A Short Beginners Guide To Wild Food Foraging In The UK. Written On...

(wildfoods.com)

Introduction
For the past month I have been beavering away at write up's on Steemit centered around the topic of wild food foraging. It is a three decade old passion of mine that I enjoy sharing immensely with others; so I figured I would bring it all together and condensing down into a short guide on Steemit for Steemit users. In this guide are basic plants and fungi that are all wonderful starting points for the amateur forager to begin their journey into wild food with. I have also included a small section on medicinal plants and toxic berries as well. I have tried to be as complete as I can in my descriptions, but none the less I humbly ask the reader to always exercise prudence when out gathering wild food. Mother Nature possess many wonderful traits, but forgiving error isn't one of them. With that said, I really hope you guys enjoy reading this beginners guide as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Edible Plants. Part 1

Burdock:

This often overlooked weed can be found in great abundance in every hedgerow in Britain. Though the leaves aren't edible they can be used to wrap items you wish to cook in much the same way aluminium foil can be. The leaves also have an amazing sweet nutty aroma which imparts a pleasant flavor on certain types of meat and vegetables. The root is the best part but tough to dig down to. The rewards are worth it though. The flavor is similar to a sweet potato though it is slightly fibrous. The sugar content in this treasure of the trail is quite high making it the perfect accompaniment to dark meats and game. As far as wild foods go, it's tough to find better.

Red Valerian:

Not to be confused with the sedative tea, this plant is a forgotten gem of the countryside. It once was a staple in 19th century kitchens all over Europe but now is commonly seen as a weed. It favors rocky soil and coastal area and is hard to miss. I've found it's leaves an interesting cross between asparagus and spinach. One bite after lightly sauteing the tender leaves in butter and you will be blown away by the flavor as well as kick yourself for all the years you overlooked it. As appreciated as it is by the foraging enthusiast it is the ruin of many brick walls. The root systems erode the mortar between the stones and can destroy poorly pointed structures. But if you want a way to get rid of it without having to spend a penny you can always eat it.

Sheep Sorrel:

I love this plant. The leaves taste like a combination of spinach and a sharp plum. It goes great in everything from salads to deserts. It can even be used in sauces for fish or white meats like pork and chicken. Sheep Sorrel and black pepper make great pals in the kitchen so if you ever get a chance to hook them up you should definitely go for it. You won't be disappointed.

Cats Tail/Reed Mace:

Now for those of you who don't mind getting a bit mucky and wet this plant offers a variety of uses. The pollen that is produced is a yellow powdery substance that adds an amazing color to cakes and pastries. Above all it's incredibly healthy with loads of vitamins and minerals packed into the mix. The same goes for the root system and young leaves. All can be eaten and all parts are incredibly healthy. The roots are incredibly similar to a standard white potato and can be mashed and used in much the same way. Outside of its culinary uses the plant also has medicinal value. In between the leaves and stems a gel like substance is produced, this gel has been used as an antiseptic for centuries and is incredibly effective in the sterilizing of wounds, abrasions, and burns. Now when harvesting this plant caution must be applied in observation of its growing environment. For instance, you wouldn't want to gather it from an area next to a sewage plant. But there are many clear and clean waterways in Britain where it can be found with ease. It's definitely worth the wade and work to harvest.

Garlic Mustard/Jack by the Hedge:

Now whether in a salad or chucked in the food processor with oil and zested lemon, this little fellow is always welcome in the kitchen. It pretty much grows all year and it's leaves have an earthy strong garlic odor. The garlic flavor doesn't hold up well to extensive cooking so often I use it in sauces and salads and it's never disappointing. Best of all you get the joys of the garlic flavor but none of the lingering garlic odor after brushing your teeth. Something that your partner or spouse will probably appreciate post meal.

Part 2. Medicinal Plants:

The Willow Tree:

I put this at the top of the list as it's incredibly easy to identify. The compound in willow that has significant medicinal value is acetylsalicylic acid. Basically aspirin. However the same rules apply to the bark and green limbs of this tree as aspirin if you intend to use it for its medicinal value. For instance, caution must be applied if you are any blood thinning medications, have ulcers etc. The bark can be brewed into a tea, green limbs mashed into poultices, and leaves crushed and laid over the wound in tandem with other plants as a means of reducing inflammation. Try to keep in mind that too much willow bark also has an laxative effect which can give you the back door trots quickly.

Guelder Rose/ Cramp Bark:

This is an amazing plant. I often refer to it as mother natures ultimate cold and flu remedy. It produces red berries that are incredibly bitter and sharp but they are full of vitamin C and a cup full holds more vitamin C than a bag of oranges. I tend to use them to make a jelly that is amazing with red meats or game. The bark can be used much in the same capacity as willow bark and has a similar effect. The same considerations must be made as well in regards to gastric problems and any medications being taken. A good rule is if it has a negative contradiction with ibuprofen then it will with this plant. Also it is important to completely identify it so you don't confuse the red berries with things like black bryony which is toxic. The Guelder Rose has been used for centuries for it's medicinal properties for everything from menstrual pains, child birth, broken bones, and flu.

Plantains:

So these are some pretty amazing plants. In the spring I tend to harvest them for salads and use them in soups. You have the Greater Plantain featured in the top picture, and Ribwort below which has a broader leaf and slightly unpleasant taste unless cooked. Now these guys alongside wild mint are great for tummy aches, detoxing, and above all have awesome antiseptic properties. Some prefer to make a spit poultice but due to the bacteria in our mouths I'm not fond of these methodology and would rather use clean water to crush the leaves into a gel to sterilize cuts, wounds, and burns. The entire plant is edible and it grows everywhere much to the annoyance of conventional gardeners.

Sphagnum Moss. Aka. Mother Natures Gauze:

This moss was used throughout World War 1 by medics when bandages ran out and it was actually found to be more effective than conventional gauze. The trick is cleaning it by boiling quickly to sterilize it then drying it as you wouldn't want debris in the wound. It's incredibly easy to identify and can often be seen growing picturesquely on the base of beech, oak, and birch adding an accent of wisdom and beauty to the silent trees progress. I wouldn't recommend eating it but keeping a bit on hand or in a pinch it can be used to apply pressure dressings.

Part 3. Toxic Berries:

1: Spindle

The Spindle is truly a beautiful plant in the autumn. No matter the weather conditions this tough bush produces brightly colored fruits that when opened reveal a vibrant orange seed. However, it is all around bad news for anyone who consumes it. Symptoms begin with violent vomiting, diarrhea, and it can wreak havoc on your kidneys. This is an incredibly toxic plant to man and beast alike so it's best to avoid even handling it. Sadly due to its bright color it poisons hundreds of kids every year in Europe so if this plant is about it's best to be aware and cautious.

Bitter Sweet. AKA Woody Nightshade:

This is an incredibly common plant and can be found from the hedgerow at the play park to the forest path. Its title comes from the bitter taste that is swiftly followed by a sweet after taste. It's a member of the potato family like tomatoes and deadly night shade and though not fatally toxic, packs a punch of discomfort. Symptoms after consumption are nausea, vomiting, irritability, muscle spasms, and severe stomach pain. Basically the biproducts of a heavy night out on steroids. Though there hasn't been a case of lethal consumption since the late forties, it's still best to avoid this beautiful plant and its fruits.

Black Bryony:

Funnily enough this plant was once suspected by botanist to have a nutritional value. Its root system is full of sugars and potato like carbs that our bodies often crave. However, the fruits of any plant often tell of its intent and this is clearly stated with the Black Byrony. Though poultices have been rumored to be made from it to treat bruises and burns the entire plant and its fruits are inedible and incredibly toxic due to saponins. For instance, surgical iodine is great for treating a wound but you wouldn't want it for a salad dressing. The first symptoms that manifest with the consumption of this plant are violent vomiting and stomach cramps.

Yew:

Now this particular tree and its fruits have a history. It is one of the longest living trees to be found in Europe. The Fortingall Yew is an ancient European yew specimen that can be found in the village of Fortingall and it's suspected to be around 3,000 years old. This tree was also the inspiration for Tolkien's Ents in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy as it walks.....slowly. Over the course of centuries its root system pops a new tree out of the ground and as that sapling rises to prominence it kills off the the parent tree by taking the dominant supply of nutrients. Thus over the course of centuries the Yew Tree walks across the landscape. This is why Tolkien depicted the Ents as dreadfully slow. But here's why they are dreadfully deadly. For Centuries the Yew Tree was used by the inhabitants of Europe to build the longbow, a weapon that rose to fame on the fields of Agincourt. Even the sawdust from the making the bows with this wood had to be guarded against with a mask. From top to toe that's how lethal this tree is. The fruits it bears are incredibly attractive. The outer flesh is as sweet as a teaspoon of sugar and yet its seed can kill. Around three hours after consumption chronic vomiting, tight chest, and lower back pain (kidneys) begins to manifest. Though an elegant evergreen don't be fooled. It's been killing human beings for a while and if given the chance won't be changing it's ways.

Part 4. Fungi:

Pictures Below: Fly Aminita And Destroying Angel. Highly/Deadly Toxic Mushrooms

RULES TO ALWAYS OBEY WHEN PICKING WILD FUNGI!!

1: If I'm not 100% positive with the identification I don't pick it.

2: If it is growing in near proximity to a mushroom I can't identify I don't pick it as toxic spores can contaminate an edible specimen leading to illness.

3: After over thirty years of mushroom hunting I still confirm the identification of my haul when I get home against the internet and the many books I own on the subject. I pay extremely close to this rule when I'm going to be cooking for others as well; simply because at that point their trust and confidence as well as safety is in my hands.

So with that out of the way here is a short list of my favorite autumn diamonds of the fields and woodland.

Parasol And Shaggy Parasol:

This is a seriously delicious mushroom. It has a light chicken like texture and it responds well to frying in garlic and butter. When picked rely not only on your visual identification but also on your nose. This mushroom has a milky smell that is incredibly distinct and it possesses a flavor that really takes on a life of its own when cooked. I tend to find it in grasslands near woodlands and it's incredibly easy to spot simply because it's huge. They can get up to 9 inches across and sometimes bigger. If you are new to foraging it is best to only pick specimens that are fully opened to prevent mistakes and allow for a full positive identification. It does have two toxic look alikes. One is called the Baby Stinking Parasol which is easy to identify due too it being both small and well..... stinky. The other is the Panther Cap. Picture of the toxic wannabe doppelgangers below.
Baby Stinking Parasol. Do Not Consume Or Pick:

Panther Cap Do Not Pick:

Shaggy Ink Cap:

I love this mushroom. It can be identified solidly simply due to the ink like coloration around its skirting and shaggy cap. I sometimes pick them right before they open and cook them in a frying pan like mushroom drumsticks. A true treat to bring back from any walk. These guys are found in grassy fields and pastures and are dead easy to spot from a distance. They have a poisonous twin that is incredibly easy to tell apart simply due to the fact that it's not shaggy. The standard ink cap is classed as toxic and it really doesn't like alcohol. That's right, if you have had a drink the standard ink cap will knock you flat with illness. However its shaggy twin loves a good old glass of red wine and doesn't grumble at tomato sauces made with white wine. Picture of the unfriendly toxic fellow below.
Poisonous Ink Cap. Do Not Pick:

Amethyst Deciever:

This trippy looking little fellow is great fun to cook with as he keeps his crazy color through the process. I find he's great fun to incorporate with things like cod loin or monk fish as his colors really stand out against the white fish fillets. It always causes uncertain inspection and analysis from your dinner guest. They are a small mushroom that can be found in cedar and oak woodlands. There is a poisons look alike called the Lilac Bonnet that if consumed in the right quantity can kill. It has a faint lilac hue and is found in roughly the same area as the Amethyst Deceiver, however it doesn't possess the deep vibrant Amethyst hue or structure of gills that the Amethyst deceiver does so it is easy to identify and stay away from. Pictures of this little reaper and harbinger of death featured below.
Lilac Bonnet. Do Not Pick:

Penny Bun. King Of The Ceps:

This massive mushroom is a member of the prized Boletus family that our beloved Porcine mushroom is a member of. It's name comes from the brown bread hue it has and the fact that it's roughly the size of a penny bunn. I have dried this noble fungi and used it in risottos months later. Picked fresh I have made cream sauces that compliment things like polenta as well as chicken breast beautifully. In short, This mushroom doesn't disappoint. It can be found growing in oak woodland through the autumn and is incredibly easy to identify due to its massive size. There are a couple toxic members of this family but to mix them up you'd really have to be determined as one smells like a corpse and the other actually has bitter in its name. Another common problem for the Penny Bun hunter is the maggot. We aren't the only species that likes them and I've found beautiful specimens before that after close examination I see are ridden with maggots underneath. When I find these I leave the specimen out on a log or in an area I know a squirrel will find it as the often snatch them up as well. This helps with spore distribution and aids in continuing the cycle of regrowth. I'll list The Devils Bun and the Bitter Boletus below for identification purposes.
Devils Bun. Do Not Pick:

Bitter Boletus. Do Not Pick:

Well, this is the end of the trail for this write up. If you have made it this far I would like to humbly thank you for reading. As I stated at the begining, it's been a joy to write it all down. I hope in the months to come to cover more on this topic and eventually create a detailed advanced guide to foraging specifically for Steemit. Thank you again and I wish you the best of luck with all of your write up's and projects. Many blessings and Steem on.