Northwest recipes – Northwest Nature and History

Damson Days

Damson Days, a look at the ancient hedgerow fruit, its origins, uses and cultural history, including a simple recipe for a preserve

Northwest Recipes, Hawthorn jelly

Autumn is traditionally the time of year we stock up for winter and, if you have the time and patience, it’s the season to forage for hedgerow berries to preserve in chutneys, jams and jellies. These make perfect Christmas gifts or you can keep them in the cupboard and bring them out to compete inContinue reading “Northwest Recipes, Hawthorn jelly”

Picking Puffballs

Picking Puffballs, a look at the ecology, habitat and historical uses of Calvatia gigantea, the Giant Puffball, including tips on foraging and a simple recipe

Northwest Recipes, Bowland Venison Curry

Venison is widely considered to be one of the healthiest and most environmentally sustainable meats available and it certainly is very available here in the Northwest of England! Here you can find almost all of our species of deer, native and introduced, including Red, Roe, Fallow and Sika, which I wrote about earlier this year,Continue reading “Northwest Recipes, Bowland Venison Curry”

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday is the name of the day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. The word ‘shrove’ is the past tense of the English verb ‘shrive’, which describes the means by which to obtain absolution for one’s sins by way of confession and penance. On this day, Catholics are encouraged to go toContinue reading “Shrove Tuesday”

Northwest Recipes: Hagese

In one form or another the dish now known as Haggis has been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. It is now synonymous with the nation of Scotland, but was once found served upon plates throughout the isles, being a versatile recipe with ingredients that were available in all seasons of the year.Continue reading “Northwest Recipes: Hagese”

Yellow Brain Fungus / Witches’ Butter

Those cold, damp January days, when nobody feels like venturing out so you can have the countryside completely to yourself, often offer the best opportunities for poking about the bare hedges and woods to see what treasures catch your eye. In this case, early on the First of January, the prizes I found, shining likeContinue reading “Yellow Brain Fungus / Witches’ Butter”

Northwest Recipes; Winter Venison Chilli

Venison is one of the healthiest and most environmentally sustainable meats available and we have a plentiful supply of it here in the British isles, but we don’t utilise it anywhere near as much as we could. In the countryside of Northwest England you can find Roe, Red and Sika deer and their venison canContinue reading “Northwest Recipes; Winter Venison Chilli”