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
Alternatives to the modern cannabis gummy with Katherine Knowlton, Santa Barbara
Craft brewing with Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company CEO Jaime Dietenhofer
Feeding the hungry with the Food Bank of San Luis Obispo County: Garret Olson, Brenda, and Claire
Smash burgers and the beer industry with Jack Alger of Mutiny Burger, Paso Robles
Cooking like a lover and freedom from recipes with Kristen Telling, Los Osos
Pushing the boundaries of the wine industry with Gibsey and Josh Beckett of Thibido Winery, Paso Robles
Buying the farm with Ariela Gottschalk and Jeff Pienack of Halcyon Farms, Arroyo Grande
Grocery stores and food retail with Dr. Ricky Volpe of Cal Poly University, SLO
CONSUMED Live #1 out now
”The Biggest Little Farm” film, Molly Chester, Apricot Lane Farms, Moorpark, CA
Booker Vineyard winemaker-farmer Eric Jensen, Paso Robles, CA
Food photographer Mary Lagier, San Luis Obispo, CA
SLO Provisions owners Steve Bland + Dwyne Willis, San Luis Obispo, CA
Cannabis and CBD edibles with April Worley of Mender, Atascadero, CA
Julia Child Foundation chair Eric Spivey, Montecito, CA
Harvestly co-owner Lauryn Luescher, San Luis Obispo, CA
Backyard chicken expert Barbara Bullock, San Luis Obispo, CA
Seaweed forager Spencer Marley, Cayucos, CA
Great American Melodrama Cast, Oceano, California
Super cool update from Jaime
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
50 Tastes Of Gray
Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio
The Recipe with Kenji and Deb
Gulliver’s Travels
Pride and Prejudice
The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters
Be My Guest with Ina Garten