July/August/September 2017

  • 4th July, Tuesday,summer forage @ Clareen, commences 10am, to book call Mary 087/7418536.
  • 18th July, Tuesday, summer forage Galway, to book call Mary.
  • 19th July, Wed, summer forage Galway.
  • 19th August, Sunday, workshop @ Clareen Birr, to book please call Mary.
  • 9th September, Saturday,Early Autumn forage @ Ecofarm Gort, book with www.costayireland.com
  • 10th September, Sunday, National heritage museum Castlebar, family wood and hedgerow forage.
  • 16th September, Saturday  wildfoodmary @ the kitchen in Howth Castle Cookery School. 
Transition Year Day Out

Transition Year Day Out

A fun day with transition year students today,here is  just a selection of plants we worked with.

We also enjoyed some Wild Damson brownies (Gluten and dairy free of course) and Nettle Lemonade.

We saw flowering Hazel with it’s big male catkins and tiny pink female flowers, which is the part that becomes the Hazelnut.

We tasted a Garlic flavoured Cabbage, and found scented Sweet Violets.

We found Sorrel, loaded with vitamin C and learned about some common natural pain killers.

We identified wild foods packed with Protein and many other nutrients.

We dug for Pignuts met the resident donkey, dogs and animals.

Thank you all for a busy fun day,

Mary

Recent  photos August-October 2016

Recent photos August-October 2016

A lazy post here… well I have been very busy.

It has been a wonderful year so far.

Meeting so many interesting people,exchanging stories and recipes, learning more about wild food and experimenting with fermenting foods, launching cookery course and so much more.

last few weeks have been particularly interesting. I have found my first Irish grown Caesar mushroom, learned a few new varieties, made new friends and begun teaching cookery courses in Offaly, Tipperary and Dublin.

I have spent many many hours in woods and mountains, near and far,exploring and enjoying, treasuring every moment.

A big thank you to all my wild food friends and community.

Blackberry Recipes

Blackberries, Rubus fruticocus

Blackberries, ferocious thorns, but worth the bother for those delicious juicy berries, and it might help to know that the leaves, flowers and even fresh young shoots are also edible.

It’s a little late in year for leaves so lets talk about the berries, they contain high levels of Vit C,K and folic acid. Manganese and antioxidants.
Blackberries are good for sore throats and joint stiffness.

Here is a recipe for a delicious moist cake, a salad dressing and a tasty crumble. Both the cake and crumble are Wheat and Dairy free.

Blackberry Cake,
You will need,
Springform cake tin 22cm,
Hand held electric beater or mixer.
2 Mixing bowls.
Kitchen scales.
Spatula.

Ingredients.
300grams ground Almonds,
5 eggs separated,
Zest of organic orange,
150grms caster sugar,
Cup full of Blackberries.
Half teaspoons baking powder.

Method,
Heat oven to 175, lightly oil cake tin and line base with baking parchment.
In mixing bowl beat the egg yolks with half sugar till pale.Stir the baking powder through the ground almonds.Fold the almonds into the beaten eggs in 3 batches. In a separate bowl beat the egg white with remaining sugar till it forms soft peaks. Fold the egg whites and orange zest into the mixture to lighten.
Transfer mixture to cake tin using a spatula, scatter Blackberries over the top to almost completely cover cake. As the cake bakes the Blackberries release juice which sinks and flavours and moistens cake even more. Bake for 20-25 mins until firm but not to well baked.

This is great alone or you could make a syrup from more Blackberries to pour over.

Blackberry and Apple Crumble.
You will need,
Ovenproof baking dish,
Mixing bowl.
Cup to measure.

Ingredients,
2 Cups organic oats,
1 Cup ground almonds.
100 grams Demerara sugar.
Quarter cup Sunflower oil or Coconut oil or Butter.
Apples peeled and grated, Blackberries, stalks removed.

Method,
In a bowl combine oats sugar and almonds. Rub in oil or butter to get a crumbly texture.
Oil or grease baking dish and add apples and blackberries in whatever proportion you like. Sweeten with a little sugar to taste. Top with crumble mix and bake 25-30 mins till golden on top.

You can make a bigger batch of topping and bake it separately on a tray, cool and store in jar. Now you have ready made topping for fruit, to sprinkle into yogurt or just eat when late night munchies strike.
This topping is easy to adapt, add Cinnamon, use Xylitol instead of sugar, add Lemon zest or currants.
Blackberry vinegar,for salads and winter drinks.
Handful of fresh Blackberries,
Organic Apple cider vinegar.

Put cleaned Blackberries into clip-top bottle, pour over vinegar and leave to infuse for a week, delicious, great for a pretty gift. For joint stiffness use a good dash of vinegar with hot water and two teaspoons of honey, drink morning and night.

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