Want to discover our edible world? Here on Oost, we'd love to take you along all the hedgerows, meadows, dune valleys and the edges of the mudflats. Together we'll search for... wild herbs, vegetables, flowers, mushrooms and so many other wonderful things.
Seek and ye shall find
I absolutely love it. Searching, looking, wandering about and hunting for all those beautiful things. I usually take a basket with me, a small pair of scissors and my phone. Not just for taking photos, but also for identification (knowing what it is). I love to take you along on our wild foraging adventures. To show you how easy, fun and exciting it is. And of course how we use wild foraging in our kitchen at our restaurant het Kook Atelier.
The old days
Sadly, the supermarket has now become a luxury that many can no longer imagine living without in our (daily) routine. Need something? Off to the supermarket you go. Right? Not in the old days - back then we gathered, picked and harvested what we needed. With emphasis on: actually needed. Although the hedgerows around Oost appear rich and abundant and are truly a 'walking buffet', you should always only pick what you really need. Give the supermarket or wholesaler a miss for once and discover nature; go wild foraging!
Wild sorrel
Sorrel is a wild vegetable that grows abundantly here on Oost. Often right along the ditches beside the hedgerows. I pick it in spring and autumn - in summer the sorrel is in bloom and the taste becomes bitter.
The beautiful bright green leaves are not only tasty, but also incredibly good for you. That always gives me such a special feeling. That a little plant, however small, can possess so much value.
Powerrrrr
- Stung by nettles? Rub some sorrel on it and the stinging sensation disappears.
- For a cleansing spring and autumn detox.
- Cooling for fever and skin rashes.
- It strengthens the stomach and supports bile production
- Has a purifying effect on the skin
- Helps with anaemia
- Packed with vitamin C and iron
- Should you ever embark on a long 18th-century sea voyage, it also works perfectly against scurvy.
Mmmmmm
Use it like spinach. Think smoothies, soup, salad. Or completely raw, thinly sliced to add a lovely sharp note to a dish.
Discover
Get out there, naturally with respect for nature. Pick, taste, discover and experience. It's so wonderful!
Discover on Oost - 'Inspired by Nature'
Love, Valerie
PS.
- Sorrel often grows near nettles
- Use the young leaves and soft stems
- Don't eat sorrel every day, or for too long in a row.
- The wild foraging book by Edwin Flores Casa Foresta and the Buitenkeuken, Leoniek BOntje