Wild food to forage this February – Three-cornered Leek

Three Cornered Leek, Allium triquetrum, I learnt recently about this wonderful wild food, being a part of such a generous Community of Foragers, Herbalists and Wise Folk… Three Cornered Leek begins to show itself in February and fades away come October… Three Cornered Leek lives up to its name. All of the plant is edible.

The young plants can be treated as baby leeks or spring onion, the leaves and flowers can be used in salads or in soups and stews, I had it within a salad sandwich, it's divine, the more mature onion like roots can be used as onion or garlic. This wild food grows in abundance, and the beautiful thing, I discovered, its just outside the 5 Bar Gate along the hedge way… As I picked it the smell of garlic filled the air….As I foraged away I wondered about weaving it into a St Brigid's Cross, something also this coming weekend I will be learning… A thread that runs back through time, to My Mums people...more about that soon... Traditionally Brigid's cross was made on the 1st February and hung above the door or beside the hearth… and the previous years, placed in the fire...Magically Three cornered Leek an amazing plant to be woven into a St Brigids cross, for its garlic type properties… I sat and instinctively I felt how to weave it and wove it I did… Normally woven with wild rushes. Which will be stronger and last.. Yet it was lovely to learn the principle of weaving. …

Alongside that I will make a wild soup similar to Leek and Potato, simple humble food, using some of the last years potatoes from last summer's harvest, that had been kept and stored… This is a beautiful Journey… come New Moon… I will gently enchant our St Brigid's cross and place her upon our door with a blessing of thanks…