food for free

2005-08-07T16:24:00.000+01:00

We got these bilberries today and made wild bilberry muffins.

Don't all rush at once

2005-07-09T00:08:00.000+01:00

...but we found some bilberries today. We didn't have a container with us, so had to eat them all. Will go again shortly. Must remember to wear more appropriate forraging attire, ie: not bare legs and bottom (not me!), and to go a bit earlier to avoid the midges.
I saw someone *gathering* elderflowers the other day on the road. I think she makes 'champagne' with them.

2005-06-27T23:43:00.000+01:00

elderflowers: champagne, cordial or tea? haven't made any yet, but I was brought these back from a walk and I just wanted to put them in a jam jar- they smell nice, though.

Dandelions

2005-05-04T22:00:00.000+01:00

Gill's just given me a recipe for dandelion coffee and there's loads about. Dandelion Salad? I used to know someone who used to pick bucketfuls of dandelion flowers to make dandilion wine.
Btw I just found a recipe for dock pudding, and think I have found some, so I might give it a try!

2005-05-02T14:38:00.000+01:00

There are loads of unripe bilberries about

2005-05-02T14:36:00.000+01:00

I just saw these on a walk and thought they were sweetdocks (polygonum bistorta). They are definately different from ordinary docks which are also in abundance.

2005-05-02T14:34:00.000+01:00

sweet docks?: What do you think?

2005-05-02T14:31:00.000+01:00

sweet docks?

Polygonum_bistorta_sm.

2005-05-02T14:20:00.000+01:00

"Bistort 'Superbum'"

what was that? superb-um or super-bum?

Just trying to identify a specimen I have brought back

docks make me sick!

2005-04-29T09:42:00.000+01:00

I just got the Hebden Bridge Times and now I know why I have never managed to get to the dock pudding championships: The local politics makes me cringe! Apparently one of the three judges was the conservative party candidate for next week's General Election.
There. I won't go on any more. It was won by thirteen-year-old twins from Ripponden.

Our woodpecker has been around this morning, or the one who is always at the top of the telegraph pole in the corner of the garden. It has a pointy metal thing on the top and the woodpecker can make quite a sound on it.

Docks

2005-04-28T22:52:00.000+01:00

Well, I didn't manage to get to the dock pudding championships. I forgot all about it till about 2 o'clock and I was stuck into some sewing and didn't really feel like going out. Now I wish I had as I might have seen some examples of the right kind of dock, not to mention sampling the pudding!
I think I may have spotted some docks today in Cragg Vale, but I cannot be sure what they are without the flowers. I'll try and get a picture tomorrow, or it may be next week, now, as I'm off to Skipton tomorrow!

Bread and Cheese again

2005-04-19T15:58:00.000+01:00

We went out to look for the docks for dock pudding today but couldn't find any. We found some which were possibilities but weren't sure so left them.

We did get a nice picture of bread and cheese though....

Bistort information

2005-04-18T13:14:00.000+01:00

I found this page which is quite interesting, lots of remedy information etc.

Thought this page had the best images for identification.

bread and cheese;

2005-04-17T23:44:00.000+01:00

Now, where did I see something about eating hawthorn buds and calling it 'bread and cheese'? I know I've heard of it before, but I didn't know exactly what part of the hawthorn was the bread and cheese. But I've read something very recently, just cant remember where...

Ok, the World Dock Pudding Championships are on Sunday April 24 at 1.30 in Mytholmroyd Community Centre. O, that's next weekend. Apparently the pudding is made from the sweet dock leaf, Polygonum Distorta, nettles, onion, oatmeal and seasoning, and fried.

Hello

2005-04-10T17:23:00.000+01:00

When I saw the invite to food for free blog I thought, Nah, I'm not really into that. That was before I remembered my blueberry and blackberry foraging, not to mention dandelions and docks, elderflowers? So I was really inspired to have a go at Gill's nettle soup, but I didn't think I'd have the time to go out foraging. Today I was just clearing out some prunings that had blown about the garden, and noticed a whole load of little nettle shoots coming up. There is a patch just outside the garden that I don't like to cut down as it's a breeding ground for butterflies. So I got out the scissors (I was already wearing gardening gloves)and filled two collanders with nettle tops. I made a big pan of soup,making sure the children watched me put the nettles into the pan. They thought it looked really cool, but they weren't so keen on eating, mind! Allie (18 months) ate some, though. Also, Pete (19) declined the offer (he's not mine and think's my cooking's wierd at the best of times!). He suggested I entered the dock pudding contest, which is held in Mytholmroyd every year.

Food For Free - the book

2005-04-09T11:41:00.000+01:00

I'm very excited as *the book* has arrived! What's more, I didn't realise I had got myself the collins gem pocketsize version! Excellent stuff. Haven't had a chance to look at it yet though as B (yet another book mad family member) seems to have decided that it's his.

The parcelman also brought me *The Real Good life* this morning. Think I know someone who might be wanting to have a gander at the section on keeping chickens...

Eek just read that a tumbler drier produces 3KG of greenhouse gases with EVERY load! Really must stop relying on ours as much as we do. Hmm, seems I'm digressing on this blog already. Ah well, it's my blog and I'll ramble and digress if I want to ;0)

Nettle Soup

2005-04-07T12:34:00.000+01:00

Inspired by Gill's recipe for nettle soup we went out for a nettle hunt. For once we didn't have any in our garden, so we headed off to the churchyard.

Here are my two girls rootling for nettles - wearing sturdy gloves ;0)

It was great - we got out in the fresh air and got rosy cheeks, enjoyed the beautiful countryside we live in, saw lots of birds and heard them singing their hearts out, had some excellent chats and got some odd looks, but hey we're used to those ;0) and got a delicious dinner out of it.