June truly is a forager’s paradise! As lilacs and magnolias die back, new edible flowers welcome warmer temperatures with their sweet smelling blooms, including black locust (pictured above), elderflower, dame’s rocket, beach rose and linden. Seasonings and herbs like peppergrasses and mints beg to be added to salads, pickles and wild crafted cocktails or mocktails. And salt marshes explode with succulent, salty treasures including samphire. orache, sea beans and beach peas.
You’ve just hit the mushroom mother-load. But now an intimidating thought creeps into your head – how do I preserve my wild harvest? Worry no more! After years of trial and error, research, testing and constant experimentation, I’ve come up with some tips and tricks to help you fully enjoy your foraged fungi.
Summer has kicked off with a bang! Last month’s record-breaking heat coaxed out the first fungi of the season including Chicken of the Woods, Berkeley’s Polypore (pictured right), and Black Staining Polypore. This week’s steady rain forecast opens up the potential for a solid Black Trumpet and Chanterelle harvest.