Mussels, Alexanders and Crow Garlic

I cooked up this dish back in February when the snow and frosts were making foraging rather difficult. Walking in my local park in London the only plants that seemed to have enough foliage for me to take a little bit were Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) and Crow garlic (Allium vineale).

Sweet Violet Syrup

 Sweet violet (Viola odorata) Violet flowers first sprung up in London well over a month ago, and have doggedly persisted ever since, refusing to accept that spring is late in arriving. Frost hardy to -7°C, the unique colouration of their flowers make them easy to spot at this time of year amongst the sparsely populated…

Hedgerow Sorbet

This is far from the best year for wild fruits, but there are still some ripe pickings out there. Hawthorn berries and rose hips can be found in abundance, but I have struggled to find decent patches for elderberries, sloes and cherry plums in London.

Chicken of the woods pie

Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) When I was out collecting elderflowers for cordial the other day, I caught a glimpse of bright orange in the bushes. After carefully squeezing past the nettles and brambles to investigate, I found myself standing on a pile of old logs.

Hogweed and cheese

Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium)  Caution: Hogweed is a member of the carrot family which contains several highly poisonous species. Direct contact with the raw plant can cause phototoxic effects, so always wear gloves and long sleeves when handling.   Hogweed is very widespread, growing in meadows, hedgerows and along the edges of fields. It has large pinnate…