Eating Hawthorn

[Amoeba]

I've heard a lot of mixed information about how edible hawthorn is. The fruits are pretty much confirmed edible but I'm more concerned about the leaves and flowers.

I've read that the leaves can be toxic but other sources say they are fine to eat. Some warn of a bitter almond flavour and not to eat if this occurs but this was useless to me since I have no idea what bitter almonds taste like.

I've heard only brief accounts of the flowers being eaten and nothing more than that. Not even if it's safe or not.

Anyone here know more?

[Lance Morgan]

The berries are certainly edible. I once saw a program with Ray Mears preparing and cooking some.

[The Woodman]

The young soft shoots and leaves in the spring are fine raw. In a sandwich with a bit of cheese they are very good.

I recall (I hope!) that Richard Mabey in Food For Free calls them "creases". Forget them when they've gone woody.

I'm not aware how RM prepared his haws but straight from the tree they're as good as chewing dry sawdust.

[Lance Morgan]

the programme was called Wild food in 2007. I seem to remember they mushed them all up and filtered out the seeds with their hands. I think some sort of baked biscuits were made with it - but I can't really remember precisely. Apparently our ancestors used to eat it.

[Dutchess]

Originally Posted by Lance Morgan

the programme was called Wild food in 2007. I seem to remember they mushed them all up and filtered out the seeds with their hands. I think some sort of baked biscuits were made with it - but I can't really remember precisely. Apparently our ancestors used to eat it.

Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather! I remembered seeing that programme after reading your post, Lance!

Got to say, even the rabbits prefer the new green shoots of the may tree to those later in the season. And the berries are pretty sawdusty, I must admit

Stick to making wine from it!

D.

[Dutchess]

Originally Posted by Amoeba

>>>>>I've read that the leaves can be toxic but other sources say they are fine to eat. Some warn of a bitter almond flavour and not to eat if this occurs but this was useless to me since I have no idea what bitter almonds taste like.<<<<<

Handy hint - buy some loose almonds. There's bound to be a naff one in there somewhere! I am sure loads of us have been happily munching away at the xmas bowl of nuts, then to be horrified at the awful bitterness of one of the duff ones!

D.

[Beekeeper]

Hawthorn leaves are quite nice to eat, my garden is surrounded with it so if you want some, come and take the lot, it will save me cutting the hedge for a while

BK

[Amoeba]

I actually prefer the berries, never had that sawdust flavour, and I've only ever tried them raw. It could be the local sub-species, maybe sweeter than in some places.

Anyway, I can't say I've ever found the leaves to be incredibly bitter - just a little bitter (and I'm very sensitive to bitter flavours, can't touch coffee) otherwise I'd never eat them, but the same went for the fresh shoots of the leaves. They all have a very pleasant sweet apple taste just with a slightly bitter after taste. I get that with all leaves, even the salad bags from the supermarket. So are the ones I ate likely to be ok?

Also, does anybody know anything about eating the flowers? I must admit I ate a few in the spring because I'd read they were frequently eaten at some point in history, so I tried a few and found them more bitter than the leaves. So I never really ate any more because they just tasted bad. It would be handy to know if they're safe though.

Thanks for all the responses.

[The Woodman]

I've just dug out Food For Free and this is what Mabey says of the berries.

"They make a moderate jelly, but being a dry fruit need a long simmering with a few crab apples to bring out all the juices and provide the neccessary pectin. Otherwise the jelly will be sticky and rubbery. It is a good accompaniment to cream cheese.

Personally (him - not me) I prefer haws eaten straight off the bush. Their creamy flesh, stripped off the central stone, is not unlike sweet potato"

With the flowers he advocates making a fine liqueur using brandy.

He is quite enthusiastic about the young leaves and describes making a spring pudding with a light suet crust using strips of bacon.

That's enough...I'm off for a bacon buttie.

[Monkey Orchid]

Originally Posted by The Woodman

I've just dug out Food For Free and this is what Mabey says of the berries.

"Personally I prefer haws eaten straight off the bush. Their creamy flesh, stripped off the central stone, is not unlike sweet potato"

He's got a vivid imagination, that Mr Mabey...

It might be important to note that hawthorn berries have a cardiac effect (i.e. they can affect your heart), so if you've got any circulatory or cardiac health issues you should probably steer clear of them.

Originally Posted by The Woodman

He is quite enthusiastic about the young leaves and describes making a spring pudding with a light suet crust using strips of bacon.

In books like Lark Rise To Candleford, you can read descriptions of children eating young hawthorn leaves on their way to school. I've seen recipes for making salads using them (e.g. mixed with chopped cooked beetroot, to add a bit of sweetness). But to be honest, the suet pudding sounds like a variant on Stone Soup... Make a tasty dish with lots of conventional ingredients and then just bung in a few hawthorn leaves and call it 'wild food'!