Stalking the Wild Asparagus : Field Guide Edition

"Stalking the Wild Asparagus" is both inspiring and educational. This, I believe, was the first book on wild edibles to be written, and Euell Gibbons earns his right to declare himself the father of the foraging movement, although he never did claim that. He just shared what he loved, and his excitement shines throughout the book. There are no photos in this book, just line drawings, as it isn't meant to be a guide to identifying the plants. After you ID them, Euell Gibbons tells you what to do with them, along with all his favorite recipes and something about his experience with the plant he is writing about. There is no question that he speaks through his own experience, often very humerous. He definitely has a great sense of humor, and the book is a good straight read. He tells you about the plant itself and the seasons you harvest the edible parts, tells you some of his experimenting to come up with the best ways to prepare it, sometimes the nutritional value of the plant, and lots more. I've used his recipes on many of the plants and they are all delicious. The book covers over 45 plants that can be found most places and even some of the wild meat course to go with it! I've owned dozens of this book over the years but keep giving mine away to those who are just beginning to be interested in the topic of wild edible plants. It's still the best there is to provide the inspiration to learn more. Now I have whole shelves of wild edible plant books, mostly for identifying purposes, but this one is still my all-time favorite and still very useful. If you get this book, be sure to try the acorn bread!