Foraging Challenge

Boodle

My Rose Jelly is very pale indeed lol. I think next batch will mean asking hubby to go climbing through the back of the wilderness to reach the beautiful deep red flowers I can see from my window rather than the lovely pink ones I was able to reach! TBH it doesn't seem very full of flavour either. I might have to try your recipe instead JJ.

DebtFree, I used little windfall apples (sour like the crab apples) in all sorts. They need a bit more sugar than normal apples for sweet dishes, and they are great in certain casseroles and stews or curries. I peeled them and froze in chunks, then threw them into cooking curries etc frozen. I remember Weezl's recipe here for Sour Apple Bhajee being popular on the thread, though we do our own thing with the seasonings etc we have in here. They can also go frozen straight into crumble dishes mixed with sweeter fruit like banana to be topped with crumble and baked. I remember doing a mango cutney replacing half the mango quantity with windfall apples, but I can't remember which recipe it was - I just found it online so have a google and see what you fancy It worked very nicely.

DebtFree2012

Many Thanks for the crab apple replies - we get loads so I have a few options! I always thought they gave you a bad tummy! Perfect!

xxxxx

Boodle

DebtFree2012 wrote: »

Many Thanks for the crab apple replies - we get loads so I have a few options! I always thought they gave you a bad tummy! Perfect!

xxxxx

Thats what my mother always told me too lol!

I saw earlier on mention of nettles still being harvestable. There are tons around our way. I had meant to grab some in spring but didn't get around to it grrr. Any tips for harvesting them this late? I would love to get some in the freezer as we love our greens (usually end up having in some form or another every evening !!! )

lilian1977

jumblejack wrote: »

Well done:j

Looks like there are loads of recipes out there for honeysuckle. I fancy the sorbet option:
http://www.facebook.com/notes/back-to-the-basics-hope-for-the-best-prepare-for-the-worst/honeysuckle-heres-some-recipes-to-try-next-time-they-bloom/10150290286345242

None of the recipes mention removing the stamen so less work which is better!:T

Great thanks, I won't bother next time (although glad I did as I found a caterpillar inside one - yum

Justamum

jumblejack wrote: »

Elderflower . . . smells delightful too.

_pale_ I think it smells awful - nauseating! There's always loads around though. Does it taste like it smells? If not I might have a go.

Aldahbra

Justamum wrote: »

_pale_ I think it smells awful - nauseating! There's always loads around though. Does it taste like it smells? If not I might have a go.

I think it tastes nice but don't like the smell of the flowers. It is quite a sharp taste and people with a sweet tooth tend not to like it.

Boodle wrote: »

Does anyone have any knowledge of red flowering currants???

Are these the same as red currants? If so I have loads in my garden (not yet) and use them mixed with other fruit for summer pudding, mainly, and crumble. I like red currant jelly but have not made some myself. This Christmas I bought some red currant and cranberry jelly for use on Christmas day. I loved it and thought I would try to make something similar myself this year. Don't know what I would use that is grown locally instead of cranberries thought.

My rosepettal jelly tastes lovely but I think I must of over cooked it as it is very thick and sort of syrupy. I think it might go rock solid if I leave it too long. It tastes so nice that I will definitely try again. I've been around dead heading all the roses in an effort to encourage them to flower again.

splodger_seedswapper

Justamum wrote: »

_pale_ I think it smells awful - nauseating! There's always loads around though. Does it taste like it smells? If not I might have a go.

i agree - can't stand the smell of it - would rather wait for the berries :cool:

Aldahbra

jumblejack wrote: »

If you click on the # on the top right of the post, it will open up that post individually. Then just copy the url and save it as 'then change the name accordingly'.

Thats how I do would do it. Have a play and see!

Thanks, that works. I've started a list at the start. I've run out of time now but hope to get all the recipes etc that are posted.

Aldahbra

Boodle wrote: »

I just soaked 10 lavender heads in 750ml water for 3 days, then strained it into a pan with 750g preserving sugar and the juice of half a lemon and boiled for about 7 minutes I think. It was very nice. I would imagine a redder rose would give a prettier colour but mine are quite a pale pink.

Should have mentioned that quantity gave me 5 jars full .

Is this what you did to the rose petals? Other than colour turn out? Did you need to strain the petals out, in the recipe I used, which went a bit wrong, I just boiled them up.

splodger_seedswapper

as there might be a few people wanting to take part that are new to foraging - i thought it might be useful to learn a few plants to avoid (not a comprehensive list by any means) but it does help to know what plants are poisonous - or have poison elements to them - so i would recommend that anybody new to foraging can identify the plants to avoid.

baneberry
black bryony
buttercup
columbine
common buckthorn
deadly nightshade
fool's parsley
foxglove
hemlock
henbane
ivy
laburnum
meadow saffron
mistletoe
monkshood
spindle tree
white byrony
white hellebore
woody nightshade
yew (leaves and berry)

hope this will help