Daisy Graze started as a hobby of growing my own and foraging the local woods to feed my family has developed into a passion for preserving nature’s bounty in any way possible.
The whole family gets involved in Daisy Graze as we love walking and the outdoor life, so anything found while out maybe used to create something that packs a punch of flavour.
It starts in early spring with the pungent smell of the wild garlic that grows in abundance around my village Dinas Powys. This is added to rapeseed oil to capture the flavour for the rest of the year. It makes an amazing garlic bread, is great for a stir fry or used in a salad dressing. As well as pickling the still closed buds to create the most garlicy version of a caper you will ever try.
As the year progresses the soft fruit that Britain is so well known for starts to appear in the wild as well as in the Daisy Graze garden. The jam making begins. Jam and jelly choices expand as the seasons change from strawberry to raspberry through to greengage, gooseberry and damsons in the autumn.
As autumn develops then pears and medlars are used, ripening alongside the abundance of apples. Such variety and choice and they play a huge part in what Daisy Graze is and does.
Sharp cooking apples form the base of Biglis Farmhouse Apple Jelly made to my grandmother’s recipe, as well as luring you into the Daisy Graze Ogof y Ddraig Chilli Apple Jelly before the heat of the Scotch Bonnet Peppers hits you between the eyes.
Crab apples make the delicious Crab Apple Jelly that is great on hot toast, used to glaze a fruit tart or to accompany a really mature Welsh cheddar.
Ancient apple varieties collected from a local wildlife group’s (Wenvoe) orchards. These add depth of flavour to Pear and Apple Chutney, Dolrhanog Autumn Chutney and blackcurrants or damsons with apple jams.
From the Daisy Graze vegetable patch comes beetroot to make the smoky yet sweet Spiced Beetroot and Orange Chutney. Its full of coriander seeds and great with a homemade sausage roll.
Finally, winter arrives and the Christmas preparations start. Quince Jelly with its delicate perfume is a must with seasonal cheeses. Not forgetting Nadolig Llawen Christmas chutney, full of cranberries and mulled wine spices ideal for the festive table.
Janine can be found at her Daisy Graze stall at Cowbridge Farmers’ Market every Saturday between 9am and 1pm and at other monthly markets in the area.
