In the poetry of spring, there is a call from the depths of the earth – it is the season to dig wild vegetables. At this moment, Mother Earth shook off her heavy winter coat and revealed a vibrant new green. In this sea of green, everyone can find their own favorite. So, in this colorful feast of nature, which wild vegetables do you like the most?
If I were to choose my favorite shade of green from the grass, I would not hesitate to choose the shepherd's cabbage. This simple and common small plant has won people's love for its delicious taste and rich nutritional value since ancient times. "The peach and plum in the city are sad about the wind and rain, and the spring is in the stream and the cauliflower", this is the poem of the Qing Dynasty poet Yang Wanli, which depicts a kind of life away from the hustle and bustle and close to nature. The shepherd's cabbage has a sweet and slightly spicy flavor, whether it is used to make dumplings, soups or cold salads. Especially in early spring, the young leaves of the newly grown shepherd's cabbage are almost transparent, as if each leaf is quietly telling the story of spring. Gently placing them in the basket is also like a whole spring in your bag.
However, I love shepherd's cabbage not because of its unique taste, but more because of the process of mining it and the indescribable emotional connection. I remember when I was a child, whenever the spring breeze blew through the fields, my mother would take me to the edge of the field to look for the figure of shepherd's cabbage. At that time, we were not in a hurry to go home and cook, but to enjoy this rare parent-child time. I'm always excited to run around with a little shovel, and occasionally I'm frustrated that I can't find the shepherd's cabbage or accidentally break its leaves. Either way, the feeling of coming home is extremely fulfilling and satisfying. With the passage of time, such scenes may have become commonplace, but its weight in my heart has never diminished. Every time I return to my hometown, I still can't wait to run to that familiar land, hoping to experience the joy of finding and harvesting again.
Even in the bustling city, I often relive those memories of digging shepherd's cabbage in my dreams. Nowadays, when we talk about food safety, the unique charm of wild ingredients cannot be overlooked. Wild herbs are not only rich in vitamins and minerals needed by the human body, but also because they are grown in a pollution-free environment, making them ideal for a healthy diet. Moreover, by exploring these hidden lives with their own hands, people seem to be able to appreciate the greatness of nature and the continuity of life more deeply.
Therefore, if you ask me what my favorite wild vegetable is, my answer is not only the shepherd's cabbage, but also the years and feelings that cannot be replicated. Just as everyone who digs wild vegetables has a story in their heart, this spring, you might as well embark on a journey of searching, whether it is shepherd's cabbage or other kinds of game, the important thing is to immerse yourself in this process full of temperature, and find the long-lost touch and fun from it. Because in the season of digging wild vegetables, every small life has an irreplaceable meaning, just like our life, ordinary but extraordinary.