Happy boy!

[calumscott]

Amazon delivery, "Food For Free" by Richard Mabey.

Here starteth the forging fun!! :)

 

[Jeltz]

Looks good, enjoy

 

[graysalchemy]

I got a copy of that. The river cottage one is good as well, though with both you really need to get a proper botanical identity guide as well. I have a good one but for the life of me I can't remember its name. There are two many nasties which look like edibles not to get one, and foraging books just don't give you the botanical information that you need to be safe . :thumb: :thumb:

 

[calumscott]

That's why I got this one in truth, he takes great care to point out the things that look similar but are nasty and how to tell the difference.

I could do with the pocket version too which I think just gives the identification, what not to pick and the basic consumption advice without the history and recipes.

It's a lovely book, really fascinating. Wild stuff, coming to a beer near me! :lol: Bring on the gruits!

 

[graysalchemy]

No really, trust me, you need a botanical plant key. The illustrations and descriptions in the book are not good enough and should only be used as a guide. read any foraging websites and they will tell you to use a plant key and always cross reference.

For example cow parsley is very very very similar to Hemlock AND they live in the same habitat AND can grow next to each other.

 

[calumscott]

It was the Cow Parsley page that I read last night and that was in my mind with my last response - I thought it was quite clear in how to tell the difference. I guess the proof of that is going to take a look when they flower just along the road...

Dig me out the name of your ID guide when you get a chance would you? There's always a space in my bookcase for anything foody... :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

I will do it tonight mate :thumb:

 

[calumscott]

Thank you kindly! :hat:

 

[graysalchemy]

I have a woods nearby which is full of 'cow parsly' but I don't really know if it is. I am not confident to pick any of it especially with hemlock and more worryingly water dropwort all of which are very similar and would leave you unable to rectify your mistake.

Luckily the woods are alive with wild garlic at the moment so a foraging trip with No1 son on saturday to make a batch of wild garlic pesto, to go with some sourdough pasta :whistle: :whistle: .

 

[calumscott]

Sourdough pasta? Sounds interesting...

...actually I must start a new starter. I started my last one a little too soon into "Project Offspring V2.0" and sadly I neglected it (and even more sadly I didn't freeze any off...) and it started growing hairy bits.

What's your weekly regime again? Build the levain for a bake at the weekend then pop the leftovers in the fridge for the week before building again for the weekend?

 

[graysalchemy]

Thats about it. My levain was made last night and it will get used tonight for the 36hr baguettes (baked saturday morning) then it will get refreshed tonight to make the wholemeal bread tommorow night ready for saturday morning.

This is what I will use for the pasta

80 grams (about 1/4 cup) sourdough starter
60 grams flour
1 large egg yolk

Not tried it yet. basically let it ferment for 8-10 hrs then roll out and make pasta shapes.

The wild garlic pesto i use this recipe

80g sunflower seeds
125g washed wild garlic
125g mature Cheddar
100-150ml extra-virgin rapeseed oil

I actually used less wild garlic depends how strong they are.

 

[calumscott]

Ta.

So that's making the levain 24hrs before you want to make the dough. Perfect. How much do you tend to keep back as the starter?

The missus and Offspring #1 will be happy I have to start again, they absolutely loved the wholemeal sourdough crumpets made with the wastage!! :)

 

[graysalchemy]

I have a small jam jar with about 100g in it I just put some back in that each time I use about a tablespoon full at a time. It is dependent on how good your starter is and how warm your house is. During the winter it became a bit sluggish and I was starting it on tuesday night to get it right for friday night with a few feeds in between, but at the moment 24 hrs is fine. The test is to take a spoon full and put it in a cup of water if it floats then it is ok, if not give it some more time. :thumb:

 

[calumscott]

I'll get it started tonight, should be ready for a loaf next weekend. :thumb:

 

[Maysie]

I grabbed my second batch of wild garlic last weekend.
There doesn't seem to be that much of it round here, so I tend to pick quite sparingly and use as needed.

I also keep 3 hives of honey bees, so they do most of my foraging for me!

 

[graysalchemy]

The wild garlic poked its head up in the middle of feb, I have been picking it for the last few weeks. Though it isn't as abundant as last year probably because of the wet weather, some of its usual haunts is still under a foot of water.

I will endeavour to spread some seeds when they set.

 

[Maysie]

Interesting about the wet weather.
I wonder if that's why we have a bit more of the wild garlic here in Suffolk this year than usual, as we get very little rainfall compared with other areas of the UK, but this winter it has been much wetter - although still nothing like some areas of the country have had!!

 

[calumscott]

I also keep 3 hives of honey bees

Hmmm... Own-hive-Honey roast ham in the ploughmans challenge should attract extra points methinks! :lol:

 

[graysalchemy]

I think this is the one I have



edit: Just checked yes it is.

 

[calumscott]

Thanks! Now on the wishlist...

You know, this would be awesome on kindle, that way I could have it on my iPhone for reference when required. I wonder if there are plans afoot... :hmm: