Wild Foods in Bristol

[thebristolbloke]

Hi All,

Am new to the site but have done a bit of reading, some very good articles to be found. I have noticed that there is a Bristol presence here and wanted to ask if anyone knew of any groups that do any 'organised' wild food trips here? I would love to know more about edible plants and mushrooms but the books I have make me a bit wary to eat anything if the illustrations look different



take care




phil

[Andy Hamilton]

There is a group in Glastonbury that do foraging courses, still not found one in Bristol. That is not to say that there is not one going on, I have only been here since November.

If you are using something like food for free with illustrations in it then your best bet is to get some kind of photo guide in a book. If in searious doubt you can always put up a photo on here and ask us to identify what ever you have found.

Clifton woods is an excellent spot to go foraging found a great horde up there last year.

[thebristolbloke]

I know we have a Bristol Onion and possibly a cabbage, would love to have some of these with some bacon

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/ar ... ture.shtml


Saw this on the BBC website today, If anyone is going on a foraging walk around Bristol at any time i'd love to come along if they dont mind.


take care



phil

[Andy Hamilton]

Perhaps in mushroom season?

[thebristolbloke]

Sounds great to me mate 8)



phil

[Lucy Robyn]

Well I feel very dense! I've lived in Bristol since childhood, 30 years now, and didn't know about these plants. I'll have to go and have a look around locally.

In the autumn I went foraging by the river at Keynsham for hips, haws, blackebrries, sloes and elderberries. I found all I needed for my jam and had a lovely relaxed morning with my husband in the autumn sunshine. Also made rose hip syrup. So much better than T***o. Its my one and only forage so far.

I do worry about fungus because trying to identify it is so difficult, so I leave well alone.

[ray7]

A book I have found to be very good for identifying mushrooms is "The new guide to Mushrooms." by Peter Jordan ISBN 1-85967-735-5.
It has chapters on where to collect, when to collect, how to collect, storing, edible mushrooms and poisonous mushrooms. Each one is covered by a very detailed illustration and a number of photographs to give as clear an idea what to look for as possible.

[Pippin]

If anyone hears of a Bristol mushroom foray, drop me a PM!

My sister's oldest mates Polish parents know what they are doing, so I'm tempted to get back in touch, when autumn comes around.

Andy - when you say Clifton Woods do you mean the area Cliftonwood or Leigh Woodsover the suspension bridge?

There are places near Bristol where I've heard you can get 'special' mushrooms, but my contacts are limited when it comes to legitimate culinary forays

[Andy Hamilton]

yes I do pippin both of them 8) and there are a lot more wild foods around bristol if you know where to look, in fact in the strangest of places, Netham common I saw some field mushrooms the other day.

The biggest problems I find is permission to dig up roots. - other than the council who do you ask, there are loads of things that I have not tried simply because I have not been able to get permission

with the identification of mushrooms. I always think that it is better to leave them if you are not very sure, espically when they look similar to something that might make you very ill.

The Bristol onion is an endangered plant and should be left alone, you can gaze at its beauty if you find one though I saw one in flower the other day, well nice.