Foraging - Sweet Cicely

I always think of this plant as an autumnal plant because that is typically when I gather most of it.  It's our favourite plant to line our autumnal underground oven with before we lay a large slab of wild venison on its fragrant leaves and bury it underground for a few hours. The reality though is that it's probably at its best now, when its aniseed smelling flowers are showy and the foliage is vibrant and fresh.  As a member of the carrot family, you want to be careful with identification.  Many of our most toxic plants are in this family.  

Look for its feathery, fern-like leaves with white patches and its softly hairy foliage.  And smell it - the powerful smell of aniseed usually tells you all you need to know.  

It lines most of our hedgerows and burn margins here in Tayside and we are happy to have it!  Aside from baking it in a pit, the whole plant can be used as an aniseedy herb which goes well with fish or deserts, but our current favourite is to steep it in vodka and make a rhubarb, kombucha and sweet cicely shrub - an old skool cocktail with a wild twist that we invented somewhat by accident. You're welcome!

Happy spring! 

Steven