Brambles are at their peak right now, in hedgerows and roadsides, so this is the time to pick them when they are just starting to turn black and ripen. It might be wise to wear gloves to avoid any spiky thorns or purple stained hands!

There are many health benefits associated with brambles. They’re a great source of vitamin C and vitamin K, they are known to help reduce inflammation and they can improve digestion and blood sugar levels.

I’ll be making a few dishes in the coming weeks with brambles – I’m thinking crumble and smoothies but for this weekend, I’ve made a delicious mocktail incorporating the rose syrup I made a few posts back. With just 4 ingredients and a little garnish, this is one of the best mocktails I’ve tasted in a long time. If you wanted to make this into a cocktail, you could just add a shot of white rum.