Go Wild

For years, foraging was associated with bearded, be-sandalled chaps of a certain age, rummaging through autumnal mists to find the perfect mushroom. Then along came Noma, the groundbreaking Copenhagen restaurant, and “food for free” was given an overnight image reboot. Suddenly, foraging was synonymous with foodie modernity: fresh, local ingredients rediscovered on your doorstep. Robin Harford, founder of EatWeeds, Britain’s leading wild-food website, extols the virtues of foraging – on both emotional and gastronomic grounds – with a passion. “I know the power of reconnecting to nature. From a de-stressing point of view, it’s one of the most pleasurable things you can do. And this isn’t famine-survival food: there are gourmet flavours in the hedgerow that we are missing. It encourages you to approach food with a totally different mindset. You get given what you get given by nature. I take lots of chefs out on courses and they love it, because it really challenges them. Wild plants normally have a really short window of opportunity: you go out in the morning and it’s on the table at night.”

With chalk hills, plentiful woodlands, sheltered valleys and a salty coastline, Sussex is especially blessed with a great diversity of wild food – and summer is a great time to get exploring. Harford runs courses across the country, including Sussex – just outside Midhurst – but interestingly, also in London. “It’s not about travelling miles; it’s about going out of your front door and getting to know your place, your local history, and finding plants that allow you to eat healthily and supplement your diet. Wild plants are two to three times more nutrient-dense than anything you can buy.”

Clearly, it’s important you know what you are picking. Harford suggests a course is a good idea and says that books such as Harrap’s Wild Flowers and Richard Mabey’s classic Food For Free remain invaluable guides. But then it’s down to getting out there and building your knowledge. “It’s like a detective game,” Harford says gleefully, “and eating becomes a sensual experience.” 

This article is taken from the Goodwood magazine, Summer 2017 issue