Foraging Feats

 

It was Einstein who said, 'Look deep, deep into nature, and then you will understand everything'. Foraging is about finding food and medicinal goodies while connecting with nature. Despite its recent renaissance as a fancy word on menus, forage is actually an age-old word from Middle English and Old French (fourage). It basically means wandering around outdoors looking for good stuff - which is exactly what we did one afternoon at Ballymaloe.

First up was seashore foraging. This was a complete revelation for me. I didn't know that all seaweed is edible, and there are more than 650 varieties of seaweed in Ireland alone. Seaweed actually produces more oxygen in the world than trees. Chefs Rory and Pat (pictured below) took us for a wander along Shanagarry Beach, and the following includes just a selection of things we found (disclaimer: do not take my word as gospel or as medical advice!)

Meadowsweet: used in drinks as a mixer and also in aspirin. Silverweed: can eat the leaves or strain with boiling water to detox the liver and kidneys. Plantain: break the leaf and rub it on insect bites or cuts. Rub the seed into your forehead to ease headaches. Sea spinach or seabeet: use young leaves in salads. Sea radish: wilt the leaves to eat. Sea rocket: use in salads. Sandwort: great in a G&T. Seagrass (spirulina): great in salads. Kelp: used in milk puddings or added to stews. We also found spiral wrack (apparently great for the skin! That's me below rubbing some into my neck. I swear I looked 10 years younger the next day), sea rosemary, samphire, sea astor and sea parsley. We found horsewinkles, periwinkles and limpets (all sea snails and edible ... if that's your thing). So much food and medicine on a short stretch of beach!

Spiral wrack is great for the skin (left below), while sandwort is a great addition to a Gin & Tonic (right below).

Next up was woods and garden foraging, and we only hit the tip of the iceberg lettuce, as time ran out.

Again, this is not medical or culinary advice, but ...

Feverfew: treats depression and headaches. Mahonia (otherwise known as mother-in-law's plant because, as Chef Rory said, 'it would eat you alive' - very unfair, I think!): produces oregon grapes which can be used in vinegar. Myrtle berries (below): These were Queen Victoria's favourite fruit, and there has been a sprig of myrtle in every royal wedding bouquet since her time.

Mexican daisy (or sea daisy): edible and can sprinkle the petals on cupcakes. Herb Robert: member of the geranium family, can be used to rub on insect bites. Snapdragons and marigolds: edible. Comfrey: the original plaster of paris. Amaranth (below): can be ground down to produce a gluten-free flour.

We also came across many roses (all roses are edible), figs, nettles, peaches, watercress and Asian pears.

All in all, foraging was a fabulous experience, particularly when undertaken with knowledgable guides. As Rory said, 'When picking wild food, you really need to know your subject'. Not everything in nature is edible, and not everything provides medicinal benefits. Oh, and he also mentioned that it's best to just stay away from wild mushrooms completely ...