FORAGING IN SCOTLAND Food & Drink 01
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION | 03
PLANNING | 04
LO C AT I O N | 05
W I L D I N S P I R AT I O N | 0 8
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L EG I S L AT I O N | 1 1
MARKETING & PR | 12
E VA LU AT I O N | 13
ABOVE: WILD WATERMINT
USEFUL LINKS | 14
FRONT COVER PHOTO: WILD MISO NOODLE SOUP CREDIT: LEANNE TOWNSEND WEB: WILDFOODSTORIES.CO.UK | INSTAGRAM: @WILDFOODSTORY | FACEBOOK: WILD FOOD STORIES
FOOD AND DRINK – THE JOYS OF FORAGING 02
INTRODUCTION Foraging Fortnight was a festival celebrating Scotland’s natural environment and wild food, funded by LEADER and NatureScot (formerly SNH). This booklet has been produced on the back of this festival and has been designed to assist anyone looking to host a foraged food and drink event in future.
BRAMBLES
Are you thinking of hosting a wild food event?
Why run a foraging or wild food event?
Do you want to engage people with foraging and the wild food on their doorstep? Maybe you have been thinking about incorporating some wild ingredients in your menu or products but don’t know where to start and what to consider?
• To encourage engagement with our natural
This toolkit aims to provide you with information, guidance and contact details to assist you in running your event. It is important to understand your responsibilities to ensure a safe and successful event and to evaluate its success. People of all ages can enjoy Scotland’s natural landscape through responsible foraging and adherence to Scotland’s Outdoor Access Code. Running an event is an ideal way to draw attention to your business -incorporating foraging and wild food into your event aligns with aspects of our National Food Tourism ambition: for Scotland to become a globally-recognised food tourism destination.
environment. • To further the understanding of responsible foraging and wild foods. To • offer a wild food experience that sets your business apart from others. • To introduce people to exciting new flavours. • To engage with locals and attract visitors. • To celebrate your local area and its natural beauty. • To offer an activity suitable for various age groups and physical abilities. • To offer a unique experience linking foraging to health and wellbeing, wild food and appreciation and connection with our landscape. To • give people an experience they will treasure. 03
PLANNING Things to consider: Will it work within your existing business model?
Is your budget realistic?
Could you collaborate with a local business?
This could be an ideal time to join forces with a local food producer or foraging expert. What are your goals...?
The benefits of holding an event
• Increased brand awareness? • A healthy profit? • Collaboration and establishing new contacts? • Raising awareness of the wild flavours in your area? • Engaging more with nature at home and work? • Attracting new customers with an exciting new ‘wild’
• Developing or increasing your confidence in using
experience or product?
Ensure you make realistic plans, using your local knowledge to your best advantage.
wild ingredients. • Potential increase in sales. • Increased awareness of your brand. • Marketing & promotional opportunities. • Networking with other local businesses. • Openings to potential new markets and customer base. • An additional opportunity to contact your existing customers with news. Potential media opportunities for your business. • The enthusiasm and engagement you invest in your event can directly reflect the benefits you see. it’s a very positive message of wellbeing and nature.
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L O C AT I O N If you have your own venue, this is an ideal opportunity to either embellish what you already do or stretch your boundaries to create something different. Consider what assets you have to hand and plan accordingly e.g. informal or fine dining, beer garden or woodland, cocktail bar or conservatory. Your assets may also be your staff: a keen forager, a chef who enjoys a challenge, a nature lover or artist who could participate in an on-site activity. Think outside your usual box!
• Consider whether you need additional help. Now is the time to decide if you need volunteer(s)/paid staff to assist you in running your event. • Scotland is beautiful but its weather unpredictable so do have a Plan B in mind if your event is outside.
• If you are planning an event outdoors, it is important to be
familiar with the area – whether on your own land or by prior arrangement nearby. Give due diligence to accessibility, first aid, health and safety. • Access points are very important. • Decide on a maximum number of participants who can safely and comfortably take part. • Have a plan for car parking, whether there is a requirement for toilet facilities and/or refuse collection, as applicable if outdoors.
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PLANNING FOR YOUR FORAGING EVENT
Please use this planner as an example checklist – NOTE not everything listed will be relevant for your event. PLANNING & PREPARATION
ACTION REQUIRED
BY WHOM?
BY WHEN?
DONE
ACTION REQUIRED
BY WHOM?
BY WHEN?
DONE
Form a planning group Decide date(s) of event Decide on venue, confirm availability & book Check availability of external facilitators/presenters Contact local Council (where appropriate) to inform Contact local Council Licensing Team if alcohol involved Contact local Council Licensing Team if alcohol involved Decide your budget Notify any necessary services (for larger events): Police Scotland and Scottish Fire, Rescue Service, St John’s Ambulance Plan your marketing & promotion DEVELOPING EVENT Check all booking details in place Apply for any permissions & licenses (w/a) Check insurance for your event Finalise any promotion & marketing plans Arrange First Aid cover (w/a) Secure volunteers for your event (w/a) Finalise any publicity material Ensure your event is listed on your website Use social media to promote your event Send reminders out to all taking part 06
Complete Risk Assessment - include a cancellation policy for emergencies Consider creating participant feedback forms/comments book NEARLY THERE!
ACTION REQUIRED
BY WHOM?
BY WHEN?
DONE
ACTION REQUIRED
BY WHOM?
BY WHEN?
DONE
ACTION REQUIRED
BY WHOM?
BY WHEN?
DONE
Meet with key people to review plan Confirm staffing requirements/volunteers Book photographer/charge your camera battery Release an advance press release Maintain good communications with all involved Maintain social media and web updates Check the weather forecast for outdoor events THE DAY OF THE EVENT Check health & safety aspects Final Risk Assessment review Brief staff/volunteers Keep relevant contact details to hand POST EVENT Leave venue as you found it Balance all finances, keeping a written record Send out letters/e-mails of thanks Obtain feedback/quotes from participants if not already gathered Invite feedback from your team for future events Produce & distribute a press release about its success thanking the public for their support 07
W I L D I N S P I R AT I O N This might be an ideal opportunity to simply blend wild ingredients into your existing menus or go wild and try something different. Foraged produce can add seasonal flavours, aromas and enhance your menus – with many health benefits too. Here are a few suggestions…
• Introduce a wild salad to your menu as a starter or to
accompany main dishes. • Create a seasonal soup using wild herbs, spice or leaves as part of the ingredients, e.g. marjoram/nettles/wild garlic. Feature a dessert using a foraged ingredient, e.g. berries/ • herbs/edible flowers/wild-flavoured syrups. • Mix your very own cocktails using foraged ingredients • Create a special menu for one night or more, matching wines and including foraged ingredients. • Light the BBQ and grill outdoors with marinades using foraged herbs. Eat • al fresco for a close-to-nature experience • Photograph your foraged ingredients in situ for an informative table card for diners.
DANDELIONS
• Organise a cooking workshop featuring any suggestions above. • If you have gardens or woodland, arrange a pre-dinner guided walk in nature for guests. Organise an orchard or kitchen garden walk on your premises • for a wellbeing experience. • Collaborate with a professional forager/yoga teacher/ botanist/artist/photographer and build on your meal experience with another related theme. You can create a half-day event around a workshop or retreat, with relaxation/ foraging/yoga/drawing flora/photography -plus lunch. • If your venue lends itself to a festival then link with local beers, a botanical gin, local musicians and foragers for a day/night/ weekend to remember.
R E M E M B E R T O P H O T O G R A P H W H AT E V E R Y O U D E C I D E T O H O S T T O S H A R E O N S O C I A L M E D I A 08
EXAMPLES OF SIMPLE DISHES… Venison Steaks with Elderberries 4 Carmichael venison steaks A few crushed foraged juniper berries 1 Musselburgh leek, cleaned & sliced A generous drizzle of Summer Harvest Rapeseed Oil
Wild raspberries, dandelions, marjoram, sorrel and violets grow wild near us - delicious and aromatic for any salad.
Isle of Skye Sea Salt & freshly milled black pepper Cairn O’Mhor Shrubbery Wine (foraged berries)
BELOW: FORAGED SALAD
Home made elderberry jelly Method:
• Place venison in a dish and drizzle with oil. Season
and add crushed juniper. Heat pan and add seasoned fillets searing for 8mins in total, • for medium. Cook longer for well done. Remove from pan and wrap loosely in foil to remain warm. • Deglaze pan with wine and jelly. Taste and adjust seasoning. • Serve venison and glaze with mashed potatoes or rosti. Serves 4. 09
Rowan Rum Truffles Soften rowanberries in a pan with sufficient sugar to sweeten then transfer to sterilized jars, pouring over spiced rum to cover. After several days, spread berries on a tray and allow to partially dry in a low oven. These russet gems will spice up chocolate truffles for an amazing result! 150g plain choc 10mls double cream 1dstsp J Gow rum 12g unsalted butter Semi-dried rum-soaked rowans Mini paper cases Method:
• In a bowl over a pan of hot water, melt chocolate with butter. • Blend cream and rum in a separate bowl and beat in cooling ABOVE: ROWANBERRIES RIGHT: ROSEHIPS
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chocolate until thick. • Place a rowanberry in each paper case then pipe in truffle. Top with a second rowanberry.
L E G I S L AT I O N … As a caterer, you will already be aware you need to ensure everyone involved in your event is safe in accordance with The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. As this is your responsibility you will already have current Public Liability Insurance in place, food handlers with Food Hygiene Certificates and premises registered.
CHANTERELLE
BLAEBERRIES
Alcohol:
Now is also the time to consider, in terms of Food Hygiene & Safety, whether or not you are planning to allow participants to sample foods in the wild or merely eat foraged foods you have prepared safely. Guided walks are one thing but for more extensive identification and sampling, working with a professional forager is advisable.
Remember to contact your local Council if you are planning an event outwith your normal business hours or usual working practice if alcohol is involved, as there are strict regulations and it is wise to check.
Risk assessment:
It is important to remember that your participants and customers will have very differing depths of knowledge: some may be experts whilst others do not know a nettle from a spruce shoot! You are responsible for them whilst with you so be 100% sure of your identification – be safe.
A review of potential hazards is required by law and standard practice in your establishment however there may be an additional HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) required for a one-off event. Allergen information: As with all foods, allergies can be very dangerous and all staff should be briefed on ingredients used at all times. There is excellent information and a template available on the Food Standards website.
Wild foods:
‘Foraging for Wild Plants’ and the ‘BSBI Code of Conduct’ will give you some information on responsible foraging. If you want to use some wild ingredients that are new to you or you are less familiar with, engage a professional forager. If in doubt, leave it out! 11
MARKETING & PR Promoting your event can cost as little or as much as you want. Below are some suggestions to help spread the word:
ROSEHIPS
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• Community noticeboards/corner shop windows. • Social media – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. • If budget allows, consider a promoted/targeted post on social media. • Consider a local press release. • Email your existing contacts - this is an opportunity to reach more people. Consider contacting specific target groups/ organisations/workplaces. Maximise word of mouth – spread the word! • • Announcements at appropriate local meetings. • Be generous when on social media – support others and they in turn will tag/retweet your event. • Photography and informality are winners on social media. Promote your event along with key information on where, when, how much (where applicable) and contact details/ weblink for booking. When using other people’s photographs remember that • Copyright laws apply.
E VA L U AT E … Debrief with members of the team Consider what went well and what didn’t go so well Keep a note of what you learn
After your event, a debrief with members of the team can be really useful. Consider what went well and what didn’t go so well - any challenges that arose, how they were dealt with, and how best to mitigate them in the future. What was your customer feedback like and will you do something similar again? Keep a note of what you learn. It will be useful for future events and for sharing with partners and potentially funders.
RIGHT: WILD STRAWBERRIES
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USEFUL LINKS Foraging Guidelines
For legal guidelines‌
https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/planning-anddevelopment/social-and-economic-benefits-nature/food-anddrink/foraging
https://www.hse.gov.uk/legislation/hswa.htm
General Foraging Guidance, recipes and information
https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/allergen-guidancefor-food-businesses
http://www.gallowaywildfoods.com/ http://monicawilde.com/category/foraging-recipes/
https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/providing-food-atcommunity-and-charity-events
The SSC Code Wild Food: https://jenniemartin.co.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2019/03/The-SSC-Code-for-Web.pdf at www.jenniemartin.co.uk For food hygiene training and general advice: www.wendybarrie.co.uk
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@foragingfortnight/ /foragingfortnight/ @ForagingF www.foragingfortnight.co.uk
Photos ©Wendy Barrie Front and back cover photos ©Leanne Townsend Design by Arken Creative RIGHT: APPLE BLOSSOM BACK COVER PHOTO: WILD WEED CHILLED SOUP
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This toolkit was produced using Scottish Government and EU LEADER programme funds with support from NatureScot, as part of Foraging Fortnight. The project encourages you to enjoy Scotland’s rural landscape through responsible foraging and adherence to the Outdoor Access Code. Scottish Rural Development Programme
