Urban Forage

17/09/2026

to last year and this great Beef Steak vid!

🍄 “This mushroom looks like a raw steak… and it’s actually bleeding!”

Meet the Beefsteak Fungus — Fistulina hepatica.

You’ll usually find it growing on oak and other hardwood trees.

When you cut into it, it can produce a red, watery juice that looks just like blood.

And the texture?

When young, it can be surprisingly meaty and juicy — which is where the name comes from.

It’s generally considered edible when young and tender, but like any wild fungus, correct identification is absolutely essential.

So next time you’re walking through the woods…

Keep an eye out for this bloody-looking mushroom! 🍄🥩

17/09/2026

🍄 The fairy-tale mushroom… but not one for the dinner plate!

Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) is one of the easiest mushrooms to recognise — that bright red cap and iconic white spots are hard to miss.

But don’t let the looks fool you. 🚫

It contains psychoactive and toxic compounds and can cause unpleasant or potentially serious poisoning if consumed.

📸 Photograph it
👀 Appreciate it
🌲 Leave it where it grows

Foraging isn’t just about knowing what you CAN eat — it’s knowing what to leave alone.

⚠️ Never consume a wild mushroom unless you are 100% confident in its identification and edibility.



Remastered from 2022 clips for

15/09/2026

🍄 Meet the Red Cracking Bolete — Xerocomellus chrysenteron! ❤️

One of the more colourful boletes you can find in our woodlands, with a reddish-brown cap that develops those distinctive cracks as it matures, plus yellow pores and a yellow-to-reddish stem.

🌳 Often found associated with broadleaf trees such as oak and beech.

But remember — never identify a mushroom from one feature alone. Learn the full set of characteristics and be absolutely certain before considering any wild mushroom for the pot.

Would you recognise this one on a woodland walk? 👀

14/09/2026

🌳🍫 Wild Beech & Linden Nut Chocolate Spread

A rich, earthy vegan chocolate and wild-nut spread, made from sustainably foraged beech nuts and linden seeds.

The nuts are gently roasted to bring out their deep, toasted flavour before being finely ground and blended with cocoa, coconut oil and sugar. The result is somewhere between a nut butter and a rustic chocolate spread — nutty, slightly bitter, aromatic and naturally wild.

Ingredients

- 100g properly prepared roasted beech nuts
- 50g properly prepared roasted linden seeds
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Small pinch of salt (optional)

Method

1. Remove the outer husks/cases from the beech nuts and linden seeds and discard any damaged or mouldy material.
2. Roast the beech nuts and linden seeds until fragrant and lightly browned. Allow them to cool completely.
3. Grind them as finely as possible in a powerful blender or food processor. Sift if necessary to remove coarse pieces.
4. Add the cocoa powder, sugar, coconut oil and a pinch of salt.
5. Blend again until you have a thick, smooth paste. Add a tiny amount more coconut oil if required to achieve a spreadable consistency.
6. Taste and adjust the sweetness or cocoa if desired.
7. Store refrigerated in a clean, airtight container.

How to eat it:
Spread on toast, pancakes, crackers or fresh fruit — or use it as a filling for wild-food desserts.

⚠️ Foraging safety risks

- Correct identification is essential. Only use beech (Fagus sylvatica) and correctly identified linden/lime (Tilia) seeds.
- Beech nuts should be roasted rather than eaten in quantity raw. They contain tannins and other compounds and can cause problems when consumed in large amounts.
- Do not use mouldy, rancid, damaged or contaminated nuts.
- Avoid harvesting beside busy roads, industrial land, sprayed areas or visibly contaminated ground.
- Anyone trying an unfamiliar wild food should start with a small quantity.
- Nut allergy: beech and linden seeds are tree-derived seeds/nuts and should be treated cautiously for anyone with relevant allergies.
- This is a wild food recipe, not a medical food or health treatment.

10/09/2026

🍄 GIANT POLYPORE “PULLED PORK” 🌿

to this great recipe idea

One of my favourite ways to use young Giant Polypore (Meripilus giganteus) — shredded, seasoned and cooked until tender for a seriously meaty, pulled-pork-style filling. 🌱🔥

Only use young, fresh specimens. Older Giant Polypores become tough, fibrous and can develop a bitter/acidic taste. Trim away any tough or woody parts and cook thoroughly — never eat it raw.

⚠️ As with any wild mushroom, correct identification is essential. Giant Polypore can be confused with other large bracket fungi, and individual reactions can occur. Try a small portion the first time and don't eat anything you're not 100% certain about.

🍄 Sustainable foraging matters too — leave plenty behind and avoid damaging the main organism.

Would you try wild mushroom “pulled pork”? 👀🔥

10/09/2026

🍄 PORCINI — THE KING OF WILD MUSHROOMS!

rework to last year!

Porcini (Boletus edulis), also known as cep or penny bun, is one of the most prized wild mushrooms around — with a rich, nutty flavour and fantastic meaty texture.

They grow in association with trees such as beech, oak, birch and pine, and late summer into autumn can be a great time to find them.

🌿 Harvest responsibly: take only what you need, leave young and old specimens behind, and avoid damaging the surrounding habitat. Always check that foraging is permitted where you are.

⚠️ Know your mushrooms! Some boletes can cause illness and lookalikes exist. Never eat a mushroom unless you're completely confident of its identification, and don't rely on a photo alone.

Find them. Identify them. Enjoy them. Leave plenty for the forest. 🍄🌲

Foraging

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

A morning out foraging around Brighton at the beginning of September 🍄🌿

The first signs of autumn are starting to appear, with rooting boletes pushing through the ground, chicken of the woods growing on old trees, oyster mushrooms tucked away in the woods, and plenty of wild berries along the way.

September is such an exciting time to be out looking — the seasons overlap, and every walk can turn up something different. A few hours in the woods, a basket of wild food, and a reminder of just how much is growing all around us.

⚠️ A reminder that mushroom foraging requires real care and knowledge. Never eat a wild mushroom unless you are 100% certain of its identification and that it is safe to eat. Do your own research and learn from multiple reliable sources before picking or consuming anything.

Please also forage responsibly and sustainably. Take only what you need, avoid damaging habitats or mycelium, leave plenty behind for wildlife and other foragers, and always check the local rules and land access before picking.

Foraging is about building a relationship with the landscape — not taking everything you find. 🌿

07/09/2026