Allotments 4 All

Quote from: Amazin on August 03, 2005, 00:40:21
My brother's palate was even more advanced in his formative years and I believe he was the first (and only) member of our brood to eat 'live' spaghetti...

One of my sisters used to eat ants. (crawly currants she said) Never fancied them myself, nor live spaghetti.

Its the same story here, lots of wild fruit trees, totally untouched because people just don't see it or know what it is. I was amazed at first that the local kids haven't twigged that the red berries on the trees all around are in fact cherries. Now I just ignore the puzzled looks of passersby & pick bags full to make cherry crumble or eat fresh. Wild plums & sloes & later in the year hazelnuts are good too. At the right time of year young shoots from bulrushes are an unusual vegetable - used to be eaten commonly in england & called cossack's asparagus.

I'd love to go and pick some bilberries/whinberries but have no idea whether there is anywhere they grow around here. Anyone know of somewhere within striking distance of Bedfordshire?

Maybe we should try scrumping Brussells Sprouts instead ;D

We've got wild blackberry bushes which dominate further end of our plot.We look forward to every Aug to pick some free fruit :).

I made this ↓ blackberry mousse the other day.It was divine!

KT  that looks gorgeous! :D

Will you post the recipe please?  I wouldn't mind giving that a try........... ;D

KT    that looks lovely  :)  I'm hanging on to some wild brambles on my plot too and have dug some up from the middle of the plot and planted them in the hedge.  They seem to have rooted and there's some fruit - not ripe yet but they're getting there.


So peeps with brambly lotties don't get rid of all of them.  They're free food after all  :)

Hi,cyrilsquirrel

Got your message.I see you're dying to try this out. ;D

Forgot to mention but it's actually blackberry YOGURT mousse.

I haven't got a recipe for it as I made it up  :P so can't really tell you how much of what to add.Not much of a recipe but here's how.If you'd like it richer,you can add some more cream.This will give you not-so-rich mousse.   

Makes 2/3 servings - measured by the eye ;D

[Ingredients]

blackberries       300g(pureed by blender then sieved)
plain yogurt       150g
double cream    100g or less(whipped)
sugar                 ?(add some and taste to your liking)
gelatine             used a 11g sachet 
water                about 2 tablespoons

Mix together the blackberry puree and the yogurt+sugar,fold in the whipped cream.Dissolve the gelatine in the water then add it to the mixure.Chill in the fridge for about 2 hrs.

Good luck!

Blackberries are very good for us and contain more fibre than other fruits  :)

Quote from: 70fingers on August 05, 2005, 23:22:28
I'd love to go and pick some bilberries/whinberries but have no idea whether there is anywhere they grow around here. Anyone know of somewhere within striking distance of Bedfordshire?

Maybe we should try scrumping Brussells Sprouts instead ;D

Try Mowsbury Golf Course in Bedford - is covered apparently!

Quote from: KT on August 13, 2005, 18:31:27
Hi,cyrilsquirrel

Got your message.I see you're dying to try this out. ;D

Forgot to mention but it's actually blackberry YOGURT mousse.

I haven't got a recipe for it as I made it up  :P so can't really tell you how much of what to add.Not much of a recipe but here's how.If you'd like it richer,you can add some more cream.This will give you not-so-rich mousse.   

Makes 2/3 servings - measured by the eye ;D

[Ingredients]

blackberries       300g(pureed by blender then sieved)
plain yogurt       150g
double cream    100g or less(whipped)
sugar                 ?(add some and taste to your liking)
gelatine             used a 11g sachet 
water                about 2 tablespoons

Mix together the blackberry puree and the yogurt+sugar,fold in the whipped cream.Dissolve the gelatine in the water then add it to the mixure.Chill in the fridge for about 2 hrs.

Good luck!

That is brilliant....thanks KT. 

Yum, I can't wait to get some more blackberries picked now!!! ;D

We finally went picking on Saturday. Went up to Epping Forest and got thoroughly lost looking for berries. It was almost like the plants were leading us to the best ones. There'd be lines of them and we'd wonder along picking the few that were there and then we'd find the mother load! (where's that Redclanger to accuse me of being a hippy!)

Managed to fill a 2litre ice cream tub.

Put most in the freezer and also made a purple cake (blackberry and apple). yum!

best to try to use blackberries which are only just ripe for jamming - they lose pectin as they get really ripe. I love the fruits at this time of year and make some delish autumn jellies using rosehips, rowan berries, crab-apples, blackberries and plums. And when it is free! bargain.

Just been picking some brambles from my lottie and am bearing the battlescars  :(. If I can stop the kids eating them when I'm out at work tomorrow having my first go at jamming.

The kids and I picked 4lbs of blackberries yesterday.

3lbs have gone into the freezer , and a 1lb into a blackberry mousse , courtesy of KT , and which is now setting in the fridge............yum  ;D

Picked about 4 or 5lbs of blackberries today with the kids in tow. They enjoyed it, apart from the nettles!

As I type, I'm drinking juice made from a handful of berries and an apple. But I'll freeze the rest tomorrow. You can't beat the taste of blackberry juice on a rainy, cold February day...