You can't miss the wild garlic or ransom. Even if you don't recognise the flowers you will be able to smell them. They are growing along many of the verges in the road to the loch as well as running rampant at the bottom of the garden. Where they have been cut back the smell is particularly pungent. The leaves are considered quite a delicacy. Chefs use them in salads and there are even recipes for wild garlic bread.
I have to say that I haven't been brave enough to try any of these recipes yet. There are more interesting recipes for foraged food on the Salaric Cooking blog.
There are others who have been getting food for free. On the walk to the village this morning just as I was approaching the hall I found a couple of empty, broken egg shells. There were still traces of yellow yolk indicating that these had been fairly newly laid and plundered. In the trees by the gate there were a couple of blackbirds getting very agitated and I spotted a jackdaw feeding in some long grass nearby. I'm pretty sure he must be the culprit and was systematically raiding the poor blackbird's nest. They will have to find somewhere a bit more secure if they are to raise a brood this year. I put the remains of a shell on the post to get a picture.
there are so many recipes and articles mentioning wild garlic at the moment; does it spread singificantly in the garden?
ReplyDeleteThe ransom is pretty rampant in the damper shadier areas at the bottom of the garden and has spread through the hedge into the road verge on the other side. Although luxuriant in the areas it likes it does not seem to have seeded itself in other areas of the garden. If you would like to come along and dig some up you're more then welcome. There's plenty to spare!!
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