Kat lives in Fife and is passionate about seasonality, local produce and home cooking
Gorse
We have just completed another phase of drainage work at Lochaber Farm. As part of this, we have been pruning back some of our gorse, the branches and roots of which have been pervading the drains and ditches. During the recent respite of warm sunny days, there has been a wonderful coconut aroma from this daunting-looking shrub wafting around the farm – this smell has always enticed me.
Forage
I love a bit of a forage…and I decided that gorse was to be my next challenge.
Gorse is in bloom for a large part of the year, but during spring, the coconut flavour is at its most intense, so this is the time to go for it. I settled on a recipe for gorse flower ice cream and set off to collect a few handfuls of gorse flowers on the farm. When home, I warmed equal quantities of whole milk and double cream with two cups of the gorse flowers I had collected. This was cooled and left in the fridge overnight to infuse and the next day I used this infusion to make my ice cream. The finished ice cream was a wonderful pale, primrose yellow and it had a delicate, flowery, coconut taste.
Gorse has now definitely earned its place on my list of foraging favourites.
Music to cook to
Mr Jones by the Counting Crows, simply because it brings back happy memories.
