With Scotland’s Foraging Fortnight soon to kick off, here are four events run by local producers that we think you should take note of.
September 11-25 will play host to Scotland’s Foraging Fortnight with a wealth of events planned across the Tayside, Fife and central belt regions to enthuse, educate and inspire people to forage with confidence and cook with Scotland’s natural bounty.
Though many of the in-person events are spread out across the regions, there is plenty to take part in during the fortnight, including the Scottish Wild Food Festival near Stirling and some online events from across Scotland.
The website even has some short videos and guides so that you can still take part in your own time.
We’ve rounded up four events that caught our eye for local foodies, with many more to be found here.
Foraged chocolate tasting
Where: Your own home / online
When: September 16, 8am-noon
Cost: £20 for a two-person tasting pack with an additional £5 pp for any extra people. Buy tickets here.
Who: Charlotte Flower Chocolates, Perthshire
Using locally-foraged ingredients from the surrounding forests and shores of her home on the banks of Loch Tay, Charlotte Flower creates some of the tastiest chocolates around, including meadowsweet, elderflower and Scots pine.
At this virtual event, guests will be able to take part in a chocolate tasting with Charlotte herself and learn more about how foraged ingredients can enhance the flavours of chocolate.
There will be eight to 10 different chocolates to try and, because it takes five working days for tasting packs to be delivered, orders cannot be placed after September 8.
For anyone in the area, Charlotte will also be doing local foraging walks as part of the event, on September 15, 21 and 24, noon-2.30pm. Book tickets or find out more here.
Seaweed safari, foraging and cooking
Where: St Monans, Fife
When: Various. Foraging and wild cooking takes place on September 12 (noon to 3pm), September 21 (9am-noon) and September 22 (9.30am-12.30pm). Seaweed safari takes place on September 23 (10am-1.30pm) and September 24 (10.30am-2pm).
Cost: Foraging = £40 for adults, supervised children go free. Safari = £45 adults, £20 children.
Who: Jayson Byles, East Neuk Seaweed
There is so much to learn from seaweed forager and expert Jayson Byles, who regularly takes groups of people on foraging trips along the Fife coast.
For Foraging Fortnight, Jayson is offering up two different types of experiences – the first is a foraging and wild cooking class that will teach participants how to forage their own seaweed and cook some delicious dishes with it.
Jayson will also be hosting a seaweed safari on two days during Foraging Fortnight, tied in with a lunch at local restaurant The Dory Bistro. If you’re in the area on those days, it’s well worth taking part and finding out more about some of Scotland’s most natural of foods.
Find out more about the foraging classes here and the seaweed safari and lunch here.
Distillery tour and guided foraging walk
Where: Alyth
When: September 16, 4pm-6pm; September 23, 2pm-4pm
Cost: £20
Who: Highland Boundary
Go on an adventure with Highland Boundary’s 4×4 tour of the local area and be treated to a wild cocktail or mocktail using some of the distillery team’s favourite flavours.
There will also be a guided downhill walk for 45 mins through Perthshire woodland to explore the botanicals and wild plants used in Highland Boundary’s spirits. Participants must be over 18 years old.
For more information, or to book tickets, visit here. Please note, this event takes place regularly throughout September and there may be some dates outwith Foraging Fortnight.
Wild food workshop
Where: Aberdour, Fife
When: September 19, 10.30am-2.40pm
Cost: £45
Who: Wendy Barrie, Founder of Scottish Food Guide and organiser of Foraging Fortnight
One of the nation’s champions of Scotland’s natural larder, Wendy Barrie is inviting foodies to join her in a wild food workshop in her kitchen on the Fife coast.
Participants will discover the wealth of locally foraged bounty that Wendy cooks with, how she uses it in her recipes and learn of other wild foods around Scotland. After the workshop, Wendy will dish up a delicious lunch using the recipes she mentioned.
Attendees must be 16 or over, dietary requirements must be made known to Wendy ahead of the event and the event is reserved for a maximum of eight people.
For more information or to book a space, visit here.