Foragers Companion
Book review by Kristina Sepetys
The Flavors of Home: A Guide to Wild Edible Plants of the San Francisco Bay Area
by Margit Roos-Collins
(Heyday Books, 2016)
Berkeley forager, writer, and attorney Margit Roos-Collins first published this much-loved foraging guide more than 20 years ago. The new, updated edition introduces readers to the Bay Area’s abundance of edible wild plants and mushrooms and includes instructions for identifying 128 blossoms, berries, nuts, greens, mushrooms, and weeds. Detailed line drawings accompany each description of a plant’s appearance, habitat, seasonality, and taste. Roos-Collins includes recipes for a variety of dishes from seaweed kimchee to madrone berry pudding. An emphasis on ethical gathering practices encourages foragers to harvest responsibly and sustainably. In addition to the section on plants and identification, Roos-Collins includes chapters on teas, seasonings, and medicinal plants, together with information and a bibliography on other foraging resources in the Bay area. Iso Rabins, founder of Forage SF (and the recently opened Forage Kitchen in Oakland) writes in the forward, “Knowing what you can eat in your local landscape connects you to a place more than anything else I’ve experienced.”
Meet Margit, and hear her ideas, tips, and warnings about foraging. Copies of the book will be available for sale. Info: here
Book Talk with Margit Roos-Collins
Wednesday November 2, 7–9pm
Ecology Center
2530 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley
