What are your favourite seasonal things to pick & cook?

[QueenKit]

Finally got round to going blackberry picking yesterday and made jam and crumble [SMUGFACE]. After this spring's wild garlic success I've decided that pretty much makes me Barbara Good

What do you look forward to coming into season and what do you make with it? I fancy elderflower something-or-other next. Even considering a go at nettle soup. Anything else I should add to my repertoire?!

No one? I thought mumsnet would be full of make-your-own enthusiasts...

BlackBerry crumble yummmmm

We will be doing a batch of slow gin this year.....

Gah auto correct sloe gin !

Wild garlic and brambles. Not at the same time! Also wild raspberries

Blackberry jam.

I made nettle porridge once. 🤮

Mushrooms!. Puffballs, Chicken in the Woods, Dryads Saddle, Chanterells, Ceps, beef steaks, oysters. I never buy mushrooms the woods are full of them!

Another blackberry fan here. I added in some plums with a splash of port which made an awesome crumble.

Never mind that pumpkin spice malarkey blackberry crumble is the essence of autumn for me.

I also forage apples from a neighbour’s tree. In my defence the branches hang over our side of the fence plus they just let the apples rot!

Ooh yes, sloe gin. Having seen lots of blueish berries in the hedgerows on holiday I finally googled them to see what they were and found out that's what sloes look like! Sadly we were 300 miles from home so no idea where to find them round here - I guess you have to get to know where to find such things

Bilberries in June. The most tiny irritating things to pick, but they make the best crumble.

I made Roman jelly once, it looked beautiful, but tasted of not a lot.

Wild garlic...can be picked here by the bucketload.

I’d like to be confident about mushrooms.

Bramble whisky.

Tell us more about your Roman jelly @GolightlyMrsGolightly.

I'm not a big fan of rhubarb but we have some growing in our garden so every year I cut it all off, chop it up and make a crumble with it. This year my sister gave me a load of cooking apples from her garden so I've added them to the mix.

We have a plum tree in the garden and I've made all sorts with it but this year they've gone off before I could pick them.

We have hazelnuts in the garden as well and use them just for snacks but one year I made a huge hazelnut chocolate cheesecake and it was delicious!

I’ve made elderflower cordial and elderberry vodka this summer - both really easy. I’ve made sloe gin before, the berries are really common come Oct/nov and easy.

Just made 6 jars of spiced apple chutney. Can't move for apples at the moment.
Check out Raymond Blanc's crumble where you bake the topping separately. Tastes like shortbread crumbs on top of the fruit.

Cheese and wild garlic scones are nice. Also made nettle and wild garlic soup, it was lovely.

Elderberry season is starting I noticed today! Elderberry jelly is delicious and particularly with game/meat (& very healthy/packed with vit c).

This time of year:

Elderberry juice, should be very healthy, but I don't like the taste of it.
Mint jelly
Mint dried for tea
Rose petal jelly
Apple jelly
Apple anything
Most herbs to be dried
If you are near the sea and extremely dedicated, sea buckthorn (so into fashion, but a pain to strip off the branches, I think it needs frost?)
Fresh shoots of gout weed/ground elder great to mix in salads
Nasturtium, both flowers and leaves are great in salads
Fresh shoots of nettles for soup

I don't dare pick mushrooms .

I picked loads of blackberries this summer. Freezer is full.

Noticed lots of elder trees nearby so will go and pick berries and flowers if they’re still flowering. Thinking of making elderflower cordial and elderflower shortbread.

I want to make sloe gin this year too.

Wild garlic - for pesto, garlic and cheese muffins, soup.

Obviously the usual berries for crumbles, pies, compete.
Quince jelly.

crab apple jelly

MIL has a little orchard in her garden, so with her cooking apples, I boil them down for the pectin, strain and use the jelly to make chilli jelly, rosemary jelly or mint jelly. They go great with meats and cheeses.

She also has pears. This year I want to try making pear cheese. Similar to membrillo or quince paste, but pears (not quince) cooked into a thick, paste. It can be cut and served with a cheese platter

Sloe gin or brandy, also plum brandy

I love onion pumpkins too in october

I've always wanted to forage more, and get fresh samphire, razor clams etc, but currently live in london!!! Moving to coast next month though

Just passed some elderberries, might try that cordial!