Urban Forage

🌿 STAGHORN SUMAC — Rhus typhina

One of my favourite autumn finds, and one of the most distinctive trees you can learn to identify.

Staghorn sumac is a North American species introduced to Britain and commonly grown as an ornamental tree. Its young branches are covered in a soft, velvety coating that gives them the appearance of a stag’s antlers. The pinnate leaves turn spectacular shades of red, orange and yellow, while the female trees produce dense, upright crimson clusters of fruit.

Those red fruiting heads are the bit we're interested in.

They have a naturally sharp, lemony acidity and can be used to make a refreshing sumac drink, or dried and processed into a tangy seasoning. Staghorn sumac isn't the same species traditionally used for the Middle Eastern spice commonly sold as sumac — that is generally Rhus coriaria — but Rhus typhina can be used in a similar culinary way.

🌿 How I harvest it responsibly

1. Identify it properly.
Don't harvest anything unless you're completely confident of the identification. Look for the hairy young stems, pinnate leaves and, most importantly, the characteristic upright red fruit clusters.

2. Get permission.
Don't assume that because something is growing beside a path or in a park it's yours to harvest. Check who owns or manages the land and whether there are local bylaws, site-specific restrictions or conservation designations.

3. Take only what you need.
I harvest individual fruiting heads rather than damaging branches or cutting the tree. Leave plenty behind for birds and natural regeneration.

4. Spread the harvest around.
Don't strip one tree completely. Take a small proportion from several healthy trees instead.

5. Choose clean fruit.
Avoid fruit growing beside busy roads, areas treated with chemicals, contaminated ground or places where dogs are regularly toileted.

🍋 Turning it into sumac

The fruiting heads can be dried and then rubbed or sieved to separate the useful red, acidic material from the seeds and stalks. The resulting powder gives you a wonderfully sharp, fruity seasoning.

You can also gently infuse the fresh fruiting heads in cold water to make a tart, refreshing drink.

🍄 AUTUMN FUNGI FORAGING — filmed 11th September 🍂

Autumn is one of the most incredible times to get out into the woods. The fungi are appearing everywhere — weird, wonderful, beautiful and sometimes seriously dangerous.

But remember: not every mushroom is food.

Some fungi can cause severe poisoning and a few UK species can be deadly. Identification isn't about whether something looks like a mushroom you've eaten before — it can require careful examination of multiple features, habitat, season and sometimes microscopic characteristics.

⚠️ My golden rule: if you aren't 100% certain of the identification, DON'T EAT IT.

📚 Do your own research. Use several reliable identification resources rather than relying on a single photo, social media post or AI identification.

🌱 Forage responsibly:
• Only take what you genuinely intend to use
• Leave plenty behind for wildlife and the ecosystem
• Don't pick rare or vulnerable species
• Avoid damaging the surrounding habitat or mycelium
• Check whether you're actually allowed to forage where you are
• Never assume that because something is edible, it should be collected in large quantities

Fungi are far more than food. They're a vital part of woodland ecosystems, and sometimes the best thing you can do is simply look, photograph and leave it where it is. 🍄🌳

This video is for education and entertainment — not a mushroom identification or eating guide.

Stay curious. Stay cautious. Leave plenty behind. ❤️

UKForag

🌼 Stop overlooking the humble dandelion! 🌿

Those leaves you’ve been pulling from your garden are actually a nutritious wild green, packed with vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C and K, folate, calcium and potassium.

They have a deliciously bitter, peppery flavour and can be eaten raw in salads, added to pesto, wilted like spinach or thrown into soups and stews. 😋

🌱 Forage responsibly: only pick from clean, unsprayed areas, away from roads and dog-walking spots, and make sure you’ve positively identified what you’re eating.

Would you eat dandelion leaves? 👇



Remastered from 2024 for

to last year and this great Beef Steak vid!

🍄 “This mushroom looks like a raw steak… and it’s actually bleeding!”

Meet the Beefsteak Fungus — Fistulina hepatica.

You’ll usually find it growing on oak and other hardwood trees.

When you cut into it, it can produce a red, watery juice that looks just like blood.

And the texture?

When young, it can be surprisingly meaty and juicy — which is where the name comes from.

It’s generally considered edible when young and tender, but like any wild fungus, correct identification is absolutely essential.

So next time you’re walking through the woods…

Keep an eye out for this bloody-looking mushroom! 🍄🥩

🍄 The fairy-tale mushroom… but not one for the dinner plate!

Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) is one of the easiest mushrooms to recognise — that bright red cap and iconic white spots are hard to miss.

But don’t let the looks fool you. 🚫

It contains psychoactive and toxic compounds and can cause unpleasant or potentially serious poisoning if consumed.

📸 Photograph it
👀 Appreciate it
🌲 Leave it where it grows

Foraging isn’t just about knowing what you CAN eat — it’s knowing what to leave alone.

⚠️ Never consume a wild mushroom unless you are 100% confident in its identification and edibility.



Remastered from 2022 clips for

🍄 Meet the Red Cracking Bolete — Xerocomellus chrysenteron! ❤️

One of the more colourful boletes you can find in our woodlands, with a reddish-brown cap that develops those distinctive cracks as it matures, plus yellow pores and a yellow-to-reddish stem.

🌳 Often found associated with broadleaf trees such as oak and beech.

But remember — never identify a mushroom from one feature alone. Learn the full set of characteristics and be absolutely certain before considering any wild mushroom for the pot.

Would you recognise this one on a woodland walk? 👀

🌳🍫 Wild Beech & Linden Nut Chocolate Spread

A rich, earthy vegan chocolate and wild-nut spread, made from sustainably foraged beech nuts and linden seeds.

The nuts are gently roasted to bring out their deep, toasted flavour before being finely ground and blended with cocoa, coconut oil and sugar. The result is somewhere between a nut butter and a rustic chocolate spread — nutty, slightly bitter, aromatic and naturally wild.

Ingredients

- 100g properly prepared roasted beech nuts
- 50g properly prepared roasted linden seeds
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Small pinch of salt (optional)

Method

1. Remove the outer husks/cases from the beech nuts and linden seeds and discard any damaged or mouldy material.
2. Roast the beech nuts and linden seeds until fragrant and lightly browned. Allow them to cool completely.
3. Grind them as finely as possible in a powerful blender or food processor. Sift if necessary to remove coarse pieces.
4. Add the cocoa powder, sugar, coconut oil and a pinch of salt.
5. Blend again until you have a thick, smooth paste. Add a tiny amount more coconut oil if required to achieve a spreadable consistency.
6. Taste and adjust the sweetness or cocoa if desired.
7. Store refrigerated in a clean, airtight container.

How to eat it:
Spread on toast, pancakes, crackers or fresh fruit — or use it as a filling for wild-food desserts.

⚠️ Foraging safety risks

- Correct identification is essential. Only use beech (Fagus sylvatica) and correctly identified linden/lime (Tilia) seeds.
- Beech nuts should be roasted rather than eaten in quantity raw. They contain tannins and other compounds and can cause problems when consumed in large amounts.
- Do not use mouldy, rancid, damaged or contaminated nuts.
- Avoid harvesting beside busy roads, industrial land, sprayed areas or visibly contaminated ground.
- Anyone trying an unfamiliar wild food should start with a small quantity.
- Nut allergy: beech and linden seeds are tree-derived seeds/nuts and should be treated cautiously for anyone with relevant allergies.
- This is a wild food recipe, not a medical food or health treatment.

🍄 GIANT POLYPORE “PULLED PORK” 🌿

to this great recipe idea

One of my favourite ways to use young Giant Polypore (Meripilus giganteus) — shredded, seasoned and cooked until tender for a seriously meaty, pulled-pork-style filling. 🌱🔥

Only use young, fresh specimens. Older Giant Polypores become tough, fibrous and can develop a bitter/acidic taste. Trim away any tough or woody parts and cook thoroughly — never eat it raw.

⚠️ As with any wild mushroom, correct identification is essential. Giant Polypore can be confused with other large bracket fungi, and individual reactions can occur. Try a small portion the first time and don't eat anything you're not 100% certain about.

🍄 Sustainable foraging matters too — leave plenty behind and avoid damaging the main organism.

Would you try wild mushroom “pulled pork”? 👀🔥

🍄 PORCINI — THE KING OF WILD MUSHROOMS!

rework to last year!

Porcini (Boletus edulis), also known as cep or penny bun, is one of the most prized wild mushrooms around — with a rich, nutty flavour and fantastic meaty texture.

They grow in association with trees such as beech, oak, birch and pine, and late summer into autumn can be a great time to find them.

🌿 Harvest responsibly: take only what you need, leave young and old specimens behind, and avoid damaging the surrounding habitat. Always check that foraging is permitted where you are.

⚠️ Know your mushrooms! Some boletes can cause illness and lookalikes exist. Never eat a mushroom unless you're completely confident of its identification, and don't rely on a photo alone.

Find them. Identify them. Enjoy them. Leave plenty for the forest. 🍄🌲

Foraging