Friday 9th May 2025

Nature club started first thing in the morning when the children gathered nettles (with gloves) to make nettle soup.  Then, at dinner time we worked as a team (forming a queue and all having a turn) chopping onion and grating carrot and potato.  The carrot imparts a sweetness to balance the bitterness of the nettles and the potato contains starch which helps thicken it.  Finally, we added a stock cube and water for good measure.  It only took about ten minutes to cook and we blitzed it up in the food mixer to make it smooth.  It was a beautiful green colour and we received lots of positive comments about the smells emanating from the stove.  Everyone tried it and enjoyed it and nearly everyone had seconds.  Thank you to Mr Evans who allowed us some of the sourdough his class had left over: it was the perfect thing to dip in the soup.  Comments as to the taste varied from leek and potato to pea and ham soup.  It is quite a delicate taste and is absolutely packed full of vitamins and minerals-especially since it was harvested and cooked immediately. Needless to say, it didn’t sting, as the cooking process breaks down the formic acid within minutes.  Everyone did a sterling job and even washed up.  Next time we will have to see how our nettle fertilizer is progressing.