Spring is really kicking off into a higher gear now.

Last week I made a video about Foraging & Eating Jelly Ear Mushrooms. These common tree mushrooms have a brilliant texture, but a very mild flavour. Sort this by marinading them or adding them to a rich umami broth!

Click the link above to check out the video.

I’ve been working on an article for Bushcraft Magazine about the many uses of Hazel. From shelter (I’ve lived in a hazel-pole bender for 2 years) to Hazel Leaf Sushi and Catkin Honey Cookies, to the Celtic myth of Fionn Mac Cumhail and fintan, the Salmon of Knowledge. Not to mention hazelnuts!!

Gorse flowers are out now – get them while they’re smelling of coconut and make Gorse-infused rum, jelly or tea! I’m heading up to a place where I know there are many Gorse bushes, as there is acid soil and heathland.

See my previous post on Gorse recipes too. Below are Gorse jelly, Gorse jelly Tapas, and Gorse Cordial & Gorse Rum.

Scarlet Elf Cup (Sarcoscypha austriaca) is popping up in damp woodland. I haven’t eaten this mushroom personally yet, but there are a lot of foragers who have, and they aren’t dead yet, which is great news! I’ve eaten Orange Peel Fungus, which is similar.

It’s said to contain hemolysins, (as does the edible Blusher Amanita) so should always be cooked before eating. Though I’ve seen some foragers eat it raw, I personally wouldn’t want to risk it. Hemolysins destroy blood cells, but are destroyed by high heat. Fry it or boil it in soup.

BEWARE of a similar species, Violet Elf Cup (Sarcosphaera coronaria), which is fatal if eaten raw! It has the same structure, but is deep purple inside and cream on the outside.

There’s enough greens out there now to make Wild Greens Lacto-Ferments, which are perfect for this time of year when we need to take care of our digestive system, and give it a good old MOT.

More on March Wild Greens and lacto-fermenting next week!

My Spring Wild Tapas E-book is out soon.

My next course is Spring Wild Tapas @ Tiddenfoot Waterside Park, Sat March 28th. Click on the link below to book.

Check out “Spring Foraging With Tapas @ Tiddenfoot Lake” on Eventbrite!

Date: Sat, 28 Mar, 10:00

Location: Tiddenfoot Waterside Park

xx Hedgewitch Kat xx