The leaves are falling, the nights are fading, and the countryside is having a grand finale in the bounty and beauty that can be seen all around. Apples are bursting from the orchards, the hedgerows are littered with blackberry gems, and rose hips glisten in the low golden light. Historically, this would have been when we would have stocked up our larders, carefully storing the fruits and vegetables of the summer away so that we would have provisions to carry us through the lean times of winter.
Of course, in modern times, we have many choices regarding the food we buy and the ease with which we come by it, i.e., a trip to the supermarket instead of trekking for miles to a particular spot. We also have access to all sorts of food, no matter what time of year; strawberries in winter, bananas and pineapples are becoming cheap and commonplace due to importing foodstuffs worldwide. So we don't have to forage out of necessity any more, it's more of a leisurely activity. Wild food foraging and 'fungal forays' are becoming more popular as we take more interest in the wild foods that our countryside can provide. We are becoming more conscientious about the air miles that our food travels, and are encouraged to buy local as much as possible.
Autumn is the perfect time for gleaning from the trees and hedgerows, and below are five of the best things to look for right now, as well as an idea of what to do with them!
In terms of the law, I've noted details further below, but in a nutshell (excuse the pun!), there is no uprooting and no gleaning to sell to restaurants or pop-up cafés. So, here are a few gems of the land to look out for!
Blackberries
Although these are more likely to be found in the freezer by now (if you have already harvested the hedgerows), blackberries were relatively early this year, but there is still some to be found in bountiful sunny spots. Blackberry and apple crumbles are the obvious answer (stewed with cooking apples, sugar and cinnamon, and a crumble topping of your choice - for a more rustic, crunchy crumble, why not add some granola or chopped nuts?). Blackberry jelly is surprisingly easy to make. Again, stewing the blackberries with cooking apples, straining the juice overnight, and combining it with sugar creates a beautiful, clear jelly that is perfect with thick brown toast. Incidentally, blackberries are rich in vitamin C and have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits. (Top and jelly image by Lesley van Dijk)
Cobnuts
These are seasonal fruits of the Corylus (hazel) tree. It is one of the few things which are probably not available all year round, so it should be savoured more! Unlike most other nuts, they are sold fresh and are mostly available from August onward until Christmas. But you must be quick to beat the squirrels if you want to forage some!
As cobnuts are fresh, they should be kept in the fridge, loose husks removed (though not if they're green and firmly attached to the nut), and they should not be allowed to sweat.
Cobnuts can be eaten fresh and, like chestnuts, are delicious with a little salt. Fresh cobnuts are best eaten straightaway, as they don't keep well if they're chopped. They are equally tasty roasted and added to both sweet and savoury dishes (e.g., stirred in with pasta or added to a fruitcake).
A tip for removing the thin skin around the nut when shelled and roasted is to fold the nuts into a clean tea towel while still hot from the oven and roll vigorously. The brittle skin should flake away easily.
(Cobnuts and rose hip images are by Fritha Waters, others below by Lesley van Dijk)
Apples
Where to begin? This year has been especially good for apples, and they can be seen bursting from every tree. Everyone has their favourite way of eating them; whether it be crisp and juicy, fresh from the tree, stewed into a pie or crumble, or you could have a go at making your own apple juice.
Good varieties to use for juicing are Granny Smiths, Galas or Fujis. Start by washing and coring the apples (about 18 to 20) - no need to peel. Then, place the apples in a saucepan and add just enough water to cover them; too much water will cause the juice to be too diluted. Slowly boil the apples for about 20-25 minutes or until the apples are soft. Slowly ladle the hot juice through a fine mesh sieve, gently mashing the apple to produce maximum juice. Taste the juice after it is cooled, and add additional sugar or cinnamon depending on your preference. The leftover apple mush could be used as a puree or sauce.
Although late in the season, visit White House Farm on Blue Boar Lane in Norwich, where you can find apples to pick yourself. Come back in the summer and there is much more to choose from, including raspberries, strawberries, cherries and pears.
Rose hips
Also known as haws or heps, rose hips can be found everywhere at this time of year, dotting the hedgerows and fields with small 'bolts' of vivid reds and oranges. Contrary to some thoughts that the hips are poisonous (some species of the Rosaceae family contain a small amount of cyanide), there is no reference in any scientific journal stating that the rose hip seeds are toxic (see Eatweeds for details).
When researching what you can do with rose hips, I was surprised to see the diversity of the rose fruit. Fresh rose hips contain a lot of vitamin C and are adept at preventing colds and flu. They can be made into herbal teas alongside hibiscus and into jellies, soups, beverages, pies, and wine. Rose hip syrup is known as a general winter cure-all, either drunk by the spoonful or drizzled over desserts.
Rose hip syrup recipe: To make 1.5 litres of rose hip syrup, pick your rose hips (e.g., wild dog rose); about 1 kg is necessary. If this is not available, reduce the amounts of the rest of the ingredients.
- Trim the stalks and the rest of the foliage off, and wash
- Place in a large pan and add 3 litres of water, bring slowly to the boil and blitz in a blender
- Leave to stew for about 30 minutes, strain through a sieve and press the juice from the pulp, discarding the pulp afterwards
- Strain the remaining juice through a jelly bag or fine-meshed cloth; try not to squeeze the bag, as this will make your syrup cloudy
- Add 1 kg of sugar and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then keep it on the heat until it has reduced by half
- Pour into sterilised bottles, and it should keep for a few months. Once opened, place in the fridge.
Chestnuts
Traditionally a food associated with Christmas, the tasty nut of the Castanea Sativa (Sweet Chestnut) tree, conjures up nostalgic scenes of ruddy chestnut sellers, huddled around glowing braziers on a snow-covered street, passing out bags of scorching hot nuts on which to burn your fingers as you try to extricate them from their shells.
The sweet chestnut was introduced in Europe from Sardis (an ancient city in Turkey's Manisa Province and was then called the Sardian nut. It has been a staple food in Southern Europe, Turkey and parts of Asia for thousands of years, replacing cereals where they would not grow well. Alexander the Great planted chestnut trees across Europe during his campaigns. The chestnut symbolised chastity to the early Christians, and until the introduction of the potato, whole communities relied on it as a primary source of carbohydrates in areas where wheat flour was scarce.
Easily identified by their large spreading canopies, the chestnut tree's ovate leaves are 10-30 cm long with widely spaced points and are already starting to turn brown and golden. Soon, they curl up completely, and they are one of the first trees to drop their leaves in autumn.
Chestnuts are obviously enjoyed roasted in the traditional way, but don't forget to make a slit in the skin to prevent explosion in the oven or fire. They can be put into many recipes, lending a strong flavour to sweet as well as savoury dishes, from pies to nut roasts. If you're feeling sophisticated, try out the recipe for Marrons Glacé, a good one being on the River Cottage website.
Now and for the rest of the month is a good time to go foraging for chestnuts. Try the woods at Bacton, Foxley, or Blickling's Great Wood. There is also a good stretch of them at Holt Country Park. Remember to go armed with gloves and stout boots, as the burrs will prick!
So while the sun is still intense in the sky, winter is still a good way down the road, and the fruits and nuts are ripening in the trees, pick up a bucket and go see what you can find; it's all free!
Article contributed by the author and ‘The Village Gardener’ Fritha Waters.
Theft Act of 1968 states that:
'A person who picks mushrooms growing wild on any land, or who picks flowers, fruit or foliage from a plant growing wild on any land, does not (although not in possession of the land) steal what he picks, unless he does it for reward or for sale or other commercial purpose.'
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 states that it is 'illegal to uproot any wild plant without permission from the landowner or occupier'. Uprooting is defined as 'digging up or otherwise removing the plant from the land' on which it is growing.
This can be found on Northern Wilds.
