Foraging - Natures Food

rachbc

annie-c wrote: »

I'd love to find something other than blackberries locally but I am still very pleased with today's haul.

Someone earlier asked where to find blackberries. Now is the time for a walk on the back lanes and in the woods - they are all around at waist height and ripe for picking!

I only have blackberries locally too -have an apple tree I am watching too or the first time this ear. This weekends haul was from a trip to the countryside - I was so impressed I almost forgot how I love cinema, art galleries and cultural diversity I almost wanted to move just for sloes, plums and other goodies

floss2

annie-c wrote: »

Rosehip gin? Mmmm, the perfect winter 'medicine'! :T

That sounds a scrummy idea......

Have been making sloe jelly & chilli jelly with foraged sloes & wild apples this weekend....also got 3lb of damsons & froze them before starting half into gin & the other half into brandy. Sloes in freezer will be ginned tomorrow night. Will need some more apples to make rosemary & mint jellies and seem to remember seeing some wild pears too.....

rachbc

Just found a recipe for bramble curd which has the added benefit of using up some of the millions of eggs I have!

andygb

We have had a good little haul of plums from our tiny tree (about 2 kilos), but the jam didn't set, and is more like a thick compote, still lovely though.
I managed to get around 10kg of walnuts from a local park (most people do not have a clue what they are), which are early this year, and much larger than last year.
The next "project" is a bit of blackberrying, because I am partial to blackberry and apple crumble.
The best things in life are sometimes free.

jem132

any ideas for crab apples? We have loads round hear .Thats about all we have :eek:

SusanC_2

ceridwen wrote: »

The "thinking cap" is on and I AM back to the "drawing board" as to how to deal with something that IS a problem to peeps in my own area personally (whilst fully appreciating that peeps in some other areas wont have a clue what I'm on about - because it isnt a problem in their own area personally)......:(

To us personally - in MY own area - it IS a problem and we simply dont know how to deal with it...

We usually go with a ladder to our local plum trees and take the ones everyone else leaves because they can't reach them.

andygb

jem132 wrote: »

any ideas for crab apples? We have loads round hear .Thats about all we have :eek:

I would imagine that you could make a jam or chutney out of them, they would need a bit of sweetening and something with them - cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

p00

Ive searched through my foraging book but cant find this berry.
havent got a picture yet either but it has dark purple berries about the size of a blueberry and the leaves are prickly like holly but some are changing reddish.

Any ideas please as there a loads near me. Ill try to take a picture later.

xxp00

M.E.

You've described MAHONIA.

It is edible, slightly astringent and rather pippy. Use like rowan berries.

floss2

please don't shout!