Celebrating seasonal, homegrown, and wild food
I'll get one important thing out of the way: "Ground Ivy" is a very different plant to English Ivy which is poisonous and definitely shouldn't be eaten. Ground ivy is actually related to mint and is has also been known as creeping charlie, alehoof, gill-over-the-ground, and many more names. In a similar way to mint, [...]
It's wild garlic season and the culinary world is, once again, obsessed with the fresh, pungent deliciousness of these wild greens. Walks in the woods over Easter weekend in the glorious sunshine were made all the sweeter by being able to share it with family and soak up the delectable scent of all the yummy [...]
A little while back I would have been the first to complain that foragers seem to be obsessed with making everything into a syrup - especially flowers. However, I've gradually learned that it's one of the best ways of harnessing and preserving the flavour of many of nature's best, and most fleeting specialties. Making syrups [...]
I've loved magnolia trees ever since I was a child visiting my grandmother's cottage in spring and seeing the beautiful Magnolia soulangeana in bloom in her garden. There seem to be a lot of magnolia trees where we live - I feel very lucky to be able to walk down nearby streets and see them [...]
The pandemic has had a huge impact on our lives and a lot of people, myself included, have been finding solace in green spaces if we're lucky enough to be able to access them. Foraging forges such a strong connection with nature as you are always building an awareness of what's in season, what's at [...]
The hungry gap is back for another year as we get through the last of the previous season's produce and wait for the next season to start. Thank goodness for the few winter stalwarts of purple sprouting broccoli, cabbages and kale, but also the wild mushrooms and three-cornered leek. At this time of year I'm [...]
There's something very special to me about any plant that flowers throughout the winter. When the cold weather is biting, many of the trees are bare and the landscape's colour palette is more brown than green, seeing a pop of yellow really does brighten up your day. There's a saying that when gorse is out [...]
The story of this particular recipe begins - perhaps surprisingly - in Luang Prabang, Laos. You might be puzzled - how can a warming winter broth full of ingredients that grow abundantly in the wild during the coldest season here in the UK have anything to do with a small city in a tropical country [...]
It goes without saying that winter can be a tricky time to coax ourselves out from our cosy warm blankets and heated houses into the frigid January air. Whilst hibernation might be a very attractive option (wake me up in April perhaps?), there's a surprising amount to discover on a winter's foray, and getting out [...]
The tradition of decorating with evergreens is one that holds a special place in my idea of Christmas festivities. This year is actually the first time we've decorated with our own wreath after years of living in apartments without a street-facing door, so I was really excited to make our own entirely with foraged materials. [...]
Plot & Lane 