Stinging Nettles

south_to_north · April 2016

Does anyone know somewhere I can find masses of stinging nettles? It's not some kind of fetish.... it's for food....

Sutent · April 2016

@South_to_north are you taking part in the Marshwood world stinging nettle eating championship this year?<h1 class="entry-title" style="padding: 0px; margin: 15px 0px 5px; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 22px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></h1>

south_to_north · April 2016

I had no idea that existed before.... but now that I do, I feel much better for it

Sutent · April 2016

I didn't either until recently.. Nettles are fascinating. They have 10% protein content which is higher than any other plant. Let me know where you find them as I would like to try them

miss annie · April 2016

My granny used to make nettle soup it's lovely. They are literally everywhere, Park, Parkland Walk, the wild of wild land up by Triangle, any bit of rough ground. It's hard not to find them if you're any where even semi wild. They grow like mad next to the blackberries on Parkland Walk.

miss annie · April 2016

They haven't become another one of those things hipsters think they're the first to ever discover, like wood carving or brewing beer have they? People have been eating nettles in this country all the way back to Roman times.

south_to_north · April 2016

<p>@Missannie Thanks a lot - will have a look down parkland walk next time I have half a day (and will make sure to bring some gloves!)</p><p>I think they have - kind of. I mean, it's difficult to disentangle hipster foods from larger food movements (I definitely wouldn't call <a href="https://www.hungryforever.com/nettle-snail-soup-recipe/">Fergus Henderson</a> a hipster!). I know a lot of chefs use nettles now to insert some "Englishness" into continental recipes (e.g. <a href="http://justcookit.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/nettle-yarg-risotto.html">Nettle Risotto</a> and <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/18/nettle-and-nutmeg-pizza-recipe">Nettle Pizza </a>). </p><p>But I don't think it's a bad thing even if they have become "hipsterised". As annoying as food trends and hipster foodies can be - if they ultimately lead to more people taking advantage of some of our native foods and trying new things then that's good. Better to use nettles than putting kimchi in everything in my book! </p>

Arkady · April 2016

I'd challenge miss annie to provide some evidence that 'hipsters', however you would define that, have ever claimed to be the first to discover anything.<div><br></div><div>The way 'hipster' has become a derogatory term dismiss thoughtful and conscientious young people disturbs me greatly.</div>

south_to_north · April 2016

<p>On the question of brewing..... we have been brewing for a long time; but the upswing in the brewing industry since the rise of microbreweries has been phenomenal. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/19/craft-beer-campaign-for-real-ale-camra-crisis">CAMRA are having an identity crisis!</a></p><p>As I say - can be annoying, but ultimately a good thing

)</p>

Arkady · April 2016

I'm a CAMRA member and I quite agree - it's been a massive boon in terms of choice. The craft revolution has not only reinvigorated real ales, but has done for larger what CAMRA did for ale.

south_to_north · April 2016

<p>@Arkady Well..... they did "discover" these <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2016/feb/24/i-can-eat-a-rainbow-new-york-psychedelic-bagels-light-up-london">monstrosities</a>...... along with the "ramen burger"</p>

Sutent · April 2016

@south_to_north - someone once told me Amazon sold organic nettles if you didnt fancy picking them

south_to_north · April 2016

Picking is part of the fun! And also free / more efficient.... hate using amazon when it's not necessary. The prime 24hour delivery feature seems like such a waste of resources.

miss annie · April 2016

I agree with using native foods wherever possible. The horrendously named 'Clean eating' fad is hugely damaging to the planet so whatever the fashionable young dungarees folk can do to make amends for that the better. Blackberries (a free, organic food growing in most of England), are £4 a punnet in Whole Foods. FOUR POUNDS. I do not know why anyone would hand over money for blackberries. I bet they'll have nettles in that overpriced fads magnet soon.

south_to_north · April 2016

<p>@Missannie What on earth is "clean eating"??</p><p>Also I wouldn't class Whole Foods as a hipster place. Hipsters don't have wheatgrass shots, they have kimchi burgers.....</p>

miss annie · April 2016

I wouldn't say it's hipster either, it's full of office workers and tourists.

dorothy · April 2016

It's a good time to pick, they get too coarse later. If you get into it, it's good to find a little patch which you can use as a cut and come again crop, so you always have tender leaves. I picked a lot last year. Although I really like the taste, it is a bit of a faff. You have to take each leaf off the stem, using scissors while you're wearing the gloves and wash them really well. I always seem to get stung. <div><br></div><div>In the end I would mix them with dandelion leaves, wild garlic, sticky grass, chard or and any other leaves in the fridge to make them go further and make them more interesting. I never really bothered with the home-made nettle ravioli etc. just quick fry/wilting with flaked chilli and garlic, served with pasta and parmesan. It's nice to see the all the different leaves in a meal, when you've gone to the trouble of picking them. </div><div><br></div>

south_to_north · April 2016

<p>Thanks for the advice @Dorothy! </p><p>Interesting to hear about wild garlic / dandelion leaves / sticky grass. Did you forage for those as well? If so whereabouts?</p>

TheMimsy · April 2016

This afternoon I saw a lady near Tesco selling "garlic leaves". I have never seen them/heard of them before...

dorothy · April 2016

They are sort of 'everywhere', but I like to go a bit out of the way to forage. <div><br></div><div>Sticky grass (Cleavers) often grows with nettles so its easy just to rake it all up. It's not delicious, wouldn't want to much of it, but very good for you. It's best to steam it, otherwise it's a bit fibrous. You see lots of dogs eating it, they must know it's good for the digestion. </div><div><br></div><div>You know the massive compost heaps in the park, that have the railings round them? There's massive clumps of sticky grass there, and probably nettles. Watch out for the rats, (more on the shady side). There are probably loads of nettles at the end of the Parkland Walk before the tunnel, where it's really muddy and it's quiet there.</div><div><br></div><div>There are clumps of ransoms (wild garlic) on the parkland walk. There's a big clump, past the school and the skate board ramp, on the bank, on the left hand side looking towards Highgate. If you walk up there, try and pick up the smell of garlic and you'll find them. They have whitl allium type flowers. Dandelions tend to be nicer if they're in the shade a bit, otherwise they're a bit bitter, don't pick the ones that are flowering, they're really bitter. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

gardener-joe · April 2016

...

miss annie · April 2016

I work with a lot of thoughtful conscientious young people. I don't think that's the definition of a hipster.

south_to_north · April 2016

@missannie I don't think either are mutually exclusive..... I think it's fine to make fun of the groups of people who "jump on the bandwagon" - The instagrammers of trend foods etc. But I think for people who go out on a limb to cultivate a business based around something they're really passionate about (like beer or woodworking to use your examples) and good at, that's to be admired....

miss annie · April 2016

I'm very much for people starting their own businesses. The more creative the better. I might think they are a bit of nonsense (cereal cafe), but people with an entrepreneurial spirit are the kinds of people I like.

conformable_kate · April 2016

You can also buy ransoms in the Organic Shop at the moment - sometimes in separate packets, sometimes in the mixed salad leaves packs. I will pass quietly by the question of whether buying rather than foraging is the sign of a hipster takeover.

south_to_north · April 2016

Agree on cereal cafe - but each to their own.... The recent interest in bread, coffee and beer though - I'm totally for that. Vagabond and Blighty for example both roast their own coffee and offer multiple blends and are staffed by people who actually know what they're talking about. I'll take that over a costa or lavazza any day (even if the guy in vagabond's top knot annoys me... But I guess that's my problem not his)

south_to_north · April 2016

@comfortable_kate @dorothy thanks for the advice guys!

krappyrubsnif · April 2016

I once had pasta with nettle sauce. Had a bit of a bite to it.

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