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cheshire~rose

By cheshire~rose
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cheshire~rose Veteran II

cheshire~roseDonate to Canal World

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I know every year there is a question comes around about sloe gin on this forum and I know the receipes often include an "in season" ingredient which may be picked up cheaply at times of glut or harvested for free from the hedgerows but I wonder just how many people who consider themselves cc'ers or live abaord boaters really do make use of the amazing harvest that is available for free.

 

We are only on board for a week but I am harvesting sloes ready for the gin. The blackberries are almost over but at each lock or mooring I usually mange to gather a handful. I pop each handful in ice compartment of the fridge until there are sufficient handfuls to make something worthwhile. We were able to harvest some great apples (windfalls) from the gateway of an abandoned waterworks site and I am collecting conkers in the hope they will banish the spiders from the boat (or at least reduce the numbers.

There are so many elderberries and yet (apart from wine) I don't know about anything I can use them for. The crab apples are doing well too for anyone wishing to make some wine or jam.

Today we walked along the feeder canal for the Caldon - beautifuly clear fast running water with lots of watercress. I picked a good bunch and made some watercress soup - yum!

Also I have been really pleased at the range available in the farm shops. I bought 1kg of small tomatoes (freshly picked) for .99p and a humungous cauliflower for .89p at Great Haywood. At the new Aston marina (near Stone)they have a wonderful range of produce (although some might be considered a tad pricy by some) I bought ham hock for £2.35 which i popped into a casserole with onion, garlic, carrots and a generous spoonful of wholegrain mustard then popped it on the top of the stove while cruising. the resulting meal went down very nicely indeed!

I am really extremely excited at the prospect of stocking the cupboards with the type of basics to enhance just about anyting you can pick up that looks good and is in season when we can cruise longer term. Is this just a pipe dream or do those who are on the move all the time actually get fed up with the free food?

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Christine Proficient

Christine

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A neighbour has just left a bag of Damsons on my doorstep picked from a tree on his golf course. (in exchange for mushrooms that I had found in the cow field).

 

If anyone is on the on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal I found loads of damsons on my last trip, on the tow path, which are good for jam, Damson Gin (as for sloes) and chutney.

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RLWP Veteran II

RLWP

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A neighbour has just left a bag of Damsons on my doorstep picked from a tree on his golf course. (in exchange for mushrooms that I had found in the cow field).

 

If anyone is on the on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal I found loads of damsons on my last trip, on the tow path, which are good for jam, Damson Gin (as for sloes) and chutney.

 

Damson cheese too. It's like a thick jam you can slice with a knife. Sue has the recipe

 

Richard

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NB Alnwick Veteran II

NB Alnwick

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I've collected over 25lb of damsons from the towpath around Wrenbury and made buckets of jam and chutney...all the more delicious 'cause the main ingredient'sf free!

 

Damsons make nice pies too they have a much richer flavour than the bloated and overpriced plumbs sold in supermarkets - I think the fruit that can be found free at this time of the year is the best there is . . .

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Boatgypsy Collaborator

Boatgypsy

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We love elderflower lemonade, can't get enough of it, make it in lemonade bottles to take the pressure. We had to leave the the boat for a few weeks recently and on going back thought the EL would have burst the bottles or gone off but it was gorgeous.

Some of the best hedgerow stuff doesn't get used much at all. I've just picked a couple of pounds of wild hops this afternoon - that'll be in a nice ale shortly.

 

I make jams and jelly with the usual fruits - apples, blackberry, damsons - but I also like Guelder Rose berries, hawthorn and rose hips in jam. Elderberries also make good jam mixed with blackberries. I've had so many blackberries this year, I'm actually getting a bit fed up with apple and blackberry crumble - having just eaten another two bowlfuls!

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cheshire~rose Veteran II

cheshire~roseDonate to Canal World

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We love elderflower lemonade, can't get enough of it, make it in lemonade bottles to take the pressure. We had to leave the the boat for a few weeks recently and on going back thought the EL would have burst the bottles or gone off but it was gorgeous.

 

How do you make this? just add elderberries to lemondae or start with lemons and elderberry? It sounds lovely!

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  • 2 weeks later...
David Mack Veteran II

David MackDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

I know every year there is a question comes around about sloe gin on this forum and I know the receipes often include an "in season" ingredient which may be picked up cheaply at times of glut or harvested for free from the hedgerows but I wonder just how many people who consider themselves cc'ers or live abaord boaters really do make use of the amazing harvest that is available for free.

 

Apparently its against elfin safety to pick free food unsupervised. Clicky.

 

David

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