- Paperback: 192 pages
- Publisher: Collins; New edition edition (1 Oct 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0002201593
- ISBN-13: 978-0002201599
- Product Dimensions: 24 x 18.4 x 1.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (124 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 264,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Collins Gem - Food For Free
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Product Description
Review
'Thirty years after its initial publication, the forager's bible continues to inspire and enthral.' Scottish Field 'Still a classic' The Financial Times 'Armed with this guide, this month you could be sampling the simple pleasures of eating a fleshy Hottentot fig straight from a Devon clifftop, making elderflower fritters gathered from the hedgerows, or frying fairy-ring champignons picked off your lawn. With its charming painted illustrations, it is a book to savour in itself.' Devon Life
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Review
‘Thirty years after its initial publication, the forager's bible continues to inspire and enthral.’
Scottish Field
‘Still a classic’
The Financial Times
‘Armed with this guide, this month you could be sampling the simple pleasures of eating a fleshy Hottentot fig straight from a Devon clifftop, making elderflower fritters gathered from the hedgerows, or frying fairy-ring champignons picked off your lawn. With its charming painted illustrations, it is a book to savour in itself.’
Devon Life
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
107 of 109 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I got this book from my local library but loved it so much that I am going to get my own copy for future reference. After reading this book I went out for a walk and picked some blackberries, elderberries & sloes, which were growing in abundance some 10 minutes from my house! This book opened my eyes to stuff that I usually overlook in the hedgerows and provided me with some useful information about the type of plants, fruits and fungi that are edible (and perhaps not always well known), with recipe ideas too. It encouraged me to venture out into the fresh air and walk in local woodland, along river banks and fields etc. I even found some of the highly recommended Parasol mushrooms! Wonderful book and really, really useful. Worth every penny.
137 of 140 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Richard Mabey is the author of several books on flora and fauna so he is well qualified to write a book such as this. Over one hundred edible plants are featured together with recipes and other culinary information. There is also information on how to pick and when to pick and the regulations on picking which are very important. As I come from farming stock I have to say that food for free does not mean going into a field and digging up a few potato plants or for that matter cabbages.
There are plenty of hedgerow plants available for free, if you are prepared to look for them and suffer the odd few scratches. There is nothing better than a bowl of freshly picked blackberries or raspberries, if you can get them home before they are all eaten.
Plants that are edible are fully illustrated and described and the recipes are both old and new. Other fascinating information is how the plants have been used through the ages. An ideal book for all those who are nature lovers and like the idea of something for nothing. I think the last part covers 99.9% of the population.
There are plenty of hedgerow plants available for free, if you are prepared to look for them and suffer the odd few scratches. There is nothing better than a bowl of freshly picked blackberries or raspberries, if you can get them home before they are all eaten.
Plants that are edible are fully illustrated and described and the recipes are both old and new. Other fascinating information is how the plants have been used through the ages. An ideal book for all those who are nature lovers and like the idea of something for nothing. I think the last part covers 99.9% of the population.
343 of 353 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a 2004 version and worthy addition to the very popular and pocket-sized Collins Gem series. ISBN 0-00-718303-8. Food For Free - A Fantastic Feast of Plants and Folklore.
The book starts with an introduction by the author Richard Mabey. It then has short sections titled 'Roots', 'Green Vegetables', 'Herbs', 'Spices', 'Flowers', 'Fruits', 'Making Jellies and Jams' and 'Nuts'. They include general advice, observations and uses. The main section of the book is given over to identification, with at least two pages per entry. An interesting section follows titled ’Picking Rules’ which gives advice on how to pick correctly how to stay safe. The last section before the main body of the book is a summary calendar which groups the picking times for entries into a colour-coded calendar - very useful as a quick reference.
Every entry is accompanied with a drawing. Most of the drawings are excellent, but one or two are a little small and thus less detailed. Fortunately, almost every entry also has a photograph. The combination of colour drawings and colour photographs is what makes this little pocket book a true 'gem'. If the drawing is a little weak, the photo will be excellent and vice-versa. Almost fool proof.
Each entry starts with the common English name (Latin is in small type at the top of the page)a colour illustration and description. Taking Beech (at random), it says: 'Widespread and common throughout the British Isles, especially on chalky soils. A stately deciduous tree, with smooth, grey bark, to 40m (130ft). Leaves: bright green, alternate, oval. Flowers: male drooping, stalked heads; female in pairs. Fruit: four inside a prickly brown husk, Sept-Oct. When ripe this opens into four lobes, this liberating the brown, three-sided nuts.' The illustration depicts a leaf, spring twig with unopened buds, an opening husk revealing nut inside and bare nut. The article continues with headings; Harvest/Pick, Uses, Beech Nut, Beech Nut Oil, Beech Leaf Noyau. The photo at the end of the entry is a good close-up of a twig with a cluster of husks. (I didn’t know, for example, that ‘fresh from the tree Beech leaves are a fine salad vegetable, as sweet as a mild cabbage though much softer in texture’.)
The book, in line with its title, covers Plants and Trees, Fungi, Seaweeds and Shellfish. There is a glossary at the end and a page devoted to further reading. There is a List of Recipes and finally an index of entries in common English or Latin.
There aren't that many books devoted to 'British' wild foods so to find one which lists over 100 edible plants, berries, mushrooms, seaweed and shellfish is most welcome. Given the true pocket size measurements of the Collins Gem series of books, the price of a fiver (£4-99) and the quality of each entry, this is as good as it gets. Obviously not a benchmark reference work or field-guide, but at least this fits in the pocket - which is the main purpose of such books, isn't it? Five stars!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A great pocket guide
Food for Free is great! My wife and I bring it on walks and have positively identified many edible plants growing in Norfolk/Suffolk areas. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Kasey A. Gibbs
Not Ideal for Survivalists!
I was looking for a small book to put in my bug out bag and to take with me on walks so that I may learn more about the flora around me. Read more
Published 19 days ago by TR
collins gem food for free
Food for free in a small pocket book, a rocking good suprise, security and lunch on the trot a real plus for the novice to start the foraging bug. Read more
Published 1 month ago by refugeewurzel
mini foraging guide
The content of the book is absolutely marvelous - at least for the beginner in foraging like me. But the best thing is its size! Read more
Published 2 months ago by Anna
great litttle book!!
Probable the best forageing book that i have found! and cheap and easily carried as well! Buy it! Pictures are excellent and so are the descriptions! Read more
Published 2 months ago by jpr
Classic books
This book is a classic. It could only be improved by the addition of color plates for each plant description. I don't know if such an edition exists but that's what I would like.
Published 3 months ago by Mozza
Got the big version
I've got the big version of this foragers classic but its a bit big to cart around
if im going foraging the pocket size (also some of the pictures are actual picture in this... Read more
if im going foraging the pocket size (also some of the pictures are actual picture in this... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Dan wales
Great pocket book
If you are thinking of going foraging then this is the book you need to keep in your pocket/car. I haven't tried the mushroom section but it's great for identifying things as a... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Dans
Good
Good service, product. Arrived on time ahead of christmas. The book was well received, very interesting and useful information. thank you
Published 5 months ago by Claire
great, handy size
Handy little book to slip in your pocket when you are out and about-not too big to leave in the car just in case.arrived quickly and in perfect condition
Published 5 months ago by Ms. J. A. Mullen
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