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Get your free copy- Stores across the country are set to cash in on the foraging trend by a stocking native sea vegetables such as samphire and sea purslane this summer
High-end supermarket Waitrose is also getting involved, according to Scottish newspaper The Herald, and is set to introduce samphire and sea aster to its fresh fish counters over the next few weeks. The ingredients are picked from the coast by professional foragers, and can be bought directly or via suppliers.
However, Martin Denny, who forages the woodlands and salt marshes of North Norfolk, suggests retailers try to source ingredients themselves. “The summer is a great time for foraging, there is a great selection of sea vegetables and edible woodland plants available. You just need to know where to look,” he explains.
Mr Denny, who supplies the restaurants of Mark Hix and Fergus Henderson, has noticed a substantial increase in demand for foraged foods. “I’ve definitely benefited from the wild food trend – a few years ago I could never have made a living from digging around the coast picking up plants, but now there’s incredible demand for this kind of ingredient.” The fact that Danish restaurant Noma – voted world’s best restaurant in 2010 and 2011 – heavily uses foraged ingredients has also added to their popularity.
When heading into the wild, all Martin recommends bringing in terms of equipment is a container, a pocket knife for cutting through tough plants and gloves for collecting nettles. And is there any danger of picking up something poisonous? “When it comes to green vegetation, there isn’t much that will do you serious harm. Buy a guide book or just do a bit of picture research so you can identify what you want,” he adds.
