Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Bog Myrtle along with all the Bog Myrtle containing recipes presented on this site, with 2 recipes in total.

This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.

These recipes, all contain Bog Myrtle as a major wild food ingredient.

Bog Myrtle, Myrica gale, (also known as Sweet Gale, Helig Mair [Mary's Holly, in Welsh]) is a shrub that grows up to 1.5m tall in poor acid marshy soils of the bogs of north-western Europe. It is a member of the Myricaceae (myrtle) family. In Britain it can be found in a band extending through Northern Ireland, North Wales, North-eastern England and Scotland.

The foliage has a sweet rather resinous scent and this has been used for centuries as a natural insect repellent. In north-western Europe myrtle leaves and myrtle fruit were used as one component of gruit [made from sweet gale (Myrica gale), mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), heather (Calluna vulgaris) and marsh rosemary (Rhododendron tomentosum, formerly known as Ledum palustre] that was used as a traditional flavouring for beer, though it fell into disuse with the adoption of hops as a bittering agent. The oils in Myrtle fruit also helps with the foaming of beer.

In May myrtle becomes covered in golden male catkins that disappear as the grey-green leaves emerge. The leaves can be harvested and infused into a rather refreshing tea. Myrtle leaves are also an excellent and very versatile herb that can be used with both sweet and savoury dishes — they are an essential component of traditional Welsh faggots.

Myrtle propagates vegetatively by runners. As such it's easy to obtain a sapling which can be planted in a pot of poor waterlogged soil and kept in a shady part of the garden. Remember to keep well-watered in summer.

Bog Myrtle leaves can be used fresh or dried as an herb to flavour soups, stews and other meat-based dishes. The fruit can also be used as a spice with similar flavouring properties. However, take note of the hazard warning, above.

References:

[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants