Hedgerow foraging

[Mikey]

I believe it is, as I asked something similar before..if by gods country you mean wales?

Of course, where else. Either that or her lavatory, it rains a lot round here.

[taff]

From the valley that's in between the Rhondda and Merthyr, that no-one's heard of , as the other two are far more newsworthy. Crass played their last gig there. I'd name names but I don't want to bandy myself round

[Mikey]

I see, I'm currently in what would be called posh valleys, as I is at the foothills!!

[taff]

ooo, get you!!

[Suky]

I'm only really interested in edible foraging. Elderberry syrup was something that went a little wrong really, but it makes a fantastic cold cure. Its far more potent than blackcurrant or lemon and sweet enough to soothe without adding extra honey, good if your on a diet. Awfully fiddly to make though, and it doesn't half stain your muslin cloths.

I make the elderberry syrup for my OH, he can't have anything with alcohol in and all commercially available cough medicine have it in, even the kids ones. Hubby swears by it.
I also harvest damsons and wild plums and hazlenuts, if I can beat the wildlife to them.
I use muslin nappies (clean ones obviously) for straining.

[Jax]

Arent belly aches part of the fun?

[Alison]

Thanks northepaul, I find that most of these styled books concentrate on what you can survive on rather than showing you what is out there that has fantastic flavour which far surpasses commercially grown alternatives.

The two River Cottage books in particular that Northepaul has recommended aren't like that at all and are good practical books which show you what you can forage and how you can cook it. OH used the mushroom book a lot when he first started foraging as its focuses on a core number of mushrooms and gets you going with those. Not at all about survival The Collins one is quite good but the pictures are a bit rubbish so I was rather disappointed by it (although it is very cheap)

[Mikey]

The two River Cottage books in particular that Northepaul has recommended aren't like that at all and are good practical books which show you what you can forage and how you can cook it. OH used the mushroom book a lot when he first started foraging as its focuses on a core number of mushrooms and gets you going with those. Not at all about survival The Collins one is quite good but the pictures are a bit rubbish so I was rather disappointed by it (although it is very cheap)

Sorry Alison and Northepaul, I wasn't suggesting that these books were inappropriate, The mabey one I already have and that book is a fantastic compendium of all things edible, but doesn't really tell you how to make the best of it. I haven't seen the other two yet and wasn't trying to imply that they were not of value.

[jackyspratty]

Im a uge fan of the river cottage hedgerow book. we made rosehip jam and rowan jam which I loved but my OH fuond an aquired taste! Also made an elderberry sauce which is meant to be stored for 7 years for the ebst results, but not tried that yet. Its a graet little ref book with good ideas. Try your library first to see if its waht you want. We had it out so much they refused to let us take it out again!!!

[Alison]

Also made an elderberry sauce which is meant to be stored for 7 years for the ebst results, but not tried that yet.

I've made that too but not tasted it yet either. Also made the Haw Ketchup which OH says is just wrong although he liked the taste