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STATEN ISLAND, NY – Now that the world has opened up again with festivals, parties, and face-to-face gatherings, things can seem overwhelming and downright unpredictable. But, by and large, comfort yourself with the gingko, a fairly common tree in our Borough of Parks, in a normal store.
My love for these trees came from watching them while walking through parks and forests during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are a sight – and a serious smell – for all the senses.
Ginkgo trees have a gnarled surface. The falling fruit has a foul smell. (Staten Island Advance / Pamela Silvestri)
The gingko is a distinctive and robust creature, if only for the appearance of its rugged, curvy bark. And it looks ominous in the winter months because of its wrinkled appearance, which sets it apart from its brothers.
In spring and summer it comes to life with beautiful fan-like leaves. And right now, in October, these lush leaves are curling a little to put us in a strange state of tension; They look like they’re holding onto the tree tightly – or just the opposite – and preparing to jump. Each day closer to November, those leathery leaf margins bend back a little further and further. Then three things happen.
A gingko nut peeled clean on the sidewalk in Silver Lake Park (Staten Island Advance / Pamela Silvestri)
First there is a funk.
The gingko biloba will soon give off a stench like no other tree or living being in the Big Apple. It comes from the berry-like fruits that fall over a couple of weeks – green balls that turn an eerie green-yellow, like golden cherries. When feet or dogs or stroller wheels crush them, the gingko unleashes its perfume – an indescribable A-stench.
Gingko shattered on the ground emits a funk like no other living being in NYC. (Staten Island Advance / Pamela Silvestri) Staff shot
The second predictable gingko event is that the leaves will turn yellow – very strong. And it’s such an intense shade that only Mother Nature can deliver – radiant in the sun and so beautiful – but still tricky because something so impressive should at least reward us with a fragrance that corresponds to such a charming look.
The fan-shaped leaves of the gingko tree remain bright yellow until October. Quite! (Staten Island Advance / Pamela Silvestri)
After all, the leaves will fall in a day – boom – pretty much anything. During the first frost, usually in the first week of November in New York City, the tree throws its thousands of yellow fans to the ground. This is another nice event if you don’t slide over it when it’s wet.
The gingko fruit as it lands on the ground in Silver Lake Park. This happens in late October and early November. (Staten Island Advance / Pamela Silvestri) Staff shot
EATING THE GINGKO
Chefs like Chef Mario DiBiase remind us that ginkgo is a source of food, if not for the birds, but for health conscious people. He makes a tea out of it, a similar treatment that he gives acorns.
The gingko needs to be cleaned of its poisonous flesh – the Korean and Chinese women who harvest it in the parks do so on the spot with a double pair of kitchen gloves. The berries should be boiled a few times. The convex core inside can then be toasted in a pan over high heat or cooked in the oven, a heating process that turns the nut a neon green. At this point the nut can be cracked with your teeth like a pistachio, or opened with a nutcracker for the stuff inside that is believed to be good for your memory.
To be honest, I’m a little suspicious when I swallow the ginkgo. Although I admire them for their unwavering contribution to fall foliage and their loyal presence in our parks. They present a calm, predictable drama that is very welcome on the food beat these days.
Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at [email protected].
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