Foraging and Bread

A few weeks back I seen a tweet from Liz from Forage Fine Foods it was for an event taking place at The Tudor Farmhouse hotel at Clearwell in the forest of dean, a farmers market with family forage.  I have wanted to learn more about foraging for a while and have missed out on some courses before, I booked us in for the event and told Ffion, this led to her informing me she needed new wellies and a basket to carry her foraged things in a trip to the shops resulted in bright red wellies with pink trim and large pink basket.  

The day could not have been better bright sun and warm yes I know your thinking that could not have been this summer but I can honestly say it was.  The courtyard at the hotel had various local producers with cider’s, beer’s, meat and music being played by bands.  After a drink and ice cream for Ffion it was time to go foraging, Liz has the patience of a saint half a dozen very inquisitive children and accompanying adults went off on a short walk around the hotels grounds, collecting red clover, wild fennel, nettles, rose petals, and an abundance of other items that myself and some of the other adults had always considered as weeds, from cleavers (sticky weed) to the leaves of the ox-eye daisy, the children enjoyed every minute of it some asking more questions than others, the children were going to make a rose petal syrup with Liz after the forage but unfortunately Liz was taken ill, but before she had to leave she took the time to explain to the children how to make the syrup and gave them each a bottle to keep it in.

The second part of the day was a bread making demo by Kather from Kather’s Kitchen, this was an added bonus not just for the children but me as well.  Bread making is my nemesis in the kitchen I am more than happy to turn my hand to any cooking but my bread making skills are a weak point.  Kather explained to the children about the basics of bread making and introduced them to her starter and explained all about it and how to make their own.  Ffion has wanted to do this for a while but we have always put it off now we have no excuse.  Each of the children was given some dough that had been prepared in advance and various seeds to add, shapes from bones to plaits were made with all manner of seeds added.  Bread making is something all children enjoy doing and when being taught be such an enthusiastic teacher as Kather it just adds to the experience.

The whole day was great fun and something I will be doing far more of, on Liz’s recommendation I have now got some foraging books and this weekend me and Ffion will be off exploring the hedgerows and fields that surround us, we have already discovered that we have nearly all the plants Liz showed us in the garden.  If you get the chance to go foraging with Liz or do one of Kather’s cooking classes I would highly recommend.