Slow Food 5

Slow Food

It’s kind of obvious I know, but blogging for me is futile in the sense that nutritionally speaking its value is worse than zero – resting and typing metabolism must be taken into account as sources of food energy consumption. That statement in itself should give you a good insight into my state of mind.

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The tortuously slow trials and tribulations of one man’s attempt to eat nothing but wild food for an entire year.

It’s kind of obvious I know, but blogging for me is futile in the sense that nutritionally speaking its value is worse than zero – resting and typing metabolism must be taken into account as sources of food energy consumption. That statement in itself should give you a good insight into my state of mind. Actually, in describing my anxieties and troubles (all of which seem to flow quite freely from the absurd task I’ve set myself: eating like a Stoneage man in the modern era – when I have so many other commitments other than just feeding myself) I would like to use the phrase, “perhaps I’ve bitten off more than I can chew”. Yet, although it would be incredibly apt, taken literally it seems to imply a surfeit of, no doubt delicious – all be it challenging – nourishing chewables: Succulent, wholesome and delicious chewables, all reflecting a luxurious abundance which is light years away from my current reality – they reside somewhere on planet supermarket no doubt. I’m struggling. I’m struggling big time! I’m struggling spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, socially, philosophically and physically – amongst the many other ways one can struggle. Chewables abound but sourcing them is a full time commitment. I both want and don’t want to give up and the ambivalent tension is quite disabling! So, no time to blog. Time is at a premium and other resources must be called upon: discipline and faith, they’re my current allies – despite my repeated efforts to rebel against them in the past. Now I shall get to know them face to face.

All I can offer is a few pictures from the last few days and a few unusual statistics.

Typical meals

Pot roast pheasant cooked with chestnuts, japanese knotweed, apple juice and winter chanterelles, served with steamed hogweed shoots and stir-fried alexanders root and St.George’s mushrooms.

And slow food!

  • Steamed sea kale and reed mace stems with stir-fried morels and immature pine cones, served with wild garlic leaf curd cooked snails on acorn and alexanders root toast!

Statistics

  • 777 snails take 1 hour to collect, 40 minutes to cook and 1 hour 5 minutes to shell.
  • 777 snails in shell weigh 5 kg 200g.
  • 777 snails gives 2kg 200g of cooked snail meat.
  • Also made my first wild vinegar mother from birch sap
  • and have been filtering sea water for salt
  • as well as krauting the Sandor Katz way with sea kale, dittander stems, wild fennel and sea salt
  • whilst taking advantage of the sun to dry plants for future teas and beers: lemon balm, yarrow, birch leaf, ox-eye daisy, fennel and fever few
  • And finally, today’s number one find: some lovely chicken of the woods fungi

Have also been sampling my first attempts at wild wines – intoxicating!

So let’s raise a glass to Fergus Drennan, self-proclaimed vegetarian and say, with glutenous snail-like voices, rest in peace vegetarian Fergus…

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