The Hedgerow Cookbook: 100 Delicious Recipes for Wild Food

This is a delightful book with beautiful photos, good recipes and a very interesting concept.

Free food... who doesn't want a bit of that in this day and age? Yet is anything really free unless you go dumpster diving? Yes, it can be, and this book shows you how!To claim your free food you need to keep your eyes open and, at the same time, you get a bit of fresh air and exercise as you look around, harvesting "your own produce" from hedgerows, meadows and woods that may be around where you live. Of course, this book cannot give you a localised menu of everything you might find in your neighbourhood, yet you will get a good overview to the subject and be able to research any small local differences with a much wiser head on your shoulders.Your eventual larder is split into key chapters for "flowers and hips", leaves, berries, fruit with stones, fruit with pips and nuts. Each chapter focusses on individual ingredients and their preparation as well as providing some recipe suggestions for their use. So elderflowers are, for example, shown to be capable of making various drinks (including elderflower champagne), cakes, desserts, jams and preserves. When you start to browse through this book you will see just how versatile many of these free ingredients can be - yet it is something that our forefathers might have taken for granted and it is only latter generations who have tended to eschew such items in favour of supermarket-provided food.The recipes do have a natural bias towards the items found in England, so those based in other countries might need to undertake a bit of experimentation and substitution of ingredients yet that can be part of the fun too! The individual recipes do encourage you to learn, try and possibly experiment. The authors have managed to make this book a fairly open, accessible read without plastering it with various ecological mantras and lecturing that other "natural food" books tend to do. In many ways this could still be a great little read, particularly with its low price, for city-dwellers who never visit the countryside as you can still marvel at and feel possibly envious about those who have access to these great "hidden" ingredients.Many of the recipes might, at first glance, sound strange due to their unfamiliarity, yet if they were written with a French name and served in a high-class restaurant you might think you are getting something cutting edge. Rabbit Casserole with Nettle Dumplings anyone?There's not a lot else to say. You can sense the enthusiasm of the authors to their subject. They let the ingredients do the talking. This reviewer was a tad sceptical as to whether this book would really work. Fiddlesticks! It is not hyperbole to say that this is quite an innovative, intriguing little book that should be in every "more adventurous" cook's personal library. Just one different recipe is all it takes for you to get your money's worth, if the vast amount of thought-provoking background information is not enough for you.

The authors are from England, so some of the plants are not available in our area. This is a subject that fascinates me, however, and so I couldn't resist getting the book to review. The books authors have their own company called "Wild at Heart", and this book came about as a result of their own business success.The book basically has two parts: a section on the plant to forage & how to pick it, and a section on what to make with it. There's both the standard British measurements & what we are used to here in the States, making it easy for anyone to use the recipes.I was thrilled to see a section on dandelions, something I was determined to pick and harvest this year but didn't because I had no idea what I could actually DO with the flower. Unfortunately, however, the two recipes they included - wine, and marmelade - are two things I could never make - the wine for space reasons, and the marmelade because it includes multiple ingredients I'm allergic to.all in all, however, there aren't any recipes in the book I'll actually use, but I think it's a great resource and a good place to start with wild foraging.I received a review copy for free from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Beautiful photographs, complete descriptions in this book that seeks to use food sources that many overlook.For full disclosure, I received a copy via NetGalley. As someone with a focus on heritage and heirlooms for food choices, this fit well, and drew my interest to asking for a copy.It is an English book, some of the information is slated for a UK audience. That said, the authors also took time to include US measurements as well. From dandelions to nettle to rose hips, this is a great source of adding color, flavor and, yes, nutrition, to the diet. Variety is good!This would make a wonderful gift for a "homesteader" or those interested in self sufficiency. Also great for anyone interested in foraging and getting free bonus food.Nice mix of text and photos. Easy read - complete without being too lengthy. Nice book, great addition to the bookshelf or gift basket.

With the push to eat organic and to get back to nature, The Hedgerow Cookbook by Wild at Heart is a treasure. Authors Caro and Ginny who founded Wild at Heart have created an easy to read and follow recipe book. The photographs identify plants that are found in nature, ready to be picked and converted to a tasty treat.From berries, flowers, and leave the book allows you to cover the full range of your taste buds. So many of these treats were common to our extended past generation families and have been lost in the modern hustle and bustle. The book is sure to capture how to create these treasures and after a short hike or walk you can come back with treat that will add to a much deserved feast.Your mouth is sure to water as you read the easy to follow instructions for these delicious goodies.

This book was recommended to me by a friend and I may well have been too excited to read it because when it came I was slightly disappointed that many recipes seemed to be remakes of regular recipes but just with the word 'wild' inserted at the beginning of the title. It is a book, to my mind, with fairly well known recipes but just with the addition of one wild ingredient, rather than entirely from, wild foods.

Love this book, Good tips and advice about what to forage for, good descriptions with beautiful photographs helping ID recognition, plus seasonal chart and preserving techniques. Looking forward to testing out some of the recipes as the year goes on. Definitely a book I want to keep picking up and flicking through.

Good variety of recipes in this book. Unfortunately I've lost it and will be re-buying it soon! The sloe gin is delicious! A must for people that like to walk and pick from the hedgerow.

Seems like a lot of jam making kind of things in this book. OK if you have an icecream maker too. Disappointing there's only a bit with nettles and dandelion.

If you are somebody who reads cookbooks for pleasure like me, then it is a goood read. Also if you love feeling you are cooking with free stuff! I have only tried about 4 of the recipies so far but they have been really great. (The sorrell and cheese tart was fab) I can't wait for the soft fruit on my allotment to start coming ready so I can try some variations with not exactly wild food. I do love the idea of the seasonality but the waiting for some of the "wild" foods can be frustrating- hopefully I will appreciate them all the more as the seasons develop.

clear details. .brought as a gift .

It was a birthday present for my daughter and she loved it.Even more so when she found her favourite recipes

One of my favourite cook books. It's not a survival guide, it's for people who only want to eat food if it tastes good. Some really original ideas which have gone down very well in my house.

Exactly like a great cook book should be - a fab mix of sweet and savoury recipes, lots of beautiful photographs and clear directions.I'm looking forward to making the slow roasted pork with damsons and some sloe gin but in the mean time, until they are in season, what's in season now... back to page 11.

Lovely book full of interesting and inspiring recipes - some new ones ( to me) but also some old favourites reworked.Well set out, clear and concise instructions and above all, fun!

A really good and informative book on the way to utilise freely gathered produce. At the moment I am making Sloe Gin,ready to use at Christmas.

Beautiful book with really scrummy recipes. Something for everyone. This was bought as a present for my daughter. Can't wait to try them!!!!!

Not a good as expected thought may use more common plants or explain what I should be looking for

Nice book and illustrations

Arrived early and was very well packaged. Would definitely recommend. Thank you..