Foraging forumagers

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210325-the-strange-medieval-fruit-the-world-forgot

Finally making the connection between @mespilus 's name on here and the strange fruits he passed around during one West birthday dinner. "a niche plant for eccentric gardeners" sounds quite apt ;)

@cgg - 'Strange medieval fruit the world forgot'

@mespilus - 'Been called worse'

#bringbackrep

The best story arcs take a while to bear fruit.

Introducing the World to the medlar one forum thread at a time.

Made this elderberry vinegar recipe the other day (berries in the freezer since last year) it’s pretty easy to make and quite versatile. Chocked full of sugar, mind. Just enjoyed it as a shrub so far, mate recommended simmering for another 10 minutes to use as a salad dressing: https://gallowaywildfoods.com/elderberry-vinegar-recipe/

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Someone on Freda Corbett Close in Peckham has chopped their greengage down so there's loads of fruit going free outside their house

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I collected a bag full of lime (tilia) flowers today. They make a lovely cup of tea, which are supposed to be very good for restful sleep.
I picked some and dried them two years ago, so this harvest should last me the next two!

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My ex used to do this and was a really nice brew

They're the ones that smell like sperm?

Not as far as I know.

Mespilus Germanica!

Well I never

Were you calling me!

Always makes me laugh for some childish reason

Escamoles, freshly fried. Only harvested a teaspoon from my MILs garden, and even 4-5 were enough to get a good taste.

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Noticed a few pickable blackberries today. Collected loads last year so hope to do the same over the coming weeks.

I had to look that up - sounds interesting! Where are you geographically? The searches suggest this is a Mexican delicacy.

Helped cut my parents hedge, the dense holly must've protected these gooseberries from the animals. Yay.

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Those were harvested from an organic garden in the lovely Wiltshire. ;)

Mild but distinctive taste. No ill effects, other than possibly shocking the in-laws (tbf, even most Mexicans would probably balk at suburban harvested escamoles). They seemed to like the taste but psychologically it’s a bridge too far to repeat, probably.

Any idea what this is? Some sort of plum/greengage?

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When is the best time to collect cob nuts? Found a tree near work. Seems to be a mix of opinion whether to harvest when green (which they are right now) or collect later in e.g. September.

They’re all out of reach. I think I can feel an invention coming on. A long one.

Depends on squirrels etc. I grabbed a few low hanging ones yesterday which I'll leave to dry. Plenty were munched, though.

Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. Doubt there will be any left by September!

If you can find them in more exposed places (away from other trees) there tends to be less squirrel issues, the one nearest my office is in a bit of woodland and there's virually none on it.

Also, for interest's sake, the tooth marks on the nuts will tell you if there's more than one species eating them. You never know, you may have dormice for neighbours. *the super cute hazel/common one.