The New Oxford Book of Food Plants (Hardcover)

~ (Author), C. Geissler (Author) "More wheat is produced annually than any other cereal crop and it is probably the world's foremost food plant..." (more)
Key Phrases: cent total sugars, male spadix, dessert purposes, United States, United Kingdom, North America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Not enough tables of contents are enhanced by drawings of nuts, herbs, and root vegetables, but the table of contents in The New Oxford Book of Food Plants is, setting the tone for a book that clearly delights in the glories of the world's bounty. Each chapter, including grain crops and fruits, spices and seaweed, legumes and mushrooms among its 19 topics, is a cornucopia of information and beautiful, educational illustrations. Take the chapter on oil crops, for example. Covering olives, sesame, peanuts, soy beans, sunflowers, and the rape plant, the prose describes where they grow and what the fruits look like, what kind of oil is produced and what it's used for, how it's made and how else the fruits may be used. Color drawings of the plants and their fruits are on the facing page. Put together by writers who respect each plant and give them the attention and detail that spell quality, this is a beautiful book and a charming resource. --Stephanie Gold

From Library Journal

This revision of the popular but now somewhat dated Oxford Book of Food Plants (LJ 4/1/70) describes and pictures fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices, grains, and nuts from around the world, most familiar but some unfamiliar. Vaughan (emeritus, food sciences) and Geissler (nutrition), both at King's College, London, revised all the original entries but kept the same format and plant groupings; B.E. Nicholson's beautiful full-page color illustrations were also retained, and a few new ones were added. A one-page description of the plant group and its plants, often mentioning specific cultivars, is followed by illustrations of those plants on the facing page. A new chapter on nutrition and health and some food composition tables are included. This guide will appeal to a broad audience and is recommended for all public and academic libraries.?William H. Wiese, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 11, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198548257
• ISBN-13: 978-0198548256
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #154,723 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for learning about food plants from all over., October 14, 1999

By	Susan D. Schoneweis "sschoneweis1" (Lincoln, NE) - See all my reviews

This book is great for learning to identify food plants from all over the world. The illustrations are realistic and each plant is described. I use it to help my 4-H horticulture judging team prepare for the national judging contest. The plants and illustrations in this new edition are the same as in the original book, however the 1998 edition has an excellent section on phytonutrients.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great gift, reference, and coffee table book, November 5, 2000

By	Orin Hargraves (Westminster, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Oxford Book of Food Plants (Paperback)

The original edition of this book was out of print for some years and it is delightful to see it out again, and expanded no less. It combines 2 great virtues: highly readable and informative text with illustrations of a quality that are "suitable for framing." It is a great book for anyone who takes an interest in botany, cooking, or gardening and you couldn't go wrong giving it as a gift to one of these types. It's also great for reference. If you're getting it as a gift I suggest ordering 2, because you'll want one for yourself when you see it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful, September 28, 2008

By	City Vegan (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

I love being able to actually see the evolution of a plant food from its beginnings, all the way to my plate. This book is a fantastic resource for plant foods and full of thorough information. Love it!