Mention the word "foraging" and many people think of tramping through soggy swamps or trackless wilderness, battling mosquitoes and briars to reap a tiny harvest of nuts or berries. Yet foraging for wild edibles doesn`t have to be difficult, or require expeditionary gear. Even most of what we now call suburbia was only recently considered to be "the country," and many houses built in the past thirty years are found on land that used to be fertile farmsteads. Like a contemporary Euell Gibbons, Robert Henderson reveals an extraordinary bounty that we pass every day. From vacant lots in cities and tree-lined developments in the `burbs to wooded glens, any neighbourhood will have its share of plants whose roots, shoots, leaves and fruits have been used for centuries by indigenous peoples and European settlers, and that are just as wonderful today. Organized into chapters based on plant type (evergreens, broadleaf trees, common flowers, peripherals and plants with edible greens and roots), The Neighborhood Forager introduces the aspiring wild-gatherer to more than 60 genera of plants, comprising hundreds of wide-spread species. Replete with history and folklore, the book offers a wide range of practical and entertaining information. Imagine making "lemonade" from sumac berries (try it and you`ll never go back to instant), spreading homemade rowanberry preserves on scones or roasted meats, or drinking willow bark tea as a pain reliever (it has the same effect as aspirin). The seasonal pleasure of eating fresh spring greens or making knotweed pie (call it "Japanese rhubarb" and your friends will be beguiled) adds zest and excitement to otherwise jaded palates.
