It’s that time of year again when you can go into the wild to pick out some exciting foods. In the rural counties across the Scottish Highlands, autumn offers you an excellent opportunity to get access to some countryside produces.

What Does Autumn Foraging Mean?

In the simplest of terms, autumn foraging can be defined as an act of harvesting and exploring wild foods. You can make your way onto the hills if you wish to get a glimpse of some wild berries and other edible stuff. Autumn brings with it some of the tastiest fruits such as blackberries, elderberries, and sloe berries. Apple-laden trees also happen to be a common sight during autumn.  The likes of rowan fruits, rose hips, hazelnuts, etc. can also be found during autumn.

Here’s How You Can Start

You have a multitude of wild fruits to choose from.  A lot of these fruits are safe to eat, and can be used to make jellies, marmalades, jams, etc. but there are a lot of fruits and berries that are not edible and can also contain poison. It is advisable that you venture into the woods with an expert. They'd be able to tell you what’s edible and what’s not.  If the weather allows, you can spend a day out-of-doors and explore different types of wild fruits and berries.

The Dos and Don’ts

  • It is important to avoid toxic plants
  • Avoid over-foraging
  • Also, it is advisable to carry a guidebook to keep track of all the wild produce that you may come across
  • Do not forget to wash the items that have been foraged

The Requirements

Your Kit Would Include:

  • Scissors
  • A pocket knife
  • A container to collect the produce
  • Walking shoes
  • A long-sleeved top
  • Trousers
  • Gloves to protect yourself from thorns

Foraging is a preferred pastime during autumn. People, irrespective of their age and gender, enjoy venturing into the wild to pick some delicious wild produce. Children rarely travel as far as adults in search of foods. Also, if you are undertaking foraging on your own, it would be free.

Some Recipes You Can Try

Horse Mushrooms

Cooking some fresh mushrooms and adding them to your salads is definitely a good option. You can even make mushroom soup if you like.

Ceps

Some fresh ceps can be paired with potatoes. You can cook them using olive oil and garnish them using garlic and butter. Ceps can be served along with some grilled meat.

Some Pickled Brambles Sound Good

Pickled brambles can be preserved for long. You can take around 1 kilogram of blackberries. After you’ve taken the blackberries, take about 500 grams of sugar (granulated), and boil it along with 250ml of white wine vinegar. Now, add your blackberries and simmer it until they get soft. You can then put it into jars which are sterilised. Boil the syrup until it is thick.

Sloe Berries

Sloe berries are perfect for those planning to make gin liqueur. You can store a considerable amount of sloe berries and use them in the future for making liqueur. These berries can also be frozen.

All these foods can be used to add a pinch of newness and excitement to your everyday preparations.