Are Mayapples Edible?

Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) are toxic at most stages of their life cycle – only the fully ripe, completely yellow/white fruits are edible (but even then, the seeds contain toxins!). It’s usually considered too labor intensive and risky to eat for beginning foragers – but if you get the chance to taste the ripe fruit, you’ll understand while people go to great lengths to harvest it!

What do Mayapples Taste Like?

Mayapples have a flavor all their own, but taste distinctly tropical: somewhere between pineapple, passionfruit, and lemon. It’s tart without being overtly sour, sweet without being cloying – bright and zingy!

How do you eat Mayapples?

It’s pretty uncommon to harvest a large quantity of mayapples (let alone a single one – the animals usually get them first), so most people just enjoy them deseeded as a raw snack to savor their flavor. This recipe gives you all the goodness of the unadulterated mayapple flavor, but we’ve paired it with a few ingredients to accent their flavor:

-The ricotta gives you fat to balance the pulp’s acidity.

-The honey brings out a little sweetness

-The red pepper flakes provide a sharp contrast that helps the mayapple flavor sparkle