A St Albans pub famed for its menu of wild food is to feature on an episode of the BBC One show Countryfile.
The show’s producers reached out to George Fredenham and Richard Osmond from The Foragers in Lower Dagnall Street as part of a series focusing on Britain’s counties.
Located at The Verulam Arms, the St Albans pub and restaurant was specifically contacted by the broadcaster because of its involvement in Hertfordshire rural life.
Richard said: “It was really exciting, because the BBC had been following us and taken the time to find out what we do.
“We use countryside resources in a way that keeps them sustainable and the producers wanted to follow this process. They wanted to see the rearing of muntjac deer, right through to us eventually cooking the venison they produce.”
George, Richard and his dog Presley filmed the episode last Friday - spending the day alongside presenter Sean Fletcher in natural beauty spot, Nomansland Common.
The show also documented the pair as they searched for the bitter herbs and fungi which form the basis for many of their famous wild cocktails.
“The producers were interested in how we used the herbs and mushrooms, so we took them back to the pub and made a ‘wild negroni’ which is an aromatic, bitter, forest liqueur. We also served our homemade sloe gin,” said the 30-year-old.
The St Albans-born duo ended the day by cooking the crew a well deserved plate of wild food - a locally sourced dish of Chinese water deer loin served with a wild green mash.
Richard added: “Filming with the BBC was a collaborative process and the perfect way to bring rural traditions to modern life. Foraging is a sharing experience, so it’s been great to be featured on television.”
He hopes the programme will encourage the St Albans community to begin looking at the natural world as part of everyday life.
Both Richard and George will be gathering with family and friends to watch the episode, and will be live tweeting during its screening from their account @WeForagers
The show will air on Sunday November 19 on BBC One.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here