There’s a memorable episode of Midsomer Murders where the killer uses one of nature’s deadliest weapons to commit the evil deed – a Destroying Angel mushroom.

The poisoned victim teeters on the brink of death in agony after being tricked into eating the fungi, only to buck up a few days later. This is a cruel twist, however, as he then deteriorates, slips into a coma and dies.

Unfortunately this isn’t artistic licence. This is the tragedy of falling victim to the Amanita bisporigera.

Mushroom expert Peter Sibley explained: “That’s pretty much the death you’ve got in store if you eat enough of this mushroom. It’s horrendous and cruel because the victim will be in absolute agony but will then start to feel better but by that time there’s no hope and nothing can be done and they will eventually die.

“Fortunately this mushroom is not that common in the UK, though you can come across it occasionally. It’s a ghostly white so it’s very distinctive.”

But herein lies the lesson.

Never eat anything you pick from the wild that you can’t identify! That’s the cardinal rule of foraging and (inspired by the likes of River Cottage) as more of us are scouring the local countryside looking for berries, apples and mushrooms to pick for free and then turn into a culinary masterpiece at home, the need to educate people about what they are filling their baskets with is more crucial than ever.

Along with business partner Clifford Davy this is what Peter aims to do. He runs Forest Foragers, a successful business offering foraging and mushroom picking courses across Essex and Surrey - and these guys certainly know their onions when it comes to mushrooms.

Peter is an environmental consultant who has worked for the GLA Biodiversity Unit and has spent years working as an ecologist and naturalist.

Clifford was a mycological consultant to the Horniman Museum in London for six years and has ever been made a fellow of the Linnean Society of London for his contribution in mycology, which has seen him discover several species of fungi new to the UK Together they specialise in taking groups of foraging enthusiasts around the Essex countryside where they equip them with the confidence and skills they need to become proficient pickers.

There are one day courses for complete beginners to more advanced courses for those who already enjoy foraging but want a bit more detail in identifying species.

They also run specific mushroom identifying and growing courses..

Peter, who always cooks lunch for the course participants using wild foraged goodies, added: “We get people of all ages and from different backgrounds on our courses but they normally have one thing in common – they are foodies – people who just love wild food and want to get more confidence about going out on their own and experimenting.

“I think foraging has become more and more popular for several reasons, one because people are aware of the horrendous amount of food we taste By EMMA PALMER emma.palmer@nqe.com waste these days, the fact that foraging is free and enjoyable but mainly because food grown and picked fresh in the wild always tastes so much better than anything you’ll find in a shop.

“You get a tremendous sense of satisfaction out of foraging, it’s almost like the thrill of the chase.”

So as we come into the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness what ripe goodies can we expect to find growing in our local woodlands and hedgerows?

“Autumn is the best time of the year to enjoy nature’s bounty,” said Peter.

“Fruits are ripening in the hedgerows and orchards and wild mushrooms are beginning to appear.

“In particular this year the hot weather has brought fruits to ripeness early. Blackberries are ripening as are other berries such as Rowan. Cherry Plums are early too and many trees are loaded down with ripe fruits. Crab Apples and the much rarer Domestic Service Tree are both producing big crops this year.”

Now foraging to knock up an apple and blackberry pie at home is one thing. Plundering the Earth for commercial gain is another.

Peter said this is unfortunately a by-product of the popularity of foraging in the UK today.

“Because there has been a big increase in some groups of people picking way too much of some things in order to sell them to a restaurant or on market stalls some land owners have now stopped allowing people to forage on their land to get the permission of the landowner if you want to forage private land.

“However there are still many places you can find some wonderful stuff and that what we teach on our courses.

The Woodland Trust is still allowing foraging and there are plenty of lovely sites across Essex, particularly around the Lambourne End area near Hainult Forest.”

When it comes to ‘shrooms, take your pick as the UK’s woodlands are full of tasty toadstools.

However, not everything in nature is so forgaer friendly.

One drama he did have, however, was an encounter with Giant Hogweed – an incredibly toxic plant which has made the headlines this summer after several people in the UK were left with life-alterning burns after coming into contact with the plant “I can tell you from personal experience the reports on the excruciating pain that comes with being infected with this plant are not exaggerated. It was absolutely terrible. It was a long time ago for me but I still remember the agony of the blisters and burns I was left with.

“That’s another reason why if you decide you want to venture out foraging and to make the most of the wild then you must educate yourself about what amazing things and what amazing dangers are out there.”

  • There are several foraging courses being held in Essex in September by Peter and Clifford. Visit www.forest foragers.co.uk for details