Pictured: Royal Forester Chef Mark Hammond with his basket
haul of fungi, fruit and ants!
Specialising in locally grown produce and in season game, much
of their menu is sourced from within the stunning Wyre Forest, but
Royal Forester Chef, Mark Hammond, has been inspired to investigate
an alternative to fungi foraging with the edible creepy crawly or
mini-beast feast!
With the Royal Foresters receiving the AA rosette 2011/2012
Award for the fourth year running for Culinary Excellence and
continued focus on fresh locally sourced seasonal produce, he must
know a thing or two about food.
Said Mark: "I'm a keen amateur forager, sourcing fungi, fruit
and berries from the Wyre Forest on a regular basis and after a
discussion on one of my forums in which edible species and that of
the woodland ant was discussed, I then came across an ant mound on
my next trip and decided to test out the theories."
The eating of creepy crawlies and bugs has been going on for
thousands of years around the world, with insects eaten as a
special treat in ancient Greece and Rome, and the Bible approving
of the eating of beetles, grasshoppers and locusts.
Royal Forester landlord, Sean McGahern, commented: "Mark
regularly visits the forest in search of wild and local produce
such as herbs, leaves and especially edible mushrooms. Even wild
crayfish can be found within the forest brooks. But his latest
quarry has divided opinion, with those who have tried his wood ants
describing them as tasting of lemon sherbet. I have tried them and
they really are quite pleasant."
Popular with locals as well as holiday makers and the business
traveler, restaurant goers will have the opportunity of sampling
chocolate covered woodland ants as part of the Royal Forester Game
Festival from Tuesday November 1st to the 13th.