What a year for Rowan blossom!! The trees are just covered with frothy white flowers at the moment. As we move through the seasons with different botanicals coming into bloom wanted to share my ultimate floral syrup recipe for capturing these seasonal flavours for...
This Salsa Verde recipe celebrates the fresh flavours of common wild greens found in lawns & meadows when given the chance to grow - in celebration of #NoMowMay WHAT YOU’LL NEED.. Makes a 250g jar (approx) 40g blanched Nettle leaves 50g Common Sorrel leaves...
Taking part in #NoMowMay !? You'll soon notice all sorts of plants starting to pop up in your developing meadow! Many will go on to flower providing an invaluable source of pollen, nectar & habitat for invertebrates as well as seeds for birds. However, did...
A St.Patrick's Day Souffle - featuring a layer of wild seasonal greens followed by a creamy heart of goats cheese & roasted cashew nuts & finally topped with a fluffy golden hat - this edible Tricolour makes the perfect dish to enjoy on the 17th March! WHAT...
It's been so mild of late that wild garlic is ripe for picking with lush clumps of these gorgeous wild edible greens already emerging in drifts. Use whichever form of Wild Garlic you have in your garden or hedgerows locally now - either Ramsons (Allium ursinum) or...
Despite February's icy winds, snow & driving rain, the first brave three cornered leek has started to emerge in the woods! This recipe is a celebration of this first flush of these delicious greens & have been my go-to for super quick lunches alongside soups...
With the last of the Autumn leaves falling, Winter berries not only bring bursts of colour but can provide an essential food source for wildlife & some even a crop of amazing flavours for you to enjoy too! Here I share a few of my favourite Winter berries.. Native...
This month, I'm sharing a recipe that celebrates Summer here in West Cork where the colorful bell-shaped blooms of Fuchsia have filled hedgerows to become the regions emblem. Blended with the zing of some citrus & earthy thyme leaves, these refreshing...
This is the most incredible year for Rowan / Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia) berries so wanted to celebrate the glut with a nifty 2 - way recipe for enjoying them! The bad news is Rowan berries contain Parasorbic acid which is irritates the gut lining, the good news...
What connects capers, coffee, crisp salads & cream teas!? - It's the humble Dandelion! Dandelion are one of the most versatile wild botanicals, we make coffee with the roots, salad with the shoots, capers with the buds & sweet treats with the blooms,...
Here's my recipe for making your own boozy wild berry liquor. This liquor can be enjoyed on its own or in the most amazing warming Winter brews & bakes. If you've collected lots of berries, then make a big batch & bottle as homemade Christmas prezzies. What...
Esk Mountain is lucky enough to have many old apple trees which land as a glut each Autumn. To celebrate the harvest & inspire you to make the most of yours, here are my five favourite ways to preserve apples for enjoying over the months ahead. 1. Apple...
Like Redbush tea!? Then you're going to love Fireweed tea! It has the sweetness of Redbush but with the body of black tea. Naturally decaf so it makes a lovely evening brew & best of all it's made from a wild plant spilling out of the hedgerows at the...
We have lots of different living willow structures around Esk from fedges (fence hedges!) to harlequin willow trees! My favourite thing about them is that they don't rot in our damp climate! Unlike other cut timber features, living willow structures actually get...
Drunk all your sloe gin, wild strawberry brandy or blackberry vodka over the Christmas period!? You'll likely be left with a bottle of boozy berries. Instead of sending them straight to the compost bin, save the berries to make a Slither! Read...
