Bartenders Gone Wild!

Kicking of the journey with a horrendously early (for bartenders) coffee in the depths of Mullerthal at the scenic Heringer Millen where Mark started with a brief on foraging etiquette and safety. Then after introductions and distribution of foraging supplies – foraging bags, mushroom knives, water and of course, symposium caps, we headed out into the woods…

Already right next to the carpark, Mark was dashing off to the banks of the small stream showing us ground ivy (great for salads and foraged sushi fillings), electric daisy(!) and meadowsweet, a wonderfully floral plant that can be easily fermented into a sparkling drink with a flavour not unlike a ‘Hugo’ – Mark had even brought a sample with him from Scotland, just enough for a pre-forage toast to the woods!

A few metres later we also found elderberries, nettles and hogweed, which despite the name, has seeds with a coriander-like bite to easily add a new dimension to an infusion or cocktail.

As we progressed through into the woods we came across apples and blackberries, the easy wins for any forager, but also new herbs, plants and trees that when in the hands of even a newcomer to the scene can be turned into flavoursome syrups, cordials and infusions reminiscent of grapefruit, chili, peppercorns and much, much more.

Angelica flourished along the riverbanks along with mustard leaves, wild garlic, walnut trees, sorrel and oyster mushrooms – perfect for making Marks’ ‘Shroomami’ a soy-sauce like condiment that adds deliciousness drop by drop to any drink!

On return to Heringer Millen we spread out our gathered hoard over lunch and a few delicious foraged cocktails using ingredients sourced from the hike, the reactions felt by the bartenders were clear.

The surprise and delight at the wealth, variety and strength of flavours available in just a 500m walk was tangible and the excitement to explore more, even in the local neighbourhoods where these mixologists ply their trade, was bubbling over.

Now expect to see some ‘locally foraged’ highlights on cocktail menus in the coming seasons.

Cheers 😊