limited knowledge and methods on food preservation available in the past, foraged foods were usually gathered in small quantities and consumed immediately.

Since the 20th century, however, foraging has grown into a yearly practice for many Estonians, so much so, it has become a part of our national identity. In Taiwan, it is still mostly limited to the Amis people. However, due to the increased awareness of the negative impacts of the global capitalist economy on the one hand, and the environmental benefits of foraging on the other, in both countries foraging is gaining popularity among people concerned with sustainability.  

Environmental and health benefits of foraging

Replacing part of our diet with foraged wild foods has many benefits both for ourselves and our planet. As a local food source, foraged plants have a considerably lower carbon footprint than imported foods, since they don’t need to be processed, packaged, and transported across long distances. Furthermore, by being selective about what and where we forage, we can also help preserve native species, which can improve the overall biodiversity of the environment (Tuulberg, Kaevats, 2019). Since foraged food can only be gathered when they are in season, it is fresher and contains more nutrients, which makes it healthier (Taiwan Panorama 2023).

Going out to forage is not only good for our physical health but also for our mental well-being. Spending time in nature has been proven to have considerable mental health benefits, such as reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep, and lowering blood pressure (Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 2024). Searching for small berries in thick green thickets and mushrooms along the motley forest floor also slows down our modern busy pace of life and improves our concentration. 

Foraging in Keelung

So, to step out of my busy travelling life and lead a more sustainable lifestyle, I decided to go foraging in Keelung. I picked Hongdan mountain next to Ren’ai district, since it is easily accessible from the city but also provides a plentiful variety of wild plants. Here are some possible edible plants I found.

CAUTION
I am not an expert on Taiwanese plants. The information presented here is based on my knowledge of edible plants in Estonia and what I could find on the Internet. Before consuming anything from nature, make sure you know exactly what plant you are dealing with and what effects it could have. It is always safer to go foraging with someone who is familiar with the area and has practised foraging there before.

Giant upright elephant ear

This plant is the most easily recognisable of the list thanks to its broad leaves that look like elephant ears. The raw leaves and roots contain calcium oxalate, a known skin irritant. The leaves are often wrapped around rice or meat (Rankel, 2024). 

Wood sorrel

This plant is very common in Europe and Asia, and thanks to its lemony flavour it is one of my go-to plants when foraging. You can find it almost everywhere, from roadsides and city parks to dense dark forests. All parts of the plant are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. It can be used as a garnish for salads, in teas, or just as a simple hiking snack (Jesse, 2024).

Hibiscus

Hibiscus plants are often used to make tea and other beverages due to its sour, cranberry-like taste. You can make tea from the fresh flowers by soaking them in boiling water for ten minutes, or dry and mix them with other herbal plants for a more balanced flavour. In Estonia, hibiscus tea is also used to cure coughs and other illnesses. 

Osmanthus

This plant I first noticed thanks to its sweet, luring scent. Walking around the forest trail, I could smell something aromatic but it took me a while to realise that it was this deep green shrub with modest flowers that gave forth the fragrance. Osmanthus flowers are often used in teas, perfumes and confectioneries in Taiwan and China (Taiwan Leaf Tea). 

Ferns

Taiwan is abundant with ferns. Out of 39 fern families identified globally, 34 can be found in Taiwan (Taiwan Panorama, 2021). Young fern shoots, or fiddleheads, have a crunchy texture and are often eaten in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisine. Ferns are best eaten cooked since they contain thiaminase – an enzyme that can lead to vitamin B1 deficiency if consumed in excess(Łuczaj, 2022). 

Conclusion

After a long, successful day of foraging around Hongdan mountain, I feel exhausted but amazing. Spending a whole day in the fresh air has left my body feeling cleansed from all the stress and pollution of the city, and my mind clear and full of energy. Though I had gone out to explore plants, I also saw a flock of birds feasting on cherry blossoms, Pallas’s squirrels jumping from tree to tree, even the small muntjac or Taiwan’s barking deer munching on thick crunchy leaves, completely undisturbed by my presence. Almost as if I was as much a part of the landscape as the lush green trees growing around me. 

Which, as I am beginning to feel more strongly with each day, I am. Humans are not separate from nature, but just one piece of its complex, interconnected system. Any harm we do to the plants or animals around us, we do to ourselves, and the more time we spend in nature, the more we learn about how to utilise the gifts given to us in a caring, sustainable way so that there will be enough for us and future generations to thrive on. This is what my grandmother taught me on our long trips to the forests and bogs of Estonia, which I came back from not only with a basket full of wild berries and mushrooms, but with a sense of community with nature and my forebears. 

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