At this time of year, the natural world provides many delicious treats. Here’s a taster of the free wild food you could find.
Sweet chestnutsYou can’t beat a roast chestnut as the nights grow cold and dark – and they can make your fireworks night go with a bang!
Don’t let the green, prickly cases put you off. Inside them, you’ll find up to four shiny, brown, triangular nuts (if you find a conker, you’ve got a horse chestnut – don’t eat it!). Slit the brown skins on all of the nuts except one, and place them in the hot ash of an open fire, close to red coals or in a roasting pan. Stand back – the untouched nut will soon explode, signalling that the chestnuts are ready. Peel, eat and enjoy!
Sweet chestnuts fall from the trees in late October. RSPB Stour Estuary reserve in Essex is a great place to find them.
BlackberriesOctober will see the end to this year’s blackberries, so pick them while you can. Many people know they make delicious jams, jellies and puddings, but don't realise that in Britain there are over 400 microspecies. Some of these have more dietary fibre than brown bread, weight for weight! During World War One, children in England were encouraged to pick blackberries to make healthful juice to send to soldiers on the front line.
ElderberriesYou should cook these purple-black berries because they can make you sick if you eat them raw. They work well in apple pies or blackberry jelly, and make good wine or cordial - yum!
FungiFungi are abundant in autumn and there are many different species to choose from – but you should only pick and eat them if you know what you’re doing. Fungi can be hard to identify and any mistakes could be lethal.
If you want to head out in search of wild food, a great little pocket guide to take with you is Food for Free.
So, now that I've tickled your tastebuds - what is your favourite wild food? Do you know any good recipes using wild, seasonal ingredients?
Cherries? Wow, lucky you! And your stewed apple sounds great. I love eating stewed apples for pudding because they satisfy your craving for something sweet but you know that they are good for you, too! And they taste great hot or cold...getting hungry now!
We've picked loads of blackberries and for the first time ever, cherries from some trees in the street, and my other half has made great jam to see us through winter. I've been stewing the roadside apples - too lazy to make pie or crumble! - and it's absolutely delicious. Doesn't need sugar adding either.
Thanks David - nothing beats an apple pie with custard on a cold night!
Now is the time to pick up free cooking apples from roadside baskets where growers have placed their surplus. Use with wild blackberries to make a delicious apple and blackberry pie or crumble. Serve hot with custard or cold with ice cream!!!!!delicious.
Sweet chestnuts--------collect them now ready to make a reall great stuffing for your Christmas turkey.