Hello & Help !!!

[Dania]

Hello

I was a career London girl, until I recently became a Dr's wife (or rather - partner) and moved out into the country, consequently I know nothing about country living etc, but thought that it would be a great dinner-party conversation piece if I could astound all our city friends with the "Good Life" and "Domestic Goddess" rolled into one.

I am looking for ideas & recipes for strange and wonderful things to do at dinner parties, from the fruits of the countryside - i.e. things that I can pick / collect when I am on a walk. I've recently done nettle soup as a starter and made a dessert from rose jelly, both of which blew my dinner guests away. So I would be greatful for all tips and ideas.

[honeybee]

Whatever you do, don't poison your guests with dodgy mushrooms! That wouldn't go down well!

Sloe gin / elderberry wine

Field mushroom soup

Signal crayfish bisque

Blackberry and apple crumble

Quite a tasty supper

[honeybee]

P.S grow youself a nice organic herb garden

[wildone]

Hello Dania and welcome to WAB. I am sure that you will receive plenty of ideas from members ranging from fruits, for desserts and wines and cordials, to herbs and spices to add new flavours.

wildone

[Dan Salter]

Grow some "borage".....really easy.....pick the beautiful edible blue flowers.....pop one in each ice cube section...add water.....freeze....pop in guests drinks.....gloat at your arty cleverness....sleep ....get hubby DR to tend to your hangover needs. ...Splendid.

[cherrybee]

Hi Dania and a very warm welcome to WAB.My friend makes all her own Jams and Chutneys and has an allotment to grow her ingredients too.She often searches the internet for new ideas and I have tasted the results.Her selling speech is "grown by me picked by me made by me."I have even gone on walks to help her pick the wild fruit so there is a lot you can do to blow the minds of your guests with natures own fruit.Believe me I have tasted her results and she makes jams jellies and chutneys that are delicious

[Mr Mag00]

welcome to WAB Dania, Heres to you and the ensuing glutonous experiments.
Summer fruits pudding springs to mind.
for future reading i would recommend 'Food For Free' by Richard Mabey and look for local producers on 'www.Bigbarn'

[Brian T]

welcome to WAB Dania,

There are many things you can make from produce taken from the countryside, Sloe Gin, many wines, I have 5 gallons of red on the go at the moment, we have 9 beehives so I like to make mead.

We are on a smallholding so I grow most of our food myself, if you don't have a veggie plot start one, there is nothing better than picking your food an hour before you eat it the taste is out of this world.

I also use 18 inch pots for things out of season and keep them in the greenhouse or the pollytunnel, have just planted potatoes and carrots ready for Christmas dinner.

Get a couple of good recipe books and I'm sure it will keep you busy, in the summer and later I spend more time in the kitchen than my wife, my best is tomato soup, if the Mother-in-law says it's great it can't be bad.

If you have room get some chickens we have 6 and they are great fun and the eggs are very good, better than watching the TV.

If you want any book titles or more about what I cook drop me a line.

Brian T. index.htm

[Alan]

Hi Dania, and a warm welcome to WAB

All I'll say is I'm starving after reading this thread

RumblingAl..

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Mr Mag00

welcome to WAB Dania, Heres to you and the ensuing glutonous experiments.
Summer fruits pudding springs to mind.
for future reading i would recommend 'Food For Free' by Richard Mabey and look for local producers on 'www.Bigbarn'

My dad took the nettle soup recipe from that book I'm sure. Thought he would put the nettle patch in the field behind our house to good use. All I'll say is it looked like ectoplasm and tasted ****

[Earth Hart]

Hi Dania,
Welcome my deer to the wonderful world of WAB
You say that your guests were blown away. Where to I wonder. As for ingredients that you can pick up in the countryside I would go for Roe deer roadkill. Venison Fillets with Juniper & Garlic sauce, followed by a blackberry mousse with Moniack Mead. It is delightful.

Earth Hart

[Owl-Light]

Originally Posted by Earth Hart

...followed by a blackberry mousse with Moniack Mead. It is delightful.

Earth Hart

Hmmm, Mead, wonderful stuff!

[FungiJohn]

Hi Dania and a very warm welcome to WAB. Now there's food for thought

John

[Dania]

Dear All

Thank you for all your helpful ideas and book recommendations, I have just submitted an Amazon order for "Food for Free" and "Recipes from Nature" and in the meantime whilst I await delivery I will attempt to make some sorrel soup!

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Dania

Dear All

Thank you for all your helpful ideas and book recommendations, I have just submitted an Amazon order for "Food for Free" and "Recipes from Nature" and in the meantime whilst I await delivery I will attempt to make some sorrel soup!

Oh my stomach again lol

[Gill Catton]

I once made a fairly standard curry and through in a few handfuls of white dead nettle leaves and it was lovely - only a hint of flavour, but it worked pretty well