3 Things You Can Forage For In August

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    1. Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana)

      First up is hazelnuts (Corylus avellana). So much sweeter and more than their shop-bought equivalent, not to mention free! Can you believe that at the time of writing they cost over £20 a kilo, but if you get there before the squirrels they’re absolutely free!

      You can eat them raw from the tree or roast them for an intense chocolatey flavour.

    1. Elderberries (Sambucus nigra)

      Late in August you’ll find these delicious little bombs of flavour and medicinal goodness dripping from Elder trees.

      Wait for them to ripen to almost black, and cook thoroughly to make jams, sauces, wines and desserts.

    1. Crab apple (Malus sylvestris)
      This wild ancestors of the apples that we all know and love, can sometimes have a challenging sour flavour but even so make excellent crisps and replacements for cooking apples. They can also be added anywhere pectin is needed, such as jellies, jams, and fruit leather.

 

What will you be on the forage for this month?

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3 Things You Can Forage For In June

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    1. Elderflower (Sambucus nigra)
      Elderflowers are in full bloom in June and are easy to spot with their creamy white, fragrant clusters. They’re fantastic for making cordials, syrups, and even elderflower fritters.
      Foraging tip: Only take a few heads from each tree to leave plenty for wildlife and later fruiting.

    1. Wild Strawberries (Fragaria vesca)
      These tiny, sweet berries start ripening in June and can often be found on grassy banks, woodland edges, and hedgerows. They pack a ton of flavour for their size!
      Foraging tip: Look for the classic three-leaf clusters and tiny red fruits close to the ground.

    1. Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
      You’ll spot mugwort growing along hedge banks, roadsides, and on waste ground throughout the UK in early summer. It’s a tall perennial with deeply divided, dark green leaves that are silvery underneath, and it starts to flower from mid-June.

      Foraging tip: Always double-check your ID, as mugwort can be confused with other Artemisia species. Avoid if pregnant, and as with all wild plants, only eat after positive identification.

 

What will you be on the forage for this month?

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Elderflower Cordial

I love the smell and the taste of Elderflower, so every year it is a race to make as many things as I can from them to last for the rest of the year. This is one of the most versatile options because you can use it to make so many other things.

What you’ll need:

  • 10 heads of Elderflowers.
  • 750ml water.
  • Juice of 3 lemons or 2 teaspoons of citric acid.
  • 600g sugar.

How to make it:

  1. Heat the water and dissolve the sugar into it.
  2. Take the water off the heat and add the lemon juice or citric acid, and the Elderflowers.
  3. Make sure that the Elderflowers are properly submerged, and leave to infuse for 2 to 3 hours.
  4. Strain the liquid through a muslin cloth, and pour into sterilised bottles.
  5. Keep the bottles in the fridge and use within 3 months.

Now you have Elderflower cordial, you can have it as a cold drink, a hot drink, a cocktail, you can freeze it in cubes for other drinks, you can use it in baking and other desserts, you can add it to creams, and many many other uses.

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