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Wales, United Kingdom
Documenting one couple's attempts to live a more self-sufficient life.

Saturday 21 September 2013

Foraged Food Friday: Hazelnuts

The time to gather hazelnuts is when they're just ripe, before the squirrels get to them. Unfortunately, such a time is mythical, as the squirrels get going well before the nuts are ripe.


Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana), still green

It's been windy recently, so many nuts are on the ground already, together with the broken shells that indicate the squirrels have been active. This year, in order to get any nuts at all, I'm in there with the squirrels, gathering the unripe nuts. They're small, white and moist, but delicious nonetheless. Some I ate as they were, some I crushed and added to biscuits. It would be nice one day to gather some ripe hazelnuts but in the meantime, these are pretty good.


Also harvesting
Vetch
Sorrel
Cep
Greencracked brittlegill
Common yellow brittlegill
Chanterelles
Runner beans
Potatoes - the rest of the harvest
Crab apples (mostly windfalls, for jellies)
Rowan berries (used in both jelly and for wine)
Blackberries (in jelly and cordial)

Also drinking
Rhubarb cordial
Elderflower champagne - last bottle, to accompany wild mushroom risotto. An appropriate way to mark the transition from summer to autumn.

Foraged food challenge summary page here.

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