Edible: An Illustrated Guide to the World's Food PlantsA natural choice for the millions of people turning to a healthier lifestyle, this book invites readers on a sumptuously illustrated walk through the world garden to discover the story of some 250 food plants from field to table. Illustrated with more than 500 images and written by top international horticultural and culinary experts, the sumptuous Edible explores the origins, history, and contemporary cultural and culinary uses of fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, beverage plants, herbs, and spices. A rich introduction begins the book, revealing early agriculture and our "green" future. Then an eight-chapter "Food Directory" cameos individual plants, with reader friendly layouts framing each entry's biography, botanical description, culinary role, and healing powers. In addition to the lively and authoritative narrative, Edible intrigues readers with layers of information: literary quotes, boxes on ancient origins of exotic foods, political underpinnings, nutritional values, longstanding remedies, and more. Tantalizing anecdotes dip into such diverse topics as the Japanese Cherry Festival; cacao, Mayan "food of the gods;" and the 17th-century Nutmeg Wars, which determined New York's future. A glossary and index complete the book. The National Geographic Desk Reference to Nature's Medicine has proven itself a steady sales record. With huge appeal for both the health-conscious and the legions of devotees who follow today's chefs in the media, Edible is a recipe for success. |
Contents
Gatherers to Growers | 14 |
The Fertile Crescent and the Origin | 20 |
Staple Foods | 22 |
Food Trade Exploration and Conquest | 28 |
nat de eth MN Hanart Oceania India and Southeast Asia | 34 |
HighFlying Foods | 46 |
Green Future | 52 |
Citrus | 64 |
Root Vegetables | 142 |
Leaf Vegetables | 164 |
Vegetable Fruits and Seeds | 190 |
Nutritional Tables | 336 |
Glossary | 348 |
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Common terms and phrases
Africa ancient apple aromatic Asian beans berries beverage bitter Botanical Facts cabbage calamondin century cherry chickpeas chili China Chinese citrus color cooked crop cuisine Culinary Fare cultivars cultivated Curry leaf desserts dishes dried drupe eaten fresh edible Europe European flavor flesh flowers fruit garden garlic genus ginger grains grapes green grow grown harvested herb Historical Origins Illawarra plum India ingredient juice kiwi fruit known leaves legume lemon maize meat medicinal Mediterranean mustard native Native Americans North America nutritional nuts okra orange parsley peanuts peas pepper perennial pickled plant plums pods popular potatoes produce propagated protein purple quandong region rice ripe ripen roasted Roman roots salads sauces seeds skin soil soups South Southeast Asia species spice spinach sprouts staple stems stews sugar sweet taste tree tropical tubers vegetable VITAMIN wasabi wheat wild yellow