The Forager's Calendar: A Seasonal Guide to Nature's Wild Harvests

Description

'He writes so engagingly that it's hard to imagine that actual foraging can be more attractive than reading his accounts of it. ...[This book] is a treasure. It is beautifully produced, designed and illustrated.' - John Carey, The Sunday Times Look out of your window, walk down a country path or go to the beach in Great Britain, and you are sure to see many wild species that you can take home and eat. From dandelions in spring to sloe berries in autumn, via wild garlic, samphire, chanterelles and even grasshoppers, our countryside is full of edible delights in any season. John Wright is the country's foremost expert in foraging and brings decades of experience, including as forager at the River Cottage, to this seasonal guide. Month by month, he shows us what species can be found and where, how to identify them, and how to store, use and cook them. You'll learn the stories behind the Latin names, the best way to tap a Birch tree, and how to fry an ant, make rosehip syrup and cook a hop omelette. Fully illustrated throughout, with tips on kit, conservation advice and what to avoid, this is an indispensable guide for everyone interested in wild food, whether you want to explore the great outdoors, or are happiest foraging from your armchair.

John Wright is a naturalist and one of Great Britain's leading experts on fungi. His publications include books on how to forage in hedgerows and seashores, on the delights and perils of gathering fungi and mushrooms, and how to make your own booze, all published in the popular River Cottage Handbook series. His most recent books include The Naming of the Shrew (2014) and A Natural History of the Hedgerow (2016). He lives in Dorset, where he regularly leads keen foragers on forays into nature.

John Wright writes as though he's talking directly to you, a good friend in the same room. His harvest of fascinating information is worn lightly, with funny, whimsical observations... this wonderful book should be well-thumbed by anyone who is interested in the natural world. * BBC Countryfile * A hugely useful, well-illustrated and often funny book * The Times * He writes so engagingly that it's hard to imagine that actual foraging can be more attractive than reading his accounts of it. ...the splendour of his book, which is a treasure. It is beautifully produced, designed and illustrated. -- John Carey * The Sunday Times * Praise for A Natural History of the Hedgerow: A beautifully presented field guide. -- Robbie Millen * The Times * This illustrated survey is historically detailed, enriched by the author's deep knowledge of British landscapes and natural history. * Guardian * A true labour of love spiced with a fine dry humour... [not] just a delightful one-off read, but an invaluable work of reference that will remain on my bookshelves for good. -- Christopher Hart * The Sunday Times * Under his expert guidance foraging just sounds like a gas, a kind of foody treasure hunt with a bracing hint of Russian roulette. John's writing is knowledgeable, and no less mischievous for its lyricism. -- Niki Segnit author of * The Flavour Thesaurus *