Autumn seems to take its time in passing. A few leaves still cling to the trees and shimmer in the low sunlight, even now the winter frosts have arrived and we're approaching our darkest day.



My allotment is in slow-motion, which is good news because I have very little opportunity to get over there at this time of year. Last weekend I moved a few blackcurrant bushes and took cuttings from some wild gooseberries. Most of my fruit trees are bare, but one small apple which I grew from a pip is still green and energetic. There are lots of wild and self-sown leaves to pick, my favourites at the moment are sorrel and cornsalad. I have a small patch of alexanders, which when it resurfaces each year on my boggy land-locked plot always amazes me. I plan to try a liqueur, perhaps John Wright's Gin Alexanders. I'm not convinced I'll have it ready by Christmas though...

Holiday foraging

Last week I went on a lovely camping holiday to North Norfolk. Whilst exploring the beautiful countryside, seashore and salt marshes I found lots of interesting edible wild plants. The marshes in particular are a fascinating and unique environment. Here are a few photos...

Wild Celery

I didn't eat any, but I did crush the leaf and give it a good sniff to be sure. Unmistakeable!
(This, by the way, isn't celery!)

Fool's Watercress / Pie-cress?

This one I'm less certain of. I don't think it's true watercress, and I can't find anything else that it looks like. Aparently, if my ID is correct, it's also edible (even though the name seems to suggest otherwise!).
[edit] Miles Irving lists this as edible, but according to Ray Mears and Gordon Hillman it's poisonous! I don't think I'll be trying it...

Sea Purslane

The marshes were covered in this! I'd seen it before but never tried it. The leaves are juicy and salty. It's a member of the Goosefoot family (the same as Fat Hen, which I often collect from my allotment to use as Spinach).

Marsh Samphire

Again, I'd seen this before but not tried it. This time I collected a small basketful and cooked it by briefly boiling in (unsalted) water. Apart from the fact that it has "bones" (must be a nightmare to eat with fish!) it's very good indeed. Succulent and not too salty after cooking. The tips are nice and crunchy to nibble raw as well. I noticed it was being sold in local shops - apparently it's a delicacy.

Apart from these I also spotted Bladder Campion, Sea Beet, Sea Holly, Sea Lettuce, Alexanders and various unidentified Apiaceae, including what I think was a mass of angelica (the garden type, not the common wild angelica). There were also some amazing gigantic silvery thistles which looked a little like Artichokes - they may or may not have been edible but I wish I'd taken a photograph!

Weeks 6, 7 and 8

Week 6: Hairy Bittercress grows all over the place and at most times of the year. It tastes cress-like (surprise!) but if anything a bit stronger and hotter than the type I grow on my windowsill. It'd be great in egg sandwiches!



Week 7: Alexanders.
This photo was taken in October. The plants are much more grown-up now. I gathered a handful of the thick fleshy leaf stems and steamed them in a tinfoil parcel with a lovely fresh Pollack fillet. Both foods were from Worthing seaside :)

Week 8: Wild Chives are surprisingly common. These are growing in a cemetery in the centre of Reading. I'm sure you already know what they taste like and what to do with them...

Edible Seashore

Above is the title of the latest River Cottage Handbook by John Wright, which I've just aquired and am enjoying reading (it's funny!). I'm not all that confident with seafood as I've relatively little experience of it, but my new year's resolution is to eat Oysters and I'd love to be able to forage for my own dinner on the beach. I'm particularly excited by the idea of catching Razor Clams... but more on that when and if I ever manage it!

Today Matt and I walked along the beach from Worthing to Goring (I think!) in East Sussex. We saw quite a few edibles including Sea Kale, Alexanders, Sea Beet, an ice-cream van and a fantastic little shack selling fresh fish. Although it's a bit late in the season (isn't it?) I took some Alexanders home for tea. I'd never tried it before - in fact I'd never even seen it until a few weeks ago when I visited Whitby. It's nice, but the stems were a little very tough, even after boiling. I'll have to remember where it grows and try to go back in early spring next year. Any cooking tips or other thoughts would be very welcome!

I'm very much enjoying my (now regular) visits to the seaside :)


Sea Kale