Fabulous food
Who loves food?
Me, me, me! Especially if it’s free…
And autumn is particularly tasty. There’s a glut of juicy fruit, nuts and fabulous fungi. Even the bark of some trees can be eaten. Did you know that the cinnamon in your Danish pastry actually comes from tree bark? And a type of fungus is used in making chocolate?
Fruit
The iconic fruit of autumn has to be apples. And Apple Day is celebrated every year in the UK on the 21st October. It started in 1990 as an attempt to remind us how important orchards, fields and nature are to humans, and it’s become quite a celebration. Organisations like the National Trust, Wildlife Trusts and the Women’s Institute organise events where you can take part in juicing, baking and grafting. There’s even poetry reading and singing about apples.
But apples can be even tastier mixed with other seasonal delights. Blackberries anyone? I can’t be the only person drooling at the thought of apple and blackberry crumble…
Some weeks ago I was out for a walk and foraging hadn’t crossed my mind. But how could I not release those luscious berries dangling from their thorny boughs as they screamed, ‘Pick me, pick me!’ These are the easiest berries to harvest and the resulting pies incredibly yummy. Top tip: make sure you have plenty of containers or bags, unlike me who had nothing and ended up with a purple rucksack!
Fungi
You could also go fungi foraging among the trees. But please make sure you know what you’re doing or go with someone who does if you want edible mushrooms. If in doubt just look, don’t eat. That’s what I do. It’s great fun searching among rotten wood or leaf litter to find what lurks beneath. Go for damp spots as this is where fungi thrive and don’t forget to look up – I’ve seen some amazing brackets attached to tree trunks. Why not record all you find with photographs and take an identification book to learn as you go?
God’s provision
This season of fruitfulness reminds me of God’s goodness. He planted trees in the Garden of Eden to give us food. (Gen 1:29). And when the new heaven comes, there will be trees all along the riverbank bearing fruit, giving life (Rev 22: 2).
And today? God will provide if you trust and obey Him (e.g. 2 Cor 9:8; Phil 4:19). While autumn storms rage, floodwaters rise and the cool winds take your breath away, there’s always an abundance of His juicy fruit if you know where to look.
Take heart. The Lord will provide.
God bless xx