Flavour Foraging in Brede Woods
Edwina Hughes
My mushroom education began last year when visiting Basil’s Fungi Farm in Hastings, where Robbie showed me how he is growing mushrooms in the heart of Hastings. Then, a few months back, while waiting on a bagel in Sleeper, I saw a poster advertising flavour foraging with Fred in Brede High Wood. I love mushrooms and I wanted to understand more about what grows here, what we can pick, and what to avoid. So I decided to go on Fred’s Flavour Walk and brought my foodie friend Steven Short (thanks for the pics) with me.
Mushroom loaf served on Brede Wood walk
Fred – or George Fredenham, is an avid forager, chef, guide and much more besides. Over two-and-a-half hours in Brede Woods in early November, he shared his knowledge and passion for wild mushrooms with us. He imparted identification techniques, folklore and history associated with foraging. The tour was a ‘look around and see what we’ve got’ experience with a lunch featuring a delicious ‘something Fred made earlier’ – more on that later.
On our walk we saw a range of beautiful, strange, colourful mushrooms and fungi. Mushrooms are the flowering part of the mycelium, the root system underground that communicates with tree root systems and which also trades moisture for nutrients. If you are like me, a visual learner, this will evoke an amazing image of a root system with nutrients flowing one way, moisture flowing another; a symbiotic relationship pulsing underneath the woodland floor and making the canopy of trunks, trees, leaves and branches possible.
We heard about what to look out for in order to avoid eating mildly or fatally poisonous mushrooms. I’m not going to try to advise you here – beyond – don’t eat anything you don’t know the name of (which I think might be a good rule of thumb for food in general!) get a few reference books and seek out the advice of experts before sticking anything in your gob.
The experience was enriching and enjoyable. It turns out we have ALL of the most poisonous mushrooms right on our doorstep, as well as a range of delicious and edible ones. I enjoyed the colours, the walk, the variety we came across. My favourites were the candlesnuff fungus that look like little wicks and that release dust if you brush them gently. Their correct Latin name is Xylaria hypoxylon; according to the National Trust website these are pallid, petite, tumour-fighters. Turns out that candlesnuff fungi may be small but they are a medical force to be reckoned with. They contain both anti-viral properties and compounds that are active against some human carcinomas. Small and tough – not for eating.
Another caught my attention because of the parallels with the beloved aggressive and very territorial garden robin, who seems to hate to share space with other birds. In the mushroom world, this role is taken by the Birch Polypore or Fomitopsis betulina. It prevents other mushrooms from growing on the same tree trunk. This mushroom has been used for centuries as a tonic for the immune system and as an antiseptic to clean wounds and promote healing. Scientific studies have proven it has many compounds that are antiviral, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. In addition, it is anti-fungal, which means you won’t find any other mushrooms growing where it is found.
Final fun fact of my adventure; I discovered why yew trees have a strong association with and are often found in graveyards. I knew they were poisonous but didn’t consider what this meant for the soil and surrounding area. Turns out that the whole tree is poisonous with the exception of the red flesh of the berry (but please don’t test that) and so not a food source for animals: as a result creatures don’t dig up around them, thus a great place to bury your dead – where they won’t be disturbed. Also a good idea then not to forage around yew trees.
Foraging walks are a lovely way to get out in the woods, learn some new information and share in someone’s passion for a wonderful local resource! Thanks to George for all of his rich insights; I hope I haven’t butchered too much of what he imparted but remember the most important thing he said – if you don’t know what it’s called, don’t eat it.
During our walk George fed us delicious sourdough, a mushroom, tahini and chickpea hummus with a nut and mushroom loaf on top. This mushroom and nut loaf will make an ideal alternative for a lighter and veggier Christmas feast item instead of turkey or ham (if you want a change or you’re cooking for veggies), I’m going to give it a try this year [see adjacent recipe].
For more info, posts and expert advice, check out George’s Instagram: flavourfred. Here, you can find details of his walks, forages and identification walks (like the one I did).
Mushroom, Brandy Soaked Chestnuts and Prune ‘meat’ loaf
Ingredients, serves six
- 200g Oyster Mushroom, diced (leftover mushrooms from the mushroom gravy
- below)
- 50g Carrot, diced
- 50g Onion, diced
- 50g Leeks, diced
- 5g Garlic, diced
- 150g Cooked Lentils
- 50g Prunes, chopped and soaked in Brandy
- 50g Sweet Chestnuts, chopped and soaked in Brandy
- 50g Grated Beetroot (raw)
- 1 Orange, zest and juice
- 2 Eggs OR 1 tin of Chickpeas (separate aquafaba) + 20g Flaxseed + 20g Chia Seeds
- 50g Breadcrumbs (optional)
- 25g Fresh Sage
- 10g Fresh Thyme
- Extra Mixed seeds and nuts (optional)
- Seasoning to taste
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius
- Cook the mushrooms and vegetables in a pan with oil, salt, and pepper. Start with the carrot, then add the onion, mushrooms, and leeks. Mix these together.
- Add these into a mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix well
- Make a small patty from the mixture and fry it in a pan to check the flavour levels and adjust the seasoning if needed. If the mixture isn’t holding together well while cooking, add the breadcrumbs.
- Place the mixture into a loaf tin and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
- 100g dried mushrooms (porcini preferred)
- Litre of boiling water
- Garlic, bay, Peppercorns
- Method
Using dried mushrooms, pour over a litre of boiling water and let it infuse. Once cooled, pour the liquid into a pot and reduce it, leaving the last 5% behind as it contains the mushroom grit. As you reduce, you can also add other aromatics like garlic, bay, and peppercorns. Reduce until you reach about 150ml and strain out aromatics. This liquid can be used as is or thickened.
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