Growing up in the Arizona desert, foraging wasn’t something I had much exposure to. My early life was spent in vast landscapes littered with saguaro cactuses, coyotes and deep red sunsets.
While beautiful, the lush green landscape that characterises the UK had a strong pull on me, prompting me to leave the arid southern state for the rain and grey skies of England. When I was given the opportunity for a closer, guided look at the English countryside and learn how to forage, I was among the first in line to sign up.
My overnight adventure began by catching a train from London, followed by a 10-15 minute taxi journey to reach the Hunt Gather Cook location in the Ashdown Forest, tucked away within the South Downs, where I arrived alongside the other campers just in time for dinner and drinks. Hunter Gather Cook has set up courses like this one as a way for people to experience food in the outdoors – their aim is to equip people with the skills and to become “modern-day hunter-gatherers”.
The venue, where we would stay for one night before hiking, feels at one with the outdoors. The shed doors were fully open, exposing us to the vast scenery, but indoors there was a fire crackling, tables already laid with candles and blankets at each guest’s seat. In an instant I felt at home. As I took a closer look around, I noticed that the space was made up as two-thirds dining tables and the rest kitchen, teeming with chefs preparing the meal that we would all be contribute to (and feast on) later that evening.
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The guests were offered glasses of wine as we got to work sharpening sticks for our much-anticipated s’mores and nailing trout to wood planks to be cooked on the fire. We followed this up by toasting a delicious first course of oysters and chilli lemongrass vinaigrette. While we patiently waited for the trout to cook, I took the opportunity to mingle and explore the property – with rows of garden beds packed with flourishing produce along with open space made up of a firepit, benches and a grass area. Just outside the…
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