Foraging through unkempt gardens

Unkempt gardens are the best places where you can find fruit that grows spontaneously and unaided by modern chemicals and other plants that you would expect to take a long walk though the forest for. Here's the scoop:

I had some help - shy at first

But willing to give a loving helping hand eventually

We found piles of small golden and green apples.

Baby stinging nettle and mint

But the discovery for me were the elder fruits. You can find them hanging in the sun, ripening and waiting for you

I decided to pick as many as I could [approx. 3 kilos and another 3 afterwards]

And made the most delicious jam ever - with bourbon vanilla and lemon juice.

Other items on the day's menu were a thick gazpacho

And nettle puree with romanian polenta

All in all, it was a fun day