Inside the Sapling Forest Feast: Foraged flavours, tree planting and sustainable connections

A couple of weeks ago now, we gathered for the Sapling Forest Feast, a celebration of slowing down, tuning in, and savouring the moment.

Rooted in the present and fully immersed in nature, we spent a magical evening with Julius Roberts at the incredible Nomadic Dinners. We brought together like-minded friends of the brand to sit back, relax, and enjoy each other’s company over exceptional natural food and beautifully sustainable cocktails, a true reflection of our shared values.

Slow socialising met wild foraged flavours, and one special moment saw us plant a tree together, a meaningful gesture of connection and commitment to a land that nourishes us.

As the sun was beginning to dip, our guests sat to enjoy the curated menu crafted by Julius and the Nomadic team, surrounded by the buzz and hum of nature. We began with anchovy & sage fritti, spiced lamb skewers with yoghurt dips alongside a chilled lovage soup with pickled kohlrabi. All of this was mopped up with Wildfarmed focaccia and Oddbox rescued wonky vegetable crudites.

Oddbox gives life to otherwise thrown away fruit and vegetables that still have that perfect crunch and freshness of their counterparts, but aren’t as aesthetically perfect to sell in supermarkets. In the same way that we use wonky raspberries to make our naturally sweet Raspberry Vodka with Hibiscus, we both agree that fruit and veg should be given a second chance to shine.

Whilst Wildfarmed use regenerative farmed wheat in their focaccia. As you know, we are really interested in the future of regenerative farming. Our Regenerative Vodka is made from a farm down in Kent called, Bank Farm, which is a ‘a fully sustainable modern farm actively demonstrating nutrient circularity.’. So, it was amazing to collaborate with another brand who are venturing into the world of regenerative farming!

Our guests savoured and experienced seasonal flavours together in the form of sharing plates. Like a Black sesame tahini and Bold Bean Carlin Pea hummus and Courgettes, lemon, garlic and basil with Whipped Ricotta.

The main event was trout which had been pressed against wooden planks and cooked by an open flame to achieve a slowly smoked and flavoursome result. This was served with fire roasted caramelised cauliflower and Earl Grey pickles, campfire ember baked potatoes and wild salad.

The final course consisted of delicately roasted apricots accompanied by a generous spoonful of whipped cream infused with our Sapling London Dry Gin and Ricciarelli biscuits. With the option of a Homemade Sapling Schnapps crafted by our incredibly talented mixologist and Northern Advocacy Manager, Penelope Mcmylor.

All the fresh ingredients like fruits and vegetables were provided by Rushtons, and thechef’s ingredients were kindly given to us by our lovely friends at Belazu.

Every bite, every sip and every story shared reminded us of the beauty in simplicity, the joy of community, and the richness of a more intentional way of living.