WILD INSPIRATION

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.

REMEMBER TO PHOTOGRAPH WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO HOST TO SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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 Isle of Skye Sea Salt & freshly milled black pepper Cairn O’Mhor Shrubbery Wine (foraged berries) Home made elderberry jelly

Wild raspberries, dandelions, marjoram, sorrel and violets grow wild near us - delicious and aromatic for any salad.

BELOW: FORAGED SALAD

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.

ABOVE: ROWANBERRIES RIGHT: ROSEHIPS

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 chocolate until thick. • Place a rowanberry in each paper case then pipe in truffle.

Top with a second rowanberry.

LEGISLATION…

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. 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.

Risk assessment:

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.

CHANTERELLE

BLAEBERRIES

Alcohol:

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.

Wild foods:

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. ‘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!