Nan Cole is a foraging expert based in San Luis Obispo, California, and the resident forager for Ventana Big Sur. She leads foraging walks, both urban and rural, she educates people about the do’s and don’ts of wildcrafting, and she cooks and bakes with her finds. In fact, one of the things that attracted me to Nan’s work was a photo on her Instagram page, @foragerslo, featuring a beautiful macaron made from redwood needle sugar and lemon zest. We walked up to a cozy spot on the side of Cerro San Luis to chat, and she pointed out native plants along the way, sharing how coyote brush is an antidote for poison oak and how mustard plant tastes like broccoli. Then, a couple weeks after our talk, I opened Sunset Magazine to find a full-page spread about Nan and her foraging program at Ventana Big Sur. A rock star! If you don’t feel inspired to join one of her foraging walks after listening to our conversation, you might want to check your pulse, because this woman is inspiring.
Website: ventanabigsur.com
Instagram: @foragerslo
Vailia From, winemaker and owner, Desparada Wines, Paso Robles
Brigit Binns, cookbook author, teacher and owner, Refugio Paso Robles
Bill and Barbara Spencer, farmers, Windrose Farm, Paso Robles
Dan Berkeland, baker and owner, Backporch Bakery, SLO and Atascadero
Damian Camacho, server at Novo Restaurant, SLO
Emilie Goldstein, chef, Trumpet Vine Catering, and gastric bypass alum, Atascadero
James Ontiveros, vigneron, Ranchos de Ontiveros, Santa Maria
Jenna Congdon, sommelier, consultant and wine rep, SLO
Feben Teffera, pop-up restaurateur, Ebony, SLO
Jensen Lorenzen, chef and owner, Larder Meat Co, SLO
Trailer: CONSUMED with Jaime Lewis
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