Shaggy Inkcaps Coprinus comatus– also known as Lawyer’s Wig – are edible but there are a few things to note. You need to eat them soon after picking as they… Read More
Orange peel fungus
Orange Peel Fungus Aleuria aurantia is a choice edible fungi with a fondness for following the edges of paths ad tracks especially where there are also decaying stumps and debris.… Read More
Laughing Gym aka Gymnopilus junionius
I originally thought that this was a Pholiota and the old specifies names for Gymnopilus junionius was indeed Pholiota spectabilis and it’s certainly pretty spectacular. Some subspecies contain psilocybin are… Read More
Scalycaps
A happy group of Shaggy Scalycaps (Pholiota squarrosa) but not for eating! And also some rarer juvenile Flaming Scalycaps (Pholiota flammans)
Field mushrooms by the pailful
When our local farmer told me there were field mushrooms “by the pail’fer in the files next to the sheep” he wasn’t joking! This was a lucky meeting a the… Read More
White Brain Fungus
Exidia thuretiana – White Brain Fungus. All the references I looked at suggest that White Brain grows on the wood of deciduous trees, particularly beech/ash. The attached jelly like fungus… Read More
Birch Polypore
Young Birch Polypore (Piptoporus betulinus) has been used medicinally for over 5000 years as antiparasitic, antimicrobial, to treat wounds, stomach diseases and in rectal cancer. Tests prove has anticancer effect… Read More
Oyster Mushrooms
Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) is common on fallen or dying hardwood trees and is delicious (above). Branched Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus cornucopioides) smelled wonderful but didn’t pick them this time (below).
Porcelain Fungus
Porcelain Fungus (Oudemansiella mucida) Edible. Wash off mucus & remove stems. Nice taste although not as tasty as oyster mushrooms. Eat them fresh as they deteriorate quite quickly.
Purple Stocking Webcap
Purple stocking webcap (Cortinarius mucifluoides) Pretty but not edible – may contains dangerous toxins. #fungi
Meadowsweet Ointment
Meadowsweet contains salicylic acid which is what aspirin is. It has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. Here is a simple versatile ointment recipe for treating all “dem aches an’ pains”.… Read More
Edible Hogweed Seed
Early August is the best time to harvest hogweed heads for seed.
Wild Dog Rose Petal Syrup
Wild Dog Rose Petal Syrup Ingredients 1 kg Dog Rose petals 500g sugar 1 litre water Directions Heat the water and pour over the rose petals. Leave overnight to infuse. In… Read More
Edible Seashore with John Wright
Edible Seashore Coastal gourmet foraging day out with John Wright (River Cottage) & Monica Wilde (Napiers the Herbalists) with a wild gourmet lunch and treats! Join us in May 2017, for a… Read More
Wild flower summer cordials
Hopefully by now , mid May, elderflowers are starting to flower in a lane near you. And if not, they soon will be in June. Cordials are delightful and here… Read More
Calamus aka Sweet Flag ~ the Singer’s root and Forager’s spice
Calamus (Acorus calamus) is also known as Sweet Flag, Sweet Rush or Sweet Cinnnamon although the roots taste like ginger. Calamus (known as sweet flag) has a spicy fragrance to… Read More
Ortilette – French Nettle Beer
Ortilette – Nettle Beer à  la française This is a light refreshing fermented drink with a very low alcohol content, that nevertheless packs some fizz! Made in a similar way to… Read More
Wild Vegetable Rennet
“Blessed be the cheese makers, for they shall inherit the earth!” Life of Brian. Want to make your own cottage cheese or cream cheese? Although you can’t forage milk, without… Read More
Sorrel Hollandaise Sauce
This is a lovely lemony sauce with a distinctive sorrel tang that goes extremely well with baked white fish such as sole, or the local river trout I am lucky to be… Read More
Edible Seeds & Wild Spice Conversion Chart
One thing that often gets overlooked when foraging is the area of edible seeds which can be used to replace spices or even, in some cases, add a whole new… Read More
Gooseberries and Gorse Flower Syrup
This is a lovely dessert. The almost tropical, honey-sweetness of the gorse flowers contrasts well with the gooseberries. Although most gooseberries are green there are some red variants. I find… Read More
Lavender Flower Syrup
Lavender Flower Syrup Ingredients 500g Lavender flowers 500g sugar 1 litre water Directions Heat the water and pour over the lavender flowers. Leave overnight to infuse. In the morning, add… Read More
Pickling and Preserving Green Walnuts Recipes
A selection of recipes for green walnuts. Pickled Walnuts Pick only young green walnuts – usually around June. Remember that walnuts stain. Great for making homemade hair dye and self-tan, but… Read More
Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium)
A Taste Like None Other Of all the plants I eat, people are most suspicious of Common Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium. It’s got an undeserved reputation because of a sinister relative that… Read More
Turkey Tail mushrooms – Trametes versicolor
Turkey tail mushrooms are found growing on logs, especially fallen beech, throughout the world and certainly here in Scotland. Their rather obvious name is due to them looking literally like… Read More
Edible Gorse Flower Syrups, Cordials & Cocktails
Print Yum Gorse Flower Syrup Ingredients500g gorse flowers 500g sugar 1 litre water 2 limes 1 orangeDirectionsPick your gorse flowers in the morning on a warm, sunny day before it… Read More
Stump puffballs – Lycoperdon pyriforme
Stump puffballs are edible and best when gathered young as they have a firm texture, exquisite smell but mild taste, and not as good as field puffballs. But they are… Read More
Chanterelles – Cantharellus cibarius
Exquisite flavour, slightly fruity and slightly peppery, this is one of the most popular of the edible mushrooms. Most foragers have a secret patch that they visit and the secret… Read More
Mushroom breakfast
Gently fried in butter with some chopped chives, salt and pepper and garnished with chive flowers. This is mixture of chanterelles and hedgehog fungi. Before… and After!
Rowan berries – Sorbus aucuparia
I picked these to make Rowan Berry Jelly. They are not poisonous but they are quite bitter (an acquired taste!). Rowan Berry Jelly is particularly delicious served with venison, hare… Read More