Caught Red Handed!

The Red Hand Gang

Blackberries are out everywhere now in the UK and our kids have been munching them by the handful when and wherever they spot them. We also made some rather tasty Blackberry Muffins.

Beautiful Blackberries

However, our favourites, for this time of year, are the more difficult to find, Mulberries. Many people have never even had the pleasure of tasting a Mulberry and people often ask us what we are picking when we go out hunting for them.

Marvellous Mulberries

Apparently the trees were introduced into the UK by King James, in an effort to break the grip that China had on the silk trade (silk worms eat the leaves of the White Mulberry tree) but something got lost in translation and so hundreds of Black and Red Mulberry trees were imported and planted in estates and gardens all over England. This was unfortunate for King James and the hungry silkworms but very lucky for us!

It can be difficult to harvest these juicy berries without getting coated in the sweet syrupy juice but walking home, looking as if you may have recently committed murder, is all part of the fun really.

You do need to be careful not to get the juice on your clothes and your footwear will inevitably clogged with crushed fallen fruit, so you need to be cautious on arriving home.

Picking Mulberries in a Southampton Park

A large proportion of what we pick gets eaten straight off the tree but I do manage to bring some home for baking and other experimental processes. This year my daughter helped to create a Mulberry Clafoutis (basically a giant oven-baked pancake), which made an exotic and very tasty seasonal pudding.

Mulberry Clafoutis 

I always like to steep a jar of Mulberries in gin and this produces an irresistible and very attractive ruby red liquor - the only trouble with this drink being that it tastes almost too good.

Quick, call security, someone is stealing the University's Mulberries!

Beautiful Backberries

The Head Chef has been working her magic again. Using the stockpile of Tayberries from our allotment, Strawberries and a load of Redcurrants from my Mum's garden, she created the quintessential Summer Pudding... Yum!

Fortunately, I managed to persuade her to omit the Blackcurrants that we also picked, but which I cannot abide and these were summarily transformed into several jars of jam.

By the time you have finished picking your plump plums, eaten your pies and stashed the jam, and chutney safely away in the larder, you will soon notice that there is a positive glut of beautiful Blackberries in the hedgerows near you.

Suddenly those prickly invasive briars and knobbly green fruit have become the source of everyone’s favourite seasonal fruit. The nation’s mind turns fondly toward towards picnics and Blackberry picking. During the Summer holidays, almost everyone becomes a forager, if only a short while.

At the same time, if you look closely, you will notice the emerald green Hazelnuts ripening in the Hazel bushes. They are well camouflaged, but if you lift the leaves, you will see them nestling amongst the foliage.

When you observe the squirrel nibbled shells on the pavement, you know that the time is nearing for harvesting these delicious - nutritious nuts. They should ripen toward the end of August - beginning of September. 

It is easy to gather vast amounts of ripe brown Hazelnuts, as long as you pay attention, identify the trees and remember where they are; they will keep well and can be used in many different ways.

Elderberries will be ripening around this time too. I normally make wine from them but there are many more recipes to be utilised and there is never a shortage of these shiny purple black beauties, as long as you get there before the blackbirds.

Choose the Best Jacket

Well the solar eclipse was a bit of a damp (cloudy) squib where we were, but never mind there's a lunar eclipse in September and another solar one coming to the UK in 84 years or so...

Meanwhile, something that requires more immediate attention is choosing your favourite book cover from the 3 images below. 
Please leave feedback and select your favourite, there will be a free signed book in the post for the most helpful comments, when they actually arrive.

Number One, Seasons

Number Two, Cherries

Number Three, Illustration

We hope you like the look of these book jackets. 
Please do leave comments, it really helps. 
I think it is a difficult choice, but that is a good thing.

Bramble Bushes Bursting with Beautiful Big Blackberries

It’s that time of year again!

Big, fat juicy Blackberries are currently ripening on the commons, parks, hedgerows and gardens all over the place.

Most of the year Brambles are nothing more than a pain in the… Well, it depends on where they have snagged you really.

But come the hot and hazy days of Summer, especially during August the briers suddenly become our nation’s favourite plant.

Conveniently this splendid event occurs during the school holidays and wise families all over the country set out with suitable boxes and bags, often backed up with a picnics and bottles of drink.

They return later, tired and happy, smeared in juice, proudly displaying their battle scars of stinging nettle and thorn assaults.

The rewards are full boxes and bags, now bursting with berries, ready to be eaten, frozen or cooked into some delicious pudding or preserve. The best way to freeze blackberries is to lay them on a baking tray in the freezer, then transfer them into bags once frozen hard. This keeps the individual fruits separate and easy to apportion for future use.

What’s not to like?

Get out there now!

P.S.

It looks as if there might be a bumper crop this year of Hazelnuts and Walnuts some Hazelnuts are already ripe.

Squashed Blackberries!

During a quick visit to our shared allotment, the children soon picked and devoured the last of the Summer Raspberries and Blueberries, which had been safely tucked up inside the fruit cage. The Autumn Raspberries and Tayberry bush were looking good and strong and both needed tying to wire frames and stakes.

The real surprise though was the Squash plant, which had been busily growing all over the place. A quick rummage under the dense foliage exposed a couple of fat, weighty vegetables as well as several smaller versions and flowers steadily developing.

After a stint of weeding and cutting, I realised that the place had turned surprisingly peaceful; the children had vanished. I eventually found them delving about the boundary fence, their faces and hands smeared with so much Blackberry juice that I nearly phoned the emergency services.

I persuaded them to gather some to take home and supplied appropriate Tupperware boxes. True to form the kids quickly redeemed more from the hedgerows surrounding the plot than from our attempts at cultivation (I left the squash to fatten further).

We froze most of the sweet, shiny hoard for later on but as a reward the pickers had Blackberries and Bananas with Ice Cream for pudding that night. This is a dish I can wholeheartedly recommend and it makes a refreshing change from the old favourites of Blackberry & Apple pie/crumble; both of which I also find great pleasure in.

About this time of year, everyone should also be keeping their eyes open for Hazelnuts and Walnuts (id Sheet now updated), which will be ripening imminently.

Blackberry Ban Battered!

In a bizzare case of, I fought the law and there was none, the city council have stated that there are in fact no laws banning the picking of fruit by families and friends on Southampton Common.

Hurrah!

In fact, it turns out that the very designation as Common Land (the clue was in the name), allows locals to use it for fuel, clay and taking berries and other wild natural food. Hopefully this will put the argument to bed and everyone can Keep Calm and Carry On, enjoying the wonderful green breathing spaces that Southampton is rightly famous for, in a respectful and appropriate way.

Saturday's Sun Newspaper
(Click Image to Download Shaun Aquilina's Wave FM Report)

According to an article in Thursdays’s Daily Echo a new code of conduct is to be drawn up to clarify proper behaviour regarding the Common and the Urbane Forager is to be invited to contribute to it.  Rest assured, I will press for the inclusion of a clause stipulating that family berry, nut and fruit picking should be allowed; although I would personally object to boar (or even squirrel) hunting, brick making (currently allowed apparently) or damaging woodland in the pursuit of fuel.

Front Page of the Telegraph Friday 7th Oct 2011
We Know Which News is The Most Important

I would like to stress that I have never had any personal issues with the City Council, the Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre or the maintenance staff that do such a lovely job of keeping our wonderful parks and common so beautiful, I simply wanted clarification of the bye laws.

I would especially like to thank Matt Smith and Sally Churchward of the Echo for their support and Shaun Aquilina of Wave 105 FM. Of course, everyone who supported the the campaign, visited the blog or told people, played their part and I thank you all. It seems that the article went "Viral" and spread, rather like blackberry jam.

Here is where our story has been so far...

Daily Echo

Daily Telegraph including Saturday's front page!

The Daily Mail

BBC News including South Today on BBC1 TV

This is Hampshire

IT News Post (possibly a mistake?)