Foraging forumagers

If your brambles are anything like the ones around me there will be some super ripe smushy ones and a load of unripe ones that still need a few weeks. There should still be time for a good harvest!

Yeah there’s still a good load of red berries, and we’ve had a ton already too. Just this current window has been marred by the damp conditions. Literal mould growing all over!

I fancy giving this a go, but what is pectolase and where would I find some?

Your local homebrew store, or Wilkos. Pectolase breaks down pectin, which can make the wine hazy or gunky.

Thanks! Cycled out to a spot earlier that I've run past a million times thinking "I need to come back and forage". Came home with crab apples (plenty), a few sloes but they need a little longer really, some rose hips (but probably not enough for syrup), and elder berries - enough to fill my biggest tub so should be good for wine! Wilko's here I come.

Left loads of blackberries untouched too!

If you're SE and you'd rather support an independent shop, Water Into Beer in Brockley should have pectolase and and any other supplies you might need.

Sadly I'm in deepest darkest Berkshire so Wilko's will have to do. Although my local hardware store does have some brewing supplies I haven't seen pectolase.

Late into work as I got distracted by sloes

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What are you all doing with your sloes? I pretty much only know sloe gin.

+1 for alt sloe recipes.

Kat where did you find the Sloes? I was touring in Normandy a couple of weeks ago and they were everywhere but not seen any here and keen to make Sloe Gin.

Sloe = sour plum = chutney round here.

Burgess Park, St George's way end Entrance near Bilbury Close, there's a willow tree and further along are the sloes at head height. I have left loads. There's also some in Nursery Row Park in Walworth on the left hand side.

I'm making sloe gin but was tinkering with a stout idea.

Beech nuts. Anything interesting I can do with them? Seems to be tons coming out.

Traditionally you would have fattened your pigs on beech mast.
I've always thought, if I found enough, I would lightly toast them and use as a substitute for pine nuts.

And hawthorn berries? Hedges are loaded with them...
Have my eye on three Walnut trees on the commute, also fantastically full :)

edit - hawthorn berry wine... so, off to get the kit this weekend.

Someone mentioned a hawthorn jelly using crab apples for the pectin? Spotted a crab apple on the way home today so might give it a go. Would love to find a walnut, congrats on the find! Eyes peeled.

@mespilus unfortunately no pigs. But I do have some kids I could fatten up...

All the crab-apple trees are also groaning (made six jars of apple sauce last weekend.) So much fruit, so little time... If you're near Basildon (Oxfordshire), the National Trust have a massive Walnut tree there in the grounds but on the footpath so no need to pay, along with Mulberries and tons of Sweet Chestnuts. Have been there the last two years and no-one else seems to bother foraging there. I've plenty of other locations besides so dive in if you're local :)

Oh cheers! Somerset-way so a bit far, but will check some of the NT places round here. Good tip!

Anyone know what these are?

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Some kinda bracket. Not edible

Cool though. And speaking of cool mushrooms, I have no idea what these were, but they were enormous and awesome.

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Thanks!

Big mushrooms outside our hotel room

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Roger Phillips is suggesting Giant Polypore or possibly Hen of the Wood.