WI Foraging episode 2
Sunday 28th March 2010
LERRYN W.I. FORAGING OUTING
Alexander, wild garlic, pennywort (penny royal), nettles and hairybitter cress were all on the menu for Lerryn W.I.’s Spring Foraging Day on Thursday 25th March. This was the second outing arranged by Sue Daw, to Cotna Barton, home of David and Sarah Readman (married on the 29th. March 2010) for a "wild food walk and lunch feast" led by Rachel Lambert.
We met at Lobb's Farm Shop at Heligan and there was a leisurely walk down to the bottom of the valley to pick penny wort and wild garlic – not to be confused with the three cornered garlic – which would form the basis of the canapes and risotto and then back to Cotna Barton where we picked Alexander, nettles and hairybitter cress.
During a short break, we enjoyed some of Sarah’s delicious parsnip and honey cake. WI members Julia and Rosemary had gorse flower tea, which looked wonderful, while the less adventurous among us settled for "common or garden" tea or coffee.
Then it was all hands to the kitchen where we chopped and peeled, scrubbed and mixed the foods under the careful and informative tuition of Rachel and Sarah. The meal was superb the nettle soup was delicious – move over Ms. Dahl. The Alexander Risotto was a dream and the sloe chocolate washed down with dandelion root coffee was a fitting end to a fabulous day.
To whoever thinks of the WI as staid "bring on the woodland jam and the wild food" is all I have to say!!
AG (Report courtesy of Flynn Pearce)
