A recipe-complemented guide to edible plants that can be found in the British countryside shares essential facts about conservation, safety, legal concerns and necessary tools and includes additional information about seasonal growth cycles and cooking strategies. By the author of Mushrooms.
In the eleventh River Cottage Handbook, bestselling author Mark Diacono gives recipes and comprehensive guidance for keeping chickens. Chickens are a fantastic addition to a garden or outdoors space - you don't have to live in the back of beyond to have a few clucking around and giving you fresh eggs. They come in all shapes and sizes: some are layers, some are just born to strut. Mark Diacono begins at the basics, showing how you can raise chickens from eggs, and look after them once they start laying their own. The first part of Chicken & Eggs explains how to think ahead about what kind of chickens you want and how many to get, whether you are going for a breed that lays eggs regularly, or that you might eventually use for eating, or that simply looks decorative. You can choose from Orpingtons, Derbyshire redcaps, Muffed Old English Game, Leghorns and many more.
In the fourth River Cottage handbook, Mark Diacono tells us everything we need to know to create our own productive, organic garden, no matter where we live. Drawing directly from his experience as an acclaimed climate-change gardener, and of setting up a kitchen garden from scratch for River Cottage, Mark explains the practical aspects of organic growing, introduces us to a whole world of vegetables we may not have previously considered, and does away with alienating gardening jargon once and for all. Mark begins with a catalogue of vegetables that will grow in this country, explaining for each their benefits, what varieties to go for, dos and don'ts, and popular culinary uses. He then invites us to create a wish list of foods, and shows us his own list from his early gardening days. Next, he explains how to turn this wish list into a coherent kitchen garden plan appropriate for our space, whether it be a patch of acidic soil, a roof-top garden or an allotment, whether we put on our wellies in every free moment or are 'time-poor' gardeners. Then he puts all the theory into practice, showing us how to look after nutrients in the soil, how to resist pests and diseases, and how to make our garden sustainable and organic. In clear, concise sections we learn about seed trays, supporting plants with climbing structures, mulching, composting, companion planting, irrigation and promoting pollination, and there are additional tables showing sowing and harvesting times, plant sizes, and alternative varieties of plants for different sites. About thirty recipes and a directory of useful addresses finish the book, and the handbook is complemented by bright colour photography throughout. Practical and inspiring, with a textured hard cover and an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Veg Patch is destined to join Handbooks No. 1, 2 and 3 as an indispensible household reference.
In this new addition to the award-winning collection, River Cottage master preserver Pam Corbin helps you transform the abundance of your garden (and your friends’ and neighbors’ gardens) into everything from jams and jellies to vinegars and sauces. The River Cottage farm, established by British food personality Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to promote high-quality, seasonal, and sustainable food, has inspired a television series, restaurants and classes, and a hit series of books. Now, with The River Cottage Preserves Handbook, learn to make everything from simple Strawberry Jam to scrumptious new combinations like Honeyed Hazelnuts, Nasturtium “Capers,” Onion Marmalade, Spiced Brandy Plums, and Elixir of Sage, plus a pantryful of butters, curds, pickles, chutneys, cordials, and liqueurs.
Fruit is pretty much the perfect food: bountiful, delicious and colourful, it also helps us to fight infection, stresses and strains. But why are we still a nation that thinks it's a bit racy to slice a banana onto our cornflakes in the morning? A 'piece of fruit' in a lunch box, on the breakfast table or at the end of a meal is all very well, but fruit is so much more exciting than this, and we don't eat nearly enough of the stuff. Perhaps this is because we don't always understand how to use it in our cooking, or how to choose the best fruit for the season. Hugh sets out to address this head on. With 180 delicious recipes, River Cottage Fruit Every Day! will show you how to enjoy a broader eating experience and make fruit easy, fun and irresistible. You'll find recipes for all the wonderful seasonal fruit that grows in this country, and learn how to make the most of fruit from other parts of the world. Recipes include marinated lamb and fig kebabs; barbecued pork chops with peaches and sage; venison stew with damsons; and parsnip and apple cakes. There are also fresh and zingy salads as well as gorgeous cakes, tarts, pies, crumbles and puddings. With glorious photography from Simon Wheeler, this book will bring amazing new fruity vitality and flavour to your food.
In the ninth River Cottage Handbook, Mark Diacono explains how to nurture and grow your own garden fruit. Growing fruit at home is a delicious and altogether more enjoyable alternative to buying it in the shops. Mark Diacono offers a practical and accessible guide to making the most of your garden and what it has to offer. The first part of the book is an A-Z of the different varieties of fruit, with old favourites like apples, cherries, plums, blackcurrants, white currants, redcurrants, strawberries, blueberries, gooseberries, raspberries and rhubarb as well as more exotic species like figs, grapes, cranberries, Japanese wine berries and apricots. Each is accompanied by a photograph, with detailed advice on when and how to grow and harvest. In the second part of the book, Mark gives straightforward guidelines on techniques like pruning and training, as well as how to deal with problems or pests. There is a section dedicated to growing under covers and in containers. Introduced by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and with 30 delicious recipes, beautiful, full-colour photographs and a directory of useful addresses, this is the ideal reference for any aspiring fruit grower.
In the fourteenth River Cottage Handbook, Gill Meller shows how to keep pigs and cook with pork. Keeping a herd of pigs brings a lot of enjoyment – they are curious, intelligent and (often) lovable animals, with plenty of character. When the time comes, they can provide you with a fine carcass that can be turned into all manner of tasty things. The River Cottage ethos is all about knowing the story behind what's on the plate, and as Gill Meller explains in this accessible and comprehensive guide, by rearing and butchering your own pigs you'll be able to create a full range of delicious pork products in the most sustainable, economical and hands-on way possible. Pigs & Pork gives expert advice on choosing whether to keep your own pigs, on sourcing them and setting up their home, and on feeding and caring for them. Gill also explains how you can arrange for the pigs' eventual slaughter, and how to find a good butcher or carry out your own butchery at home and identify the different cuts of meat. And even if you are buying your pork from the butcher, there is plenty to inspire. In the mouth-watering recipe section you will find the ultimate roast pork, farmhouse pâtés, pork scratchings, brawn, sausages, rillettes, pork pies, Scotch eggs and black pudding, as well as instructions for how to home-cure your own bacon, ham and salami. And of course, there are guidelines for setting up a proper hog roast to cater for large numbers, River Cottage-style – simply the perfect fare for an outside gathering. Whether you are just after the secret to sensational crackling, or you want to go the whole hog and set up your own sty, this book will guide you on the road to pork heaven.
In the first of the River Cottage Handbook series, mycologist John Wright uncovers the secret habits and habitats of Britain's thriving mushrooms - and the team at River Cottage explain how to cook them to perfection. In the first of the River Cottage Handbook series, mycologist John Wright explains the ins and outs of collecting, including relevant UK laws, conservation notes, practical tips and identification techniques. He takes us through the 72 species we are most likely to come across during forays in Britain's forests and clearings: old friends the Chanterelle and Cep, as well as a whole colourful host of more unfamiliar names - edible species including the Velvet Shank, the Horn of Plenty, the Amethyst Deceiver, the Giant Puffball and the Chicken in the Woods, and poisonous types such as the Sickener, the Death Cap and the Destroying Angel. The handbook is completed by more than 30 simple and delicious mushroom recipes from the River Cottage team. With colour photographs throughout, line drawings, a user-friendly Key and an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, the River Cottage Mushroom Handbook is a comprehensive and collectable guide, destined to be an indispensable household reference.