Wild Food (Natural History Photographic Guides)

I do throw caution to the wind and agree with a previous reviewer that this is more of a guide than an identification book. If you want to stick to the obvious (ie Crab apples , Elderberries etc) then perfect but if you wish to stray (ie Cow Parsley, Mushrooms) then I would certainly cross reference to another book. However, Phillips comes to the rescue here with his other publications "Mushrooms and other Fungi" and "Wild Flowers" both worth their weight in gold.

All said, the book never sets out to be an identification manual but more to wet the appetite and sow the seed in this very interesting topic of Wild Food. It has certainly inspired me, many generations before and hopefully many generations to come. A very worthy 5 Stars.

Shaun (East Yorkshire)


Eating the great outdoors   August 29, 2003
 57 out of 57 found this review helpful

This is a truly interesting book. Now, if "interesting" makes you think of dull, trainspotter-like accumulation of facts, then this is not the nature book for you. It is less of an identification book (something of a problem in the fungus section, maybe) than a guide to what possibilities there are -some bizarre, some sensible - for using plants as food. As such it sits somewhere between the field guides Roger Phillips is known for and the hearty survival guides or Ray Mears and co. It is a gentle book, and firmly rooted in the plant world; Wild Food does not include rabbit stew, crow pie, fricassee of dormouse... An ideal book for a winter's evening, it is also the book to browse before a summer walk. The recipes (Blackberry water ice, blanched sea kale) are straightforward and easy to follow even when the subject is a trifle odd (pickled ash keys), the photography excellent, and there are notes for use rather than full recipes for loads of plants.


Stunning food and fabulous photography - inspiring!   October 22, 2001
 67 out of 68 found this review helpful

I bought this book when I bought my first house back in the mists of the early eighties. The stunning and inventive photography had me pulling my walking boots on and heading out into the wilds of the Pennines to sample my first wild food. The recipes don't disappoint, in all the years I've owned this book I've never had a duff one. The wines are extraordinarily good, and a real treat is a liqueur, Beech Leaf Noyu. So my recommendation is to pull on your boots and get out there and get cooking!


An Inspirational Classic   October 27, 2000
 52 out of 52 found this review helpful

Roger Philips' book taught me and my wife to love the countryside more than ever before. A walk is no longer just a walk; every turn might lead to something for the pot! Well written; great photos; clear identification notes; excellent recipes. It contains all the worthwhile foods and some of the less worthwhile - but at least he warns you in advance if it tastes unreasonably bitter.