General Discussion

I know there is a community event coming up ; Delicious Dawlish Community Feast, (which i will go and support) and I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but ......

Following on from another thread about pheasants, if anyone has excess local products they would like to swap, count me in. 

At the moment, I am always happy to go & catch some local mackerel and smoke it in exchange for whatever anyone else has to offer 

(=|:-D 

Excellent idea!  Sadly this year we don't have much surplus thanks to weather conditions and rabbits.  Still some potatoes in the ground - what's the going mackerel/potato exchange rate?!  Also picked 10 lbs of sloes the other day (now all used) but will be foraging for more - any use?

Foraging. Yes! Brilliant. Sadly I don't like fish or shell fish which is quite ironic given where we live but I do know of others that forage shell fish such as mussels over at Shaldon when there is a really low tide.  

Anyone any other suggestions?

@Lynne - blackberries is the obvious one, if the birds don't get them first, also elderberries (try elderberry jelly), elderflower earlier in the year (fritters, wine, cordial), wild crab apples (lots last year but haven't seen so many this year as with all the apple crops), samphire on the teign estuary, young shoots of mace if you don't mind walking through marshy land.  and i'm sure there's lots more locally, just a question of getting out and spotting it!

@cheftallyrand - we do have a lot of herbs if you're interested - bay, rosemary, marjoram, mint & thyme (though dying back now)

We have toooooooooooo many apples a couple of different types (don't know = before you ask)

Lots of blackberries, some pears,

loads of rabbits so if someone has a gun (u get the picture)

FORAGING, we have found a couple of apple trees (different from ours), a plum tree, some wild garlic, and a couple of fungi hoards.

Is Shaldon the best place for mussels then ??????

Have no idea if Shaldon is the best place for mussels around here or not. Just know people who come to Dawlish a lot (like relatives of mine) who love mussels and oft times go there when it is low tide to get themselves a free dinner.   

@AndyS

Could be interested in bagging a few rabbits.

Will need to meet and discuss things first if OK with you.

WOW .... didn't expect so much enthusiasm if I am honest! So great to see tho :-D

I have missed the tides today, and I am in Plymouth tomorrow and Wednesday. But if anyone wants some mackerel, I will go out on Wednesday to see if they are biting. Happy to leave them whole, fillet them or smoke them for anyone who is interested in a swap. And by that I mean, no need for an immediate swap, you can have the fish and then give me whatever you have when you have it. 

Just let me know via here

(=[;-D 

@neilh - not fussed about "exchange rate" lol. you can have whatever i have, and i am happy to exchange for whatever you can spare :-)

I have a pint of beer for 2 mackerel on Friday :-)

Foraging:  mussels from the Salty; plenty of hazel nuts around but squirrels are wreaking havoc getting in first!

The blackberries I saw this morning along Secmaton Lane were looking a bit sad. Quite small and dry looking and quite a few are still green.

Is this just a Secmaton Lane phenomenon or is it the same elsewhere this year? 

And another thing - what happened to gooseberry bushes? Do they still exist? Never seem to see them anymore.  Loved guz gogs when I was a kid.

Gee Lynne, I thought it was only me who called them gooz gogs! A name by which we always called them when we were growing up in Wales. But yes, they do seem like a dying fruit for some reason. Mmmmm gooseberry fool, crumble or stewed gooseberries with custard !! 

neilh mussels from salty ?? do you just mean the sea or do you have a paticular spot.

Chef is my swap offer no good then?

We would like young plants please, things like gooseberries, cherry, plum, peach

Basil tree (we have normal basil), chestnut.

We seem to have quite a bit of fennel, if anyone wants some.

@Andysport - my apologies, young sir i missed that one. a couple of mackerel coming up! ........ they had better be biting now :-s whole? filleted? smoked? 

BTW - whats the story with mussels from Dawlish beach? Worth collecting? Dodgy? 

@chef Wouldn't risk them from the beach - the water course outlet coupled with all the ducks may be too much of an e-coli risk.

@Andysport.  salty = area of teign estuary exposed at low tide, sort of shaldon bridge area.  have also seen cockle/clam pickers there

Thanks neilh

Chef whole are fine thanks, mind you I always fillet within half an hour.

Depending on what time your fishing I could always come down and fillet for you.

May i have some smoked ones in the future please.

Also I need to cut a couple of branches off an apple tree in a couple of weeks time would you like them??

How do you smoke in a flat ??

@neilh - cheers for that

@Andysport - i will go down to the jetty on thursday afternoon about 15.30 (high tide is just after 17.00) so see you there between those times if you like?

As for apple branches, would love them if I can find someone to chip them

As for smoking the mackerel in a flat ..... you need to check out my recipe & method. It's dead easy, with no fuss or mess ;-D 

If I have spare I will be sure to post here on Thursday afternoon, if anyone wants any? 

Chef,

I'm back up in the midlands and hadn't planned to come back down until early friday morning.

No problemo, will see you down at the jetty on Friday then, weather permitting - between 4 and 5 :-)

Thanks Chef, see you Friday.

@neilh - going to smoke some mackerel today. do you want half a dozen fillets, they are only small but your welcome to them? will be going fishing this afternoon if you would prefer whole fresh fish? 

Hi Chef.

If you are after some pheasants and would like to go on a shoot, try asking at the Swan Inn. It is a popular pub for those that hunt.

Also, if the rabbit shooting works out, I will put some your way. Email me if you like.

@Carer - thanks for that tip, will pop along this weekend for a pint :-) 

are you a mackerel fan, fresh or smoked? 

Hi Chef.

Oh yes. Both. LOL.

Do like prefer them  filleted though.

I have both here, but both promised to others (if they reply today) I will be fishing this afternoon. I will post up on here this evening if they are biting .......... they were jumping everywhere lat night, but not biting, 6 of us fishing, no one catching :-( 

I may take a walk down later then. Where will you be, how will I recognise you and what time will you be there?

Just checked tides, I'll be down on the jetty from 4.30 until about 6.30. My pic is posted, I'll be wearing a black baseball cap with NZ logo on the back, and if all else fails just yell CHEF! ;-) 

all dependent on my daughter in law not going into labour! but if she does, i will post up here. otherwise i look forward to meeting you this afternoon, along with @Andysport and @neilh (if you still want the smoked fillets?) 

May see you later then.

cancel the hat, I'm in jeans and a black raincoat and will have my grand daughter's crab bucket ....... and my 7 yr old grand daughter probably :) 

Hope you had a good catch.

Nice to meet you BTW.

Will be in touch soon.

@Chef  Hi.  Just picked up posts.  If smoked mackerel fillets still on offre I could offer some potatoes, courgettes and fresh herbs if you're interested.

Foraging - found a hedgerow with lots of marjoram growing in it on Tuesday.  I don't think it's a native plant so assume that someone has scattered some seed there.  What a good idea.  Perhaps everyone ought to buy/harvest some herb seeds and just cast them into the hedges - true community growing!!

@neilh - sorry neil, but andysport beat you to it (as they are home smoked and preservative free, i prefer them to be eaten quickly) but  i will get out on the weekend and see if they are biting and smoke some more for you :-)

@Carer - nice to met you to. happy trails and see you soon

@chef - thanks.  yes let me know & will raid garden again

Here's an interesting link for sharing/selling food produce - looks like a local initiative which is trying to broaden out.

http://www.gardenfoodclub.com

@neilh - sorry neil, forgot when i opened my mouth that i had/have daughter's & grand daughter's birthday on weekend. but will get as soon as i can this week and (hopefully) get you those mackerel 

Will check out that website later tonight

Hi all,

Thanks for the fish on Friday Chef,

Did you get the new addition to the family and is all well?

I am saving the apple branches for you, I may buy a shredder so that will solve your problem.

One of our residents brought us 6 mackeral this morning, very nice, I could get used to this.

Would you or anyone else like some apples they are an inbetween apple eating / cooking

I'm back in the midlands again today but only for a day or two.

@Andysport - goodto finally meet you. how were the smoked mackerel? i hope you managed to fillet the other ones quicker etc this time? 

Apples? Yes please! Never need to ask if chef if he wants home grown produce ;-) 

No new baby as yet. But it was the mum to be birthday on Sunday and our eldest grand daughters birthday today. So I am up to my elbows in cake mix right now. Will be posting pic and article about cake later, which hopefully readers will enjoy. 

See you on your return for that beer maybe

@Andysport

Why not take those apples along to the Delicious Dawlish event this coming Saturday? Feel sure they would find someone who would like 'em (me for starters!).

Delicious Dawlish - 1pm-3pm Saturday 22nd Sept. The Strand Centre (United Reformed Church) The Strand.   

@Lynne - good point! with birthdays and a "birth-day" due any day, i nearly forgot about that, thanks for the reminder lynne. barring contractions etc, i will be there

@Andysport - if you can't make it, i will be happy to take any excess apples along for you. just call or text me to arrange 

Hi,

Chef thanks for the fish, filleting was easier thanks for the lesson.

Apples = you can have as many as you like, as for Saturday, we have to work Saturdays so no can do, however I will pick Friday, we could meet in the pub, we tried the Exeter friendly at 5pm, also a pub up the top by the laundry place, we did like that though the sun was shining and the customers were friendly.

So around about 5 Friday, just let me know which pub suits you.

@Andysport - if weather and pending grandchild permits, how about enjoying the view at the marine tavern? send me a text, then if i am rushing off to delivery/maternity i can let you know

@chef.The people and staff there are very nice and as u said the view Is fantastic.I always holiday next door at the Blenheim,I think u know why.Have a nice time.

Hedge foraging.  last week I found a hedgerow full of marjoram.  I don't know if it has seeded naturally or if someone just scattered some packets of seed on a whim.  It struck me that that would be a good idea - if everyone bought a packet of herb seeds and scattered liberally in a local hedge we'd gradually get a local herb store.  Go forth and scatter.