Synopses & Reviews
This practical and attractive guide to identifying and using the many edible varieties of weed will appeal to gardeners, botanists, and horticulturalists, as well as to anyone with an interest in controlling weeds in eco-friendly ways. The main part of the book provides full details of more than 45 species, with advice on how to identify them and use them in the kitchen; it includes recipe suggestions as well as tips for nonculinary uses. It details both the more common weeds, such as nettles, dandelions, chickweed, and ground elder, and the less common, such as brook-lime and pineappleweed. The directory covers both native and nonnative species, including some troublesome invasives. Advice is also given on avoiding plants that are harmful if eaten. With The Weeder's Digest on your bookshelf you can put your weeds to good use; whether for making soup or jam, dyeing fabric or making paper, it's all here.
Review
“A delightful read: well organized, informative, and easy to use, successfully filling the hungry gap between books on gardening and those on foraging. . . . Highly recommended.” —Fergus Drennan, professional forager and writer
Synopsis
This book is a practical guide to identifying and using a wide range of edible varieties of weeds, and will appeal to gardeners, botanists, and horticulturalists, as well as to those with an interest in controlling their weeds in eco-friendly ways.The main part of the book-"The Weeder's Digest"-includes over forty-five species, with details of how to identify them and suggestions for using them for both cooking and making things. Included are the more common varieties, such as nettles, dandelions, chickweed, and elder, as well as the less common-for example, brookline and hairy bittercress. There is also a section on poisonous plants and those edible plants that should not be eaten to excess.
Synopsis
This book provides full details of over 50 edible species, with valuable nutritional information, advice on how to cook them, numerous recipe suggestions, as well as some fascinating historical facts. Weeds have many virtues - they are valuable to wildlife and are good for the soil. Put your troublesome weeds to good use, and welcome some plentiful edibles into your kitchen.
Synopsis
Now published under Foraging for Edible Wild Plants, this is a practical and attractive guide to the many edible varieties of plants that grow all around us.
Whether you think of them as pretty wildflowers or troublesome weeds, wild plants have many virtues. Not only are they an essential habitat and nectar source for insects, they are beneficial for the soil, accumulating trace elements and acting as hosts for mycorrhizal fungi. Wild plants can be also be included in a variety of tasty recipes as unusual and flavoursome culinary ingredients.
Written by qualified dietician and horticulturalist, Gail Garland, The Weeder's Digest describes more than 50 edible species, from common species, such as nettle, dandelion, chickweed and ground elder, to the less well-known brooklime and wintercress. Gail also shares advice on how to identify wild plants that are harmful to eat, as well as tips on controlling weeds.
The guide is beautifully designed with illustrated notes on appearance and habitat, and attractive colour photographs throughout. It includes numerous recipe suggestions for jams, cordials, pesto, salads and soups, and nutritional information. There are also tips for non-culinary uses, such as dyes from nettles and soap from soap wort, and fascinating historical facts about wild plants throughout.
The Weeder's Digest is a charming resource, perfect for gardeners, botanists, cooks and foragers.
About the Author
Gail Harland was a state-registered dietitian for more than 10 years. She is a freelance writer and photographer with a regular poultry column in Cage & Aviary Birds magazine, is author of Photographing Your Garden and Grow It Yourself, and coauthor of The Tomato Book.