chaoticforager

02/15/2025

Meet Panellus stipticus, also known as the “bitter oysterling.” What’s so special about this modest little mushroom? I’ll tell you — she’s BIOLUMINESCENT! In the right conditions, P. stipticus will light up with a haunting, greenish-white glow, likely due to a chemical reaction between a pigment called luciferin and an enzyme called luciferase. The glow may attract insects who then assist in spore distribution!

01/07/2025

Welcome to my fermentation station, where the magic happens! If you’re on a lil journey or doing a you might be interested in finding some new ways to cut costs on groceries while engaging in a fun new hobby and cutting down on . so here’s my official petition for you to become my friend and start making your own creative ferments!

01/04/2025

2024 was an enormously challenging year for me, one that stretched and pushed me in ways I didn’t think were possible. This year, I’m focusing on simplicity. Mending and making, giving gifts and learning how to receive them too. Learning new skills. Most importantly, community.
In my new book, I talk about the value of community along the foragers way. How we must show up for each other, and perhaps the greater challenge, allow others to show up for us. Self-sufficiency is the biggest lie we tell ourselves. We can’t do it alone, and we were never meant to. The give and take of relationship is almost never one for one. Sometimes we need more, other times we have more to give. Those things don’t always line up. When my hands are full, I must share with my neighbor whose hands are empty. When my hands are empty, I must be willing to ask for something to fill them. When the tree has fruit, it gives it away. When it has none, we care for it anyway by pruning dead branches, hauling water to feed its roots, and cleaning up the area surrounding it.
I’m not someone who has an easy time being vulnerable. I struggle endlessly with an inclination to be self-sufficient, to always find enough to give away while asking for nothing, even when my well is dry. When I struggle in silence, I’m not only hurting myself; I’m hurting my community by depriving them of the opportunity to care for me.
It was very difficult for me to accept this exquisite work of art from as a gift. I tried to pay her, but she insisted it needed to be free, no strings attached, because she knew I was going through a challenging time and she wanted to send some joy my way. And now, every day when I drink coffee out of this beautiful mug and pour cream from its tiny matching pitcher plant creamer, I feel a weight lifted from my chest. Haley is part of my community now, and allowing her to care for me in this way has healed something in me.
I’m looking forward to caring for Haley in a non-monetary way as a way of thanking her for her kindness, and honestly, this is the energy I think we all need more of as we begin our 2025.
Make, mend, learn, gift, and show up for one another.

11/20/2024

I'm mentioned in this National Geographic article!

From Lion’s Mane supplements to mushroom 'leather' shoes, mushrooms are having a moment right now. But the trend isn't new—these 19th-century women were among the world's first fungi fans.

11/07/2024

There are a few spaces left for foraging walks in Virginia this year! Reserve your spot for the 16th in Charlottesville below! We'll be spending two hours together on a gentle hike where I'll teach you how to identify edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms, capped off by enjoying some homemade treats made with foraged ingredients. :)

Fall is here, and it's the best time of year to be a forager! Join Gabrielle for a 2-hour fall foraging walk (1-3 miles of relatively easy terrain) in the Charlottesville area, where you'll learn all about mushrooms and their tree allies, edible and medicinal plants, and more! Class size is limited

10/30/2024

I’ve been fuming ever since I heard that booty-faced “comedian” take a nasty racist jab at my culture (among several other zingers that evening). This election cycle is bringing out some of the ugliest rhetoric we’ve heard in a long time, and it only makes the world more dangerous for marginalized people everywhere. So, I invite you to join me in making some and appreciating the culture of Puerto Rico.

10/20/2024

Come hang out with me and the wonderful folks at Stone Soup!!!

Join Gabrielle Cerberville, the Chaotic Forager, as she guides us in identifing edible plants and mushrooms.

The guided walk will begin at Stone Soup Books on Saturday, November 2nd, and a foraged snack will be provided at the end.

🍂 Walk starts and ends at Stones Soup Books

🍂 cost is $30/adult and $5/child

🍂 Rain or shine-dress accordingly

🍂 walk will be approximately 1 mile and roughly follow the greenway

This is a ticketed event and will be kept to a limited number of people. Please buy tickets early. Message us for the ticket link!

10/13/2024

When you’re hunting for this fall, don’t forget to look up, not just down! Otherwise, you might miss something amazing, like this massive flush of fungi! Prized for their delicate crablike flavor and texture, they can easily sub in for crab in vegan or vegetarian versions of your crabby faves! You might need to take a trip to the hardware store, though…

10/12/2024

It’s season again, which means it’s time to play that time time-honored game where I learn whether I’m going home with dinner or whether I got here too late! The is edible when pure white (and kind of tastes mild and funky like tofu), but when it matures, it’s less than spectacular.

07/10/2024

Here it is: the vegan mushroom jerky recipe of your dreams! (I used the Berkeley’s polypore we found last week!) I’ve never seen anyone else use this technique, though I’m certain I’m not the first to do so. The great thing is that you can adjust the seasonings to your preferences, so you have endless jerky possibilities!

07/03/2024

It’s CHANTERELLE SEASON!!!!!!! are my favorite edible mushrooms and they were POPPIN in MI when I was visiting last weekend! Here’s how to identify them!

06/26/2024

Here’s why foragers NEED to be visiting more botanic gardens! the Oxford University Botanic Gardens were a lovely place to visit during my time in the UK, and hopefully next time I can make it to the arboretum!

05/30/2024

it’s time again! This super simple Japanese-style infused beverage (known colloquially as plum wine) costs pennies to make, but the results are incredible (if you can stand to wait the minimum 6 months to taste it)!

04/20/2024

I’m super excited to share this exclusive collab product with — Shenandoah Cola! After nine (NINE) different versions, these fermentation geniuses and I finally landed on the perfect balance of ingredients, many of which are foraged! I’m absurdly proud of this incredibly versatile ingredient, and I cant wait to hear what YOU think! To order, go to the 🔗 and check out Shenandoah Cola!

03/14/2024

oh hey there, it’s Flower Snacks Time!!! Magnolia are harbingers of spring, and if you get a Really Good One they can taste like magical warm spices tossed with delicate florals and mysterious teas. They’re great dessert ingredients so I definitely recommend tucking into these magnolia cupcakes! Let me know if you make them :)

02/23/2024

How to identify field garlic (Allium vineale) and turn it into popcorn dust! (also works great as a sub for garlic or onion powder!)

02/16/2024

How to make a ginger bug (and ginger beer)! Don’t get me wrong, I love a Fentimanns moment sometimes at the pub, but in this case, homemade is definitely cheaper (and better)! Ginger bugs can be used to make all kinds of sodas, not just ginger beer, and I use mine all the time for wild sodas (try adding some chopped wintergreen and sassafras root, thank me later).

01/09/2024

This might be too niche, but I was homeschooled K-12 and I have probably read the Chronicles of Narnia around 50 times. It’s a thing. I’ve always appreciated good descriptions of food in literature, but the interesting thing about The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is that CS Lewis never actually describes Turkish delight. It’s one of those sweets that was in quite popular during the war, because it took a great deal of sugar to make it, and sugar was rationed. This is more of a nod to the candy than a true recreation of it, but the flavor was excellent and it’s a great way to use naturally occurring mucilage to improve a food outcome! if you read these books, and you had never had Turkish delight before, what did you imagine it would look and taste like?