12 British ingredients to forage

Cobnuts are simply cultivated hazelnuts, and can be used in much the same way. Originally developed in the early 1800s, they were enjoyed by Victorians as an after dinner accompaniment to Port. Somewhere along the way they fell out of fashion but top chefs like Adam Simmonds, Mark Poynton and Simon Rogan are helping to bring them back.

When to pick: Early autumn

Where to find: Mostly grown in Kent. Search the ground around a cobnut tree when in season

How to spot: By their green husks. If still attached to the tree, they will sprout from nettle-like leaves

Use: Can be eaten raw or crushed up and toasted. Pair with other autumnal ingredients like venison, duck or even figs.

In many ways, and you’ll have to stay with me here, the cycle of the rose plant can be seen as a metaphor for love itself. First come the flowers, with their lusty colouring and alluring, honeysuckle aroma. But once the flowers wilt and the heat of summer fades, something more enduring, less transient begins to bloom: rosehip, a fruit to preserve and cherish over the cooler months. Just watch out for the hairy bits…

When to pick: Rosehips bloom in autumn but wait for the first frost before picking - their flavour will be much more rounded as a result

Where to find: Hedgerows or wherever roses have grown

How to spot: Cherry-sized but with a red/orange colouring

Use: Turn into a syrup by straining the juice and boiling with lots of sugar, then use in cocktails, tea or to finish a jus or sauce, or use for jelly or jam. Remove the hairy seeds before consuming.

Allium ursunum goes by many names – stinking Jenny, ramsons, bear leek, buckrams – but it is most widely known as wild garlic. Along with blackberries, it’s the foraging equivalent of a ‘gateway drug’, often being the first thing people learn to pilfer. The reasons for this are simple: wild garlic is easy to spot and easy to smell. It carries a softer flavour more comparable to chive than regular garlic, perhaps.

When to pick: In spring – usually from April - May

Where to find: On the floor of damp woodland, often nestled among some bluebells

How to spot: Star-shaped white flowers give it away, but the best way of making sure you have wild garlic is by crushing and sniffing

Use: Chop up and stir into risottos, omelettes or soups. Match with other springtime ingredients - asparagus, crab, mint etc.

With its coruscatingly blue flowers, Borage can brighten up the dullest of dishes. The flavour of its leaves has been compared to cucumber (so pretty mild) and has been used in Mediterranean cuisine for centuries.

When to pick: It’s flowering season runs from June – September in the UK

Where to find: Gardens (ask permission first!). Uncultivated it grows in woodlands and pastures

How to spot: Blue flowers, hairy stalks and grows up 1 metre high

Use: To garnish, with fish or other fresh, zingy ingredients – it’s great in a jug of Pimm’s. Borage seed oil is also cultivated and is used as a health supplement.

Go blackberry picking and you are likely to find some elderberries along the way, as they often profilerate in similar terrains. And they should not be ignored. Representing the autumnal phase of the elder tree (elderflower is also useful), elderberries are small yet plump, frequently munched on by birds and other hedgerow creatures. For that reason, pick them responsibly.

When to pick: Late summer and throughout autumn (blackberry season)

Where to find: Hedgerows

How to spot: Purple little berries

Use: Boil down and make a cordial or syrup. Paul Foster says, “I always sweet pickle the berries and serve them with game or oily fish.”

The fruits of the hawthorn are great for the heart. Not only do these miracle berries help prevent heart failure and ease high blood pressure, but the results of cooking them in a jelly or jam can be heart-warming, too. Pick them when ripe and their flavour is wonderful – just remember to remove the seeds before use as they are poisonous.

When to pick: Late autumn - October or November. If picked when overripe the flavour will be not as nice

Where to find: Hedgerows or anywhere with lots of brambles

How to spot: Ruby red berries surrounded by large thorns

Use: Can be made into jelly, jam (it contains lots of natural pectin) or even ketchup. Inspired?