flowers https://totallywilduk.co.uk Foraging Experiences Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:30:45 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://totallywilduk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cropped-white-Logo-for-site-32x32.jpg flowers https://totallywilduk.co.uk 32 32 Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia) Identification https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2023/12/14/forsythia-forsythia-x-intermedia-identification/ Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:30:45 +0000 https://totallywilduk.co.uk/?p=90691 Forsythia / Spring / Summer / Edible / Toxic   Forsythia is a beautiful plant that produces a beautiful vibrant yellow flower which is the only part I would advise for eating, it adds a vibrant pop of colour to salads and on top of dishes that you want to…

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Forsythia / Spring / Summer / Edible / Toxic

 

Forsythia is a beautiful plant that produces a beautiful vibrant yellow flower which is the only part I would advise for eating, it adds a vibrant pop of colour to salads and on top of dishes that you want to wow with!


Common Names

Forsythia, Golden Bell, Easter Tree


Botanical Name

Forsythia x intermedia


Scientific Classification

Kingdom – Plantae

Order – Lamiales

Family – Oleacea

Genus – F. x intermedia


Lookalikes & Known Hazards

Forsythia is a shrub found within the olive family, Oleacea. There are around 11 species that look alike.  F. x intermedia tends to be smaller in size.

You may confuse Forsythia at a distance with other shrubs that have yellow flowers such as Witch Hazel (Hamamelis) but look for the distinctive 4 yellow petals on the Forsythia. 

Potentially confused with Gorse which also produces a more bush-looking plant and has vibrant yellow flowers – amongst other things gorse has very spikey branches which this one doesn’t

Forsythia contains saponins and glycosides with the leaves containing Phillyrin. You would need to eat a huge amount to be toxic in any way but worth noting and just using a few flowers here and there. 


Range and Distribution

Forsythia is native to East Asia. It’s commonly used as a garden shrub elsewhere in the world and is rarely found growing in the wild. 


Habitat

Parks and gardens


Physical Characteristics of Forsythia

Growing up to 4m, this deciduous shrub is hairless and has tall, arching stems growing upwards. 

forsythia bush – 4028mdk09, CC BY-SA 3.0

Leaves

The leaves will only appear after the blooms. They can vary between species but are often ovate in shape, growing oppositely and are finely toothed along the margin. They will turn a yellow/purple in the Autumn before dropping.


Flowers

All species have 4 petalled yellow flowers which is distinctive of this genus. They are tubular with the petals joining at the base and will appear before the leaves. 


Bark

Bark is rough and grey/brown in colour – you can see the colour on the image under the leaves section of this post 🙂


Edible Uses of Forsythia

As mentioned above, best to avoid any other part other than the flower. These can be a lovely, colourful addition to a salad or as a garnish when there’s not much else around in early spring. 

Learn more about the toxic affects of Saponins on the human body here


Other Notes & Uses

The fruit from some Forsythia species is commonly used in Chinese medicine to treat inflammatory and infectious diseases and is known to bring down a fever. The leaves contain higher levels of Phillyrin which is a produced by fungi and studies have shown that Phillyrin from some Forsythia could increase glucose uptake under insulin resistance – Read more on it here

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Foraging in July https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2023/01/12/foraging-in-july/ Thu, 12 Jan 2023 11:55:10 +0000 https://totallywilduk.co.uk/?p=65766 Foraging in July is typically the warmest month of the year, the hot weather can make finding fresh greens more difficult as plants focus their energy into producing flowers and fruits. Depending on weather conditions there are a few gourmet mushrooms around too. So what can you forage in July?…

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Foraging in July is typically the warmest month of the year, the hot weather can make finding fresh greens more difficult as plants focus their energy into producing flowers and fruits. Depending on weather conditions there are a few gourmet mushrooms around too.

So what can you forage in July? Here are our top five picks for the month.


What to look for when Foraging in July

You can click on the species below to be taken to our full identification guides;


Wild Strawberry

A plant that’s almost impossible to go wrong with. Look in woodlands for low lying plants with 3 lobed leaves and miniature strawberries. The wild version tends to have smaller fruits but the flavour is a lot more intense than commercially grown varieties. 

Wild strawberry, growing in a woodland in summer-

Dryad’s Saddle

A very beginner friendly mushroom that you’ll find them growing on dead or diseased hardwoods. When young and fresh they taste like watermelon and become more mushroomy as they age. Dryads are woodland fairies that supposedly ride these fungi and they look a bit like an old tractor seat.

dryads saddle, mature on beech log-fez

Chanterelle

One of the world’s most famous wild mushrooms, they are a lot more common in the UK than most people think. They prefer damp, shady woodlands and have a delicious apricot scent when freshly picked. Use them fresh or dried, they are also an interesting ingredient to infuse in alcohol.

Chanterelle, mature example showing the gills

Bilberry 

One of my favourite wild berries, think of them as our native Blueberry. Typically they are found on acidic soil at altitude growing in among the heathers. As well as being delicious they are packed full of antioxidants and vitamins. 

Bilberry, berry in front of bush-forager James

Meadowsweet

A  plant that you can find most of the year but summer is when the flowers which are my favourite part are available. They have a lovely mown hay/almond flavour that works well in pannacotta, jams, wines and cordials. The plant was important in the development of Aspirin as it contains high levels of salicylic acid. 

Meadow Sweet, Flowers in summer-forager James

Recipe of the month – Lemon and Meadowsweet Curd

My favourite method of capturing the essence of meadowsweet is with this wonderful lemon and meadowsweet curd. The meadowsweet adds an incredible almond flavour to the classic curd. In little jars, it makes beautiful summertime gifts and can be spread on toast, cakes or pancakes and stirred into puddings and porridge. 

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
  • 1 cup meadowsweet flowers
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup butter, room temperature

Method:

  • In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, meadowsweet flowers and eggs
  • Add the butter and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a whisk, until the first bubble appears on the surface of the mixture and the curd is thick enough to show the marks of the whisk, about 6-8 minutes
  • Strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the zest and flowers.
  • Transfer the hot lemon curd to a bowl or jar and cover the surface with plastic wrap
  • Refrigerate until cold, then take off the plastic wrap and replace with a lid.
  • The curd keeps fresh in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

 

 Recipe from @foraged.by.fern instagram

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Foraging in May https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2023/01/12/foraging-in-may/ Thu, 12 Jan 2023 11:48:59 +0000 https://totallywilduk.co.uk/?p=65630 Mayday traditionally marks the beginning of summer and May can often be one of the warmest and driest months of the year, foraging in may can be fruitful. Spring greens are still out in force and the warmer weather means the next wave of edibles is just beginning. So what…

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Mayday traditionally marks the beginning of summer and May can often be one of the warmest and driest months of the year, foraging in may can be fruitful. Spring greens are still out in force and the warmer weather means the next wave of edibles is just beginning.

So what can you forage in May? Here are our top five picks for the month.


What to look for when foraging in May

You can click on the species below to be taken to our full identification guides; 


Hawthorn

In May the hawthorn bushes are in full bloom. Their flowers are a signature of May and their thorny branches feature in May Day traditions all over the UK. The flowers have an amazing almondy flavour and are great added to salads, used in deserts or infused in alcohol.

Hawthorn-flower_-Late-Spring-forager james

Fairy ring champignons

A lovely late spring, early summer time mushroom, They get their common name as they grow in rings. The rings can vary greatly in size depending on the age of the parent mycelium.

The mushrooms contain high levels of sugar called trehalose, which prevents cell damage when the mushrooms become extremely dry. So even if the weather does get hot they still tend to be in a good condition.

Fairy ring mushrooms, nice ring in may-LukeEmski, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Ox-eye daisy

I think this is one of the best tasting flowering plants, the flowers and leaves are both edible and delicious.

I pickle the unopened flower buds and use them as a caper alternative.

When the flower buds have fully opened they are lovely dipped in a tempura batter and deep fried or they can be simply tossed through a fresh salad.

The young leaves have a strong herbal flavour when raw and I add them finely chopped to salads; they can also be cooked in a similar way to spinach.

Ox eye daisy, single flower-Quartl, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Irish sea moss or Carrageen

Carrageen is an increasingly popular seaweed due to its immune boosting properties, it can be found along most of the British coastline and it’s easy to ID. It’s a seaweed that most of us will have eaten perhaps unknowingly as it’s used a lot as a vegan thickener or stabiliser and appears in vegan milks, toothpaste and beers. 

Carrageen, shot of some fronds-Voctir, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ladies Smock

A common member of the Cabbage family is at its best in spring. The flowers and leaves have a spicy, horseradish type flavour  that works well in a variety of dishes. Normally found in meadows, where it gets established it can become hyper abundant.

ladies smock, flowers in may-forager fez

Recipe of the month for Foraging in May

Carrageen Pudding

This is a traditional Irish recipe that’s quite similar to an Italian panna cotta.

Ingredients 

10g dried carrageen moss 

600ml milk 

1 vanilla pod 

1 large egg, separated 

30g caster sugar 

300ml double cream

Instructions 

Soak the carrageen in warm water for about 10 minutes until it softens. 

Drain off the water and place the seaweed in a saucepan with the milk. 

Split and scrape the seeds of the vanilla pod into the milk and add the pod too. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. 

Put the egg yolk into a bowl with the sugar and mix well with a whisk. 

Strain the milk mixture onto the egg yolk, pushing through all the jelly-like, swollen moss with the back of a spoon. 

Add the cream and leave to cool, then pour into individual ramekins and refrigerate for 30 minutes or so until set. 

 

I like to serve mine with a fresh coulis made from wild berries.

 

 

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Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) Identification https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2023/01/05/honeysuckle-lonicera-periclymenum-identification/ Thu, 05 Jan 2023 13:01:16 +0000 https://totallywilduk.co.uk/?p=64931 Honeysuckle / Summer / Edible Honeysuckle is one of those plants we’ve seen a thousand times in gardens and parks but did you know its’ edible, through this piece we’ll be taking a deep dive into identification and edibility. Common Names Honeysuckle, Common Honeysuckle, European Honeysuckle, Woodbine Botanical Name Lonicera…

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Honeysuckle / Summer / Edible

Honeysuckle is one of those plants we’ve seen a thousand times in gardens and parks but did you know its’ edible, through this piece we’ll be taking a deep dive into identification and edibility.


Common Names

Honeysuckle, Common Honeysuckle, European Honeysuckle, Woodbine


Botanical Name

Lonicera periclymenum


Meaning of Botanical Name

The genus was named after Adam Lonitzer, (1528-1586), a German physician and botanist. This particular species name, periclymenum, refers to the way the plant climbs around things, such as fences, trees or other plants.


Scientific Classification

Kingdom, Plantae

Clade, Tracheophytes

Clade, Angiopserms

Clade, Eudicots

Clade, Asterids

Order, Dipsacales

Family,Caprifoliaceae

Genus, Lonicera

Species, L.pericylmenun


Known Hazards

There are approximately 180 species of Honeysuckle, some like our native Lonicera periclymenum are climbers and other species are bushes and they may be evergreen or semi-evergreen.  It’s very important to make sure you do your research and positively identify the type of Honeysuckle you are looking at.  The berries and leaves of most species are toxic with varying degrees of toxicity.

Toxicity varies depending on the species, ranging from non-poisonous to mildly toxic and if enough quantity is ingested, very toxic. Symptoms of poisoning can include vomiting, diarrhoea, sweats, dilated pupils, increased heartbeat, convulsions, respiratory failure and coma.

If you are looking for berries, I’d avoid this genus altogether until you really familiarise yourself with it.

Some sites suggest the leaves can be taken as a tea and others advise against it. You will need to do your own research.

Lonicera periclymenum is our only native species of Honeysuckle and the berries and leaves are toxic.  The nectar and flowers, on the other hand are delicious.


Could be confused with

Perfolate Honeysuckle, (Lonicera caprifolium), is very similar to our native Honeysuckle, but the uppermost pairs of leaves, below the flowers, are fused around the stem and are almost cup shaped.  The leaves of Lonicera periclymenum are opposite  and while they may be stalked or sessile, they are not fused around the stem at any point.


Food Plant of..

Long tongued bees and many moths depend on the energy rich nectar of the flowers.  Hummingbird Hawk moths can detect the scent of Honeysuckle up to a quarter of a mile away. Dormice eat the flowers and the red berry clusters are eaten by birds such as Thrushes, Bullfinches and Warblers.


Range and Distribution

Common throughout the British Isles, up to 610m.


Habitat

Woods, scrubland and hedgerows.


Physical Characteristics of Honeysuckle

Growing to 7 metres or more in height, vigorous, deciduous twinging climber, that occasionally keeps it’s old leaves over winter.

https://wilde-planten.nl/wildekamperfoelie.htm

Leaves

Ovate, 30-70mm with smooth edges, sessile or shortly stalked and oppositely arranged.

AnRo0002, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Flowers

In terminal heads, the corollas are 40-50mm, cream, yellowish purple, deeply two lipped.  The upper lip has four lobes and the lower lip is entire.  The flowers are highly scented at night, to attract the moths they rely on for pollination.  Less so during the day.

Natalie-S, CC BY-SA 4.0

Fruit

Clusters of shiny red berries.

Anne Burgess / Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)

Folklore

The flowers of Honeysuckle were traditionally presented to each other to represent undying passion.  The fragrance is said to induce dreams of love.  If Honeysuckle is growing around the entrance to a house it will bring good luck to the inhabitants and deter evil spirits.  If carried in to the house it was supposed to bring money in with it.

Conversely, Honeysuckle is also thought to be bring bad luck if brought inside the house, with possible repercussions including a sore throat, (possibly from the pollen), and the failure of the second hay crop!

On May day, garlands of Honeysuckle were hung in the cow sheds to protect them from being bewitched.


Edible Uses of Honeysuckle

The flowers can be used to make syrups, cordials, teas and jellies.  Also used as a garnish for cocktails.


Herbal

Honeysuckle flowers have traditional uses as remedies for bacterial and viral infections.  There are a number of studies looking at the benefits of Honeysuckle for treating respiratory illnesses like bronchitis and influenza.  The flowers are high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.


Miscellaneous

One use for Honeysuckle in Chinese medicine is as a contraceptive and although I’m not sure if our native Honeysuckle has the same action, perhaps if you’re trying to conceive, it may be best avoided.


Tips and Observations

There’s no need to remove the green parts of the flowers, the calyx or the ovary when cooking with them.


References

Find more edible plants here

More on the health benefits

More on the medicinal uses 

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Bladder Campion (Selene Vulgaris) Identification https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2023/01/05/bladder-campion-selene-vulgaris-identification/ Thu, 05 Jan 2023 10:40:17 +0000 https://totallywilduk.co.uk/?p=61854 Bladder Campion / Summer / Autumn / Edible Young leaves of bladder campion have a sweet flavour like a combination of honey and peas.  Use in salads, blanch or steam or stir fry briefly.   Common Names Bladder Campion, Maidenstears Botanical Name Silene vulgaris Scientific Clasification Kingdom – Plantae Order –…

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Bladder Campion / Summer / Autumn / Edible

Young leaves of bladder campion have a sweet flavour like a combination of honey and peas.  Use in salads, blanch or steam or stir fry briefly.  


Common Names

Bladder Campion, Maidenstears


Botanical Name

Silene vulgaris


Scientific Clasification

Kingdom – Plantae

Order – Caryphyllales

Family – Caryophylllaceae

Genus – Silene


Known Hazards & Lookalikes

Can be confused with White Campion (Silene latifolia), which is mildly toxic as it contains saponins.  The White Campion is more hairy than the Bladder Campion, its flowers are larger (25-30mm in diameter) and its calyx is less swollen.


Range and Distribution

Found throughout Europe and the British Isles except for high altitudes.


Habitat

Loose soils in open/partially shaded places such as hedgebanks, open woodland, cultivated fields, walls, quarries, gravel pits, disturbed ground on dry calcareous soils.


Physical Charectaristics of Bladder Campion

An upright, hairless or sometimes pubescent perennial, up to 90cm high.


Leaves

Leaves are waxy, grey and hairless, quite rubbery to touch; oval, ending in a point with a distinct midrib; stalkless, except for the basal leaves, in opposite pairs, with each successive pair rotated at right angles to the previous one.


Flowers

The flowers are white, 10-18cm in diameter, with five notched/forked petals and a pale or pink, ribbed and swollen, bladder-like calyx tube.  The calyx tube is  veined with 20 main veins, narrowing at the apex and ending in upright teeth.  The flowers tend to droop. The calyx tube becomes a distinctive bladder-shaped seed-pod that remains visible well into the winter.  The presence of seed-pods helps to identify where the flowers will grow the following year.


Edible Uses of Bladder Campion

Young leaves have a sweet flavour like a combination of honey and peas.  Use in salads, blanch or steam, or stir fry briefly.  Older leaves are rather bitter but less so when cooked.

Basal leaves are most worthwhile, being easier to pick in quantity and sweeter than later leaves.

In Crete the plant is called agriopapoula and the locals eat its leaves and tender shoots browned in olive oil. It is widely eaten in Cyprus and in recent years has been cultivated and sold in shops in bunches.  In Italy the leaves may be used as an ingredient in risotto and the leaves are valued as a green vegetable, for example in a chickpea and Silene vulgaris stew called Potaje de garbanzos y collejas (Collejas being the bladder campion leaves).


Similar Species

White Campion – mentioned above in Known Hazards.

Sea Campion, Silene uniflora, has similar leaves to Bladder Campion but it is a prostrate maritime perennial with a cushion of non-flowering shoots.  Its flowers are larger than Bladder Campion (20-25cm).  The calyx doesn’t narrow at the apex as seen in Bladder Campion and the teeth of the bladder are recurved rather than the erect teeth seen in the Bladder Campion.

AfroBrazilian-CC-BY-SA-4.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons

Ecology

It is one of the main food plants of the Frog-hopper insects which are known for surrounding themselves with a protective froth while feeding.  The froth is often known as Cuckoo Spit.


References

More on this plant

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Dandelion Blossom Tempura Recipe https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2022/04/22/dandelion-blossom-tempura-recipe/ https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2022/04/22/dandelion-blossom-tempura-recipe/#respond Fri, 22 Apr 2022 15:25:24 +0000 https://totallywilduk.co.uk/?p=43324 Dandelions have been around for at least 30 million years and this dandelion blossom tempura recipe is just one of the many ways to use them. Humans have relied on it for food & medicine since pre history & have used it ritually for making luck, divination & making wishes…

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Dandelions have been around for at least 30 million years and this dandelion blossom tempura recipe is just one of the many ways to use them.

Humans have relied on it for food & medicine since pre history & have used it ritually for making luck, divination & making wishes for just as long.

Despite it’s lowly status as a weed, Dandelions herald the end of winter & the arrival of Spring with their bright sunny blossoms & are a vital source of early pollen for bees.

They are an excellent source of vitamins A, K, E, D & C, plus calcium, potassium, copper, iron & manganese, magnesium & zinc. Without doubt, Dandelions are a nutritional power house, plus they support the liver & kidneys, aiding in the elimination of waste products from the body & helping those of us who suffer from chronic skin & joint problems, including acne, eczema, arthritis & rheumatism.

How could such an amazing plant have become so disregarded?

During this post we are going to make a delicious Dandelion blossom tempura with a spicy Dandelion dipping sauce. Dandelion blossoms smell & taste surprisingly sweet, considering how bitter the roots & leaves can be. Dunked in tempura batter & fried to a golden crisp, they are perfectly paired with spicy Dandelion leaf dipping sauce, for well, dipping!

For this recipe you will need to gather about 2 cupfuls of freshly picked Dandelion blossoms & 2 cupfuls of fresh leaves. The blossoms quickly wilt once picked, so nip out about an hour or so before the webinar kicks off.

TOP TIP: try to collect your blossoms & leaves from an area that is not frequented by dog walkers! When you pick your blossoms give them a good shake outside to remove any bugs & rinse gently in cold water when you get home. The same goes for the leaves. Gently pat dry. If you are confident that your blossoms are from a dog free environment, there’s no need to rinse, they are certainly better dry.

Ensure you have read the recipe through carefully before we start the session & have already prepared any equipment needed & chopped & prepared all of your ingredients.

Click here for our dandelion foraging guide


Dandelion Blossom Tempura Recipe

This Dandelion blossom tempura recipe is an absolute quick win and tastes delicious – you’ll have people asking you to come and pick their dandelions to make this for them.


Ingredients

  • 2 cups of blossoms
  • 70g of cornflour
  • 30g of plain flour
  • A pinch of sea salt
  • 90g of ice cold sparkling water.

Sunflower or rapeseed oil for frying, (do NOT use olive oil or coconut. Olive oil has a lower heating point than sunflower or rapeseed & will not achieve a high enough temperature. Coconut oil will prove to be incredibly expensive & your tempura will taste “fatty” as it cools.


Equipment

A large saucepan.
A sieve to drain your fried blossoms before serving
A large bowl to mix your batter & dunk your blossoms in to.

If you want to make a gluten free tempura, use the same quantity of rice flour instead.

You can spice up your batter with some chilli flakes if you wish or make them sweet by adding some nutmeg & cinnamon & just a touch of icing sugar.


Method

  1. Fill your saucepan no more than ¾ of the way up with the oil & switch on to heat. The oil needs to sizzle when you drop a small chunk of bread in to it.
  2. Mix your flours & salt & add the water, beating thoroughly with a hand whisk.
  3. Once your oil is sizzling hot, dunk the blossoms in to the batter & drop a few at a time, head first in to the oil.
  4. Fry for a few seconds until golden, flip & fry other side for a further few seconds. Remove with a slotted or mesh spoon & drain.
  5. Cook the remaining blossoms & serve immediately with the spicy dipping sauce.

For the Spicy Dandelion Leaf Dipping Sauce


Ingredients

  • 2 cups of Dandelion leaves, washed thoroughly & roughly chopped
  • 1 cup of hot water
  • 1 cup of cider vinegar
  • 1 of a cup of sugar
  • A thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled & finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic peeled & finely chopped
  • As many dried chilli flakes as you dare!
  • ½ tsp of cracked black pepper
  • Pinch of salt to taste.

Equipment

A saucepan to heat your ingredients in.
A sieve lined with a cloth to strain your plant material out.
A bowl to strain your heated liquid in to.
Chopping board
Sharp knife.


Method

  1. Place your roughly chopped Dandelion leaves, water & vinegar in a saucepan & heat until boiling. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Strain out the Dandelion leaves, discard the plant material in to your compost & pour the strained liquid back in to your saucepan.
  3. Add the rest of your ingredients & heat gently until the sugar has completely melted. Simmer for another 5 minuets, then pour in to bottles or jars until ready to enjoy. Will keep in the fridge for about 3 to 6 months.

Recipe credit @thelittleforagerskitchen

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Dandelion Flower Honey Recipe (Vegan Honey) https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2022/04/21/dandelion-flower-honey-recipe-vegan-honey/ https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2022/04/21/dandelion-flower-honey-recipe-vegan-honey/#respond Thu, 21 Apr 2022 15:41:52 +0000 https://totallywilduk.co.uk/?p=43232 I initially thought that the dandelion flower honey could make a really nice syrup for mixing into whiskey-based cocktails, however, having tasted the syrup I was amazed to find that it had lovely honey-like quality, so I quickly went to work on making the texture more honey-like so I could…

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I initially thought that the dandelion flower honey could make a really nice syrup for mixing into whiskey-based cocktails, however, having tasted the syrup I was amazed to find that it had lovely honey-like quality, so I quickly went to work on making the texture more honey-like so I could eventually use it as a substitute.

In the recipe below I’ll outline the bits you can do to just make the honey tasting syrup, but I’ll also add the bits of information that I learnt when turning it in to more of honey as well 🙂

Click here for our dandelion foraging guide


Dandelion Honey Recipe Video


Ingredients

  • 200g Dandelion Petals (remove the petals from the green base of the flowers – they’re bitter and will make you liquid go brown too)
  • 200ml water
  • 300g white sugar

Click here to see our guide to the health benefits of dandelions


Method for our Dandelion Flower Honey

  1. Remove the dandelion flower petals from the green base of the flowers – the green bases are bitter and will make your liquid go brown too. This can be a messy and tedious job so best done whilst sitting in the sun enjoying some relaxation time.
  2. bring the water to a boil and then simmer the petals for 15 minutes
  3. strain the liquid through a colander to remove the petals
  4. Add the sugar and heat until nicely dissolved.

That’s the syrup done – enjoy as a honey-flavoured syrup


To turn your syrup in to honey…..

The best way I found of making it more honey like was by boiling the mixture down and reducing the liquid by about 25%,

I then let it cool to check the consistency and when it was cool I added little amounts of modified maze starch (also known as ultratex) to the mixture whilst holding a stick blender in the liquid which was one to mix it in nicely. I did that until the mix thickened up to more of a syrupy consistency.

Enjoy on anything you would Honey and feel relaxed knowing the Bees are happy too!

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Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) Identification https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2022/02/01/lilac-id-guide/ https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2022/02/01/lilac-id-guide/#respond Tue, 01 Feb 2022 12:49:59 +0000 https://totallywilduk.co.uk/?p=35926 Lilac / Spring / Summer / Edible Other Common Names:  Lilac flower, sweet lilac Latin Name: Syringa vulgaris and other species Physical Characteristics:  This is a deciduous shrub that blooms in spring with cones of wonderfully fragrant flowers. It can grow up to 7m tall and can form suckers with…

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Lilac / Spring / Summer / Edible

Other Common Names: 

Lilac flower, sweet lilac


Latin Name:

Syringa vulgaris and other species


Physical Characteristics: 

This is a deciduous shrub that blooms in spring with cones of wonderfully fragrant flowers. It can grow up to 7m tall and can form suckers with which it propagates itself.


Leaves

The Leaves of Lilac grow opposite to one another,  from 5 to 10 cm long and are a truly vibrant green.

The Leaves are Ovate, they are shaped like a heart.


Flowers

The Flowers of Lilac are in big large bunches – the whole bunch is cone-shaped overall (terminal panicles)

Each individual flower is very small and trumpet-shaped to begin with opening out flat to reveal 4 distinct petals.


Bark

The bark is grey-brown.


Habitat, Range and Distribution: 

Native to Eurasia, this tree likes the warm edges of roadsides, woodlands and hedges, usually on more alkaline soil (often plants with purple and blue flowers are growing on more alkaline soils). In the UK, your local park is a good place to start looking.


Conservation Considerations: 

Be considerate of the tree and only gather flowers from areas where it is legal to do so. Considering the potency of the scent, you don’t need to pick a huge amount, and make sure to leave plenty on the tree for reproduction and also for pollinators.


Harvest Time and Techniques: 

The flowers usually bloom from late April – May, but keep an eye as the window of opportunity is relatively narrow!


Could Be Confused With, and Other Safety Notes:

The leaf shape is somewhat similar to linden trees, but the latter lack the sucker growing pattern of lilacs, and linden trees are usually a lot taller. A good rule of thumb is not to pick any leaves to eat without being 100% certain of the species of tree. The flowers can look like Buddleja, but Lilac is definitively a tree whereas Buddeja is a shrub, often found growing out of walls.


Edible Uses: 

Only the flowers are edible. Do not consume any other part of the Lilac tree, including leaves. Before preparing a dish, it’s best to remove the flowers from the stalks. Some say that the aroma of lilac blossoms is more appealing than their taste.

The aroma is made of the small oily chemicals, which can be captured in water and sugary substances like honey. Why not infuse lilac blossoms in a jug of cold water for a refreshing spring-time drink?

Infusing the blossoms in honey for at least six weeks is a delightful way of capturing the smell. Another traditional practice was to pack a sprinkle of blossoms into a container of sugar and let the aroma diffuse through the baked goods made with that sugar. Don’t add too many petals, though, because the sugar will absorb their liquid and it could get messy.

You could make syrup using this principle though – pack a lot of flowers and sugar in layers into a jar and let it warm in a bain-marie for a few hours. After straining you should be left with a lilac scented syrup for adding to creams, icings, custards, ice creams, cordials and puddings. It also makes a delightful vinegar for use in salad dressings and glazes.


Medicinal Uses:

Lilacs, like many other brightly coloured edible plant parts, have been linked with protecting eye health, partly because they help maintain the integrity of the microcirculation.


Extra Tips and Fun Facts:

Lilacs are relatives of olives.


Sources:

https://www.ediblewildfood.com/blog/2016/06/lilac-flowers-for-eye-health/#:~:text=Many%20people%20are%20aware%20that,a%20lilac%20cold%2Dwater%20infusion.&text=Scatter%20a%20few%20lilac%20blossoms,desserts%20later%20in%20the%20year.

https://practicalselfreliance.com/edible-lilacs/

https://thepracticalherbalist.com/herbal-memoirs/lilac-an-edible-and-medicinal-treat/

 

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Dandelion Flower Jam Recipe https://totallywilduk.co.uk/2020/05/05/dandelion-flower-jam-recipe/ Tue, 05 May 2020 15:43:12 +0000 https://totallywilduk.co.uk/?p=14788 This dandelion flower jam recipe makes a zesty and zingy marmalade which has a flavour reminiscent of an apricot jam – it looks fabulous with dandelion petals suspended throughout and can be used straight on toast and scones or enjoyed in a more exotic manner by mixing with soy sauce…

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This dandelion flower jam recipe makes a zesty and zingy marmalade which has a flavour reminiscent of an apricot jam – it looks fabulous with dandelion petals suspended throughout and can be used straight on toast and scones or enjoyed in a more exotic manner by mixing with soy sauce and enjoying as a sweet dipping sauce.

Makes 3 to 4 medium jars

Click here for our dandelion foraging guide


Ingredients:

· three cooking apples – peeled, cored and chopped

· 50g Fresh dandelion flowers or a good handful

· 3 lemons – the juice of

· 750 grams jam sugar

· 600ml water

Click here to see our guide to the health benefits of dandelions


Method to Cook our Dandelion Flower Jam:

1. Put the peeled and cored apples in a pan with the hot water and 3/4 of the dandelion flowers (with green on), simmer for 10 mins, the apples should be soft and liquid a vivid orange.

2. Strain the mixture through a sieve.

3. Add the strained liquid back to the pan, adding the lemon juice and sugar

4. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and then add the rest of the dandelion flowers (petals only—remove the green bits)

5. Boil vigorously until the setting point is reached (put a side plate in the fridge with a little jam on it, after 1 minute remove, if it’s formed a skin then the setting point has been reached) .

6. Put in to steralised or well cleaned jars and leave to set, store and use within 1 year, once opened keep in the fridge and use within a week.


Our Dandelion Flower Jam Recipe Video

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