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@pickleandbrew

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Day 15 @wildbiomeproject

It’s been a great week for shrooms. As if my giddy kipper mood couldn’t be elevated even more!!!!

The giant puffball (Calvatia gigantea - what a great name) has evaded me in its purest form for years but today I hit the puffball jackpot 🎰. Two of the kindest souls gave me a tip off because they knew I was living off wild food for the month. I wasn’t sure I’d found the right spot, sometimes it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack but when it pulls off well it’s just incredible.

There were a few at various stages, some decomposed releasing all those thousands of spores living inside the puffball and then the pristine. Many bigger than my head 🤣 they are incredible

I’m really looking forward to creating some dishes with them over the next few days. I’ve had them egg washed before coated with breadcrumbs, so I’ll try and recreate that using wild ingredients but they will definitely be heading for the frying pan.

I’m more than halfway there now, it’s been tough but moments like these keep you going.

Have you discovered giant puffballs before ? What sort of environment ? These seemed to be thriving amongst nettles 🌱🌱🌱
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#wildbiome2026 #giantpuffball #fungusamongus #pilze taken in Yorkshire by @pickleandbrew

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15 days ago

Day 22 @wildbiomeproject 🌱

I’m starting to lose track of the days. I think I’ve just over a week to go now living off wild food only.

Created some puffball pizzas yesterday. Seasoned think slices baked with some cobnut oil, passata made from rosehips and three cornered leek bubils and a trio of wild mushies:-

Hen of the woods thanks to my lovely friend @slcruz who left me a wonderful surprise of these, so grateful 🤎

Penny buns foraged that morning & chicken of the woods topped with wild thyme, nettle seeds & chickweed.

Pretty flipping yummy 😋 something tasty like this just keeps you going
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#stayingstrong #wildbiome2026 #henofthewoods #giantpuffball #wildfooduk taken in Yorkshire by @pickleandbrew

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9 days ago

Day 14 @wildbiomeproject 🌱🍄

Two weeks in living off wild food & these moments are pure joy. Can’t tell you how good it feels to discover these beautiful shrooms.

Eyes firmly fixed looking for glimmers - a change in colour in the leaf litter, a shiny cap, a little brightness from the stipe & when it happens your mood instantly elevates. No feeling quite like it - to find them in such perfect condition too, it was my lucky day.

No dehydrating these - I’ll enjoy every morsel & add them to dishes over the next day or so….

Have you discovered any yet? 🍄‍🟫🍄‍🟫🍄‍🟫
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#wildbiome2026 #porcini #pilze #pennybuns #wildfooduk taken in Yorkshire by @pickleandbrew

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16 days ago

We are so happy to share that Rooted Retreat returns in August ‘27 after two previous sellout success!
Here’s just a fragment of the feedback, from the amazing women who arrive as strangers and leave as friends!
We are so proud of the magic we have created between us and we would love you to experience it…. to that end we make it as accessible as possible with various room options, as well as payment plans tailored to your needs. All dietary needs are also catered for!
We pride ourselves on being a little different from the average retreat… no punishing regimes, just soul-satisfying gentle movement, deep relaxation, an introduction to shamanic practice, as well as a fascinating foray into the world of wild foods and healing plant medicine …and plenty of time to gather around a table for creative crafts and conversation..
All this against a backdrop of delicious, nourishing and sumptuous foods, lovingly created to delight the eye and bombard the tastebuds!
If this sounds like your kind of thing, we are waiting to hear from you!

Your Rooted team.. Sasha, Sylvia, Andrea and Tee 😊🌿🍀💚🙏🏼

Check out the link 🔗 in our bios above!!

#rootedretreat #womensretreat #womensretreatuk #reinventingtheretreat #retreat27 taken in Nanpantan Hall by @pickleandbrew

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2 days ago

Day 28 @wildbiomeproject 🌱

Early morning wander before clinic, so many beautiful hawthorn berries and hornbeam berries too. It’s so dry here, just a few drops of rain found the remains of an old bolete but no other fungi.

Foraged some yarrow, hound horseradish leaves and dead nettles for some greens.

Breakfast - hazelnuts, fera apple and a herbal brew of elderflowers, rose and pineapple weed

Lunch - crab meat and wild greens

Dinner - wild duck breasts in a wild cherry jus (leftover from defrosting some), wild thyme and horseradish leaves. Feral apple and slow berry compote.

Did some prep for my Ayurvedic course on Sunday making beetroot and red onion pickles, I’ll be able to eat what I cook this week yay 🙌

Young cleavers appearing so put some to soak in water for a cleansing morning drink. Restless night but up early to drive back to Yorkshire later. Two days left on the project.

Thank you for all your support and well done to everyone that finished yesterday I’m two days behind!!!!
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#wildbiome2026 #wildfood #forageruk #wildgreens #herbalteas taken in Stroud, Gloucestershire by @pickleandbrew

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2 days ago

Day 26 & 27 @wildbiomeproject 🌱

If you didn’t know already I’ve been living off wild food for the month of September as part of the wildbiome project 2026. Last year in spring I did three months but this year it’s just one month.

I thought it would be much easier but doing it in a different season, no meet ups with fellow biomers and the heatwave we’ve had have affected it. But hanging on.

Days of wild food discoveries really pick you up. I’m working away and forgot to pack some supplies but I’ve been picking sloe berries and crab apples to make a delicious wild fruit compote that I had with sweet chestnut pancakes. Didn’t need any honey, found it sweet enough - look at the colour of it, just so beautiful 🥰

Also stumbled across some giant puffballs again - it’s been a great season for them or have I just been in the right place at the right time? Found them under an apple tree nestled in nettles - bingo 🥰

Fried some puffball nuggets up, some porcini & it was delicious 🌱

In the last few days now 🧡
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#wildbiomeproject #wildfood #pancakes #giantpuffballs #wildberries taken in Stroud, Gloucestershire by @pickleandbrew

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3 days ago

Join us next weekend for FUNGI FEST at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve at Potteric Carr 🍄

Two days bursting with fungi activities, wanders, story telling, baking, fungi fired fusion workshop, a mushroom market, botanical drawing & there’s a cafe where you can enjoy some lunch, a hot brew and some cake!!!!

Can’t wait to explore such an incredible area, the shrooms are appearing let’s go discover them 🍄🍁

Tickets available from @yorkshirewildlifetrust_

So tog up and let’s get exploring 🍄
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#YorkshireWildlifeTrust #PottericCarr #FungiFestival #FungiFun #AutumnAdventures taken in YWT Potteric Carr Nature Reserve by @pickleandbrew

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4 days ago

Weekend days living off wild food only for the month of September as part of the @wildbiomeproject 🌱

It takes time to forage, think about what you can create and then make it as appetising as possible. It seems a long haul at the start but now we are in the last week I’m feeling strange about it ending. Yes it’s tough at times but you do learn to adapt.

Some of the weekend’s dishes were easier - I judge my energy, I’m waking up far too early but I’m rolling with it.

Venison wild spiced meatballs with pickled wild garlic seeds, yarrow, ground ivy and hedgerow ketchup were tasty. I’m preferring wild fish if I’m honest but these made a change.

A scramble of wild mackerel, porcini, yarrow and egg (limited of course) sounds a weird combo but works well and fills me up.

Biscuits made from acorn and sweet chestnut flour, hogseed powder, sea salt and cobnut oil are really lovely to have as a snack with a cuppa.

Wild fish cakes & greens 🌱

I’m working away now and realised I’ve forgotten to pack some essentials but I’ll have to make do - plenty of herbal tea, some wild duck and mackerel. I’ll see what I can forage while I’m down in Gloucestershire just don’t know this area very well - here’s hoping there’s some shrooms 🍄🌱🍄‍🟫

I’m two days behind the rest of the @wildbiomeproject due to holidays so when they finish at the end of Sept I carry on - we’ve got this 🥰
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#wildbiome2026 #foragedfood #venisonmeatballs #glutenfreebiscuits #wildfood taken in Stroud, Gloucestershire by @pickleandbrew

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5 days ago

Day 22 & 23 @wildbiomeproject 🌱

Heading into the last week now living off wild food only. It’s been a very testing month but amazing what you can do when you have to.

Moments like these are precious, I’ve been foraging before clinic so I’ve had an opportunity to enjoy solitude, sun rises and glimmers of joy discovering penny buns. My local trusted spots have served me well. I’d usually be dehydrating some but there’s nothing quite like heading home and pan frying them - setting me up for the day 🍄‍🟫

I’ve really been enjoying dandelion root coffee with homemade hazelnut milk to start the day. Yesterday I had leftover fish cakes for brunch, acorn, birch sap and chestnut flour biscuits & mackerel, pickled garlic capers and ground ivy vinegar pate and walnuts.

I need to plan now from Sunday until the end of the wildbiome project I’m working away. Home Thursday as my project ends (I started two days after the rest due to being out of the country). I’m working out what I can take and hoping to get time to forage while I’m in the Stroud area.

Wondering what my first non wildbiome meal will be……what have I missed the most? Last year I had a Greek salad - adore olives, feta cheese and tomatoes but not sure that dairy serves me well. Seeing as we are transitioning into autumn I really fancy something spicy, warming and comforting like rice and dhall oh yeah that would be wonderful 🧡

For local folks - join me @edensforestcic on the 26th Oct for a fungi ID foray with wood fired pizzas & wild medicine making in a glorious private woodland. Ticket link in bio 🌱🍄🧡🍄‍🟫
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#pennybuns #pilze #cep #porcini #forager taken in Yorkshire by @pickleandbrew

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7 days ago

Rooted retreat is back and this time we will be gathering in the beautiful Charnwood Forest, a place that I am lucky enough to call home.
I can not wait to share the beauty of the area (there's ponies!) and the magic of our retreat with you.
Our vision is to help guide you into remembering your connection with the land and yourself through foraging and feasting, wild medicine, gentle yoga, shamanic circles and bundles of creativity. All of this whilst being a beautiful, welcoming community of women.

The rooms are already filling and last year the spaces sold out quite quickly, so if it's calling to you, make the most of our early bird offer and come and join us!
Visit: www.rootedretreat.co.uk to see what the weekend will hold. 🥰
We would love to have you join us.

With love Sasha and the Rooted team

#womensretreat #ukretreat #creativeretreat #foraginguk #wellnessretreat by @pickleandbrew

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9 days ago

Day 20 @wildbiomeproject 🍄‍🟫🌱

Penny bun joy. Some right chonking finds & I know there’s more to come, although the weather is so changeable blimey I set off early with plenty of layers on and ended up roasting.

It’s a strange thing living solely for wild food at the moment. Such a different experience to doing it last year in spring. The greens were plentiful then and the wild garlic, garlic mustard, common hogweed shoots and three cornered leeks added so much flavour and substance to dishes. I don’t know of anyone really wanting to eat fungi back then, we had squirrelled away some but instinctively our bodies seem to crave the greens. Mother Nature just seems to know what we need in a particular season to keep us well.

This time round the greens are more limited (there’s some young nettles and dandelions of course) but the body seems to crave the antioxidants from berries and some roots. I really want some roots - now we aren’t legally allowed to uproot any plants without permission but some burdock root wouldn’t go amiss. What I’d do for some mash 🤣 any wild ideas would be most appreciated…..

I was thinking of making a casserole & some soup but now it’s turned warm again I’m not sure.The appetite is so low and I’m easily full, protein dence meals have meant I’m been in ketosis for almost three weeks now.

I’m away from home in Stroud for the final week, so I’ll need to be prepared organising to take some supplies with me and hoping i can do some foraging while I’m there. Just difficult when you don’t know the area well.

Ten days to go!!!!
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#wildbiome2026 #wildfood #boletusedulis #fungusamongus #pilze taken in Yorkshire by @pickleandbrew

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10 days ago

Day 19 @wildbiomeproject 🍄🌱

Headed out for a quick walk and headed to a trusted spot. This season you’re never quite sure what you’ll find but the Panther caps (amanita pantherina) appeared in the same spot where we found them with @launderjesper a few years ago. So good to see 🌱

Some blusher neighbours close by & then into the woods to see a spectacle of fly agarics - just glorious.

These aren’t going on the pot!!! Pl be 💯 % certain with ID.

Today food wise was more of a tough uninspired day, the usual handful of wild nuts, leftover cold partridge and some wild hake without any greens. Today will be better 🍄‍🟫🌱🍄
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#wildbiome2026 #wildfood #pickleandbrew #forager taken in Yorkshire by @pickleandbrew

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11 days ago