Billy Joe Tatum's Wild Foods Field Guide and Cookbook: An Illustrated Guide to 70 Wild Plants, and over 350 Irresistible Recipes for Serving Them Up

by Billy Joe Tatum

An expert forager botanically identifies a number of edible plants to be found during the seasons and suggests ways to prepare these wild foods for delectable meals and menu combinations

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food

276 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1976

Reviews

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author is my mom. I remember so well when she was writing this book and testing the recipes. I did a lot of the early editing before the manuscript was sent to the Workman Pub's editor. The 1st edition is called Billy Joe Tatum's Wild Foods Cookbook and Field Guide. They published the second edition in a smaller size for backpackers and switched the title a bit. It's called Billy Joe Tatum's Wild Foods Field Guide and Cookbook. My cousin Jimie Lee Rose, now deceased, did the wonderful line drawings. If you want to try your hand at finding and cooking "wild" foods, this book is for you!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plant identification and their uses is a topic I find interesting. This book is full of great information about native plants (many considered weeds) that are edible. The author provides descriptions of each plant, a drawing of it and instructions on what parts are edible and how to cook it.

Some of the plants are toxic, so it is critical to follow the authors instructions exactly in order to eat the toxic plants safely. I can't vouch for any of the information on how to detoxify the plants mentioned in this book. I guess you'd just have to trust the author knows what she is writing about and that there are no mistakes in the book. Personally, I wouldn't take a chance eating poke weed or wild mushrooms, or any toxic plant, just for the fun of it. I might try some of the recipes provided for the non-toxic plants though.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

only note is that pokeweed is included in this book and it's now deemed poisonous! it's been 50 years since this was written though, so understandable

[Kristal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive field guide with realistic notes from the author of what SHE does. The cookbook looks good, as well. This book came highly recommended from other herbalists in the Ozarks as a must have field guide, and it delivers. It is probably the best field guide I have and I own a few. Color photographs would be a good addition to the illustrations, but this is an out of print book.

[Melissa Cuevas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one of those oddities living on my research shelf. Great book, fascinating recipes. The only reason it's not five stars is that when it comes to eating something I'm not truly familiar with...I need detailed color photographs just to be certain.