The weather remembered Mother’s Day for those of us English Mums in Bavaria yesterday, it was truly glorious – and would have been criminal to stay indoors (I have spent Mother’s Day here in Bavaria before, but let’s just say it wasn’t quite as relaxing as this one!!)!
My boys spoilt me (as I am sure the 9 Year Old would have done too, but she had more pressing issues with a party to attend!) with lunch in a small bier garten (my choice as the weather was so nice!) where we sat under fat budded chestnut trees. Their generous leaves will provide patrons with plentiful shade in the not too distant future (hopefully!), and were planted long ago for that very purpose (along with the most important task of keeping the kegs cool)! Of course I mention this purely for those not from these parts (or who have yet to visit!) – but believe me, apart from the costumes in Max Liebermann’s beautiful “Munich BierGarten” painting (currently hanging in the Neues Pinakothek), not that much has changed about Munich on a sunny day!
To walk off lunch, we took a stroll along the Isar with its bike paths that follow the river all the way to the Englischer Gartens and beyond (something else we have yet to do!), where we appreciated the talents of perhaps the most exceptional Mother of them all (apart from my own of course!) at what must be one of her busiest times – Spring! She had also laid on a velvety carpet of Wild Garlic (which we could smell a mile off!) and which kept the Small Boy happy in his foraging capacity! We first picked this when we lived in Denmark, where it was quite common to see people collecting it by the bag full at this time of year. A friend of mine used to make the recipe below with it – if the garlic has yet to flower though, do only pick a leaf or two from a plant before moving on to another, or you risk it not growing again the following year!
And when we got home, this is what the forager made with his haul (with a little help of course!)… Perfect on pasta, or mixed into hummous, to liven up soups or to just spread straight onto fresh bread – and don’t think you will need stacks of peppermints to hand for afterwards – I can vouch that the after “aroma” is not as strong as expected!
Quick Bärlauch Pesto: Wash a large handful of wild garlic leaves, pat them dry with a tea-towel and place into a food processor. Add a good grinding of salt and pepper, a generous squeeze of lemon and around 80g of freshly grated parmesan, then blitz for around 30 seconds. Slowly drizzle in 100mls of Olive oil until you reach the desired consistency. Keep in the fridge for two to three days – if indeed it lasts that long!
PS. Ten points if you spotted the tiny spider in the top picture, I didn’t notice it when I was taking it!
Ashley @ A Southern Gypsy says
Sounds like you had a great day and I love using fresh ingredients – that pesto looks awesome! Thanks for linking up to the #SundayTraveler!
bavaria says
Thanks so much Ashley! :)
Tamika Rybinski says
We also pick bärlauch on our family walks. I have never thought to make pesto with it. I may need to do that this weekend. We make a brotaufstrich with it. Thanks for the post. Your pictures are lovely!
bavaria says
Thanks for the lovely comment Tamika! :)
Sarah - The Puffin Diaries says
Sounds like a lovely mothers day. I’ve yet to wonder down our normal wild garlic path, the weather here has not been as kind and I am weather dependent for lots of activities. The Easter holidays next week may offer the opportunity. Your pesto looks delicious. xx
bavaria says
I hope the weather sorts its act out so you can get out and about. I have to say it might not though, as I am coming home for a couple of days. It will probably snow! xx
Phoebe @ Lou Messugo says
I can’t see the spider, am I blind?? I used to collect wild garlic when I lived in Kent, England a very long time ago, way before we all knew about pesto! Nowadays I’d love to make some freshly foraged pesto like that but it doesn’t grow around here. Sounds like you had a lovely Mother’s Day.
bavaria says
It’s really hard to see. It’s so well camouflaged – it’s actually the same colour as the blossom – pink and green! I hope you can find some somewhere! :) Thanks Phoebe! :)
frankaboutcroatia says
What a wonderful way to spend the Mother’s Day! We also collect wild garlic. I love the taste of it. But we always use it in the stews, or scrambled eggs. Never thought about making a pesto. Thanks for the idea, and the recipe. Had to go back to spot the spider. No points for me :)
bavaria says
and I had never thought of it in scrambled eggs! Now I know what I am having for lunch! Thanks Frank! :)
Lauren says
Looks yummy! And your pics are just so GREEN – nice to see that spring has arrived!
bavaria says
Finally Lauren, Spring has indeed arrived! :D Thank you! :)
Sam @happyhomebird says
I do love your writing and the description of places, I’m really there as I read. Love wild garlic and look forward to it this year. There is a local place to me, by a river, where a steep hill is full of it. Gorgeous.
bavaria says
Thanks so much Sam! :) x
Leanne @suggys.co.uk/Leanne says
Wow thats a very good Camouflage Spider… i didnt spot it at all, untill you said! :)… Gorgeous photos #HDYGG
bavaria says
Thank you Leanne! :)
Merlinda (@pixiedusk) says
I have to go back to look at that spider and shes hard to spot! Looks like you had an awesome day! #countrykids
bavaria says
Thanks so much Merlinda! :)
Caitlyn says
I am definitely trying that recipe! I’m in for a treat, even if it tastes half as good as it looks!
bavaria says
Thank you Caitlyn! :)
Adelina | PackMeTo says
I always forget how easy it is to make pesto. I’ve never made it from wild leaves though. Even though you said there is a spider in that pic, I still can’t find it! Though I don’t mind. I’m so afraid of them (yes even in picture form, it’s silly). Thanks for linking up to #SundayTraveler again!
bavaria says
Thanks Adelina! The spider is pink and green, so not as scary as most! :D
SJ @ Chasing the Donkey says
Hmmm mmmmmmmmm! I love me some pesto. Hubby makes it often, but never from wild leaves, I bet its way better. Looks so much more green. And not only do I not get 10 points for spotting the spider, I loose 50 as it took me a while to even find it… Thanks for linking up with us again to #SundayTraveler
bavaria says
Thanks so much SJ! :D
Coombemill - Fiona says
What an idyllic Mothers Day on a beautiful sunny day in such picturesque surroundings. We have an abundance of wild garlic here in Cornwall and I will certainly be trying out your recipe. I didn’t spot the spider – it was too well camouflaged Thanks for linking up and sharing with Country Kids.
bavaria says
Thanks so much Fiona! :) Happy Wild garlic picking!
Molly S says
I had to go back and look for the spider – not surprised you didn’t see it! That pesto looks yummy, especially with such fresh ingredients :).
bavaria says
Thank you Molly! :)
Dave Cole says
Biergarten, sunny spring day and homemade pesto – tough to beat that Mother’s Day. Nothing compares to those fresh ingredients, especially when you’ve seen them collected with your own eyes.
bavaria says
Thanks Dave… It was certainly a lot more relaxing than the last one I spent here! :D
Helloitsgemma says
Love this! Gorgeous photos , lovely day and forging to make one of my fave things.
bavaria says
Thanks so much Gemma! :)
Funky Wellies says
I love Bärlauch. Looks delicious. xx
bavaria says
Thank you! Saw some today in the shops… tiny box, and so overpriced, made me feel doubly smug! :D
older mum in a muddle says
What a lovely laid back mothers day…. and look at all that garlic growing. Home made pesto is the mutts nuts! X
bavaria says
Thank you Sadie… Your Mutts nuts comment made me laugh, you will see why when I finally finish the next Rome instalment!! :D xx
Mammasaurus says
Oh my days I bet that tastes immense!!!
bavaria says
He definitely seemed to think so! Thanks Annie! :) xx
Ruth says
Lovely pics, and the pesto sounds delicious. I’m trying to broaden T’s pasta sauce repertoire a bit beyond his usual tomato, so we’ll give this a whirl :) x
bavaria says
Thank you Ruth, hope you like it! :) x
Anya from Older Single Mum and The Healer says
Your pics are always beautiful – and that pesto looks lush – would never last a few days in our house!
bavaria says
Thank you Anya! :) x
Donna@MummyCentral says
I can’t see the spider – and I don’t want to *shivers*. Looks like a lovely day with lovely weather though
bavaria says
Don’t look Donna, don’t look! Thank you! :)
Trish says
I see your spider, or, as we call them in our house, pyhoo, as this was Rory’s word for it when he was little – it stuck!
bavaria says
That’s so sweet! Thanks Trish! :)
Alexander Residence says
Oh such happy memories of Englisher Garten as a teen visiting a friend in Munich, fuelled by very different herbs…happy days! Love what you made with the garlic and the lovely pics
bavaria says
I think you should visit again as adults, it’s still as much fun! :D Thanks Penny! xx
Bronwyn Joy says
A very well-camouflaged spider!
I’m going to have to suggest pesto next time P’s in a cooking mood. Sounds like something he’d enjoy. Quick, simple, involves noisy power tools…
bavaria says
I can imagine that would totally appeal. My Seven Year old thought it was amazing, and wants to go back to pick more! Thank you Bronwyn! :)
Jane @ northernmum says
Happy Mothers day, looks like you have a beautiful picturesque day x x x
bavaria says
Thank you Jane… Yes, soooo lucky with the weather! :)
Chamisa says
I have heard of Barlauch and then found it in Aldi a few weeks ago and wondered what in the world to do with it. Now I know! :) Thanks!
bavaria says
Aha, that’s how I felt when I saw it for the first time in the supermarket in Denmark, and then we saw bunches of it growing in the wild and I finally knew what it was! Thanks Chamisa! :)
becky says
Oh your photos are so pretty
bavaria says
Thank you Becky! Glad you like them! :)
Liz Burton says
Mmmm love wild garlic. We have a woodland full of it 5 minutes walk away.
I make my pesto with walnuts and pumpkin seeds too, so it’s a different consistency to yours. It keeps well in the freezer too.
bavaria says
I am loving the sound of the pumpkin seeds, and the walnuts, but as small boy has a “brain shaped nut allergy” as he will tell you at least 15,000 times, I don’t think he could eat that. But I could! :) Thanks Lizzie! :) x
Pinkoddy says
Oooh I see him green and red. Probably best you didn’t see him at the time!
Sounds like you had a lovely day, and it looks stunning weather. I need to learn to make things like pesto myself.
bavaria says
Thank you J… I award you the ten points! :) x
Chris at Thinly Spread says
Love, love, LOVE wild garlic and pesto is very hard to beat :-) Your little spider is a cutie and your pictures beautiful!
bavaria says
Thanks so much Chris, there’s something so nice about foraging food when it tastes this good isn’t there? :)
Sally Sellwood (@Recipejunkie27) says
I saw the spider!! I LOVE the smell of wild garlic in the wild, and its flavour in something like this – although my daughter likes to eat it raw, unadulterated which can make her tricky company in the car on the way home from the woods…
bavaria says
That is pretty hardcore… I can imagine it would go nicely in a cheddar sandwich though! :) Thanks Sally! x
Jennifer says
Beautiful post! It looks like you had a wonderful day, and what lovely photos. I can see the spider now but didn’t see it first time, so well camouflaged!
bavaria says
Thanks Jennifer! :) I can’t believe I didn’t see the spider at the time – too well camouflaged! :D
Louisa says
I had to go back and look for the spider! I didn’t see it at first. How lovely that you have wild garlic growing over there.
bavaria says
Thank you Louisa! :)
maggy, red ted art says
Oooh that looks so yummy!!!
bavaria says
Thank you Maggy! :) x
Hausfrau says
Sounds like a wonderful day! I love foraging for bärlauch. Ours isn’t ready yet–must be warmer down your way. I actually have a small amount growing in my garden–looking forward to some pesto!
bavaria says
We have had such a strange winter, really warm one minute, freezing the next. It seems to be cold nights, and warm days at present and I think the garlic likes that! :D Thank you! :)
Victoria says
Hmmmmm that sounds nice! Glad you had a lovely day. I don’t see the spider either!x
bavaria says
thank you… I will give you a clue, it’s not brown or black! :) xxx
Christine says
Sounds like you had a lovely relaxing day. But….. I’ve spent the last couple of minutes searching for the spider in the photograph and still cannot see it!
bavaria says
Thank you Christine! :) She’s so well camouflaged isn’t she? If you follow a diagonal line from the C of my copyright until almost the centre of the photo, you should see her! :D
3yearsandhome says
I love Bärlauch! They used to do a great soup in work. Happy belated Mother’s Day. Will you have two celebrations and do something special on the German one too?
bavaria says
Of course! :D Thank you Rachel, it’s a really lovely flavour isn’t it? I hope you had a great Mother’s Day too! :)