Foraging for food in the Scottish Highlands

Nature provides a plentiful supply of ingredients for the kitchen; you just have to know what you’re looking for. You will be surprised at the amount and variety of produce within a very small radius of your own home. Foraged food tastes better, is high in nutrients and is free. The feeling of satisfaction on returning with a basket of foraged food should be experienced by everyone - especially the children, who love it.

It is important to ensure that you have permission where necessary, that you properly identify the correct plant and that you harvest in a sustainable manner. All that is required is a suitable container, a reasonably sharp knife or scissors and some sensible shoes.

Spring is a particularly abundant and exciting time. Wild herbs, flowers and fungi abound (gloves are also sensible to avoid staining and give protection if the wrong type of fungi are picked in error). We would always advise that mushrooming is done with an expert until you are certain that what is being harvested is edible.

Michelin Star Restaurant in Scotland

At Boath House we all share an interest in organic and slow food and we use local produce from nearby providers for the daily changing menu. We are all proud of the restaurant achieving 4AA rosette status and a Michelin star as there are only a small number who hold this accolade in Scotland.

It’s fashionable to use foraged food in dishes at the moment, but in the Highlands in particular it’s commonplace and established practice, similar to rural France and Italy. At cookery demonstrations people are really surprised at what they can find in their own backyard and it’s good to see more people foraging and using foraging foods as a low cost and nutritious way to add to their existing ingredients. By foraging you are carrying on a tradition that has been going on for centuries – some of these items like ground elder and sweet cicely came over with the Romans. Don’t miss this chance to find out about the fascinating ways in which we can use food for free in our diet.