"Sweet Rocket" by Mary Johnston Various people come to stay at Sweet Rocket, a plantation that's so beautiful many people are inspired to get in touch with nature. A man and woman believe that body and spirit, mind and soul, may meet and fuse for the quest of truth, and it is on this exalted plane that their love finds expression. The story is haunting and beautiful with plenty of mystery to go around.
GARDENING Plenty of colorful photographs and illustrations enhance this hybrid mixture of identification guide, instructional gardening treatise, and cookbook. In the book's first half, the Hemphills, Australian authorities on growing and using herbs, survey over 60 herbs arranged alphabetically by scientific name. Each entry offers details on the herb's identification, history, cultivation, and harvesting, as well as uses (medicinal, cosmetic, and culinary). In the second half, the authors offer advice on using herbs as gifts and as medicine, herb gardening, and cooking with herbs. A general index and common name index provide good access to the text. This work compares favorably with other, similar titles, including Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz's excellent The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices, and Flavorings (LJ 11/15/92), and its old-fashioned, English flavor (the book was first published in Australia) is sure to be popular with public library patrons. [Garden Book Club selection.] John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., Ariz.-
"From roots and shoots, almonds to zucchini, field and forest to the family table-this delectable guide reveals the intriguing stories of the world's favorite food plants. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs covers every edible plant you can imagine. It invites us on a gorgeously illustrated tour through the world garden to discover the origins, traditions, and contemporary culture of more than 450 fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, herbs, and spices. It's the explorative home cook's best friend in the kitchen, an edible guide for the vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike. Splashed with hundreds of appetizing images and written by top culinary and horticultural experts, it also tells individual stories in an extensive directory of species which lists geographical origins, botanical facts, traditional uses, and culinary tips for hundreds of plants."--provided by Amazon.com.
“In this remarkable new cookbook, Bergo provides stories, photographs and inventive recipes.”—Star Tribune As Seen on NBC's The Today Show! "With a passion for bringing a taste of the wild to the table, [Bergo’s] inspiration for experimentation shows in his inventive dishes created around ingredients found in his own backyard."—Tastemade From root to flower—and featuring 180 recipes and over 230 of the author’s own beautiful photographs—explore the edible plants we find all around us with the Forager Chef Alan Bergo as he breaks new culinary ground! In The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora you’ll find the exotic to the familiar—from Ramp Leaf Dumplings to Spruce Tip Panna Cotta to Crisp Fiddlehead Pickles—with Chef Bergo’s unique blend of easy-to-follow instruction and out-of-this-world inspiration. Over the past fifteen years, Minnesota chef Alan Bergo has become one of America’s most exciting and resourceful culinary voices, with millions seeking his guidance through his wildly popular website and video tutorials. Bergo’s inventive culinary style is defined by his encyclopedic curiosity, and his abiding, root-to-flower passion for both wild and cultivated plants. Instead of waiting for fall squash to ripen, Bergo eagerly harvests their early shoots, flowers, and young greens—taking a holistic approach to cooking with all parts of the plant, and discovering extraordinary new flavors and textures along the way. The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora demonstrates how understanding the different properties and growing phases of roots, stems, leaves, and seeds can inform your preparation of something like the head of an immature sunflower—as well as the lesser-used parts of common vegetables, like broccoli or eggplant. As a society, we’ve forgotten this type of old-school knowledge, including many brilliant culinary techniques that were borne of thrift and necessity. For our own sake, and that of our planet, it’s time we remembered. And in the process, we can unlock new flavors from the abundant landscape around us. “[An] excellent debut. . . . Advocating that plants are edible in their entirety is one thing, but this [book] delivers the delectable means to prove it."—Publishers Weekly "Alan Bergo was foraging in the Midwest way before it was trendy."—Outside Magazine
Jekka Mcvicar's original New Book of Herbs ushered in a new type of gardening reference book, covering a wide choice of herbs and their uses. Grow Herbs puts Jekka's comprehensive information into a fresh, up-to-date format for a new audience of keen organic gardeners, herb enthusiasts, and those interested in natural healthcare and herbal products for the home. Grow Herbs' opening chapter covers all practical aspects of designing, cultivating, and propagating herbs, with practical step-by-step photographs to illustrate Jekka's organic gardening techniques. The A-Z directory showcases her top 100 herbs, with close-up photography and advice on growing and using each species, cross-referenced to the sections on using herbs in the kitchen and around the home, which follow. These cover herb marinades, sauces and hot dishes, as well as household uses such as surface cleaners, room fragrances and pet care. Packed with practical horticultural advice as well as inspirational recipes and projects, Grow Herbs will encourage new gardeners to make herbs a part of their garden design, and shows experienced herb-growers how their plants can be put to use in the kitchen and around the house.
