We've been gathering brambles (blackberries) for as long as I can remember. I think brambles must be one of the most extensively foraged berries in the UK. Even those who aren't serious wild food hunters and gathers seem to go brambling. Found in woods, hedgerows and wasteland from August, the best fruit is at the tip of the lowest cluster and is usually the first to ripen. Pick on into October, if you dare, but legend reports that on September 29th, the Feast of St Michael The Archangel, the Devil is said to spit or urinate on brambles. The berries are also known as Lawyers' berries because the thorny branches are tricky to escape from. Perhaps this is why they are often found at the edge of old graveyards, a natural deterrent to sheep and who knows, even the Devil.
Folklore aside the young leaves infused in boiling water and sweetened with honey are an excellent treatment for soothing mouth ulcers and the berries lend themselves to inclusion in a multitude of recipes: crumbles, fools, crowdie, jams and jellies, syrups and fools. A simple recipe is to press the berry juice through muslin into a bowl, and leave it at room temperature for a few hours- it will turn into 'easy peasy bramble junket.'
By contrast one of the most difficult wee, black berries to harvest is the Bilberry, Blaeberry or Whortleberry. They are best foraged on hands and knees and lurk amongst heathers on moors. Although they are tricky to spy initially, once you get your eye in, you will be richly rewarded -- the taste is delicious. The task is laborious because there is often only one berry on each, low-lying stem. My daughter, Lili's Scottish school had rooms name after Scottish wild flowers and berries: Honeysuckle, Broom, Cloudberry Juniper and Blaeberry; we wondered if bygone staff had been keen foragers. Lili and I picked blaeberries on a heather moor, for well over an hour (with the Landowner's foraging permission) but still gathered a meagre 100g - just enough for this muffin recipe (taken from Kids' Kitchen). The recipe works equally well with brambles.
Blaeberry and Poppy seed muffins
Making time 15 minutes
Cooking time 25 minutes
Makes 12
What to find:
300g self raising flour
100g caster sugar
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 Egg
175ml milk
125ml vegetable Oil
100g blaeberries
What to do:
Put the oven on 190˚C 170ºC Fan Gas Mark 5
1.Put the muffin cases into the muffin tray.
2.Put the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, into a mixing bowl.
3.Measure the milk and oil into a large measuring jug and beat together (the liquids).
4.Add the egg to the liquids and mix well.
5.Add the liquid ingredients and blaeberries to the dry ingredients and fold until the mixture is 'just' mixed.
6.Use a tablespoon, to spoon the mixture into the cases. Use a spatula to scrape the last of the mixture out of the bowl.
7.Put the muffin tray into the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
8.Transfer the hot muffins from the tray to a cooling rack - they will go soggy if you leave them in the tray to cool.