Foraging Challenge

jumblejack

Possession wrote: »

I'm sorry I don't know the answers JJ, but I have a hawthorn tree in my garden. have been cutting down bits of it for years, am I supposed to have eaten it instead?!
I just came across this and wondered if it might be any use for wild garlic ideas if there's anyone who hasn't already seen it:
http://www.frugalfoods.co.uk/index.php/component/content/article/1-latest-news/44-check-out-the-ramsons

and I wish we had a Wilkos. Unfortunately those items aren't online.

Hawthorn is apparently very good between April and may for the young leaves which have a nutty taste. Pick and eat in spring salads, cold potato salad and diced beet root. They blend well with nuts and are good on cheese butties.

Autumn is when the haw berries ripen and are the most abundant berries to be found. They can be made into a jelly as an accompaniment to cheese and there is an old recipe in the food for free book for hawthorn spring pudding (like an old fashioned suet Swiss roll)

Another free food source for you in a few weeks time:T

MrsCD

jumblejack wrote: »

Mystery tree no3:



These were all growing in one area. I don't know where to begin looking for IDs so thought I'd start with you guys before I trawl the net.

Cheers folks.

Not absolutely certain, but the leaves look like the Tulip tree.

When I was little, the 'old men' used to chew twigs of hawthorn. I think it was to freshen their breath

Possession

jumblejack wrote: »

Hawthorn is apparently very good between April and may for the young leaves which have a nutty taste. Pick and eat in spring salads, cold potato salad and diced beet root. They blend well with nuts and are good on cheese butties.

Autumn is when the haw berries ripen and are the most abundant berries to be found. They can be made into a jelly as an accompaniment to cheese and there is an old recipe in the food for free book for hawthorn spring pudding (like an old fashioned suet Swiss roll)

Another free food source for you in a few weeks time:T

OK I may attempt a jelly! Although I have no jelly-making equipment....

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

For foraging count if it's in my personal jungle out the back?

If so, I'm doing ok, as I've been adding clover and herb Robert to salads for weeks. There's chickweed too, but the dock seed crop should be outstanding. What would I do with it, though?

jumblejack

MrsCD wrote: »

Not absolutely certain, but the leaves look like the Tulip tree.

When I was little, the 'old men' used to chew twigs of hawthorn. I think it was to freshen their breath

Thanks!!

The leaves are very, very similar after searching. The fruit is different though:

MrsCD

Oh well, sorry it wasn't the right one, JJ. Hope you find out what it was, and I'm sure someone out there will know.

The Natural History Museum website lets you upload(?) pics and the prof there will ID them!

jumblejack

No 1 is a spindle tree which ain't edible

jumblejack

MrsCD wrote: »

Oh well, sorry it wasn't the right one, JJ. Hope you find out what it was, and I'm sure someone out there will know.

The Natural History Museum website lets you upload(?) pics and the prof there will ID them!

That is extremely useful info:j :T
That could come in very handy on this foraging journey!!!

Cheers me dears

jumblejack

Right. I'm about to try my champers again...

I am gonna do 6 litres.

I'm just trying to dissolve a little over a kilo of sugar in my new fermentation bucket:j:jT

I'm really excited!

(Sad, aren't I?!)



More help needed...

Now, all the recipes I have read for elderflower champagne have conflicting advice.
The guardian have printed 2 different riverside cottage recipes. Both completely different.
One has brewers yeast and fermentation in a bucket for 24hrs.
The other is no added yeast and in a bucket for upto a week!

What do you guys do?

Cheers

JJ:beer:

DebtFree2012

JJ - I am going to do hugh's on the C4 website....they reduced the suage from 2kg to 700 g due to exploding bottles - google hugh FW elder champagne c4 - the comments are really useful on their from ppl who have tried.

I will be using that recipe but 1000g sugar and leaving up to 3 weeks instead of a few days. No extra yeast etc required. Hoping to start this Sunday if can find a large enough bucket! Also going fishing on Saturday.

I have your cherry tree in my garden! There are a few ripenin on it - can I cook with them?

I suggest you put some pics onto the green fingered boards, they are great at recognising things.