Friday 30 March 2012

Foraging

Another lovely day yesterday before my friend left back to the States. Hopefully not another 9 years before we see each other again!
The plan yesterday was to climb the hill that I can see from my window. It started out a little frustrating, because, armed with my OS map, we set off on the path that was shown, but time after time we were thwarted by lack of signs, lack of path and too many brick walls that it was impossible to get over. Finally, after climbing over a fallen down dry stone wall from the cemetery, we found ourselves on one of the paths shown - well it was all worth it. Once we were beyond the houses and farms we found ourselves in open moorland, hills and rivers with breathtaking beauty and unbelievable views. Our plan was to walk to Watergrove Reservoir and after 2 and a half hours of wrong turns we got there, after a break dipping our tired feet in a beautiful river. Watergrove reservoir is really lovely, with small beaches and little groves of trees all around it. It took us 2 and a half hours to get there, but only 1 and a half hours to get back, once we knew where we were going - I've stored the route away in my head for the future. On the way home, we met a charming old couple who had lived here in Whitworth all their lives and knew the hills like the back of their hands and were able to give us a great route back that comes out really near my home. They also told us an interesting tale of how during the 2nd World War, the army had used two old ruined farms as target practice and how, as a boy, he had dug around the ruins and found all the old shells, using them to add weight to his home made bows and arrows. He pointed out so many different walks and routes in the area to us that my head was spinning and I was unable to remember most of them.




While we were out, I came across the tell tale smell of wild garlic and there was acres of it. We gathered a few handfuls to bring back for the evening.
We decided to make a sort of bacon pasta carbonara using the wild garlic and some pink peppercorns that I had picked and dried when I was working in the South of France last year and it was really lovely. The wild garlic gives such a wonderful and subtle flavour offset by the sharp taste of the peppercorns. A meal to be proud of and one made all the nicer by the foraged ingredients, the good company, the fresh air of the day and our sun-pink and happy faces!

18 comments:

  1. I love the idea of foraging for wild garlic,wouldnt have a clue where to find it. Frugal queen on a recent posting said now is the time to look for blossom on trees and make note for future foraging.Last year i picked rose hips and made rose hip syrup.This year workmen laying a new water pipe have dug up those bushes down the end of my lane,so i will now have to look elsewhere. Photos are lovely.
    nto
    x

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    1. I didn't know where I would find it either, but it is true what all the books say - when you see it, you can't mistake it! It really has such a wonderful garlicky smell and I found it with my nose! It seems to like shade so woodlands is the place!

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  2. That sounds absolutely ideal! What a lovely day, and an interesting couple to meet! I might have to head out onto Bodmin Moor later if the weather holds!

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    1. It is one of the biggest differences that I have found here. If I had been walking in my old area of London and met someone, they would have put their heads down and pretended not to see me (as would I probably). Cities seem to breed suspicion. Everyone I meet here either stops to chat or just smiles and says hello. It will probably take me a while to get over my years of being suspicious of strangers, but every time I go out is chips away at my stand-offishness!

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  3. What a fabulous day out! I love the smell of wild garlic. I am so fortunate as it grows in the gardens of the Victorian villas that I back onto, so I can sit in my garden and enjoy the fabulous aroma - and it grows at the entrance to the private road they are situated on - so I can pick it too!

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    1. Such a great ingredient! I fancy going to get some more and making some wild garlic pesto!

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  4. Looking forward to hearing more foraging stories.

    Glad you had a lovely time with your friend. Sounds like a real adventure.

    Sft x

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    1. It really was the most lovely few days. I am looking forward to learning more about foraging and using the wealth of free stuff about in the countryside!

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  5. So is that the first foraging produce of the year ? I suppose the nettles will be coming along soon.
    Like the idea of your pasta meal

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  6. yes it is, and a really good start. It was great, I can recommend wild garlic very highly!

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  7. Soon it`ll be the elder flowers you could harvest for cordial, or elder flower pancakes you might want to serve with honey.

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    1. I have just started my final bottle of last years elderflower cordial, so that has lasted perfectly. I thought I may have a go at a couple of bottles of elderflower champagne this year for a little treat.

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  8. We've got a huge supply of wild garlic about 30 seconds walk from our front drive. We've had a few dishes already including a feta and tomato pasta with the wild garlic leaves tossed in at the very end to wilt slightly before serving. But I'll bet they're amazing in your carbonara with BACON. Nom nom

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    1. Nice to have it so close! Feta and tomato pasta with wild garlic sounds gorgeous. mmmm

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    2. What a lovely day you had with your Friend,wonderful photo's!and how nice to be able to pick wild Garlic,you are very lucky,the only thing i can pick up on my walk's is weed's!

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    3. I'm sure there are some edible weeds here and there!

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  9. Wild garlic? I need to see if that grows in these parts of the states. Maybe I could dig some up (do they have seeds? I wonder how they are propagated?) and scatter them around the property. I love garlic in all forms and uses. Not to mention it has some great health benefits. Lucky you! And the views look breathtaking! I'm sure your friend has been talking nonstop back here in the states telling everyone about the wonderful memories!

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    1. It is the leaves of wild garlic that are so precious! They taste heavenly. They taste just like regular garlic, but very mild and subtle, mmmmm, delicious! I don't know how you would transplant it, does it grow wild where you are? The websites I glanced at just seem to find it difficult to move - I guess the clue is in the name - wild! It seems to like woods and damp places, so keep an eye and more, a nose out for it - you can't miss it when you smell it's leaves. The flowers are edible too apparently - but don't dig it up, or it won't come up next year!

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