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We could not have asked for a more beautiful day to explore the invasive edible flora of Hunter Island in The Bronx, guided by Marie Viljoen.

Upon entering the forest, you can still smell the barbecue and hear the stereo bass from picnickers in nearby Orchard Beach. But as soon as you approach the first fork in the trail, the usually whisper-soft scent of withering leaves turning back into earth becomes more pronounced than anything else here. All you are smelling and breathing in is tree-fresh oxygen, straight from the source. The more I inhaled, the better I felt.

The thick overstory kept the ground level cool on this 80-degree day.

To reach our picnic spot, we carefully stepped, Philippe Petit-style, across this causeway.

And then, we noshed. Marie’s forage picnic for us comprised the most incredible homemade delights:
- 8-minute eggs with umeboshi, pickled knotweed and pickled wisteria, with ramp leaf salt and field garlic mayo
- Nettle focaccia
- Berkeley’s polypore and hen of the woods pâté
- Mugwort-olive oil crackers
- Smoked trout, sumac, and sheep sorrel pâté
- Almond and spicebush hats with dark chocolate
- Cornelian cherry treats (this was my favorite!)

We sat and watched cormorants glide and dive in the high-tide.

Forever grateful to be able to do this together.