Amazing foraging day

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Amazing foraging day

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joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 13 9:32 pm Post subject: Amazing foraging day

We went out blackberrying today and only came back with about 3lb of blackberries, so as we had walked 4 or 5 miles to get said blackberries I was a little disappointed although we'd had a nice walk

However we then went over to C's sisters to get what I thought was a few damsons, which turned out to be 2 huge carrier bags full of damsons, a bag of plums, a bag of rosa rugosa hips, and a huge bag of cooking apples plus next week I can go pick a shed load of pears that aren't fit for eating as they've got blemishes but will make fabulous juice for perry

I've had to ask my Dad if I can commandeer some space in his freezers to fit it all in until I have time to deal with it properly as my freezers are full of roasted tomato and courgette sauce!

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Sun Sep 22, 13 10:03 pm Post subject:

I found a bag of pears on my doorstep (I'm assuming they were left by my neighbour who gets oppressed by them every year). Then I went to my brother's only to be given a pile of apples that my Mother had palmed off on him. So I went to Mum's too and got a load more apples! They've now all been juiced and some of it frozen. I also picked a couple of parasols while walking the dog, so they have been dried and jarred.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15993

Posted: Mon Sep 23, 13 7:02 am Post subject:

The blackberries in the garden are pretty well over, but there is any amount of other stuff around still. The elderberries seem to have come at the same time as everything else this year rather than earlier. I am resisting picking more stuff as I don't want to make more jam and wine than we can use, but am very tempted by the elderberries and the recipe for damson, blackberry and elderberry port, although I think I would put fewer elderberries in as I don't like the roughness, even after leaving for a few years.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Mon Sep 23, 13 9:59 am Post subject:

damson vodka

Prick the damsons a few times then pack into a large jar. Pour in as much sugar as you can get in, tapping the jar down on the counter to encourage it it. Once full of sugar, fill again with vodka

It's like one of those twee sayings, you already filled the jar with damsons and sugar, and yet you get get some vodka in - however full your life is, there is always room for vodka

Anyways, make it now, it will be ready by Christmas. Drink neat as sickly sweet shots, or dilut with vodka, or top up with fizzy wine or fizzy water... etc

and the stoned damons, all vodkay, are ace dipped in chocolate as homemade liqueuer chocs

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Mon Sep 23, 13 11:35 am Post subject:

I'm going to make Damson Gin, Damson Vodka and I like the look of Plum and Damson Ketchup, Damson Jam and Damson Chutney - I may need to go back and see if I can get some more! Especially as I can't stop eating them as they are so sweet and delicious

I'm also hoping to make some Rosehip syrup and again if it turns out well I can go and get loads more hips, the huge bag full we picked barely made a dent on the hedge

And Apples, to be honest I don't want to do anything with the apples apart from cook them down so that we have loads of apple sauce in the freezer, I prefer crab apples for jelly as they set better and I've loads of them in my garden.

Pears - now the pears that are there are badly affected by scab but there are hundreds of them, I'm assuming I can use them for chutney OK and to make some pear wine rather than perry.

Actually I'll start another thread about the Pear Wine

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