The Forager's Table: Pignut and The Hare restaurant owners Tom and Laurissa Heywood on their cookbook
As the spring foraging season begins, Tom and Laurissa Heywood from Yorkshire restaurant Pignut and The Hare are encouraging people to experiment with the abundance now appearing across the countryside.
For those intrigued by foraging but unsure where to begin, spring provides the most accessible starting point.
“Spring is a great season to start foraging,” says Tom. “There aren’t loads of different things competing for your attention. Wild garlic is really obvious and really everywhere, and everyone knows what nettles are. They’re the two things you can spot out quite easily because they’re not overshadowed by other plants. Not much is growing around them yet, so they’re the first things you’ll come across.”
That clarity makes March and April ideal months for beginners. While wild garlic is often associated with pesto, Tom and Laurissa are keen to highlight its broader potential.
Tom explained: “Wild garlic is so versatile. You can use everything - the buds, the seeds, the stems, the leaves - all of it. It’s one of those ingredients that really signals the start of the season.”
Inspiration can be taken from their first book, The Forager’s Table.
Published in December, it offers 80 seasonal recipes inspired by the North Yorkshire countryside surrounding the couple’s Michelin-recommended restaurant in the village of Scawton.
In the restaurant kitchen, the arrival of wild garlic represents a turning point. “You go from the cold, quiet months where there’s not much foraging, and then suddenly everything starts coming to life,” Laurissa says. “The garlic is the first signal that foraging is starting again, and from there it builds.”
The book reflects seasonal changes, guiding readers from the early flush of spring greens through summer abundance, autumn hedgerows and into winter preserves.
“If you don’t forage or preserve yet, this is a really good time to pick the book up and start,” says Tom. “You’ve got the abundance of wild garlic and nettles straight away. You can begin by making oils, or pickling the stems. You don’t have to wait - you can start immediately. Then the book guides you through what comes next in the season. As you follow it, you begin to look out for those ingredients naturally.”
Their recipe for wild garlic scones offer an easy introduction. For those looking to experiment further, the book includes a wild garlic dirty Martini, showcasing how foraged ingredients can move beyond the plate and into the glass - a nod to Laurissa’s expertise in natural wines and inventive cocktails.
Nettles also take centre stage in heartier dishes, including braised lamb shoulder with nettle flatbread, an alternative Sunday roast that captures the spirit of the season.
Tom says: “Go out for a walk, get your nettles - but make sure you wear gloves!”
The Forager's Table is out now.