FORAGING: WHERE WILD THINGS GROW

As people become more aware of ingredient origins, it’s no surprise that foraging has blossomed as a trend. We romanticise the idea of ‘forest-to-fork’, associating wild foods with simpler times when labels didn’t read like scientists’ experiments and what we ate reflected the local environment. While restaurants have long employed foragers, the man who catapulted it into the limelight was Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, whose Noughties TV shows featured him scouring Axminster for produce. The concept has since spread to casual dining restaurants, home kitchens and even bars, with foraged ingredients such as rosehip being used in cocktails. It’s a great skill to learn, but needs real expertise to ensure that what you’ve picked is good to eat. Always consult a reputable source before trying it out for yourself.