Kernel-in-chief

Of all the easiest things for an amateur forager to scrounge, the Kentish cobnut is perhaps the most ubiquitous. These tasty treats are in abundance this time of year, and can be found along the Pilgrim's Way, where the bushes are used as hedging along various stretches. I find it's always best to harvest them in mid to late August when the nuts are still youngish as they have a fresher, more coconut-like texture and better flavour. Leave it until early September and the squirrels and birds will snaffle them before you even get a look-in. A quick tip: In hedgerows, you'll find more cobnuts at the base of the bush (lift up the lower branches, they tend to be hidden under the sort of 'skirt') as wildlife will nab all the upper fruits.

Ce'st formidable!

The fruits are easily recogniseable by their light green hats. It's best to pick the ones that have a very light brown colouring on the shell. If the shell is too pale, the nut inside will be miniscule, if the shell is too brown, chances are the nut will have dried out inside and gone stale.

I lucked out on this particular search as there were plenty of 'nut clusters' i.e. groups of three or more nuts on one branch (see pic below). Be wary, as snails often seem to like squeezing themselves into the little green hats surrounding the nut - you don't want to be crunching into one of those little fellas instead of a cobnut.

 I like to eat them neat, but you can fry 'em up with mushrooms and they also go well in crumbles, apparently. Worth seeking out.



The full harvest








A rare 'nut cluster'