And today's Top Tip for all budding gardeners is. . . .

[filthymindedvixen]

. . .never sniff a handful of baby nettles.















ow.
ow
ow
ow

[hiddentreasure]

oooh! sympathy. my 2 year old ds fell into a nettle patch when he was naked - I can hardly bear to remember.

anyone actually eaten nettle soup? I just can't get my head round the sting factor.

[filthymindedvixen]

nettle soup is delicious and good for you - provided you find some with no dog wee/exhaust fumes Cooking removes the sting totally. I can, er, give you a recipe....?

I only sniffed the damn things cos they were so baby I couldn't tell what they were and in a blonde moment thought they might be new growth on my lemon balm. so I scooped up a handful and, sniffed...

[hiddentreasure]

tried and trusted recipe very welcome please!

[BernieBear]

Would also be interested in the recipe. Is it start something along the lines of "Get your thickest gardening gloves and ensure that all pets and children are not within a 10 metre radius????"

[SoupDragon]

If you grab a nettle really hard, it doesn't sting because you crush the evil little hairs.

Which doesn't help if you're burying your nose in them to inhale deeply....

[Furball]

reminds me of when i fell head first into a nettle bush when i was about 5. Mum stripped me off and dabbed calmine on every lump whilst i sat on the kitchen top with my legs in the sink. funny what you remember isn't it?

[filthymindedvixen]

Nettle soup is full of vit a, c and iron.

4 large handfuls of nettle tops (baby leaves, old leaves are gritty) - pick end of feb onwards.
1 onion
2 oz butter
2 potatoes
2 pints veg stock, salt/pepper grated nutmeg

creme fraiche or cream to swirl in at end.

Pick nettles with marigolds, wash well.

Strip leaves from any thick stalks
soften onion in butter
add nettles and diced potato
cook 2-3 mins. add stock, season, simmer for 20 mins.
zizz with a whizzer
swirl in cream or creme fraiche to serve.

I have also made a sort of nettle pate with ricotta cheese, and nettles cooked in garlic before now, which was quite nice...

[NineUnlikelyTales]

I agree that nettle soup is delicious but it is a really good idea to steep the nettles in boiling water and leave them overnight or longer. I once forgot, and paid for it by spending the night wide awake and constantly on the toilet (nettles are diuretic), as did my DH and a friend who was with us for the weekend.

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Oh FMF!!! YOu silly arse

grabbing nettles by the stem and not touching any part of the leaves is fine. But, again, this doesnt apply if you are sniffing them....

Eurax cream if you have, if not, antihisthamine helps.

[filthymindedvixen]

nineunlikelytales - d'you know, that never even occurred to me - despite the fact I have druk nettle tea as a diuretic in the past...doh!


I think I'm going senile at 36


VVV it still stung hours later...

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

oh fmf

I got my butterbean seeds the other day, can I send you some to cheer you up?

[NineUnlikelyTales]

FMV

Meant to add, sorry about the stinging too [ouch emoticon]

I beat you on the senility front, being only 32.

Nine