Caterina Cardia
Workshop on wild edible herbs
Practical courses for the recognition and use of wild herbs
I was born in Val d’Orcia and a few years ago I decided that this is where I wanted to live and work. With my partner I manage the organic farm “La Buca Vecchia” and the land surrounding it, which has been used since the ‘60s as grazing land for sheep. I am also involved in the recovery of the seeds of spontaneous plants which are rare to find or endangered, reproducing them in greenhouses and in the open air.
At the farm I run courses for amateurs and professionals who want to learn to recognize spontaneous herbs and their nutritional and sensory properties, I prepare dishes with wild herbs, cheeses and meat from the farm and lead guided tours of our property where all the best edible herbs that grow in central Italy can be found.
I am specialized in wild herbs and all that relates to edible plants (mainly spontaneous). I have been picking them since I was a child, when I used to go looking for herbs and mushrooms with my grandmother. When I grew up I started to identify the plants on botanical atlases using the systematics of herb species and taking private lessons from a botanist, although I consider myself self-taught. I grew up in a rural environment in which food and flavours were genuine and my passion for picking and classifying plants gradually turned into a profession.
I have been working for over ten years collecting herbs, offering consultancy and as a supplier to professionals in the food industry and famous restaurants. As a botanical guide specialized in edible herbs I run courses and workshops in collaboration with local and national organizations and have taken part in radio and tv programmes.
Caterina Cardia
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