Pignut Conopodium majus or YAWYARLING

A member of the carrot family this delicate looking umbelliferea has small white flowers and dark green narrow leaves, the stem is about 18" tall. Under the stem is an edible bulb or 'nut', it is possible to excavate the bulb by gently digging two to three inches beneath the ground. This is best carried out with a small trowel of fork. After washing the bulb rub away the dark skin and slice thinly. The flavour can vary, J's memory thought the taste would be spicier, this one tasted something like a Brazil nut.

J's mum was from Cumberland and her term for pignut was Yawyarling. I had to check the spelling and eventually found a reference to pignut and Yawyarling. It would be great if somebody from Cumbria spotted the word and could comment on their experience. Apparently pigs would grub up the 'nut', hence the name.

This blip came about after a fellow Blipper noticed the pignut growing alongside the Bluebells in a recent 'foto'.