Mixing cattail pollen and corn flour for bread
It is an exciting time of year, when I see the golden yellow color on the male part of the cattail! It is found directly above the brown velvety female part of the same flower. I should have a bumper sticker on my van that says “I stop for cattail pollen”. On June 2nd, I did exactly that! I had my camera so that I could take pictures (see below) and I rummaged through my things for the appropriate container to capture this talcum-
Cattail pollen
powder like pollen that blows away in the lightest of air currents. With the pollen that I harvested, I prepared pollen bread mixing the saffron colored cattail pollen with yellow corn flour (see picture). With the addition of water, I baked the cattail pollen flat bread on a hot rock. The bread has a “nutty” flavor and is high in nutrients from the pollen.
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Heart to Hearth Cookery 
Please share what your best practices are for collecting the pollen. I would love to try this as I have access to plenty of cattails!
~elizabeth
By: Elizabeth on June 10, 2010
at 3:56 pm
Elizabeth,
I use a large gourd bowl that tapers to an opening at the top. I bend the cattail flower stalk (without hurting the stalk or flower) and shake the cattail pollen into the bowl.
Susan
By: hearttohearthcookery on June 10, 2010
at 4:32 pm
Susan,
What proportions of pollen to corn flour did you use?
~elizabeth
By: Elizabeth on June 10, 2010
at 9:01 pm
Approximately 40% pollen.
By: hearttohearthcookery on June 10, 2010
at 9:17 pm
Thanks Susan,
Guess I better get busy!
~elizabeth
By: Elizabeth on June 10, 2010
at 9:33 pm
Well,
The cattails are barely blooming here but I was able to collect a little pollen. Made frybread at the Custaloga event this weekend. I was able to add just enough pollen to create beautiful golden cakes.
Thanks! I can’t wait to try it with a heavier portion of pollen.
BTW, I got a little chaff (cattail fluff and bits of leaf) in the pollen. I was able to pick most of it out. How do you separate the two?
~elizabeth
By: Elizabeth on June 22, 2010
at 7:18 pm
That is great Elizabeth! I have not had the problem of having any cattail fluff or leaf mixed with the pollen. I am only harvesting when the male part of the cattail is just full of cattail pollen and it requires only a very light shake. It was probably due to the pollen was not completely ready for harvesting and you had to shake vigorously that you had the problem.
Susan
By: hearttohearthcookery on June 22, 2010
at 10:33 pm