REVIEW
The Skillful Forager by Leda Meredith
Essential Techniques for Responsible Foraging and Making the Most of Your Wild Edibles
Having gone out to collect wild edibles a few times from the surrounding countryside with women from the village I was interested to see if any of the same wild things grow locally as the author highlighted in this book AND yes, many are found in both locations. We have sumac trees, amaranth, lambs ears, chicory, dandelion greens, wild garlic and many more out there for the picking...though it is much more fun to go with someone that knows what they are doing.
This book provides useful information from where to collect, safety, laws, feral vs wild, sustainability, tools, parts to eat (and avoid), preparation, use, storage and more while being filled with gorgeous illustrations to assist the novice. There are seasonal lists of plants to look for and where to find them. Chapters are divided up into: tree leaves; roots, tubers, rhozomes & bulbs; shoots & stalks; flower; fruit; seeds, nuts & pods; bark & twigs; sap; mushrooms; seaaweed; and ends with making the most of what you collect including universal recipes, flour. Pickling, making soda and wine. I would love to have this book in my library.
Thank you to NetGalley and Roost Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41794034-the-skillful-forager
Description
The Skillful Forager is the ultimate forager’s guide to working with any wild plant in the field, kitchen, or pantry. From harvesting skills that will allow you to gather from the same plant again and again to highlighting how to get the most out of each and every type of wild edible, trusted expert Leda Meredith explores the most effective ways to harvest, preserve, and prepare all of your foraged foods. Featuring detailed identification information for over forty wild edibles commonly found across North America, the plant profiles in this book focus on sustainable harvesting techniques that can be applied to hundreds of other plants. This indispensable reference also provides simple recipes that can help you make the most of your harvest each season.