These dates are for spring 2022, extra dates may be added or to arrange
your own group please contact Mary.
March 13th/2022, Sunday @ Offaly
April 9th/2022 @ Offaly
May 1st @ Offaly
Please note, due to covid regulations bookings must be made by phone
or email with Mary, call or texton 087 7418536 stating the date you are
interested in and she will call you to take booking.
Thank you.
N.B. If you hold a gift voucher you MUST still book
in advance.
Calendar of forage dates Oct-Nov 2020.
Please note as group size will be ten -15 people it is essential to book directly with Mary. If you hold a gift voucher please get in touch to book your preferred date.
Extra dates may be added as demand and time allows.
Cost is €65 and includes entry to the venue and lunch.
Paypal to this email or bank transfer to :
IBAN IE 73AIBK 9322 7200 8400 79
Sun 11th Oct Clareen,
Saturday Oct 10th ecofarm Gort
Sunday Oct 18th Birr growery to be confirmed
Saturday Oct 24th ecofarm Gort
Sun 1st Nov Clareen.
What to bring
Its Elderflower season and with our dry sunny weather it’s the ideal time to make a batch of Elderflower Syrup, cordial or Champagne. Last year I added fresh fragrant rose petals and really loved the results. Quick and easy to make, here are a few Tips
: Strip the flowers from stems before using, I use a gloved hand as have never liked the fork method.
: Store in sterilized bottles or freeze excess syrup in silicone baking forms for later use.
:Use limes instead of lemons, unwaxed organic of course.
: For the syrup use unrefined sugar, or honey if you can.
Elderflower and rose syrup.
I find the syrup more useful than the champagne, it has no alcohol, no problems with pressure in bottles, excess can be frozen in silicone baking forms and bagged for use much later, ideal ingredient for mixing cocktails or making deserts. If you like a sparkling drink, just add tonic or sparkling water or sparkling wine.
In gredients.
20 Elderflower heads, stripped.
2 cups scented rose petals, from non sprayed roses.
2 kg unrefined sugar, or honey.
3 limes, 1 lemon, organic non waxed, zest and juice.
2 teaspoons of citric or tartaric acid.
1 and half litres water.
Put the elderflowers,a petals, juice and zest into a large bowl or bucket. Biol up about two thirds of the water, no need to be too exact, turn off heat and stir sugar into hot water till dissolved. Cool the mix with the remaining cold water and stir in the acid, Pour the lot over the flowers and cover with a clean cloth. Leave overnight, strain and bottle into sterilized bottles or freeze.
For a real summer treat, serve garnished with flowers or herbs from the garden, lemon balm, rose petals or try a sprig of Rosemary in Gin with a dash of Elderflower syrup.
For the Champagne use 10 Elderflower heads, 1 cup of rose petals and proceed as Dandelion and Gorse recipe.
Spring flower Champagne. And Syrups as mixers or Desert ingredients.
If you try these recipes I would love to hear from you and of course any tips or recipes you might like to share.
The hills and countryside are rich in wildflowers now in mid may. The Fabulous almond scent of Gorse fills the air when the sun shines, there are still plenty of Dandelions to be found and I’ve spotted a few early Elderflowers.
“Champagne” is quick and easy to make and a wonderful low alcohol drink to enjoy in the garden,a “sundowner” as they say in NSW.
Syrups are quick and easy to make, diluted with sparkling water they are delicious, or use drizzled over deserts or breakfast pancakes.
Tip, gather your blossom on a sunny day if at all possible and use as soon as you get home, they will keep a few days in fridge but loose a certain amount of their fragrance.
Ingredients and equipment
Tip, to clean Dandelion flowers, hold by the stalk, Gather petals in other hand and twist.
Method.
Tip, Strain through just a sieve first,squeezing out as much liquid as possible with back of spoon. Then strain again through muslin or cotton, be patient this can take a little time. You can see from the layer at top of bottles that I did not strain mine well enough, so will empty bottles and re-strain, this won’t do any harm as it is bottled just two days and won’t loose much fizz by being re-bottled.
Flower syrup.
Delicious syrups for mixers, lemonades or deserts are quick and east to make and twice as quick to disappear, here I use a mix of Nettle and Lemon balm and as season goes on will add more recipes for Rose petals and Garden herbs.
Ingredients
Method.
I’m not a beer drinker but do like this one, chilled on a hot day or sitting round a bonfire at night, easy to make and ready in less than 2 weeks. Important to say you will need strong beer bottles or plastic bottles for the second fermentation. If you try this or have suggestions on how to vary I’d love to hear from you.
How to,
