The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts: How to Find, Identify, and Cook Them [Paperback]

Katie Letcher Lyle (Author)

Book Description

Series: Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts | Publication Date: April 1, 2004

Edible wild plants, mushrooms, fruits, and nuts grow wild along roadsides, in country fields, and in urban parks. All manner of leafy greens, mushrooms, and herbs that command hefty prices at the market are bountiful outdoors and absolutely free for the taking. But to enjoy them you must know, when to harvest, how to recognize, and how to prepare and eat them. The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts provides everything you need to know about these wild treasures. Included is information on the most commonly found of these wild comestibles, going beyond a field guide's description to provide folklore and mouth-watering recipes for each entry, such as wild asparagus pizza, fiddlehead soup, blackberry mousse, and elderberry pie.

This fully illustrated guide is the perfect companion for hikers, campers, and anyone who enjoys eating the good food of the earth. With The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts in hand, you'll never walk through a field again without casting your eyes about with dinner in mind.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This fully illustrated guide is the perfect companion for hikers, campers, and anyone who enjoys eating the good food of the earth."--Women in the Outdoors

"This fully illustrated guide is the perfect companion for hikers, campers, and anyone who enjoys eating the good food of the earth."--Women in the Outdoors

From the Back Cover

Edible wild plants, mushrooms, fruits, and nuts grow along roadsides, in country fields, and in urban parks. All manner of leafy greens, mushrooms, and herbs that command hefty prices at the market are bountiful outdoors and absolutely free for the taking. But to enjoy them you must know when to harvest, and how to recognize, prepare, and eat them. The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts provides everything you need to know about these wild treasures. Included is information on the most commonly found of these wild comestibles, going beyond a field guide's description to provide folklore and mouth-watering recipes for each entry, such as wild asparagus pizza, fiddlehead soup, blackberry mousse, and elderberry pie.
This fully illustrated guide is the perfect companion for hikers, campers, and anyone who enjoys eating the good food of the earth. With The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts in hand, you'll never walk through a field again without casting your eyes about with dinner in mind.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press; 1st edition (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592282881
• ISBN-13: 978-1592282883
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 1.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #946,539 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not really so complete..., August 11, 2008

By 

Craz "agnitio spirare" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts: How to Find, Identify, and Cook Them (Paperback)

The title is a bit leading, and while although I found reading this book a bit enjoyable (mostly do to her recipes and general outlook/writing style) there are a few too many things missing.

All around not a terrible book, my three starts are likely a little more then I'd say, BUT I did read it all the way through and have read it twice (I think hoping I just forgot some of the information I read the first time though honestly).

I was very bothered by one section, I believe about mushrooms, that she even suggested to get a better guide because it wasn't with in the scope of her book. The title does say "The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruit, and Nuts..." right?

I would suggest buying other books to read along with this one. In fact I'd suggest reading a lot of foraging books before attempting to do so yourself. Especially ones written about your area specifically. A class and some online research would also be of great benefit!

88 of 111 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Completely incomplete, January 16, 2005

By 

Ivan (our sacred earth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts: How to Find, Identify, and Cook Them (Paperback)

It's amazing how 195 pages can contain information about all wild foods (of North America?) complete with descriptions and from field identification to its uses to the kitchen. Makes no mention of ethical harvesting (photos of ginseng and her stories of the market price of ginseng actually work against the spirit of wild foods) nor warnings of poisonous lookalikes (rendering the book dangerous). Never to be bought or caught holding a copy, so please be discreet if you want to find out for yourself in a library or bookstore.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Still waiting for this one to show up, December 30, 2010

By 

kiboko85 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts: How to Find, Identify, and Cook Them (Paperback)

I received a confirmation email stating that this book was sent within a week after I ordered it. It has been a month, and it still hasn't come. I'm still hoping it will turn up - I really want to read this book!