Feral and Ferrous

Why eat nettles? The fact that they can be had for nothing might appeal to Financial Times readers. The only time I was in private service I cooked for a great plutocrat – Lord Weinstock – who always seemed to appreciate most the food that demonstrated a good sense of domestic economy. Leftover bread used to make a bread and butter pudding, or the shells from the previous day’s lobster feast turned into a silky bisque, always elicited his greatest admiration.

Many Financial Times readers are, of course, cash rich and time poor. Gathering nettles – never from roadside sites, always from fields, and always at this time of year before the leaves get too coarse – might seem a bothersome business. However, as long as one is well-gloved and has a basket or bag to attend, it should hardly be a chore for the countryman to take a walk. Urban plutocrats might have less luck, of course, with their gardens and parks too well-managed to support a population of nettles even in their darkest corners. Help is at hand as some greengrocers now stock nettles and have not the gall to charge ridiculous sums of money for something that has always been in effect a free resource.