Foraging in Bury St Edmonds

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For centuries the Mediterranean communities have been known for their foraging skills when it comes to finding food i.e. for greens and making Greek mountain tea. You will still find people foraging in the Mediterranean as this knowledge has been passed down through the generations. For chefs and families who are too busy to forage, they can sometimes find bunches of greens and herbs in the local markets. The edible wild plants can be converted into delicious nutrient rich foods such as horta and spanakopita. Plus, there are many herbs, berries, fruits, root vegetables and mushrooms to add flavour the dishes.

Wild greens have been linked to lots of health promoting properties. For example, the shoots of stinging nettles, which is plentiful in UK Springtime, contain at least 147 promoting compounds and ions, where at least 32 prevent the degenerative disorder called Alzheimer's disease. Similar findings have been found with the rose hips of rugosa rose, and the aerial parts of the flowering yarrow.

This inspired both me and my eldest daughter to do a beginners foragers course at the Foragers Kitchen in Bury St Edmunds. We had a fantastic day, however it was an early start for a Sunday at 8.30am where we began the day with strongly brewed coffee and freshly baked cookies (we live in Essex so were awake before 6am). A talk was given discussing the dangers and the laws and legislations when it comes to foraging in the UK. For example, there are poisonous mushrooms to be aware of such as; the deadly web cap, the death cap, the destroying angel, the fool's cone cap, the fool's tunnel, the funeral bell, the panther cap and the angel's wings. As well as laws, such as not being able to take the root of a foraged plant making wild horseradish a no no, unless you use the leaves instead of the root.

After coffee we headed out with baskets and books. We first went to a field where Mel (our instructor) showed us nettles, lime tree leaves, cleavers, yarrow, hawthorn leaves and miners lettuce. Then we headed into the woodlands, and found jelly ear, jack in the hedge, dryad's saddle (which apparently tastes like watermelon) and St George's mushroom. Then my daughter got to draw on the underneath of a a artist's bracket mushroom the "etch a sketch" of the forest (she chose to draw a dog). There was a ball of King Edward's cake, not edible or cake like as the name suggests, but more handy when it comes to its smouldering properties once burnt. We were told about the fascinating world or mushrooms, how they communicate and live within the trees and under the ground.

Then we returned back and had a delicious meal of tasting plates. These included a homemade focaccia with wild garlic butter, sand carrots, goats cheese and oriental magnolia (a ginger taste), a breaded tarragon fish, and then for dessert was meringue, strawberries and homemade ice cream. Even my daughter enjoyed all the food, however her favourite was of course the dessert.

I would wholeheartedly recommend the course. Much was learnt, we had a wonderful day.

Do you live in or near Braintree? Healthy Med Easy have been running Mediterranean diet and lifestyle group classes since January 2023. These run Wednesdays 12.30-1.30pm term time at St Barnabas Hall, Claud Ince Avenue, Cressing, Braintree CM77 8HJ. It costs £5 per session, on a pay as you go basis, with a one off £5 registration fee. All are welcome. Plus you can help yourself to hot drinks, and there is plenty of free parking available.

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