They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I love Dr Karg crackers but being on a tight budget can’t afford to eat them as often as I… Read More
Alexanders Soup
Print Yum Alexanders ‘Smyrnium’ Soup Prep Time: 10 minutesCook Time: 20 minutesTotal Time: 30 minutes 6Serving Size: 320 ml A really delicious fragrant soup that makes the most of the… Read More
Hair Ice in Wales
I was recently contacted by Neville Davies from South Wales who discovered something unusual in his local woods this January. Neville sent me the photo below and writes: “On January… Read More
Yummly
I’ve been looking for a way to organise my recipes and test driven quite a few apps. I’ve now discovered Yummly. It’s easy and a pleasure to use. You can find… Read More
Wild Antidote for Smoking
Antidote for Tobacco – Victorian ‘nicorette’! Trying to give up smoking? One of the most commonly used herbs was Lobelia inflata, nicknamed Indian Tobacco after its use by Native American… Read More
Wild Garlic & Hazelnut Pesto
Print Yum Wild Garlic & Hazelnut Pesto Prep Time: 10 minutesTotal Time: 10 minutes 2 x 250ml tubs This fresh and fiery pesto can be made with any of the… Read More
Seaweed Crackers
Print Yum Seaweed & Nettle Crackers Prep Time: 60 minutesCook Time: 20 minutesTotal Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes 20-30 crackersServing Size: 2 These are really tasty little crackers to have… Read More
Venison nuggets in wild gravy
I love having lunch on the days I’m working from home. This 10 minute recipe is venison nuggets in porcini and blackthorn epiné gravy. With a side salad (not foraged… Read More
Marinated Dandelion Roots
Print Yum Marinated Dandelion Roots Prep Time: 12 hoursCook Time: 10 minutes 4Serving Size: 3 each A delicious variation on the marinated burdock roots that are popular in Japan. These are… Read More
Bone Stock with Seaweed
We’ve got out of the habit of making stock but at one time they were an indispensable part of cooking. Nowadays there are stock cubes and gravy powders, cup-a-soups and… Read More
What is Hair Ice?
Hair Ice or Haareis is a strange winter biological phenomenon. It’s a type of ice only found on fallen branches on the ground. It exudes from the microscopic pores in… Read More
Sea Buckthorn Caramel Sauce
This can be made with any wild juice. I have tried this with guelder rose berries, wild blackberries and barberries. This is lovely dribbled over ice cream, seaweed pannacotta or… Read More
Sea Buckthorn Toffee
This recipe for sea buckthorn toffee can also be made using crab apple verjus. These cold or pressed, tart juices make a fabulous sweet and sour, tangy toffee. For tips… Read More
Rowan Berry Fudge
Ingredients 75 grams butter 700 grams granulated sugar 100 ml evaporated milk 100 ml rowan berries 200 ml water Directions The juice can be made in advance. If you want… Read More
Winter fungi
Between Christmas and New Year, it’s so nice to get outside for a crisp walk & forage, even at zero degrees. Today I found some velvet shanks (Flammulina velutipes) edible… Read More
Winter Solstice 2014
Today, 21 December at 22:03 GMT the North Pole (with the earth’s axis at 23.5 degrees) tilts its furthest away from the sun. This is the shortest solar day of… Read More
Air Fresheners cause Allergic Reactions
From today restaurants now have to declare any allergens in food on their menus. Supermarkets and other places that sell prepackaged food must also declare them. However, although… Read More
How to make Dandelion Coffee
Dig up your dandelion roots in the Spring or Autumn. Cut off the leaves and any root hairs. Rinse the roots well in running water and use an old toothbrush… Read More
Wild food winter salads
It’s been so mild this November that there are still lots of wild salad plants around. This salad bowl is made up of chickweed, bittercress and wild brassica flowers with… Read More
Scarletina bolete
Boletus scarletina. There’s a brown topped mushroom with red pores, an orange stem, and bright yellow flesh than turns dark blue as soon as you cut it. And yeah, it’s… Read More
Foraging Proverbs
Just for amusement, here are some proverbs for foragers. A collection of quotes about wild plants, animals and nature – sayings for foraging. Before eating, always take time to thank… Read More
Wild Manhattan
Here’s a Wild Manhattan recipe that uses a guelder rose syrup liqueur I made from the berries of Viburnum opulus. Delicious twist on a classic dry Manhattan. Ingredients 2 1/2… Read More
Wild Mushroom Pâté with Hen of the Woods
In late September it seems as if there’s a hen of the woods around every oak tree. I’ve found 8 in the last 4 days. It has a lovely almost… Read More
How to Dry Mushrooms
Porcini powder is the most fabulous, deep, rich flavouring for stocks, soups, casseroles, in fact almost everything! Birch bolete powder comes a good second and most mushrooms produce an intense… Read More
Wild fungi in August
It’s been a good year for fungi already and the combination of a hot, dry summer with a few days soaking from the post-Hurricane Bertha rainfall, has resulted in a… Read More
How to Dry Seaweed
I’ve been doing a lot of seaweed collecting this summer. I always end up running out and don’t often get to the coast in the winter. This is important to… Read More
Wasps Nest
Three rather beautiful wasps nests. It’s late summer so the wasps have nearly vacated them now and the last few are hanging round the raspberry patch eating the last of… Read More
Wild Raspberry Jam
This is a really easy recipe for wild raspberry jam. It takes just 12 minutes to cook and it tastes delicious. Also uses half the sugar of many other regular… Read More
Rose petal vodka
Roses are in full bloom at the moment and are an essential ingredient in wild cocktails. Wild rose vodka infusion can be added to crushed raspberries to make forager John… Read More