I woke at 4am to the familiar song of the blackcap (munk) which had no doubt arrived with the warmer weather during the early hours…this is very late for my first blackcap of the year (I’ve heard them in the past even in late April)
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Sand leek (rocambole) or Allium scorodoprasum gives bigger yields here than leeks, so it’s not surprising to learn that this perennial onion was probably cultivated by the Vikings (it is found naturalised near many old Viking settlements in Scandinavia) and I believe it is the original “geirlauk” (meaning spear onion) and the root of the word garlic in English… See also pages 215-217 in my book!
I hadn’t noticed the red base to the stems seen in these pictures before…
I used it in a quick scrambled egg dish together with Amish onion (Allium x proliferum), sorrel flower shoots, ground elder (Aegopodium), nettle (Urtica dioica), Hydrophyllum virginianum (water leaf) with golpar spice.
These pictures can also be seen on my 700 plus album of Allium pictures on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150966880345860The scapes of Allium scorodoprasum could certainly be described as spear-like
A series of pictures taken from 8 am to 12:30 am this morning from beautiful clear skies to equally beautiful heavy rain…love the variability of our climate!
The weather radar shows a front moving north eastwards towards me this morning!
Yesterday, 19th May 2017, I spent several hours being filmed in the garden collecting and preparing a multi-species salad, predominantly perennials…and this was the result! How many? The recount will take some time….
More later :)
Thanks to Ane Mari Aakernes (camera), ably supported by Berit Børte…
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Yet another wondrous walk along the Homla canyon in Malvik , this time with Berit Børte, Marit By and Ane Mari Aakernes
On the way down to Storfossen
Cardamine flexuosa, edible leaves
Plantago major, edible leaves and seeds
Alchemilla (lady’s mantle) edible leaves
Equisetum
Ostrich fern
Ostrich fern and poisonous Aconitum lycoctonum (northern wolfsbane)
Ostrich fern often grows on unstable steep slopes
Chrysosplenium alternifolium (Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage) is a bitter but has been used in mixed soups and salads
Alchemilla
Chrysosplenium alternifolium (Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage) is a bitter but has been used in mixed soups and salads
The ostrich ferns were at very different stages according to local climate and places where snow lies late
Fertile fronds of ostrich fern from last year
Fertile and summer fronds are the same height only for a few days each year!
Happy foraging companions at THE ostrich fern patch, a very special place next to the path
Our Caltha palustris (marsh marigold) can be quite small as this patch…leaves and flower buds are edible but need to be cooked to give a milder product
Primula elatior (oxlip), a garden escape in one place
I’m seeing dandelions with these dark leaf markings in several places this year…
Ant hill that has been attacked…fox?
Gyromitra esculenta (false more)…not recommended as food and must be properly prepared
Golden ground elder (Aegopodium) :)
Golden ground elder (Aegopodium) :)
We got home from the walk after 8 pm and we put together this ostrich fern soba with ramsons and golpar…
Thanks to my visitors Berit Børte and Ane Mari Aakernes for this “lovely” omelette this evening….dandelion flower buds and fiddleheads, ramsons, chili and Heracleum persicum spice (golpar) in the omelette!