Hedgerow by John Wright – River Cottage Handbook No.7: review
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Hedgerow food, Reviews | 12 comments
Photo: Hedgerow by John Wright
I recently received a copy of Hedgerow (River Cottage Handbook)
The book is called Hedgerow but actually covers plants, flowers and fruit that can be found in a lot more places. Such as parks, allotments and the boundaries of fields. I have even identified several species that are growing in our garden. Until now I had though of them as just weeds – Hairy Bittercress omelette anyone?
This is a cracker of a book. It includes charts – for a quick appraisal of what can be found at specific times of year. The plant identification section is split into two – edible and poisonous. It covers all that the serious forager needs to know – from where to find the plants to the taste and possible uses. It points to plants that look similar but need to be identified correctly if you are not to poison yourself and your guests.
The book is well written with a light, witty, conversational touch. Even the section dealing with legal rights was fun to read. The recipes at the end look inspired and inventive.
Once again the River Cottage Handbooks
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When I see all the luscious blackberries, elderberries etc out of reach because of intervening thorns or on the top of the tree I think those fruits are definitely
for the wildlife.
This looks like an interesting read. My mum’s best friend makes what she calls ‘Ditch Jam’ – sounds disgusting, but it’s simply a jam made from the contents of her local hedgerow, and tastes wonderfully full flavoured. I’ve done a little sloe picking in my time (I have yet to actually make any sloe gin, as I tend to forget to buy the gin, and before I know it, my pickings have rotted), but would like to explore foraging further. I also hope the book encourages people to leave enough fruit etc. for wildlife too?
I have many of the River Cottage Handbook series and they are all excellent. I haven’t got this one yet but it’s on my wish list! I would particularly recommend the Preserves, Bread, Veg Plot and Mushrooms books.
I can’t wait for my copy to arrive. I ordered it a week ago and I’m getting a wee bit impatient. I expect it’ll really open my eyes to what’s out there since I was never brought up to recognise wild foods.
How can the whole concept of hedgerows not made it to this continent? You’d think, since we’ve used (with modifications) your system of government, your language, and your judiciary, we could have borrowed the idea of free food on the roadsides. But no, hedgerows stayed over there, with the monarchy.
i’ve been dithering over buying this for a week now, since I read the extract in the Guardian – I think you might have tempted me!
Sadly I often suffer from psychologial poisoning when I eat foraged stuff, something I really need to get over.
We have ‘The edible seashore’, same series. An excellent reference point and a jolly funny read.
I wish they’d do one for the States (preferably regionally). I think that once I get the gardening and chickens and bees thing down, the next thing to learn is foraging. There’s a lot to eat in Oregon, I understand.
I’ll definitely give this a look – like Shereen we’ve got ‘food for free’ but I really like Johns style. The RC books are seriously good. I swear by their bread book!
It really is a fantastic wee book that one. I’ve got Mabey’s Food for Free as well, but John Wright’s book is entertaining and readable as well as informative.