Autumn Foraging

We decided to go out for a walk and see what autumn goodies we could forage, but also keeping in mind that we might be a little late for most of the seasonal yummies. We knew we had missed the hazelnuts we had planned to collect but never got round to going and getting, but went out with our fingers crossed just in case we found other goodies.

We managed to find Chestnuts, although the squirrels were looking a bit miffed, but I promise there were so many, there was more than enough for us to take a few. We also found what must be the very last of the elderberries, because they should have been gone a while ago.

I decided to make more elderberry syrup because I had run out, but I over cooked it and now have what is the consistency of treacle. But it will do all the same in a cold remedy or to spread on toast, either is fine.

The chestnuts We will probably roast some, but I boiled half to make into Chestnut & Chocolate spread….. it was delicious but I’m telling you now, it wasn’t worth the effort! It is such hard work removing all the shells and attempting and failing to remove the skins. I used different methods of trying to blend to a ‘spreadable’ consistency, but in the end I had to use a hand blender. I added honey and melted chocolate and then it blended a bit easier. I managed to do what I set out to do, but it took me to long to bother trying to do it again.

Tony had been talking about starting off growing various trees, so he kept back some chestnuts to start them sprouting, we also collected acorns to start off some oak trees. It’s a good job they take a long time to grow, because we don’t have the land to put them in yet, but when we do, we’ll hopefully have some trees to plant.

We found the acorns already sprouting, so Tony put them straight into trays.