The journey of green manna from creation to ice cream

Wild garlic is not a "novelty" in our forests, it has always been present. And just as herbs have had to be rediscovered by modern people, so the popularity of the wild garlic has been growing. This is how it happened that a few years ago, Hungarian gastronomy began to idolize the characteristic herb. Gourmets are now putting it in (almost) everything with death-defying bravery. 

It thrives in green, leafy forests, especially beech forests. Likewise, it occurs in the middle and higher regions of the mountains and the cooler northern mountain slopes and valleys. It prefers a moist, acidic or neutral soil, so where the habitat is suitable, its small leaves are sure to turn up. It is widespread in the Mecsek, in Hungary but it also has extensive production areas in the deciduous forests of the hills and mid-mountains, in Somogy, Zala and the Bakony. If we would like to look after it, we will need to sniff in the spring air: the luscious, garlicky smell will lead us by the nose.

In season, wild garlic just proliferates like God has laid down a continuous carpet of it to lie on it. This doesn't mean that you can start harvesting without thinking, there are serious regulations on harvesting. 

In privately-owned forests, you need the permission of the owner to collect. You are free to collect up to two kilograms per person per day in state-owned, non-protected natural areas. Larger quantities can only be harvested with the permission of the forest manager (it is Mecsekerdő Ltd. in the Mecsek) There's no need to despair, two kilos per person is a huge amount, you need to have guts to eat that much wild garlic in a day. There are stricter criteria in a nature reserve and you have to ask for permission to collect wild garlic in any case. In these parts of the forest, the nature conservation authority protects not only the wild garlic but also the plants that grow with it or in the same area from massive trampling.

The wild garlic has two leaves, which is used to prepare its food. You should pick only one leaf per stalk, so the plant will survive and sprout the following year. It's also very important not to wade ankle-deep in the wild garlic when walking in the forest, remembering that this could harm other forest dwellers. Where the living conditions are good for it, it spreads quite quickly. So, if we're not satisfied with the harvest, we can move a plant to our garden, just in case!

Wild garlic is a real miracle plant, as it boosts the intestinal and immune system, kills bacteria and fungi, its iron level and vitamin K level is high, and so on. But the main argument for its consumption: IT IS SO DELICIOUS! Hungarian gastronomy has sworn it for a reason: no matter how you juggle the ingredients, the unique and distinctive flavour of the wild garlic will dominate. That's why we were cautious at the beginning of the wild garlic hype. We put it in a scone, or we made a cream-based soup just to avoid using too much of it. But today, there is no brake on the wild garlic train: pesto is just the ticket, you can find it nearly in everything: scalloped potato, langosh, pasta and even ice cream! It is difficult to list what is worth putting in. The rule is that anything that goes with a garlicky flavour can use also with the wild garlic. Or let's forget everything we've read so far, let's cut to the chase and experiment without limits. Let’s go wild with wild onion!