Foraging Edibles in Plovdiv

After April, outdoor enthusiasts in Plovdiv can enjoy a fantastic and beneficial experience in Plovdiv as the temperatures rise. Plovdiv has an abundance of edible plants, berries, and nuts. Besides being free, organic, and delicious, the experience of picking them is also fun. People living in or visiting Plovdiv will easily notice how lush the green cover is and how many wild areas are around the city. They provide clean air, a lot of exercise areas, and a lot of delicious food. Especially between June and September, if you enjoy being in the nature or are an outdoor enthusiast, don't forget to bring your baskets and bags with you. The following are some of the most popular edibles you will find in and around Plovdiv while hiking or simply wandering around:

Lindens

Traditionally, these flowers were steeped in tea to relieve anxiety associated with indigestion, irregular heartbeats, and vomiting. Nowadays, linden is used as a cough and cold remedy. People with fever can benefit from the active ingredients in linden, since they promote sweating. Linden tea contains compounds that have strong anti-inflammatory effects in various parts of the body, including inflammation of the blood vessels and respiratory tracts. 

In the beginning of summer, linden trees bloom for about three weeks, filling the air with a sweet scent that draws picnickers and bees alike. The city of Plovdiv is surrounded by hundreds of linden trees. The only thing you should avoid is picking them up from roadside as they may become dusty and unhealthy due to exhaust gas particles from passing cars. 

Between June and July, Bunardjik Park and Tsar Simeon Garden are the best places to pick linden leaves and flowers. Get there early in the morning before the sun starts to get hot. You should not only harvest the flowers, but also the bracts (the small leaf-like parts just beneath the flower). Next, dry the flowers gently, keeping them in a shady place and turning them every few days - this can take a couple of days. Dried linden flowers should be stored in a cool, dark place for no longer than one year. As they are very light weight but intense, 100 gr of linden flowers and leaves should be enough to cover the entire winter per person.

Sour Plums

The sweet-sour fruit is high in vitamin C, K, copper, dietary fibre, and potassium, while containing relatively few calories, with 100 grams of plums containing 46 calories and no saturated fats. In addition to it being good for health, the sour plum is also good for the skin and hair. 

During the month of June through mid-July is the best time for picking cherry plums. Loven Park is located next to Plovdiv Regatta Venue and has numerous plum trees as well as a lovely riverside (Maritsa) and running/walking paths. 

It is best eaten fresh, sometimes with a pinch of salt, so as to bring out the tart and crunchy flavor. For some, the sour flavor is a way to cleanse the palate after a heavy meal. For others, they can be enjoyed at any time of the day. 

Mulberries

As well as lowering cholesterol levels, this delicious superfood helps prevent fatty liver disease and helps control blood sugar levels. Mulberry trees are available in black and white varieties. Luckily, Plovdiv has plenty of both varieties of mulbery trees. Mulberies also reduce oxidative stress, which may reduce the risk of cancer. 

Mulberries are harvested from mid-June through August. When fully ripe, the berries are large, black/white and very sweet. You can pick the berries by hand or put a sheet or tarp under the tree and gently shake the branch, letting the ripe berries fall to the ground. 

Bunardjik Park and Loven Park are both filled with mulberry trees of each kind. 

Blackberries

They're packed with vitamin C. 

They're high in fiber. 

Great source of vitamin K. 

High in manganese. 

May boost brain health. 

Helps support oral health.

In July and August, blackberries start to ripen, but late June is the best time to look for early bloomers. It is important to pick ripe blackberries – those that are dark black and look plump. It may take a few more weeks for the berry to ripen if it is light purple or red or quite firm.

Loven Park, Bushes on both sides of the Maritza River, Park Lauta in Trakia neighborhood, and Youth Hill are good places to find blackberries. 

Mushrooms

Plovdiv's first mushroom season begins after March, when the weather gets a bit warmer and the soil is still moist. The second season is just after or during September, when the weather is still warm but the soil has a little rainfall. 

The most common mushrooms you'll find while you're foraging on flat lands or grassy areas are: field mushrooms, porcino, parasol mushrooms, and chanterelles. 

The mushroom porcini is available around Plovdiv and is an edible as well as delicious. Porcini mushrooms are used to make Italian pasta dishes, rice dishes, soups and sauces, and savory dishes such as risotto. They add a meaty, earthy flavor to dishes. 

The field mushroom is a very good edible mushroom that can be used in any recipe calling for cultivated (button) mushrooms. It is great in dishes such as risotto and omelettes, and it makes tasty soups and sauces that go well with meat dishes. 

Summer and autumn are ideal times to collect Parasol Mushrooms which can be found on roadside verges, neglected pastureland, and on grassy seaside cliffs. The mushrooms are often sauteed in melted butter. 

Chanterelle mushrooms are a golden buttery yellow and are the most common edible wild mushroom in the world. Their flavor is quite distinct from other mushrooms. Chanterelles are slightly fruity and can even have a hint of peach or apricot flavour, without being sweet. 

As you can see, Plovdiv is a great source of natural edibles in its every corner. But the list above is not the only option you have. As well as what we have listed above, there are more options if you have a bit of plant knowledge. On top of those, it's highly possible to fill up your basket with wallnuts, raspberies, figs, wild strawberries and every kind of herbs when you go outdoors on their seasons. Once you start to live in this beautuful city, you will get to know what this city offer by following other people and eventually discover the natural food sources easily. Bon apetito!