Foraging has UNTOLD SIDE ISSUES.

[snigger]

Like DH bringing home a hatful of chanterelles from the woods this morning.

[Yes, he's a hat person. Yes he uses it as a handy receptacle for all manner of things. Yes the confluence of those two facts often leave me ]

So far, so Felicity Kendal, but no-one warned me when you stick 'em in the fridge, CRAITURS emerge.

It's all creepies and crawlies and menacing antennae emerging from all over the shop in there.

Bloody Ray Mears and Hugh.

I have nothing to add except

And weirdy white half-worm half-maggot things that come out of blackberries. What's that all about? It's a scary foraging world out there, you're right.

Just make sure he's 100% certain of the mushies he's bringing home. Lots of deadly and poisonous ones look very similar to edible ones, you really need to know exactly what you're looking for.

Er what about the hat? Did he put it straight back on his head?

Fret ye not, Cat, the woods by us are rife with chanterelles and he went with a friend who's also lived here years. They are beyond a shadow of a doubt edible, but not as yet suitable for vegetarians...

Getting physical shudders about the blackberries, they're next on his list, apparently he's found a 'likely looking patch'. Really? How abundant are the wormy things?

The buggers got into the apple juice.

yup

been foraging this week too - not mushies but brambles and apples

salted water is your friend

not great if you're veggie either

I take your point with reference to salted water - should have thought that far ahead!

I'm still awaiting clarification with reference to the horrors that lie beneath a free blackberry.

DH's blackberrying advice = never pick a blackberry below waist height, esp near a pub

Was told by a French friend that you should put wild mushrooms in a plastic bag and seal it tight, and all the worms inhabitants will come out gasping for air and die. I stopped eating wild mushrooms after that.