The New Oxford Book of Food Plants
J. G. Vaughan,C. A. Geissler | 1999-12-09 00:00:00 | Oxford University Press, USA | 264 | Vegetables
The New Oxford Book of Food Plants is the most comprehensive--and most appealing--reference book available on the many edible plants we grow in our gardens, buy in our shops, and eat with great relish. A true cornucopia, this reference overflows with information and is packed with full-color, hand-painted illustrations of the world's food plants. Here, readers will find a feast of facts about cereals, sugar crops, oil seeds, nuts, legumes, fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, sea-weeds, mushrooms, wild food plants, and much more besides.
Entries typically discuss the source and history of a plant, how it is prepared for market, and how it is used as food. And in addition to covering everything from beverage crops to tropical root crops, the editor has included a glossary of botanical terms, a section on nutrition and health, nutrition tables, a list of recommended readings, and an index. With marvelous hand-painted illustrations and a wealth of nutritional, historical, and other information, The New Oxford Book of Food Plants belongs on the shelf of everyone who loves to garden, to cook, and to eat healthily.
Not enough tables of contents are enhanced by drawings of nuts, herbs, and root vegetables, but the table of contents in The New Oxford Book of Food Plants is, setting the tone for a book that clearly delights in the glories of the world's bounty. Each chapter, including grain crops and fruits, spices and seaweed, legumes and mushrooms among its 19 topics, is a cornucopia of information and beautiful, educational illustrations. Take the chapter on oil crops, for example. Covering olives, sesame, peanuts, soy beans, sunflowers, and the rape plant, the prose describes where they grow and what the fruits look like, what kind of oil is produced and what it's used for, how it's made and how else the fruits may be used. Color drawings of the plants and their fruits are on the facing page. Put together by writers who respect each plant and give them the attention and detail that spell quality, this is a beautiful book and a charming resource. --Stephanie Gold
Reviews
I bought this book on a recommendation by The Scientist. It does a great job of describing the matter and the pictures are beautiful. It makes learning about plants fun.
Reviews
I love being able to actually see the evolution of a plant food from its beginnings, all the way to my plate. This book is a fantastic resource for plant foods and full of thorough information. Love it!
Reviews
The original edition of this book was out of print for some years and it is delightful to see it out again, and expanded no less. It combines 2 great virtues: highly readable and informative text with illustrations of a quality that are "suitable for framing." It is a great book for anyone who takes an interest in botany, cooking, or gardening and you couldn't go wrong giving it as a gift to one of these types. It's also great for reference. If you're getting it as a gift I suggest ordering 2, because you'll want one for yourself when you see it.
Reviews
This book is great for learning to identify food plants from all over the world. The illustrations are realistic and each plant is described. I use it to help my 4-H horticulture judging team prepare for the national judging contest. The plants and illustrations in this new edition are the same as in the original book, however the 1998 edition has an excellent section on phytonutrients.
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