Beech leaves and buds
Guy Radford April 28th, 2011
The young Beech leaves are very tasty and make are rather more-ish wayside snack. They are also great in salads.
Even though Hornbeam is part of the same family the leave don’t taste nice.
Archive for the 'Food' Category
Wood Sorrel and Sheep Sorrel
Guy Radford April 27th, 2011
Wood sorrel is easy to find and identify and on top of that is very tasty. It has and apple flavour. Each plant is tiny so you need loads to make a reasonable snack, however that flavour comes from the oxalic acid, which if you consume too much is poisonous! But I doubt you could pick enough for it to be a problem.
Sheep Sorrel or Common Sorrel is harder to identify. But once you find it it has a similar taste if not a little tarter.
Vetch
Guy Radford April 16th, 2011
Vetch is a member of the pea family. Which means you can eat the peas. They are very small but tasty.
Burdock
Guy Radford April 16th, 2011
With Burdock you can eat the root. The root contains a lot of starch. To get to the root you need to dig next to the plant, the root can go down 12 inches or more and will easily snap if pulled.
To cook there are to main ways, throw it on the embers like a potato. Once cooked you can eat the starchy middle. Or you can chop it up and add it to stews.
Sweet Violet
Guy Radford April 16th, 2011
This little plant does not have much flavour but is very pleasant eating. Great for bulking up salads and as a wayside snack. The flower is also edible and very recognisable. Without the flower the leaves can be confused with similar small plants.
Ramsons, Allium ursinum
Guy Radford April 8th, 2011
Ramsons also known as wild garlic, Allium ursinum, have just started to appear. You get that lovely garlic smell on the breeze. It is easy yo recognise both visually and by its smell. This plant is great in salads and cooking.
Jack by the hedge (garlic)
Guy Radford April 2nd, 2011
Jack by the hedge has a garlic smell and taist. It is very common and as it’s name suggests it often found in hedge rows and on the edge of woods. Unfortunately it does not keeps it flavour during cooking so much better eaten in a salad.
More Walnuts
Guy Radford October 24th, 2010
I took my son to the secret walnut tree and we found nearly half a carrier bag full. So we should now have plenty.
Surplus sloes
Guy Radford October 23rd, 2010
I have loads of sloes left over after finishing the sloe vodka, I wondered what else I could make. I started to look for sloe drinks for children, it was then I discovered sloe cordial. All I need now are some suitable bottles….
Sloe vodka 2010
Guy Radford October 23rd, 2010
The first frost has been so it was time to pick the sloes. This year really is a bumper year, in less then 30 minutes I has collected about 2kg from just a small area in my parents garden.
Once home I washed and sorted enough for the sloe vodka.
Sloes washed and ready
Here is the recipe I used, recipes seems to vary wildly.
75cl Vodka
450g clean Sloes
120g of white granulated sugar
I first cleaned and sorted to sloes, this is a little time consuming but you soon get into the rhythm. I then needed to prick the sloes to allow the vodka in and the flavour out. I use a sharp knife, you could use a fork or a skewer. I tend to get a few in my hand at once give them all a prick move them around prick them again and drop them into the bottle.
Adding the sugar
Once the sloes are done using a funnel I pour in the sugar, then add the vodka and secure the lid. I turn the bottle over a few times and put it in a cool dark place.
The bottle will need turning every few days until the sugar is all dissolved. Then wait… 3 months seems to be about right but I have heard of people drinking it much quicker. At a push it could be ready for Christmas.