Foraging forumagers

Wot? Recipe?

Quite rare especially in London as usually found in ancient woodland.

Pop over to our 726 acres of Ruislip Woods National Nature Reserve.
@skydancer & @moorhen can vouch it is in London.

As much quince as you can find (Japanese Quince in my case as it's grown as ornamental bushes rather than eaters), a litre of Aldis finest cheap vodka, a cinnamon stick or two and grated root ginger.

Cut quince into chunks, no need to de-core or de-seed. Put in Kilner jar. Add cinnamon, add grated ginger, add finest cheap vodka.

Put under the staircase, forget about for 10 months.

Et voila!

This year I'm going to do Quince Brandy instead though. Will let you know in 12 months if it was worth it.

It's not rare in woods, this was in Peckham. Maybe should have been more specific and said urban London. 🙄

right on

Anyone know what this mushroom is?

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Doesn't it tell you on the packaging?

lol

Don’t think Hovis bake fungus

'Don't think Hovis knowingly bake fungus'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergot

That would explain my hallucinations. Well, some of them.

Avoid mushrooms with white gills is a general rule isn't it?

To uncertain, put it in the compost :(

parasol, get it down you - they get twice that size and if you find them clean up and theyre the best eating to be had

superb, cant understand why everyone isnt roasting them, ?? go overboard on sweet chestnuts every year
medlers are a bit shit no?

Still waiting for mine to blet a bit more yet :)
Heart sweet chestnuts. Might be able to get some more this weekend.

Quince, lemon and ginger brandy. I'll find out next xmas how it tastes.

medlers are a bit shit no?

Steady on!

A picked medlar is unlikely to be ripe.
Medlars are probably beyond the northern limit of their range even in the South of the UK.
Like sloes, (for sloe gin) that were left on the blackthorn until the first frost,
medlars benefit from some patience. A bletted medlar has the most exotic combination of texture & flavours of (almost) any fruit that can be grown in the open in the UK.
The slightly toothsome texture of a bletted medlar, like slightly coarse stewed apple, combined with the rich almost warming 'Xmas blend' of flavours, a little cinnamon-y/clove-y is unbeatable. A bletted medlar will survive the fall from the tree without splitting its skin (too much).
Having said that a medlar picked from a tree is worse than an unripe pear, but not quite as woody as a (true) quince.

Rough quantities? Now have moar quince :)))))

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Patiently waiting for the few I have to ripen off.

You could try a couple in the freezer overnight,
to simulate the first frost,
to break open the cells,
to release the enzymes(/other plant chemicals?),
to hasten the bletting process?

Right-o

Run quince through the shedding disk on a food processor.

Half fill jar with shredded quince.

Peal and matchstick a 10cm piece of ginger, add to jar.

Zest and juice of one large unwaxed lemon, add to jar.

Pour over two bottles of Aldi brandy.

Put under the stairs for at least 6 months if not longer.