Autumn Foraging

As a chef and author, Rachel is wild about foraging. Not only are foraged foods free and delicious, the act of seeking them reignites your primitive hunter/gatherer instincts and connects you with nature in one of the most sensually mindful ways possible.

Getting outside into nature has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety levels, and that’s something we could all do with right now. November is a fantastic time to get out to seek wild foods. The bracing crisp air is invigorating and there's a surprisingly varied amount of edible species to be sought.

The guided walk will start with an introduction to foraging and wellness, before you embark on learning how to identify at least 12 species of wild foods, such as rowan berries, hawthorn, goose grass, chickweed, yarrow and sweet chestnuts. You will gain insights in to the health benefits of wild foods along the way.

As we pause to take in the surroundings, there will be the opportunity to taste a variety of wild foods, prepared in creative ways with foraged ingredients, including Rachel’s rosehip fruit leathers, wild chestnut amaretti biscuits and warming acorn coffee.

Towards the end of the walk, you’ll be invited to make a wild food jar recipe to take home with you.

We will send you the recipes and an identification sheet after the event for your own future foraging explorations!

Please come weather prepared, so dig your festival wellies out! (in case of wet weather the walk will still go ahead)

Rachel de Thample has worked in the kitchens of Marco Pierre White, Heston Blumenthal and Peter Gordon. She is the author of a Less Meat, More Veg, FIVE, Teas & Tonics and the best-selling River Cottage Fermentation Handbook. She has a long history in healthy, sustainable and organic food, serving Head of Food for the pioneering organic box scheme Abel & Cole and Course Director of the College of Naturopathic Medicine’s Natural Chef diploma course. She has helped set up numerous local food initiatives, including the award-winning Crystal Palace Food Market and the Edible Garden. Rachel is currently running fermentation courses at River Cottage in Devon and Petersham Nurseries in London. She writes for The Simple Things and also runs urban foraging courses.