wild food foraging

The hill behind us is awash with Ransomes? known as Wild Garlic. Perfect for spicing up tomato soup or in chutneys. Mainly I forage for firewood but later in the year will be collecting brambles.

This is going to sound really pathetic but I would really be worried about things I cant wash before I eat them - reassure me someone I'm sure they taste great.

well yes, teatime- foxes can carry worms, toxicaria- and it is a worry. With wild garlic, you wash it really well before you use it- can cook it too. SAme with nettles, sorrel, and all sorts of wild herbs. Same with mushrooms. Raspberries grow high enough not to be affected by foxes, so I eat straight from the bush.

But, I will have to admit, that I can't resist wild strawberries- THAT taste is worth the risk. Probably a lot safer than all the chemical sprayed stuff we get sold- but I take your point,.

Wild hazelnuts are totally safe, so are sloes, elderberries, etc, etc. as they grow too high.

Morel mushrooms must never be eaten raw- so I dry them, then re-hydrate and cook them well.

No ransomes around us, unfortunately, but I pick blackberries, sloes, greengages and sometimes crab apples - I have a big crab apple tree in the garden. Also mistletoe.

This time of year wild asparagus is plentiful but you have to be quick as the Italians go picking it as soon as it appears. We also forage for mushrooms and wild chicory and in the late summer blackberries.