The Worldwide Forager

Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea)

The origin of hollyhocks is a mystery. Many botanists claim that they originated in China, but no one really seems to know. Many slightly different forms can be found in the wild in southern Europe and Turkey. They belong to the Malvaceae group which includes: Lavatera, Althea, Abutilon and Hibiscus. Many hollyhocks are edible and well known, especially for use in making drinks. They can easily be grown from seed and very often will naturalise on their own without help. They are biannual, normally flowering over a very long season in their second year.

The flower petals have a delicate flavour and are varied in hue, which allows you to add touches of colour to salads. As they flower from late spring to winter you can make use of them for a great part of the year, using the colour you choose to supplement and make your salads more appetising.

Hollyhock Salad

A sharp tasty salad topped with gorgeous hollyhock petals from your garden.

Seeds of a large pomegranate (I squeeze the half portion and the seeds pop out freely)

12 physalis (I call them Chinese Gooseberries, which dates me!) cut in half or quarters, with the remains of the stem removed

1 kohlrabi grated

Mix the ingredients together well to evenly distribute the pomegranate seeds and then decorate lavishly with hollyhock petals. Drizzle with your favourite dressing. I go for olive oil and the juice of a red grapefruit.

Summer Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius)

This mushroom is rightly the toast of foragers all over the northern hemisphere. However, take care when collecting. The most important and key, distinctive feature of these mushrooms is the way the rather primitive gills run right down the stem (decurrent). Horrible mistakes have been made in the past by ignoring this distinguishing characteristic. Failure to do so and eating mushrooms with normal gills can fatally block the kidneys.

Winter Chanterelles Yellow Legs (Cantharellus tubeformis)

These smaller, but very distinctive mushrooms, have only partially decurrent gills, but very remarkable long yellow stems. They can often be found as late as December in wet places.

Chanterelles and bacon

This is the perfect combination, for breakfast for four.

16 large chanterelles cut in four, or triple that number of winter chanterelles

8 bacon rashers cut in strips of a similar size to the mushrooms

2 small onions finely chopped

Fry the onions in a little oil until they start to go transparent, then add the bacon, and cook for a further 2 or 3 minutes. Then add in the mushrooms, flavour with pepper and salt and sprinkle in some fresh thyme if you have it.

Serve on sourdough bread toast, and be generous with the juices, as they will soak into the bread.