- Location
- Nottingham
Samphire is up and abundant on the Lincolnshire coast.
Foraging 2024
- Thread starter Christopher Topham-Smith
- Start date
- Location
- Nottingham
Today's harvest (from Priory Park, Bedford in case anyone is near and interested). TBH I'm not entirely sure what they are, but delicious and lovely colours from different trees.
- Location
- Leicestershire
Foraging in my back garden this week has yielded two desserts worth of blackberries, and several jars of figs in syrup and crab apple chutney (I could have made loads of the latter but they are such a pain to core).
- Location
- UK
Bullace plums – there are loads in mid-Suffolk, where I used to make bullace gin or brandy or whisky. I understand that the colours represent different varieties (the main ones apparently being 'the White, Black, Shepherd's and Langley') rather than stages of ripeness – the flavours are certainly very different.
The 'exhausted' fruit can then be baked in tarts, but also does interesting things for roast partridge/pheasant – three or four pushed into the body cavity before cooking distinctly perfume the breast meat...
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- Location
- Nottingham
I’m collecting the set of foraged samphire this year! Here’s rock samphire on the Pembroke Coast this week.
- Location
- Nottingham
On a tree just up the road from where I live a good chicken of the woods. This tree is a regular (approx every 2 years) provider of this fungus. 
- Location
- Yorkshire
A small sighting of hopefully better things to come over the next few weeks
Garnishing ham and eggs over the weekend
Garnishing ham and eggs over the weekend
- Location
- London
- Location
- London
I shall head out for more foraging this morning after lots of rain. The view just now is pretty impressive of one of my favourite French mountains, Les Drus:
- Location
- Bordeaux
Loads of huge Cepes in our local Carrefour yesterday - not the best condition though, some almost 12 inches across.
- Location
- London
A good morning of foraging: 2 kg of parasols. Some so idyllically sited I couldn’t bring my self to pick them:
Others however met their fate:
Others however met their fate:
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- Location
- London
- Location
- London, Europe
A few years ago I was back home in Lincolnshire (and I can assure you nobody I grew up ate mushrooms or went foraging).
We found these in the woods where we were staying - all the locals saying "oh, dont eat those - you'll kill yourself"
My kids still talk about it.... the porcini were amazing
We found these in the woods where we were staying - all the locals saying "oh, dont eat those - you'll kill yourself"
My kids still talk about it.... the porcini were amazing
- Location
- London
Wow those are lovely photos Paul in many ways! Great haul!
- Location
- London
Has anybody successfully dried parasols with out a dehydrator? If so how is best?
- Location
- London and Connecticut
They mostly look to be the shaggy variety, although two look to be straight parasols from the photo. Be aware that some people have trouble digesting the shaggy parasol.
- Location
- London
Thanks Richard. All had snake skin like effect on stem. But maybe I’m missing something you picked up?
- Location
- London and Connecticut
Just my hunch from looking at the photos and judging by the cap colour and the pattern of brown patches on the caps Jonathan. Shaggy parasols sometimes show some light/faint red staining in the stem and/or flesh when cut as well. Either way they are not unsafe or dangerous in any meaningful way, it's just that some people can feel uncomfortable after eating them, so I thought I'd mention it. My father was one of those, which was a shame because there were a lot of shaggy parasols near where he lived.
- Location
- London
I also checked the spores and when cut into stem and gills no reddening . I had some at lunch and no reaction and had some five minutes ago - you’ve made me nervous!
- Location
- London and Connecticut
It may indeed be the case that they are not the shaggy variety. Parasols have a fair bit of variability in cap colour and patterning anyway.
- Location
- London
And it’s good to be cautious and I hope I’ve not been the opposite !
- Location
- South West
I knew that to be true of ink caps, but not of parasols. Must have been lucky not to get sick on those I’ve foraged in the past!
- Location
- Leicestershire
Has anyone found edible chestnuts in the UK that are large enough to be worth eating?
- Location
- Nottingham
Jackpot!
2.3kg.
I'll be having slices + egg + crumbs fried for breakfast.
Duxelle for the freezer. Other ideas welcome!
2.3kg.
I'll be having slices + egg + crumbs fried for breakfast.
Duxelle for the freezer. Other ideas welcome!
- Location
- Southern England
There were 3 of these in a local field the other day. Unfortunate I didn't really think trespassing to pinch them was on...