Foraging was always encouraged during the war years and if you lived in the countryside you would have had lots of opportunity at this time of year. I haven't done much at all this year, the blackberries passed me by as they were out much sooner than I expected and when I did spot them they already seemed to be massively over-picked by locals. I am a firm believer in leaving lots for the wildlife, I do wonder though if I would have been so generous during the rationing years!
Anyway while I was in the park with the dogs yesterday I spotted lots of lovely little crab apples lying on the grass and decided to pick some of them up. If nothing else they will make a good source of pectin for my next batch of compost heap jelly. So once they are dry they will be going in the freezer until I have saved some more peels and cores to go with them.
Following on from Wednesdays post, I had one of my bowls of soup for lunch today, gosh it was nice. The other three same sized portions went into the freezer. That's three more ready meals for my collection.
Sue xx
Soup is definitely a super-food and as it gets darker and cooler, I'm so glad to be getting back to it again. xx
ReplyDeleteIt makes such a quick and simple lunch doesn't it, perfect to warm you through halfway through the day.
DeleteI've read somewhere that crab apples will taste sweeter after they've been frozen, although I don't know if that's true or not. Your soup looks good!
ReplyDeleteI won't try it, I've never met a sweet crab apple in my life. It does tenderise the skins though freezing them first so perhaps you're right. The soup was lovely. :-)
DeleteForaging is good, and I like the rule that says "Never take more than 50‰ - leave the rest for the other people and wildlife".
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, that's a good rule but one which sadly a lot of people seem to ignore. I never pick low or high leaving them for the wildlife and only ever take the end berries from the middle. And I never pick after 30th September.
DeleteMy nan and mum both used to cook with crab apples (preserves mostly I think) but I've never used them! Don't know why, just never thought of it. I'm glad it's soup season again, I've got 5 tubs of stock in the freezer so shall be making soups in the coming week. Although I think I read that the weather's forecast to get warmer again.....
ReplyDeleteIf nothing else you can cook them up and make pectin ready for using in jam and jelly making. Oh gosh is it ... it's still cold and windy here today, so a little bit of warmth would be nice for drying my washing. It sat limply on the airer for two days at the start of the week. Enjoy your soup. xx
DeleteGreat find on the crab apples. That soup looks marvelous.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It's a long time since I've spotted such healthy looking crab apples, they just had to come home with me. :-)
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