On her daily walks, Howell picks wild lettuce, cresses, wild onions, plantain, the especially bitter dandelion and leaves of yellow dock. These are found in Atlanta, too, in almost every sidewalk crack and open patch of ground. Full of trace minerals, they alkalize and cleanse the blood. We intuitively crave bitter things now, to stimulate digestion. If you have been born and bred on grocery store iceberg lettuce, these may take some getting used to.
Wild greens can be tangy, and if the leaves get too big, they become too fibrous to eat easily.
If you prefer to stick with grocery fare, choose escarole, mizuna, radicchio, arugula or the tangy braising mixes available at some farmers markets. All these provide a sharp punch much appreciated by your digestive system. Throughout the summer she has a full schedule of daylong plant walks and cooking sessions at Foxfire. The paprika is a later, more extravagant addition. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and reserve.