One of the things that I love about my life is that every day I learn something new, I am consistently learning and growing in so many different ways. Sensone is for me such a magical place providing so much not just for me but for many other people.
Although we might hate all of this instable weather it is really good for the many plants that grown here. The other day Brother Andrew, Sister Estelle and Sister Bridget, from The Community of Jesus, arrived at the car park in Renaio at 7.30am for their first time Porcini hunting. Sensone and the surrounding lands being famous throughout Tuscany for its rich crops of these delicious funghi (mushrooms).
Now I wouldn’t say it is a great year for them but if you don’t mind walking and being both patient and very observant you will be rewarded and we were. Always before I eat any of the mushrooms we find I always get Diana to check them over it really can be fatal to eat a poisonous one.
Not only did Diana check them out she ended up cooking us a great lunch leaving some for the Brothers and Sisters to take back. Thank you Diana, Brother Andrew, Sister Estelle and Sister Bridget.
Apart from the mushrooms there is such a variety of other plants and fruits that await us within the land and foraging has now become part of my daily life. Back in England it wouldn’t have been considered and thanks to modern agricultural methods, foraging has faded away being replaced by regular trips to the supermarket.
It was a fun morning as we split up and walked the mountain side, occasionally calling to each other when we found a porcini and our reward was the fungi pasta and fritters a few hours later. I have dried some ready to revive in the depths of winter.
There are an abundance of plants both in the wild and in our gardens that we can eat and one of the things I am doing at the moment is learning about the healing properties of plants many of them growing free and wild all around us.
I often serve dishes made with stinging nettles check out the web you can make delicious creamy soups, a topping for toast; add them to dishes to bring a warm spinachy taste to your meal. They are abundant at this time of year and they are free. They have so many healing abilities and are amazing for anyone suffering from rheumatic symptoms, for men with Prostate problems a tea or tincture made from the roots will reduce the swelling. They are great for your hair making it shiny and strong whilst acting as a natural diuretic cleansing your system. And it’s FREE.
Urtica dioica (The humble Stinging Nettle) when cooked is rich in vitamins A, C, iron, potassium, manganese and calcium and has a flavor similar to spinach and at its freshest it contains up to 25% protein higher than many of the green leaf vegetables. Cooking or soaking the stinging nettles in water will remove the stinging chemicals making them more friendly and easy to handle.
The use of stinging nettles in cooking is endless, I have already mentioned the soup, but add it to polenta, make your own pesto and puree sauces. They are used in cheese making and can be found in Yargi and varieties of Gouda and are used throughout the world in a variety of ways. Check it out you will be surprised at the versatility of this commonly know weed.
In World War 1 due to the shortage of cotton, stinging nettles stems, which contain a bast fibre that has been used throughout the centuries to produce a fabric similar to linen, was used to make the uniforms of the German Army.
I have been truly educated on the benefits of adding this simple weed to my table and I can only advise that you try it, you will be surprised.
Nettles are not the only riches to be reaped from the land, the produce is endless and fruit like blackberries have formed part of our diet since eternity. In the past more than now, although living here at Sensone, living so close to Mother Nature she inspires you to be more adventurous and marvel at her abundance.
I found a foraging recipe for Rose Honey and is an ideal way of getting twice as much from a jar whilst adding a distinct and delicate flavor, Check out this link. I have made a jar and it looks as good as it tastes.
The use of the rose can be dated back to 810BC and is valued by many cultures not only for its beauty and perfume but also for its profound healing properties on both the physical and psychological level. Globally the use of rosewater and rose oils has been used to cure a wide range of medical conditions.
Rose water and rose oil are still big business with four main growing centres in Kazanluk, known as “The Valley of Roses” in Bulgaria, Isparta in Turkey, Shiraz in Iran and Grasse in the South of France. Similar to wine making each region has its own particular climate and process of distillation creating unique and evocative produce.
One of the things that I have noticed since studying plants and their healing properties is the range of ailments they help and the rose is no exception. Traditionally being used to treat the skin, the heart, the liver, digestion, gynecological problems, appetite, breathing, the eyes, the mouth, bruising, cuts and wounds, veins, limb joints, head pain infectious illness, sexuality and the mind. Much of which has been confirmed by modern scientific investigation.
Rose water is likened to wine, if kept in the right conditions will mature and improve with age; just half a teaspoon of rosewater mixed in a glass of water with a little sugar every morning for six weeks will make you feel better. Once again I can only urge you to try it out.
This is just two of the many varieties of plants available to us; Mother Nature provides all that we need. I am not a fan of modern medicines feeling that it is easier to dismiss a patient with a tablet rather than spending the time to heal the deeper causes of much illness. Our wellbeing is dual purpose not only do we have to keep the body in good health we need to keep our soul in good health too.
I know for me to just look at a beautiful rose bud and then the flower lifts my heart and my spirit, it is then enhanced by the beautiful aroma and perfume that emanates from the plant so for me I don’t even need to drink the rosewater to feel the beauty and healing properties of the rose.
Please share with me some of your experiences with plants and foraging I am always looking for more recipes and ways to use the resources we have around us.
Article by Sensone