Feeding 'civilians'

[cab]

Having wild and home grown ingredients is pretty much the norm in our house. And I sort of don't distinguish much between their use - they're just 'ingredients'.

But I've found that when I feed others there are a range of responses to this, from amazed reverence to enthusiastic 'must try this' all the way through to slight horror at the thought of a mushroom that isn't from Tesco.

So I tend to warn people that produce is either home grown or foraged. Few problems with wild blackberries or spuds from the plot, of course. Occasionally someone is nervous of wild cherry plums or callaloo I've grown, and I've had some very polite not eating of shrooms... 

Naturally, if its something where there's a rare problem where people may not get on with the food stuff I warn them. So while most of my friends have now eaten parasols, each has been told before hand that not everyone gets on with them. Same goes for chicken of the woods (although I've only encountered a problem with that once, never with parasols!).  

How do you folk deal with this subject? Does it arise for you at all? Do you present people a plate of tasty weeds as a side-salad or is that just me?

[edenwildfood]

ive had family find out theyve had nettles in a risotto through my facebook page lol.

[emmac]

I never serve foraged fayre to folk, I'd much rather keep it all for me and my family

I have picked my Dad some brambles, he asked if I picked the high up ones (dog pee)... I reminded him I'm an experienced forager!

I've only prepared wilds for a friend that's also a forager.

[Brewforagegrow]

I resent having to share half my mushroom hauls with the wife, so you can guess how little foraged fair I've shared with others!

Saying that I do share quite a bit, but normally in processed form. Noone seems to mind the fact that the main ingredients in their wine or spirits were picked by me, and they seem a lot happier with foraged goods if it's sweet (fruit leather for instance).

I do now have to grow something unusual each year for the guys at work though, they seem even more receptive to that and now expect something "different" each year. Electric daisies, cucamelons, that type of thing.

[foragingmouse]

I get a strange kind of pride when serving foraged food I've had good feedback and even had requests which is nice

[lucyblack]

What I've found really nice is that my other half's kids are REALLY receptive to wild foods. There's a 16 yr old boy and a 12 yr old girl. They're even happy to try things like garlic mustard straight from the plant. Plus the boy is really into catering at school - he wants to become a chef, and he obviously pays attention and remembers things - wood sorrell is his favourite. Ocassionally we'll be out a walk and they point stuff out 'Lucy, isn't that such and such....' It's pretty cool. We found some wild mint the other weekend and I was surprised that they tried the mint tea I made from it. They don't always like things, but they always try. And it's so handy having willing volunteers to pick - especially just now for tricky jaggy things like sloes and brambles, where little hands can get into wee nooks and crannies that big adult hands can't!

I'm also part of a few walking groups, and on one spring walk, we'd stopped for a break right next to some wood sorrell so of course I was having a wee munch at it, and quite a few of the folk were asking what I was doing. Then for the rest of the walk they were really interested in what other edibles we were passing. Given it was spring time there was loads - garlic mustard, ramsons, hogweed shoots and the likes. It was lovely to be able to share the limited stuff I know, and see other people getting enthusiastic about it.

The folk at work already think I'm weird anyway, so they're kinda used to seeing me eating strange stuff. And my family have been cool too - one of my sisters even came on a foraging course with me :-)