The New Wildcrafted Cuisine: Exploring the Exotic Gastronomy of Local Terroir

by Pascal Baudar

With detailed recipes for ferments, infusions, spices, and other preparations

Wild foods are increasingly popular, as evidenced by the number of new books about identifying plants and foraging ingredients, as well as those written by chefs about culinary creations that incorporate wild ingredients (Noma, Faviken, Quay, Manreza, et al.). The New Wildcrafted Cuisine, however, goes well beyond both of these genres to deeply explore the flavors of local terroir, combining the research and knowledge of plants and landscape that chefs often lack with the fascinating and innovative techniques of a master food preserver and self-described -culinary alchemist.-

Author Pascal Baudar views his home terrain of southern California (mountain, desert, chaparral, and seashore) as a culinary playground, full of wild plants and other edible and delicious foods (even insects) that once were gathered and used by native peoples but that have only recently begun to be re-explored and appreciated.

For instance, he uses various barks to make smoked vinegars, and combines ants, plants, and insect sugar to brew primitive beers. Stems of aromatic plants are used to make skewers. Selected rocks become grinding stones, griddles, or plates. Even fallen leaves and other natural materials from the forest floor can be utilized to impart a truly local flavor to meats and vegetables, one that captures and expresses the essence of season and place.

This beautifully photographed book offers up dozens of creative recipes and instructions for preparing a pantry full of preserved foods, including Pickled Acorns, White Sage-Lime Cider, Wild Kimchi Spice, Currant Capers, Infused Salts with Wild Herbs, Pine Needles Vinegar, and many more. And though the author's own palette of wild foods are mostly common to southern California, readers everywhere can apply Baudar's deep foraging wisdom and experience to explore their own bioregions and find an astonishing array of plants and other materials that can be used in their own kitchens.

The New Wildcrafted Cuisine is an extraordinary book by a passionate and committed student of nature, one that will inspire both chefs and adventurous eaters to get creative with their own local landscapes.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction, Cooking, Nature, Reference

432 pages, Hardcover

First published March 15, 2016

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a forager since my childhood days in the late 60s and 70s and still do a fair amount so I feel qualified in saying that this is the most comprehensive guide that I've read on the subject! If you live in California or surrounding states consider it a five star book. Unfortunately (not really!) I'm waiting for friends to come and head out on a hike so I can write a full review but maybe I'll find a few late season berries, bark and pine needles to forage on my hike. :) If not, when I get home I can wander out into the garden and weed out the purslane for a salad tonight.

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was way beyond my interest and skill level. Impressive book but there's no way I would even try to make anything out of it. For the very dedicated professional foodie.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best resource for using California native plants and invasive species in cooking. Baudar brings Belgian Old-World knowledge as a forager to New World ingredients. His goal is to help people become knowledgeable about their local terroir.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wow wow, great read. So detailed yet so accessible. There is A LOT of information in here. I got it from the library but will probably buy my own copy because there is just too much to absorb. There is a slight emphasis on plants native to the West Coast, but many of the recipes and instructions are more or less universal and can be adjusted to your region (e.g. primitive wild beers and sodas). Cool!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book!
I've read a lot of books on wild, edible plants. Some with recipes, some without.
This book elevates wild plants to such a wonderful level! Yes, there are many wild plants that one can survive on in a crisis. And edible doesn't always=delicious.
This book though will have you seeking out all sorts of new plants just to give it a go! The photographs make the book perfect.
Get the book & get foraging!!!

[Ronit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not been more inspired in the kitchen and in general by any book more than this one. Ten thumbs up. Highly recommended.

[Chris Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some great ideas and inspiration for how to approach foraged food with a sense of wonder and fun. However, I really didn't like the voice of the author he came across as very arrogant with an air of primitive tourist vibe.

[Amberwench · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely recipes and stories of real find-it-in-the-woods foods. Enjoyable reading for those who dream of the off-grid leisure life.

[Alicia Forrister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating look at local flavors. Probably most accessible for those who already have some grasp on identifying local plants, but inspiring for any level.

[Paul Klammer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book! It quickly brought me to an awareness that pretty much everything we see on a hike can be edible. Of course, one must know what foods can cause a problem, but it is quite easy to identify a small number of widely growing plants that can be consumed. Also, not a technical book but more than enough detail to understand principles and processes for preparing and preserving foods. the only downside is that many of the foraged items are most common or limited to the southwest U.S. However, that does not limit the applicability of the principles that are described based on these foods. My purpose in reading this book was to gain further knowledge of foods that can be the basis of local terroir. I highly recommended for that purpose and to expand your thinking about the living world if you are a hiker.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly focused on California plants, so not super relevant to my area. there are some pretty insane but inventive recipes in here and the author is undoubtedly a genius. I will try a couple recipes but the rest is out of my reach or comfort zone. forest floor seasoning is literally foraging grass and decomposing leaves off the forest floor. Some recipes call for insects. I almost gave it 5 stars but it's not as useful to me since the foraging range is so limited.

[I · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

Baudar is a talented artist—I enjoyed how this book immerses you in his creative process. Even if I wasn’t into foraging I would still enjoy this book just because of the way it inspires you to see things differently.

1000 stars