about harvesting & eating

Leaves are best eaten fresh, as they do not store, dry or freeze well.

Start cutting as soon as seedlings have formed several leaves, but allow plants to fully establish before cutting too much.

Cutting encourages further new growth – without it, the leaves become tough.

Young leaves are fresh, cooling and only slightly bitter, rather like the rind of cucumber, but older leaves are likely to be bitter and chewy.

The flowers are edible, and pretty as a salad accent but have little or no flavour.

Although it is best known for use in salads, adventurous cooks will not stop there. Creative options include:

turning it into a fresh, tangy topping for fish

whipping it into a delicious cream cheese spread for sandwiches, crepes or tortillas

teaming it with sage and rosemary in potato dishes

sprinkling it onto cheese It’s a traditional favourite added to Pimms cocktails, where it brings out the flavour of cucumber and citrus slices. In summer, it is delicious in drinks like gin, iced tea, lemonade, or with cucumber and lemonscented water. It also adds a fresh zing to fresh berry fruit salads.