Mesquite pod foraging adventure + grinding at home, mesquite flour bars, and... mesquite "coffee"?!

I don't have as much time for it, but I do enjoy foraging for wild foods. It can be a challenge in the desert southwest, but it is also surprisingly bountiful. One crop that never disappoints is the pods or beans of the mesquite tree, which make a delicious, nutritious, mildly sweet, gluten-free flour. It can be added to baking recipes for its flavor, but also stands up as a main ingredient. Even the "waste" of the milling process can be used. This time, I'm turning it into a coffee-like beverage. (shoutout to ‪@JunkyardFox‬ for the inspo on that one)
RESOURCES
"Eat Mesquite and More: A Cookbook for Sonoran Desert Foods and Living" - amzn.to/3WWtLCt
You can pre-order the new edition directly from Desert Harvesters here: desertharveste...
Savor the Southwest Blog - savorthesouthw...
Baja Arizona Sustainable Agriculture (BASA) - www.basamesqui...
A Quick Guide on How to Safely Harvest Mesquite
Boyce Thompson Arboreteum
issuu.com/btar...
Ethnobotany of Mesquite Trees (NPS)
www.nps.gov/ar...
Documented uses of Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa from the Native American Ethnobotany database
naeb.brit.org/u...
Mesquite chocolate chip cookies by David Lebovitz
www.davidlebov...

[@2sweetcaroline]

What a delightful foraging video. Thank you for sharing.

[@lindahopson5003]

Wow! Cool foraging information! Saw Gunther and another pup... and 2 cats... sweet!

[@ShoestringMartha]

Videobombed by the whole pack: Gunther, Holland, Ellie, and Doug!

[@lyndamclaughlin3593]

All look yummy. Got to make use of our pods😋

[@moscafroglover2127]

This was super interesting I had no idea you could do so much with mesquite 🤔

[@lynnef3297]

This was very interesting, the foraging and how you processed and used the mesquite. I had no idea about mesquite beyond the wood for fires and liquid smoke. 😅 But living in Michigan for most of my life I guess I'm not surprised. Thanks for sharing this. 😀👍

[@ShoestringMartha]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@aliciavalentyn5889]

Awesomeness ☀️

[@esthermarygold-lowe4403]

I like junkyard fox as well ❤

[@hippieHawk]

Thanks for showing how it is done ,I thought you had to open up each pod and empty them out. Saw somewhere someone was selling mesquite pod flour..and it was high price. I'm in the desert too, we have lots of mesquite trees and cactus ...which I love to eat, thanks for taking your time to share.

[@ShoestringMartha]

It seems really tedious, but like you said, to buy it -- it's so expensive! So I think it's totally worthwhile. Probably just my imagination, but I feel like it tastes better too!

[@socialmotivator6299]

I made cattle feed from mesquite bean and bioenzym

[@ShoestringMartha]

Sounds delicious and nutritious!

[@bigdansplan9262]

This was trustingly inspirational. When my family moved to Gilbert we rented a house with several mesquite trees that produced an amazing amount of pods. For me, not knowing the potential uses, it was a frustrating task to deal with the pods… and deadly thorns. You have shown me what I missed out on.. Bummer.

[@ShoestringMartha]

Oh yes, mesquite’s biggest reputation in landscaping is it’s “messy” . 😄 It doesn’t help that most in urban landscapes are South American varieties, which are HUGE 😧

[@lovedogsontheloose]

So cool. I've wanted to forage mesquite pods and try to make something with them for a long time since they are so plentiful here. This motivates me. That Screwball variety looks kinda... fuzzy. 🤣 I laughed out loud at your "what?" reaction to the waterfall sign. I've lived in West Texas for 15 years now and that's my reaction to pretty much any sign that references water. 😂 Great video!

[@ShoestringMartha]

Yay! They’re a lot of fun and you can do so many things with them too. I didn’t even mention the nutrients 😯 Lol I mean we do have some fantastic waterfalls here - but that wasn’t one of ‘em 😄

[@Stand787]

Enjoyed your video my dear thank you very much, I certainly learned something today . My patient who was from Molokai was raised on kiawe taffy as a sweet treat staple of the islands . Kiawe sounds like kiave in its pronunciation, these are mesquite trees / pods . Also I believe she drank a kiawe tea or regular beverage from these wonderful pods. Thank you again , from🌸 Honolulu (where mesquite trees are found :)

[@ShoestringMartha]

Wow, I had no idea mesquite ranged so far! I could imagine how its sweet - almost vanilla flavor - would lend itself well to taffy and tea. Thank you for sharing such a sweet story ❤️

[@Amigoof]

Well, one thing is for certain, after watching a good many of your videos! I’d need to partner up with you if we were ever on Survivor! Your knowledge on so many different topics is pretty impressive! Really!! Thanks for the education and entertainment and give your fur babies a squeeze for me! Be well!

[@ShoestringMartha]

As long as you handle the social navigation and strategy, because I’d stink at that part 😂 I’ll pass those squeezes along ☺️

[@roxanes43]

Thanks for the recipes! I grew up in AZ and had no idea 🤷

[@ShoestringMartha]

You are so welcome!

[@ramonapuckett3059]

Thank you! This was very interesting ❤

[@paulavaden5139]

Nice segue from a camping video. Had no clue about all that stuff. Thanks for the enlightenment.

[@ShoestringMartha]

Always happy to nerd out about plants - especially ones you can eat 😂

[@MoniMeka]

I'm in North Texas, and in think we have the Velvet Mesquite here. The pods look just like the ones in your video. It grows where here all over the place. I'm already planning to pick some thos year. Gonna do drink out of them. 😁

[@ShoestringMartha]

Nice! You are in the zone for them. I have heard of an agua fresca made from them, which sounds delicious 😋

[@allisontexas4810]

Mesquite is everywhere in West Texas why aren't we eating it more?????? It's literally free and everywhere and eadable.

[@ShoestringMartha]

Right? So sadly underutilized!

[@minacarrillo]

Thank you for this video! I have gathered some Mesquite pods that have fallen on the ground. Does it matter if they weren't taken from the tree itself?

[@ShoestringMartha]

They can certainly be used, as long as they are very dry. Pods that have gotten wet might carry a fungus called Aspergillus. More in-depth info on that (and other great mesquite information) here: issuu.com/btarboretum/docs/newsletter_3rd_quarter_web/s/11060751

[@paulas_lens]

Have you ever eaten chuparosa flowers? They taste like cucumbers, faintly.

[@ShoestringMartha]

Oh nice! I’ll have to give those a whirl. Sounds similar in flavor to ocotillo flowers.

[@paulas_lens]

Do you know if both hackberry and wolfberry are edible?

[@ShoestringMartha]

Yes, both! Hackberry are a bit too seedy for my taste. I think wolfberry are better dried - a little sweeter. Fresh they’re like astringent tomatoes.

[@JCnordic2983]

Were you near Curry Road by clinic opposite of mill bridge park?

[@ShoestringMartha]

Rio Salado Park, in south Phoenix :)

[@tjfm59]

interesting, would there be a difference in taste if after roasting the chaff / leftovers they are ground??

[@ShoestringMartha]

I think it would be the same 🤔

[@azannah]

I have so many mesquite trees with beans on my property. But most of the beans with little tiny holes. Are these bad beans?

[@ShoestringMartha]

Those are bruchid beetle bore holes. I typically store them in a ventilated container for a few weeks to allow any possible hitchhikers to escape. If any are still in there after that, they’re not harmful.

[@azannah]

@@ShoestringMartha Thank you.

[@MoniMeka]

Where did you get that strainer from?

[@ShoestringMartha]

The flour sifter? Oh I have no idea. I’ve had it for aaaaages. But they should be pretty easy to find.

[@Becauseimme]

DoorDash

[@ShoestringMartha]

🤔