Free fresh herbs.

The snow didn't last much past the afternoon down here although there are still signs of it over on the Contraviesa and in the firebreaks of the woods above Mecina and Valor. 

Friday morning we went for a shorter but muddy walk around the fuente - definitely a welly boot walk.  Friends came on Friday and stayed overnight,  so a short and muddy walk again on Saturday morning before breakfast  but  today was back to normal. 

Cool and cloudy but a pleasant walk up to Yegen,   there are a lot of herbs growing at the side of the track and more appearing now it's Spring time.  Always see rosemary and thyme,  now the wild rocket is in bloom  too.  There is also a wild sage,  Jerusalem sage,  which looks similar to our garden variety but doesn't have the flavour.  The leaves of the wild garlic are appearing too,  as is the fennel.  So always plenty of fresh herbs to pick and enough to gather seeds from.....I thought we had rocket seeds but seem to have run out,  luckily it has self seeded in the garden from last year  and I'm going to keep an eye on the wild rocket and collect seeds from that.  It is a much smaller plant,  with smaller leaves and a stronger flavour too.  

Only a couple of months more till the capers start to grow and produce these beautiful flowers.  Of course,  before the flowers come the buds and tiny ones are picked and brined for salads,  pizzas,   or for when we are making tartare sauce.   After the flower has opened,  the end of the central stalk swells and is picked and brined for  tapas.

 

Free food,  wonderful  :)