This savoury elderberry recipe is delicious alongside cheeses and as a salad option. I love it as a warming side dish with sausages and mashed potatoes which perfect for autumn and winter! It keeps well for several months too. About Elderberries Elderberries contain anti-viral properties but shouldn't be eaten raw (they can cause stomach upsets). […]

Foraging is only a part of our human nature. This new book, which I am a contributing author to, celebrates the nature of our bodies to: express, create, connect, heal and move. My chapter explore the nature of being human. How connecting to our bodies, animals, plants, minerals and the elements can deepen our experience […]

Wild and Sweet is the book I always wanted to write. The idea came to me about 12 years ago (2010) when I was inspired to create my first Nettle and Honey cake. It looked and smelt great when I took it out of the oven. I let it cool a little then wrapped the […]

The light flavour of pears matches the summer scent of elderflowers perfectly in this delicious elderflower and pear jam! I've made it in jam sandwiches for participants on my summer foraging courses and bespoke forays. I also love it in my double elderflower doughnuts. So let me get straight to the point and share this […]

A short video about foraging in Autumn and talking about how I got into foraging, the benefits and how to get started. This was a fun video to make on a rainy, Cornish morning and is perfect if you're new to foraging. Discover my answers to the following general questions about foraging; How did I […]

‘Oh my god’ – is the standard response to the first mouthful of these. Everyone knows that chocolate tastes good, but the additional richness of elderberry in these light, fluffy and hot desserts makes these utterly irresistible. They're also happen to be gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free and free from refined sugars, not too sweet and very, […]

I'm amazed how different raw and cooked elderberries taste. As a forager I should know that cooking can transform wild, unpleasant flavours into something exquisite, though still I'm amazed! Raw, elderberries are 'meh' and eating too many can cause a stomach upset. I actually will only eat a couple, as I've had adverse effects from […]

Wow, they're pink! Pink elderflowers with beautiful dark purple, almost black foliage and the flowers smell like elderflowers - what a find! But are they edible? Black beauty, Black lace, Sambucus nigra, f. porphyrophylla 'Gerda' are an ornamental subspecies of Elder. Their flowers smell lemony and they're a stunner to look at! They are often bought and […]

Elderberry Jelly is full of antiviral properties that can stave off some strains of flu and shorten the duration of others. It's particularly useful for the elderly and young children. Elderberries are the fruits of the elder tree, which are a member of the umbellifer family. Correct identification is essential. Elderberries should always be cooked. […]

Here I discuss my love of Elder and how we can take care of this richly providing plant. As September arrives and passes, I love to see the decadent fruit of the Elder tree (Sambucus nigra); heavily laden fruits, dropping off her flexible branches. I considerate it a non-alcoholic equivalent to red wine, such is […]

All of us desire different things, though many of us desire something similar, something so simple and plain it is almost intangible. I desire freedom; freedom to be creative, to be myself and nature has become my tool to do this. It's an initiation, I feel, an initiation into freedom that comes from spending time […]

Pretty aren't they! And a lovely scent (as long as they haven't passed their prime, in which case they'll smell like cat pee). Though this blog isn't about the pretty things, it is about how to know when to pick elder flowers, and when to leave them. These are some of the tricks that foragers […]

Elderflower cordial is the ultimate summer drink, scent and medicine. As I sit here in my kitchen I'm enjoying their light, dreamy scent wafting across the room, of the ones I picked this morning. Summer foraging for elderflowers is almost as popular as blackberries in autumn, or wild garlic in spring, and all for good […]

Enjoying a combination of new sights & tastes & feeling reassured by how many wild edibles we share with mainland Europe    Back in Spring, I felt inspired to plan a trip to Europe, lured by stories of ice-cold mountain lakes, lots of outdoors people, armfuls of wild berries & mountains... Over the last few […]