Frozen pawpaw and blackberry bites, wild strawberry, mayapple, hickory nut caps, venison, and wild garlic canapés are just a few of the samplings that can be found on the menu at No Taste Like Home, a monthly dinner series where meals are crafted from foraged foods and artfully prepared by area chefs. From spring through autumn, dinner guests venture into the local forest to harvest such seasonal delicacies as wild persimmons, honey mushrooms, and ramps to be used to make an intimate four-course gourmet meal.

For Vita Sedarama (the first dinner which is scheduled for April 23), will fea- ture morel, trout, and wild turkey in a Passover feast with chef Mark Rosenstein. A local expert forager will lead adventurous dinner guests through the grounds of Laughing Frog Estate, a 215-acre manor surrounded by thousands more acres of wilderness near Walnut, about 25 minutes north of Asheville. Foragers will get a behind-the-scenes look at wild food preparation and savor the catch of the day at the estate’s 7000-square-foot mansion.

“It’ll be one wild party,” says Alan Muskat, event organizer. He adds, there will be local wine pairings for each course and musicians will entertain. Zev Friedman will be the master of ceremonies and Zac Robertson will be the chef de cuisine.

Other dinner dates are May 21, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 29, and a grand homecoming dinner on November 19. All dinners are from 3–9 p.m. and feature a guest forager and guest chef. The Laughing Frog Estate offers accommodations for overnight guests (priced separately) and dinner tickets are $125 per person. For details and reservations, visit ntlh.org or call 828.774.1922.