If you look at Lake Como in Italy on a map, it resembles a skinny blue figure, striding west through the hills of northern Italy. When I was half the age I am and less unpleasant to look at, I sat in the crotch of that figure, able to see north into its watery torso, and southwest and southeast along each of its blue limbs. It was a good day.
This is so interesting, Mark. I have an abundance of three cornered leek here, and am planning to introduce my pesto addicted grandchildren to the homegrown version this weekend. I shall be following your beautifully described method. Wish me luck.... And have a great weekend yourself.
Love this Mark. I agree the pesto can be a beast if not attended to properly. I’m going to try it without the cheese some time, for sure. And those beans and potatoes, yes! So good with roast lamb…
Sadly, we don’t have wild garlic in Australia, and every time I see it swathing the hillsides on ‘Escape to the Country’ I feel jealous…
My last visit to the UK, I actually had booked a foraging trip to find and taste a lot of the interesting herbs and native things that I had spotted on various programs – and sadly the walk was cancelled at the last minute so yet to see whether Good King Henry, wild garlic or purslane and other seaside greens are as awesome as they appear…
So kind of relieved to hear that There’s plenty left in the wild on the hill sides, because a less mindful cook doesn’t get to enjoy it either…
I assume you were talking about Bellagio on Lake Como. What a fairytale! It was another dimension in time, and I gavemyself up. I did a painting of one of the stair alleys going down the hill. I will try to send it to you.
I’ve just made my first batch of wild garlic pesto and it tastes fab. I had enough leaves over to make a roll of wild garlic butter. Makes me feel spring is actually here although I won’t believe it until I see the bluebells in the Malvern Hills.
Wild garlic pesto is definitely something I enjoy making about once per year... Thanks for the entertaining and well-written article and explanation. If I could...I suggest adding the lemon juice just before serving instead of early on while making it - the acid dilutes the beautiful green color...unless, of course, the color is not a big deal.
Next time, can we have a recipe for the slow braised underpants of a grizzly please?!
This is so interesting, Mark. I have an abundance of three cornered leek here, and am planning to introduce my pesto addicted grandchildren to the homegrown version this weekend. I shall be following your beautifully described method. Wish me luck.... And have a great weekend yourself.
Love this Mark. I agree the pesto can be a beast if not attended to properly. I’m going to try it without the cheese some time, for sure. And those beans and potatoes, yes! So good with roast lamb…
I dis laugh out loud a lot today- Thankyou Mark.
Sadly, we don’t have wild garlic in Australia, and every time I see it swathing the hillsides on ‘Escape to the Country’ I feel jealous…
My last visit to the UK, I actually had booked a foraging trip to find and taste a lot of the interesting herbs and native things that I had spotted on various programs – and sadly the walk was cancelled at the last minute so yet to see whether Good King Henry, wild garlic or purslane and other seaside greens are as awesome as they appear…
So kind of relieved to hear that There’s plenty left in the wild on the hill sides, because a less mindful cook doesn’t get to enjoy it either…
Is that mean spirited?
This explains why the only time I made wild garlic pesto, it tasted horrible and I had to throw it away. Will have another go using your method.
I assume you were talking about Bellagio on Lake Como. What a fairytale! It was another dimension in time, and I gavemyself up. I did a painting of one of the stair alleys going down the hill. I will try to send it to you.
I’ll never be able to unsee Lake Como as a figure
I’ve just made my first batch of wild garlic pesto and it tastes fab. I had enough leaves over to make a roll of wild garlic butter. Makes me feel spring is actually here although I won’t believe it until I see the bluebells in the Malvern Hills.
Wild garlic pesto is definitely something I enjoy making about once per year... Thanks for the entertaining and well-written article and explanation. If I could...I suggest adding the lemon juice just before serving instead of early on while making it - the acid dilutes the beautiful green color...unless, of course, the color is not a big deal.
I get wild garlic in my Riverford veg box delivery. I’ve loved trying out new ideas to use it up. Definitely going to try this!
Mouth ‘wateringly’ delicious!