foraging

Foraging trip near Dundar followed by dinner with the ingredients we foraged at Wedgewood.

 

Foraging!

The main reason for the trip was to go foraging (with expert guidance!). I went on this trip last year and Dad really liked the sound of it so I brought them vouchers for it. (And tagged along of course.) This time was near Ramsgate and more sea plants than the oysters and seafood last year. We got there a little early and wondered around the park.

Sunny!

Directions to Rome

Viking ship!

This was a much bigger group than last time (~25 compared to 3). We set off along the cliff top  first.

sea fennel.

Lucia explaining Alexander seeds to mom and dad

We went through a field and round the back and through some woods. I am not sure if was really a path.

And down to a tunnel through to the sea front.

Heading in.

Day light!

Scramble down to the bottom

Out on the white cliffs.

On the beach front, Lucia showed us samphire and sea-blite which can both be eaten rare.

Samphire

Sea-blite 

After getting samples to take home, we headed to the camp for lunch. Mom and dad especially enjoyed the Sea buckthorn juice.

Drinks list

Menu

It was all really nice and very different from my normal lunch. But my favourite was the desert, a trio of cakes and a glass of elderflower cordial.

After lunch, we headed to an abandoned car park which sounds odd but was the home of the lovely sea buckthorn. We all descended on the trees and collected as much as we could. It sounds bad and we did feel a little guilty but Lucia assured us there was lots around and it was a sustainable plant. 

Sea buckthorn

Way home.

We headed back to st. Margarets and were hoping to check out the lighthouse. But could not figure out how to get to it. (The last time I walked from Dover along the cliffs but we were not doing that.) However we did find the beach so that worked!

Dover cliffs.

That evening, we didn't want a lot to eat so just had a snack at the bar and headed back to mom and dad room (and away from all the kids) for a bottle of wine and movie.

Foraging for an Oyster feast

The past few weeks have been busy - a visit home, meals with family, drinks with friends, wine tasting. I just haven't taken any photos. 

This weekend I went to Deal in Kent. I was planning on going to the beach on Saturday but it took my 5 hours to do a 2 hr trip thanks to the M26 and M20 being closed due to the collapsed bridge. So in the end I gave up on the beach idea and found a vineyard near my hotel, chilled out for  bit and then just went to the hotel and napped. 

But I was up early Sunday morning, up to near Margate to go foraging. I brought a voucher for a foraging experience. Thankfully the weather was lovely. Along with another couple, Lucia took us out and we went looking for mussels and oysters!

Headed for the beach

All to ourselves.

She showed us which mussels to pick, how to find oysters and what seaweeds were the best to eat. We filled up a bucket and a few strong bags full of goodies.

Mussels.

Hunting 

On the sea front.

Checking an oyster

Digging them up.

Oyster.

crab pretending to be a oyster, hiding in its shell

My favourite seaweed is called pepper dolce and is a little feathery thing which grows on sea walls. I can't describe the taste but it's amazing. We used it as a herb later.

Pepper dolce.

Good for seaweed crisps. 

After a few hours we had found enough for a massive feast and headed back to Deal to cook it up at Lucia's house. The house itself was amazing. So cute. She forages full time as has loads of home made goodies everywhere.

Yum!

Goodies.

After sweet onion soup and seaweed to warm up (it was sunny but windy and a little chilly), we had steamed mussels with garlic butter and fennel mayo. I found a number of baby crabs hiding in my mussels. So cute. Though now thoroughly steamed. 

Baby crab

We went to the sea front to open the oysters as they are messy. I have opened them before but these were huge and tricky. So we resorted to using a hammer on the shucking knife. But it worked. The ones we picked were a lot bigger than you buy and definitely a mouth full! But a glass of prossecco helped. :) No pearls but maybe next time. 

Opening them

Giant oyster

Bottoms up.

 A lot of people stopped and asked where we got them but it's a secret! :) We feasted! You would pay a fortune for these in a restaurant. But we did get very messy at the same time.

Half our feast shells

They used to be blue. Now oyster juice coloured.

We also cooked some up back at Lucia's House, which were nicer than I expected. All followed by hot chocolate and apple scones. Which were amazing. To be honest the whole meal and experience was brilliant. If anyone is interested, check out the Wild Kitchen. It is well worth the trip. And the food is to die for.

After the lunch I went for a walk along to beach to walk off some of the food.

Deal beach.

The pier wasn't wood which was disappointing but it was a nice walk.

Pier. 

There were lots of people fishing off the pier but all they seem to be catching was seaweed. :) But they were enjoying it so why not?

Sand pipers.

Start of the white cliffs

Thankfully the drive back was so much better than the drive down. Though the traffic still heading south was crazy. Hopefully it will be sorted out before I head back down there in a few weeks. And when I got home, I had oysters, seaweed crisps and an apple scone for tea. :)