I love nettles! I was lucky enough to be introduced to them when I lived in Czech Republic. Some of the happiest days of my life were spent foraging through the very old forests, gathering mushrooms, berries, tubers, nettles. Spending the whole day in the forest, and then eating a wonderful, natural meal in the evening. Absolute bliss. We ate nettles all year long, only picking the youngest leaves that haven't yet developed the oxalate crystals (the sting). They taste so much richer than spinach, and remind me of a very delicate kale. They are indeed packed with nutrients. I got used to the sting and didn't wear gloves, and always remembered Elsa from Anderson's fairy tale The Wild Swans. Thank you for this wonderful recipe Trinity! Unfortunately, there are no stinging nettles where I live now.

Once an American asked us if we weren't afraid to eat wild mushrooms. My friend replied that all wild mushrooms are edible, but some of them you can only eat once. :)