Last Saturday, between heavy showers, I went in search of sloes. These dark purple, almost black, fruits look like blueberries but are bitter to taste and dry the mouth when eaten. They have few uses ...

The Phantom Diner series is sponsored by Urban Valet Cleaners. A shillelagh, or Blackthorn stick, is an Irish club typically made from the Blackthorn tree. With a Blackthorn in hand a gentleman could ...

“Into the scented woods we’ll go,” wrote the poet and novelist Mary Webb, “And see the blackthorn swim in snow.” The woods are scented by things I can barely detect: violets, anemones, sorrel, bud ...