Foraging & Feasting: A Field Guide and Wild Food Cookbook
By Dina Falconi, Illustrated by Wendy Hollender
We have been eagerly waiting for this book, by longtime chapter leader Dina Falconi, and we are not disappointed! Foraging & Feasting begins with a series of beautiful illustrations of the major wild edible plants, followed by a chart on culinary uses and then a great collection of recipes, all according to the principles of proper preparation found in traditional diets. Just leafing through the beverage section is a delight. Recipes include herbal infustions, herbal teas, agua frescas, wild fruit smoothies and a large selection of kefir sodas; Nettle Ginger Soda is one I look forward to making next spring.
Other sections include Relishes, Spreads and Condiments with yummy offerings like Wild Green Pesto and Wild Tapenade, Fruit Chutney preserved in olive oil and Fruit Catsup. The many tempting recipes for wild salads include herbs like sheep sorrel, dandelion greens, chickweed and purple dead nettle. Soups include Wild Green Soup, Root Bisque and Cold & Creamy Fruit Soup. Eggs are combined with wild herbs in a variety of creative ways. Recipes for cooked wild herbs, herbed meats and desserts are also included.
The great thing about the recipes section is the provision of a master recipe, so you can learn the basic techniques, followed by several variations. After all, when you are cooking with wild plants, you often have to improvise.
Published in hardback with a beautiful cover, this is the book to give to friends and family for the holidays. Thank you Dina and Wendy for this wonderful contribution to food preparation that is both nutritious and delicious. Thumbs
Up.
This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Fall 2013.
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