First published in the United Kingdom in 2001, THE RIVER COTTAGE COOKBOOK quickly became a hit among food cognoscenti around the world. Now tailored for American cooks, this authoritative and animated ode to eating well is one part manifesto and one part guidebook for choosing and storing food grown in the garden, butchered from prize animals, or foraged or caught locally. Fearnley-Whittingstall writes with humor, wit, and clarity, bringing American readers what his legions of British fans have enthusiastically embraced: the best techniques and recipes for getting the most out of simple, superior food, while supporting the environment, vibrant local economies, and resourceful use of plants and animals.

A groundbreaking book on eliminating the rubbish from your diet and maximizing the pleasures of the table, from British food personality Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Original edition has sold 300,000 copies in Europe. Throroughly Americanized for a North American audience.ReviewsThere's something delightful about considering what it would mean to raise animals and then eat them nose to tail, close to the land.‚AiNew York Times Book Review Summer Reading issue, cookbook roundupFearnley-Whittingstall is on a mission, determined to persuade us that the life he writes about is within our reach...Whatever the topic, he is consistently entertaining.‚AiNew York Times MagazineIncluded in the Summer Reading Issue, Cookbook Roundup 6/1/08 in the New York Times Book ReviewAn intense and heartfelt almanac of raising and eating organic plants and animals without the intrusive use of slaughterhouses, packaging plants, or grocery stores.‚AiPublishers Weekly STARRED review‚AuLocavore Bible: Cooks so intent on eating locally that they grow their own food will have a definitive tome.‚Au‚AiFood & Wine, 100 to Taste List

"Readers in search of a single tome illustrating not only how to deal with a pig carcass but also how to prepare a Shrimp and Sea Lettuce Tempura need look no further. English carnivore extraordinaire Fearnley-Whittingstall (The River Cottage Meat Book) has revised his 2001 answer to the Whole Earth Cookbook into this new, slightly Americanized, edition. There are 95 healthy recipes, everything from Strawberry Sandwiches to Nettle Soup, Crispy Pig's Ears to Pigeon Pitas (yes, real pigeons), but the work is primarily an intense and heartfelt almanac of raising and eating organic plants and animals without the intrusive use of slaughterhouses, packaging plants or grocery stores. For cooks with an acre or two of land, or with access to woodlands, there are priceless lessons in raising sheep (a good ram is hard to find), choosing the right cow (bright eyes and lumpless udders) and picking the perfect wild mushroom. For city dwellers, the author, pictured on the cover with a plump piglet under each arm and later shown happily tearing apart a rabbit, might just be the Edgar Allan Poe of poultry. As a benchmark, somewhere between horror and hors d'oeuvre, consider this typical set of instructions before delving into the text: 'A chicken is not ready to kill for the table until you think it is. Pick it up, feel its weight, and feel its breast. If it feels tempting, then you should kill it if you want to.'" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

An ode to eating well, this intense and heartfelt almanac ("Publishers Weekly") shares the best techniques and recipes for getting the most out of simple and superior food while supporting the environment, vibrant local economies, and a conscientious use of plants and animals.