Lunch in the forest

[barbourdurham]

I took an early morning walk through the forest, with the aim of brushing up on my edible plant ID. It was raining quite heavily and since I had prepared well and not brought my goretex jacket I was rather damp soon after locking the car. Fortunately it is only a 1km stroll to the forest edge and I was soon under the canopy. It really is beautiful right now, with every plant and tree looking vibrant. The lower end of the forest is quite thick with fern, low creeping bramble and the odd wind blown tree from this past winter. I crept through the trees, quickly forgetting about plant ID and changing tack to deer spotting. The rain would of kept them low and they would surely be bedded down in good cover, so I started scouting for sign. I headed deeper into the forest, checking out likely deer couches and was lucky enough to find sign of 4 or possibly 5 roe deer couches, all within a few meters of each other under a large sycamore. Unfortunately the deer were long gone and hadn't been there since at least dawn but for me, it was a good bit of tracking. Now very wet I found a spot to take a rest and set up a temporary shelter.

I always carry my JervenBag original with me so I set it up as a lean-to with a porch, to shelter the fire from the rain. I collected a fallen pine and processed it into sticks with my bacho saw and my knife.

I had collected a small amount of birch bark on the way in and dried it in my trouser pocket. I scrapped it up to form a fine dust pile and lit this with my ferro rod. In order to get my fire going I had made some rudimentary feather sticks as well. Within a short time I had a good fire going under my shelter so I moved it out into the rain to fend for itself.

I had brought along a rabbit that I shot last weekend. I set up a roasting rig and cooked the rabbit over the coals.

Once the rabbit was very nearly done I made up a prepared bannock. I had laced it with garlic powder and salt, which is how I prefer it. I added water to the dry mix in my trusty little plastic pot and formed a dough.

I put it in my Primus small fry pan and set it in the coals, along with some pine needle tea.

Interestingly enough, I find it best to strain your pine needle tea through pine needles!

Waiting for everything to come together I stood and listened to the sounds of the forest.

So with a little time and patience, lunch was served, if a little early at 1130ish as I had been out since day break!

Taking my time to clean everything up I wandered back through the forest to my car. I found a nice little horses hoof fungus so I harvested it and will make some amadou as I have recently taken a keen interest in flint and steel fire lighting!

Thanks!

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[crosslandkelly]

Great lunch. Thanks for posting

 

[Hunkyfunkster]

That's so much more relaxing and satisfying than my coronation chicken roll. Thanks for sharing.



Alex

 

[santaman2000]

Looks like a good lunch and a good day. Thanks for sharing.

 

[GreenNomad]

Great trip, rabbit looks tasty

 

[ceryni]

This is quite excellent. I'm inspired to endeavour to get out more. What a great idea.

 

[barbourdurham]

This is quite excellent. I'm inspired to endeavour to get out more. What a great idea.

I used to live up the coast from Ipswich as a kid. Theres some beautiful places that way. I recommend the estuaries around Southwold and the forested area north of Dunwich village, if you're interested mate. Good shore fishing to.

 

[ceryni]

That sounds amazing. Althought currently live on a narrowboat near Cambridge!

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[barbourdurham]

That sounds amazing. Althought currently live on a narrowboat near Cambridge!

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that sounds even better! :You_Rock_

 

[ceryni]

that sounds even better! :You_Rock_

Thanks!

Can I ask though, how does everyone manage bannock outdoors so well? Mine always seems to go badly, no matter what recipe I try. Last time I burned it onto the bottom of the small annodised Trangia pan knock off, and to this day is black at the bottom.

Also how do you wash up? What do you take with you to wash up etc?
I know these always seem like such elemental things but I tend to go out, practise some new skills and try and learn, have a good time and Chuck everything in the bag to sort out at home!

 

[Dark Horse Dave]

Great report and pics Bd, very inspiring!

To Ceryni, you may be cooking a bit too hot, ie it may not be the recipe. I'm sure you already know, but greasing the pan with oil, suet or whatever might help. You could also try baking it - a tin within a tin.

On washing up, I might have a scourer of some sort with me and generally a little bottle of that universal liquid stuff that does clothes, pans and bodies!





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[barbourdurham]

Thanks!

Can I ask though, how does everyone manage bannock outdoors so well? Mine always seems to go badly, no matter what recipe I try. Last time I burned it onto the bottom of the small annodised Trangia pan knock off, and to this day is black at the bottom.

Also how do you wash up? What do you take with you to wash up etc?
I know these always seem like such elemental things but I tend to go out, practise some new skills and try and learn, have a good time and Chuck everything in the bag to sort out at home!

I cook my bannocks on coals, never flames. it took me a good few attempts to get it right believe me! i dont use butter or oil etc, i just make the dough a little firmer than i guess is usual and let it rest for a few seconds in the pot i make it in. i give the pot a little shake so any remaining dry mix lightly coats the dough, before i flatten it into my Primus non-stick pan which I warm over said coals before putting in my bannock dough. I spread the dough in the pan, to its edges and let it slowly cook through, turning every few minutes or so.

as for cleaning pots and pans in the forest, i used a bit of spagmam moss or grass root balls (atached soil included) as a natural scrubber. its naturally moist and isnt very abrasive, its generally all i need to clean a pot. Anything worse i just tip a bit of water into said mucky pan and put it back on the coals to deglaze it, then its back to the natural scrubber. i do carry a small kitchen sponge in my cook pot, but its really only there to stop rattling and to scrub my knife if im gralloching deer etc.

 

[ceryni]

Thanks! This is actually really helpful. It's nice because these things are overlooked a lot of the time, seen as too basic for many, too embarrassed to ask at meets and not even mentioned in videos.

I'm excited.

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[Totumpole]

Looks like a great morning out. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Macaroon]

Thanks! This is actually really helpful. It's nice because these things are overlooked a lot of the time, seen as too basic for many, too embarrassed to ask at meets and not even mentioned in videos.

I'm excited.

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The only embarrasing or 'stupid' questions are those that you don't ask; in my experience those who really love the outdoors are always pleased to help people who are perhaps a little unsure of things, and gladly share knowledge and skills.

Getting the small details right and being comfortable doing it means small things aren't small and therefore big things come a lot easier, but only to those who ask

 

[ceryni]

The only embarrasing or 'stupid' questions are those that you don't ask; in my experience those who really love the outdoors are always pleased to help people who are perhaps a little unsure of things, and gladly share knowledge and skills.

Getting the small details right and being comfortable doing it means small things aren't small and therefore big things come a lot easier, but only to those who ask

Thanks! I've only been able to get into this in the last few years since uni. Rest assured I have a lot of questions!

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[Arya]

That looks nice and tasty! I feel inspired to escape the house when I read threads like this. Thanks for sharing!