Pocket URBAN FORAGING GUIDE - Wild Food · PDF file3 Whether you want to forage for fun, or have 'survival' in mind, welcome to this freebie pocket-size urban foraging guide – courtesy

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WILD FOOD SCHOOL

PocketURBAN FORAGING

GUIDE

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For wild food recipes check out theCooking with Weeds™ eBooks at

www.wildfoodwisdom.co.uk

Pictures and textCopyright © Marcus Harrison, 2008

Version 1.2 - November 2008

The format of the pages in this E-guide aredesigned so that the images can be printedout on standard 10 x 15 cm photo paper,then ring bound. You may like to laminateyour printouts for durability.

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Whether you want to forage for fun, or have'survival' in mind, welcome to this freebie pocket-size urban foraging guide – courtesy of WildFood School. It is designed to provide you withbasic information on some of the most commonedible wild green veggies and plants found intemperate northern urban environments, and theones listed here you should find both in big citieslike London and Birmingham and in smallerurban communities.

Many more edible plants are available within anurban environment but they would fill books,and berries like those of the bramble and wildrose are not covered since they are too wellknown to most people. However, the specieslisted here will keep you alive in terms of greensand a few nuts, and some can be positivelydelicious when harvested at the right time of yearand if properly prepared.

A general rule of thumb for harvesting the bestwild greens is to gather them before the plantsare in flower – but I recognise that that inevitablymeans you need to recognise a species before itIS in flower. Given a couple of years observation[I won’t say study] of the plants covered here andyou should be able to spot them at whatever partof their life-cycle you come across them.

Marcus HarrisonNovember, 2008

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On the LEGAL side in the UK...

• it is illegal to uproot ANY wild plant without'authorisation' (ie. permission)• it is illegal to disturb or collect plant materialfrom any PROTECTED wild plant• the law of trespass exists, so gain permissionbefore entering someone's land• a plant is the 'property' of a landowner even ifit is a weed, so you really should gain permission

On the ETIQUETTE side...

• only take what you need [in the case of smallpopulations of less than 10 specimens of a wildplant, select a little foliage from each plant so theplant may continue to thrive]... of course withweeds like thistles, nettles and dandelion this ishardly a problem• FOLIAGE, FLOWERS and FRUIT are the partswhich may be gathered of species that are not'protected'• respect the environment that you are collectingfrom and leave it as undisturbed as possible• during breeding seasons try not to disturbnatural wildlife in the environment you gatherfrom.

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SAFE WILD PLANT FORAGING

• Only harvest wild plants from safe stocks. Studythe landscape for sources of contamination[factory fallout, water run-off, effluent seepageetc.].• Avoid plants from busy roadsides, near landfillsites, or foul water.• Avoid gathering plants from areas that mayhave recently been sprayed [look for telltale signsof wilting, chemical deposits on leaves, or evenchemical drums].• Avoid harvesting / consuming discoloured,diseased and dying plants. Never eat deadleaves.• For more scarce plants only harvest what youneed, leaving stocks behind to propagate[although invasive weeds covered in this guidehardly need help with that]. It is better to selecta few leaves from several plants rather than takeall the leaves from one plant specimen.• Wash all your harvested plants thoroughlybefore use.• Never consume a wild plant unless you areabsolutely certain of its identification and itssafety for consumption.

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TESTING YOUR TOLERANCE

This is one of THE most important things tocheck before you launch yourself into eating anyedible wild plants in quantity. Over a number ofyears WFS hands-on courses have shown thatwild greens too, may cause reactions in somehypersensitive folks so please do be careful.I have come across folks who react to sorrel andto elderberries, while I personally don't toleratehawthorn berries too well.

Most of the plants covered in this guide havebeen used as food for a long time or in survivalsituations before, so the real question is yourown personal tolerance.

The first time you encounter one of the plants asa potential food source the recommendation is totake a small piece of the raw 'part', suitablypeeled or whatever, bite on it a few times to get alittle of the sap on your tongue and inner lipthen spit everything out. Do not ingest. Wait for20 to 30 minutes to see if you have any badphysical reaction – nausea, headache and so on.

Assuming your initial tolerance test is fine, younext need to try eating a piece of the plant. If it isone of the mild salad plants, then just consume asmall leaf, or part of a larger one. If it is a bittertasting plant or needs to be cooked then boil one

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of the leaves, or specified part of the plant, andconsume a very small portion. Again wait forabout 30 minutes to an hour and keep an eye onyour reaction.

If everything is fine then the suggestion is to goahead with eating a small quantity - about atablespoon - of the plant cooked. Once you’veeaten the food just keep an eye on how you feelfor 2 to 3 hours. If everything is okay, then you'rein business. Whatever you do, never eat largeamounts of any of the plants which followwithout having tested your tolerance to it.Everyone is different and you may not be tolerantto something here.

There are also some plants that have constituentswhich can have a cumulative effect in your body[such as the oxalates] and should therefore not beconsumed on a too regular basis or in largequantities. This particularly so with the sorrels.

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URBAN FORAGING...

This pocket guide contains pictures of around 20species with edible parts, and I have also listedsome other useful ones at the very back. About50 species are covered in total.

In urban environments you will almost certainlycome across some more exotic species (mostlyfrom abroad) which are grown as ornamentalplants in city gardens - at least where there'sspace to have a garden in a metropolis. Some ofthese 'exotics', too, provide you with somethingto eat or new flavours and textures.

There are many others species which I have notincluded because using some of them can befraught with troubles, and there isn't space in asmall guide like this to go into detail. That sort ofstuff I do in courses where there's moreexplanatory space and time.

However, the plants listed here should stand theurban forager in good stead. In fact if you knowyour dandelions, nettles, chickweed and thistlesyou can actually survive on those. Additionalspecies just make life more interesting, andprovide you with fallbacks when things are a bitthin on the ground.

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You also need to 'manage' your urban foragingresources so that they are available to you on aregular basis. Leave some 'annuals' (plants whichflower and die in one year) to go to seed toprovide next year's resource.

Biennials like burdock work on a two year life-cycle, while perennials last more than two yearsproviding a food resource year after year. In factperennials are the forager's best friend in terms ofharvesting because once you know where a plantpopulation is located it is then simply a matter ofreturning on a regular basis to harvest - savingtime and energy. While this sounds like an idealworld note, however, that even perennials canbe killed off by over-harvesting.

Not included in this mini guide are some of themain edible aquatic plant species that may befound in urban areas. Quite simply I don't thinkyou can trust the cleanliness of water sources inurban areas, either in terms of pollutants orthings like Weil's disease. Even in the UK's greatOutdoors I always recommend that any ediblevegetation sourced from aquatic environments iscooked.

For wild food recipes check out the Cooking withWeeds™ eBooks at www.wildfoodwisdom.co.uk.

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BORAGE – Borago officinalis

In the wild borage is really more of a cottage orherb garden escape, and so you may very wellfind it in urban areas, and possibly allotmentstoo. It is an annual or biennial, and hasdistinctive bright blue flowers.

The whole upper plant is rather bristly and canbe rather uncomfortable to handle if you havesensitive skin. However, borage has the flavourof cucumber and so represents a useful plant forthe kitchen.

'Herby' folks dip the leaves in batter and then fry,which has the benefit of holding the bristles in amatrix and which can then be chewed withoutany problem. The young stems (again with theirbristles stripped off) may also be used.Traditionally the flowers were put into drinks andwine for their flavour and also vinegar.

www.wildfoodschool.co.uk

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BURDOCK – Arctium lappa & minor

You have probably heard of dandelion andburdock root beer, well these burdocks are theplants involved in that famous drink.

The greater burdock (A. lappa) has large, almostkidney shaped leaves while those of the lesserburdock (A. minor) are more triangular in shapewith the leaf edges tending to be wavy in boththe horizontal and vertical axes. These burdocksalso have a tendency to hybridise which canmake exact positive ID sometimes difficult.

The roots are by far the best material to use,having a crunchy bamboo shoot-like texturewhen cooked. Cut roots into matchsticks or shredfinely, then either stir-fry or simmer for 20-30minutes, or until tender. Use either end of firstyear roots (these are biennial plants) or at start ofyear two. Young leaf stalk material may be usedalso, but remove the stringy cordage first. Theycan also be bitter, as can the root. If you readsome survival handbooks you'll find the leavesbeing mentioned as edible. They may not bepoisonous but they are pretty revolting to thetastebuds so don't bother with them unless youreally are looking for 'survival' food.


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CHICKWEED – Stellaria media

Chickweed is one of the star salad veggies foundout and about. It's generally found everywherewhere there is disturbed ground or soil, and willproduce three or four generations in a year. Lookout for it on footpaths, in gardens, parks and, ofcourse, allotments.

Use the tender new growth up to about 3 or 4inches tall as chickweed gets horribly chewywhen older. The very young foliage (includingthe stems) can simply be harvested and used rawbut you can also put it in soups or cook it. It hasa very delicate taste.


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DANDELION – Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion has to be one of the best knownplants, though it should be said there about 200micro-species in the British Isles... all of whichcan be eaten. Two leaf shapes are pictured to theright.

The plant is a perennial, so unless you aredigging up the roots for dandelion coffee (anextremely good substitute for the real thing) youcan repeatedly harvest this plant which is full ofvitamins.

The young leaves are best, however they arebitter and may not be to your liking. If you likeraddichio and chicory then you should get onokay with the leaves. One way of reducing thebitterness is to light-blanch the growing leaves -use a black bin liner, upturned flowerpot or somesimilar item. The resulting leaves are a paleyellow-white colour and make a nice salad crop.

Also useful are the unopened flower buds whichmay be pickled, and the flowers which somefolks use to make wine or may also be made intoan interesting dandelion flower marmalade.


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GOOSEGRASS / CLEAVERS – Galium aparine

If you have ever been on a country walk andfound your socks or trousers dotted with littleround bristly seeds then this is the likely culprit.

Goosegrass is an annual climber, the 'sticky'stems growing to about 4ft. in length andstraggling over other vegetation (sometimesalmost to the point of smothering the supportingplant). That 'stickyness' is due to the finerecurved hooks which cover the foliage surface,rather than any glue-like substance.

The parts to use of this are the VERY youngspring seedlings which make a tender cookedvegetable. Any more than about 3 or 4 inches talland the square stem starts to grow fibrous and isrevolting. When the plant is slightly older thelittle tufts of upward pointing top leaves can alsobe nipped out and cooked up.

Finally, the seeds are used as a coffee-typesubstitute. Don't wait till they are dead andbrown, but use them when they become purplein colour. It isn't exactly a wonderful 'coffee' butif you have nothing else then you might considerit.


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GROUND IVY – Glechoma hederacea

Ground Ivy is part of the mint family and hasnothing to do with the true ivy plant, other thanthe fact that ground ivy trails on the ground likeits namesake.

It is the leaves which are used, though they arerather bitter. That, however, makes them a goodcandidate for flavouring stuffing, soups andstews, and also as a tea once the leaves havebeen dried. An infusion of the fresh leaves canalso provide you with a beverage.


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HAIRY BITTERCRESS – Cardamine hirsuta

This is another very common garden, allotmentand waste ground weed which has small whiteflowers. Despite its name the leaves aren't thatbitter, and are generally very mildly cress-like.It’s an annual, so if you like its tender shoots thenit should be allowed to self-seed. Generally thisbittercress (there are several) doesn’t grow verylarge and personally I regard this plant more asemergency food because of the time taken togather enough.

A very good relative of this plant is Lady’s-Smockor Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis) which isone of the first Spring flowers to emerge and isfound in habitats with damp and moist soil. Its’leaves have a fiery pungency with a hint ofwarmth and may be used in salads or cooked(though note my comments on using plants fromaquatic habitats).


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HEDGE GARLIC – Alliaria petiolata

Called Jack-by-the-Hedge in the old days theleaves of this plant provide you with a very mildgarlic-like flavour.

It is a biennial and during the first year simplyforms a ground-hugging rosette with almostkidney-shaped leaves. In the second year itproduces a flower stem and a cluster of smallwhite, cross-shaped, flowers. The leaves of thestem are more like a rounded off nettle in profilerather than the kidney-shaped base leaves.

Young leaves can be used in salads while olderones are better cooked. However, old leaveseventually get bitter and chewy and aren't worthbothering with.

Excessive heat de-natures the garlic-like qualityso add hedge garlic at the end of any cookingprocess.


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HOGWEED – Heracleum sphondylium

Use of this very common weed comes with aCAUTION... the sap can blister skin, particularlyin sunlight, and if you are going to use it thesuggestion is to pick it on overcast days or fromshaded habitats. Cut rather than break or tear thestalks.

With that caution out of the way, welcome tohogweed. It has been used on ContinentalEurope as a foodstuff in the past but in thiscountry never had a following. It is the young,emerging leaf fronds which are used (picturedbottom) or freshly opened young leaves (topright). They are cooked, either boiled or steamed.

Hogweed is part of the Umbellifer family (carrotand parsley also belong too) and it is importantthat this plant is identified correctly as the familyalso includes some of the most toxic plant in theBritish Isles - hemlock and hemlock water-dropwort being the two key bad ones in thefamily. The seeds of hogweed (top left) are quitedistinctive having 3 or 4 stripes (actually they areoil ducts) on the surface.

AVOID, also, the giant hogweed, the sap ofwhich can cause skin blistering in the absence ofany sunlight.


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COMMON / STINGING NETTLE – Urtica dioica

It is doubtful that you need any introduction tothe common, or stinging, nettle. Look out for thisplant where there is good, rich soil, frequentlywhere there is lots of humus from leaf fall.

Nettles only briefly need to be exposed to heat todenature the 'sting' which is actually formic acid.In the spring the whole young shoots up to about3 or 4 inches tall make an excellent cookedveggie. For later growth the best leaves to harvestare the top two or four fresh green leaves,sometimes six. The lower ones aren't reallyworth bothering with if you are looking for'quality'.

Be adventurous with nettles, don't confineyourself to that TV celeb chef fallback of nettlesoup. Use nettles like a substitute for spinach - sonettle aloo, nettle roulade, pasta primavera &c.

The leaves may also be dried for later use, andalso used as a beverage.

A plant long associated with nettles is the broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius). And the VERYyoung leaves of this may be eaten once cooked.They're more survival food than pleasant eating.


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PLANTAIN, RIBWORT & GREATERPlantago major & lanceolata

Two very common temperate weeds, but bothare edible. The young new leaves of ribwortplantain (pictured top, and bottom right) make aquite good veggie green in the winter monthswhen everything else is dead. The leaves shouldbe no more than 2 or 3 inches long and will nothave developed the coarse ribs which run alongthe length of the leaf and make the plant inediblein its mature state. Look for ribwort in damp soilhabitats.

Greater plantain (bottom left picture) makes aquite nice pottage or soup green when itsYOUNG leaves are no bigger than about an inchin length.

Choose specimens on good soil rather than thestony or impacted footpath habitats that this plantis normally associated with. Greater plantain isalso quite a good source of vitamins.


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RAMSONS – Allium ursinum

If you have ever done any foraging before thenyou might well be familiar with ramsons. It is theedible green that most folks refer to as wild garlic(actually there are a number of wild garlics sothat common name can rather confuse the issue).

Perennial ramsons is one of the quintessentiallate spring flowers and reeks of garlic. The wholeplant may be used (REMEMBER you are notallowed to uproot any wild plant withoutauthorisation - besides you'd be destroying yoursource of garlic leaf greens by removing anybulb). Use the young leaves chopped in salads orcook them gently, chop and add to soups. Theflowerbuds may also be used, the flowers too,while the young seedpods may be 'blitzed' tomake a quite good garlic pesto. Excessive heatdrives off the volatile oils in ramsons so it'sgenerally best to add ramsons at the end of anycooking method.

CAUTION: the leaves of the poisonous lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) look very similarto that of ramsons so be careful. However, if youcrush ramsons leaves you will smell garlicwhereas that does not apply to convallaria.


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SORREL, COMMON – Rumex acetosa

Sorrel is an amazing edible - if you like the sortof acidy taste of lemon, rhubarb or gooseberries.It's a very common perennial with leaves whichcan best be described as arrow-like at the base,having ears that extend backwards towards theleaf stem.

It's normally a plant of meadows, pasture andhedgerows so expect to find sorrel in sort ofsimilar open types of habitat in urban areas.

The whole plant (as in leaf and stem) has a lovelyfresh acidy taste and may be used raw in saladsor it can be cooked like spinach. When cooked,however, the leaves turn a dark green thatdoesn't look particularly appealing but the tasteimproves and it makes a great pudding ingredientfor crumbles and turnovers. DO NOT, however,eat sorrel in large quantities or too often.

A note of CAUTION. There is one poisonousplant which has leaves very similar in shape tosorrel when in its young state. That plant is theCuckoopint or Lords & Ladies (Arum maculatum).You may well recognise the Arum in autumn, asthe plant at that stage in its life has a cluster ofscarlet berries on a stalk.


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SMOOTH SOW-THISTLE – Sonchus oleraceus

This plant is almost as common as the dandelionand although it's a plant of waste places andcultivated ground it will frequently be foundgrowing in the narrow gaps between walls andpavements where it can find a foothold. It's alsoa frequent garden weed.

Smooth Sow-thistle is an annual, the flower stemis hollow and exudes a bitter white sap when cutor broken. Although at first glance the paleyellow flowers look a bit dandelion-like you willsee from the top picture that the flower stalk hasa cluster of flower buds whereas true dandelionshave single flowers on their stalks. Smooth sow-thistle is also highly variable physically, and isfrequently tinged with purple where it is stressedthrough nutrient or water deficiency.

The part to eat is the very young leaves which domake quite good eating at that stage - oncecooked. Although some folks can tolerate theleaves in salads they are generally too bitter.Don't bother with older leaves which are prickly(any prickles should be removed if have to resortto older leaves).


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SPEAR THISTLE – Cirsium vulgare

There are numerous thistles which can provideyou with something to eat but among the mostcommon ones it is probably the spear thistlewhich you are likely to encounter in urban areas.The plant gets its name from the long pointedend leaf lobe.

Spear thistles are biennial (2 year life-cycle) andthe main root, leaf midribs, peeled young stemand base of the flower may be eaten. To a certainextent dealing with the leaf midribs and theflower base are really survival food rather thanfor everyday eating.

To get at the inner flower base (it's the part thatthe seeds are embedded in) roast flower headswhich are newly opened (like the one pictured)on embers for about 10 minutes. This cooks theinner parts and also burns off the pricklesallowing the cooked flower head to be brokenopen and the small amount of base material to bescooped out and nibbled.

One other edible thistle you can look out for inurban areas - if you have some moist habitats - isthe marsh thistle (Cirsium palustris). Young stems,once stripped of their prickles, may be cooked.


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THREE-CORNERED LEEK – Allium triquetrum

This perennial plant is the nearest wild equivalentto garlic chives that you can get and makes avery good ingredient - young leaves in salads andolder leaves cooked. The flowers and flowerbuds may also be used.

Three-cornered leek is not a native of this countryand is generally found towards warmer southerncoasts. It's quite common on some of the Sussexcoastal areas and those of Cornwall, but can alsobe found right in the middle of Inner London.

The whole plant reeks of garlic when crushed,and although the leaves grow about 12 inches inlength they look almost like grass. However, thehave a distinctive angular keel on one side of theleaf (top right picture). The cluster of white bell-like flowers sit on a single stalk, and also smell ofgarlic.


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WINTER-CRESS – Barbarea vulgaris

If you like watercress and similar peppery-likeflavours then you are going to love this edibleweed which, as its common name suggests,grows throughout the winter months.

A perennial, winter-cress has small cross-shapedflowers with yellow petals forming on flowerstems which grow up to about 2ft. tall. Theleaves are shiny and hairless, with a distinctivelarger end lobe.

The plant has a liking for damp soils, so expect tofind it near water and in gardens (it was formerlya cultivated species).

Young leaves are best, becoming bitter with age.The flavour is very hot, with a slightly moreaggressive pungency than watercress. Still, youngleaves make a good salad item and older onesmay be cooked as a vegetable.


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YELLOW-SORREL – Oxalis corniculata

You may have heard of wood sorrel (Oxalisacetosella), well this plant is its urban, gardenand waste ground equivalent. Like the ruralversion the leaves of yellow sorrel have a lemon-like taste to them.

The leaves are very small so this plant really ismore about providing a lemony accent to saladsand similar. The young seed pods are alsosimilarly acid and have a nice crunchy texture.

DO NOT, however, eat this sorrel in largequantities or too often.


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HAWTHORN - Crataegus monogyna & oxycantha

There are many different hawthorn varietiesaround the world but these two are the mostcommon in the British Isles.

The parts used are the first young frothy springleaves, the flower buds and berries. Be warnedbefore you experiment with hawthorn as noteveryone reacts well to it - so DO test yourpersonal tolerance before using.

A few of the leaves and the flower buds can beused raw in salads, and the berries are made intoa conserve. The leaves may also be used as a tea-like beverage.


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BEECH - Fagus sylvatica

Beech trees are quite common in urban parklandas well as traditional woodland habitats.

There are two things you can do with parts of thistree. First, use the very young new leaf growth inspring (the leaves are almost as soft as tissuepaper at that stage) in salads or add to yoursandwiches fillers. Older leaves are papery andno good to you.

Second, the beech masts (that is the beech nut)make an excellent nibble although they are fiddlyto prepare. The outer brittle brown skin coveringthe triangular-shaped inner kernel needs to bescraped off. The kernels may be eaten raw, but alittle light toasting (as one does for almonds andhazels) really brings out their flavour. The mastscan also be pasted and added to soups as athickener and additional flavour.


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OAK - Quercus robur & petraea

It is doubtful that you don't recognise our twomain oak species or their acorns.

While some folks use acorn leaves as part of theirbeer-making it is the nut kernels which are ofmost interest to the forager, though many folksbelieve acorns are toxic. While acorns may doyou harm if not prepared properly they are not atoxic like cyanide. The main problem is thatacorns contain lots of tannin (once used fortanning shoe leather) and ingesting lots of thatcan cause problems for your kidneys.

However, process the acorns to leach out thetannins with water and you are left withsomething that can be used as food - usually inbaked items. Acorn masts contain no gluten sowhen using add an additional binding ingredientfor breads, pasta and biscuits.

To a certain extent preparing acorns is a labour oflove. The outer hull needs to be removed andthen the inner beige 'mast' repeatedly soaked inhot water to passively draw out the tanninsbefore a final forced steeping on the kitchenstove. The resultant mush is then drained and canbe used straight away or dried for longer termstorage and even ground into a flour.


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SWEET CHESTNUT – Castanea sativa

This is another species that probably needs nointroduction and you'll certainly find specimensin urban parkland and even along some streets.

In this country the masts frequently don't developproperly because our climate isn't warm enough.However, after good summers it's certainly worthchecking out chestnut windfalls to see what theyhave yielded

Roast chestnuts are, of course, a well knownautumn treat but the nuts may also be dried forlonger term storage and also turned into a flourwhich has that slight sweetness. If you decide togo down that route check out Italian recipes forchestnut flour as it is used quite extensively asfood in some parts of that country.


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OTHER PLANT SPECIES IN URBAN HABITATS

The majority of the vascular plants covered in theprevious pages are what might be regarded asedible weeds. Here are a few more which mightprovide you with some extra flavours PLUS anumber of ornamentals that city folks might begrowing in a neighbourhood near you.

BIRCH, SILVER - Betula pendulaSap extracted from the trunk in early spring canprovide a useful cooking fluid, and can befermented and made into a wine. The sap isdiuretic.

ELDER, COMMON - Sumbucus nigraThis probably needs no introduction. The flowerscan be used to make a so-called ‘champagne’and also the ripe berries for wine. The unopenedflower buds can be pickled and used like capers.Elder bark and leaves must not be consumed.

SYCAMORE - Acer pseudoplatanusThe sap of this may also be extracted. Very large,clean, leaves can make handy ‘plates’ for eatingfood off.

MOUNTAIN ASH / ROWAN - Sorbus aucupariaThis tree is very commonly planted in urbanareas and the ripe orange-red berries are used tomake the rowan jelly conserve.

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GORSE - Ulex europaeusThis prickly shrub isn’t a great provider but theflowers have a flavour and smell of coconut.They can be used to flavour vinegar, make wine,and also a gorse and honey ice cream.

BAY TREE - Laurus nobilisYou should find bay trees growing just aboutanywhere and, of course, the leaves may be usedto flavour stews &c.

ELAEAGNUS - Elaeagnus multifloraThis ornamental shrub sometimes finds a homein warmer areas. The berries are edible and usedin jellies and sauces.

FUCHSIA - FuchsiaA number of fuchsias have edible berries and inBolivia the berries of a local variety are sold inthe markets. I have nibbled on the black berriesof one or two types, but other varieties in gardens&c might not be entirely edible so this is onevery much to check out your personal tolerancebefore consuming and be cautious in yourapproach.

MONKEY PUZZLE TREE - Araucaria araucanaNative of Chile but grown as an ornamental treethe seeds of this may be boiled and eaten.Generally found in formal parks in the UK, but

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there is actually a specimen right in the heart ofLondon on Sussex Gardens, W2.

PYRACANTHA - Pyracantha angustifolia &coccineaA well-known ornamental garden shrub, the redberries of which may be consumed in jellies andsauces. I think it’s worth using these (and alsowith fuchsia above) in moderation as they are noteveryday fruits.

WYCH ELM - Ulmus glabraA tree with a liking for moist habitats the earlyforming seeds are edible.

GRAPE VINE - VitisI can think of at least a couple of places inLondon where grapevines trail over the walls ofprivate gardens into the street. If you can getlarge enough leaves that are not too old then youcan use them to make your own Greek dolmades.

COMMON DAISY - Bellis perennisThis is the common little daisy which pops up inlawns &c. It's young little leaves can be added topottages and soups, but can be a bit bitter forsalads.

HORSERADISH - Cochlearia armoraciaYou may well find this perennial in waste groundin urban areas. While you will need permissionto dig up any root material for making your own

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horseradish sauce the young, fresh green,springtime leaves may be cooked and eaten.Older leaves are horribly bitter.

LADY'S MANTLE - Alchemilla vulgarisA perennial plant frequently grown in gardensbecause of its attractive leaves. Very young leafmaterial can be added to other salad ingredients.

LAVENDER - Lavandula veraIn parts of north Africa dried lavender flowers areamong the seasonings used for cooking, so takeadvantage of lavender growing where you are.

LAVENDER COTTON - SantolinachamaecyparissusA silvery-leaved woody herb sometimes grown ingardens. A bruised sprig or two of leaves makesan interesting additional herby flavouring.

MARIGOLD - Calendula officinalisThe orangy-yellow flower petals of this wereused as a flavouring and colouring in the past.I seem to remember seeing one referencesomewhere as to the leaves being used in saladsor cooked in old times, but don’t quote me onthat.

NASTURTIUM - Tropaeolum majusA favourite garden plant, the flowers and leavesof which are edible. Peppery young leaves makea good salad item or general nibble.

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A FEW BEVERAGE IDEAS…

Dried green blackberry leaves can be used as atea. Raspberry leaves can similarly be used (don’tuse either during pregnancy).

Young leaves of the wild / dog rose (Rosa canina)may also be used for an infused beverage.

The open clumps of flowers of the Meadowsweet(Filipendula ulmaria) - which particularly likesmoist habitats – make an interesting beveragewhen infused for a few minutes in hot water.Sweeten with a little honey.

Elder flowers, partly covered previously, may bedried for later use as an infused beverage.

Dried flowers of the lime tree (Tilia) made a teaknown as Linden Tea in former times. It’s gotsome herbal qualities so it’s probably best todrink this in moderation.

Although it's not something I have tried the leavesof mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) have beenused to adulterate tea in the past so there mightbe some scope there for experimentation.

If you have permission to dig up dandelion rootsthen these make an excellent coffee substituteonce roasted.

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SAFE WILD PLANT FORAGING

THE GOLDEN RULE...If you cannot identify a wild plant with 100%certainty as being one of the edible speciesNEVER use it as food. If you have the slightesthesitation over a plant's identity be safe andMOVE ON. Similarly, if you cannot rememberwhich part of the plant is used leave it alone.

MOST IMPORTANT...Check your personal tolerance to ANY newedible wild plant before consuming in quantity.If you have a medical condition or are takingmedication then you should seek professionalmedical advice before consuming edible wildplants as they may contain constituents thatimpair or amplify that medication.

AND DO...Be 'aware' of the environment that you aregathering from. Is there possible contaminationfrom effluent, car exhaust emissions, sprays, dogsand so on?

LASTLY...NEVER consume dead or dying foliage, or thatwhich is discoloured (although the plant COULDbe just discoloured from bad soil nutrients itcould also be an indicator of weedkillers atwork).

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Documents

Pocket URBAN FORAGING GUIDE - Wild Food · PDF file3 Whether you want to forage for fun, or have 'survival' in mind, welcome to this freebie pocket-size urban foraging guide – courtesy