Love this book by Rees Campbell, it is truly outstanding, a book everyone should have and use.

Yesterday, inspired by the chapter on “Feral plants/weeds ‘naturalised’ in Tasmania”, I did a little baking.

Plenty of stinging nettles here! I made some little stinging nettle tarts based on my recipe for mini quiches, but adding stinging nettles to the mix. They added a lovely flavour. There’s no photo of the tarts sorry, as they were gone in a flash.)

Many years ago someone sent me a little poem about nettles. It’s called “The Nettle’s Lesson”, by Aaron Hill, 1743. It goes like this:

“Tenderhanded stroke a nettle
And it stings you for your pains
Grasp it like a man of mettle
And it soft as silk remains.”

Not sure about the second half of that one – they are not easy to pick whichever way.

Anyway, the tarts were delicious and so I will make another batch tomorrow for visiting friends.

Rees’ book recommended cooking the tender growing tips in a little butter and when I did, as if by magic the stinging factor disappeared.

A week or two ago husband and I had taken a little drive up Bushy Park way We were able to find some hawthorn berries, unscathed and unspoiled by frost, still hanging on their bushes.

I used the liquid from boiling these in a feral berry jam. which also included blackberries and a small bottle of elderberry cordial syrup I’d made last summer. The resulting jam was in turn made into a feral berry shortcake.

The finished slice, cut into squares to serve with a cuppa

So many thanks to the wonderful Rees Campbell for the abundance and excellence of information she provides in her book. It is truly exceptional and inspirational.