Nuts and Berries of California: Tips and Recipes for Gatherers

by Christopher Nyerges

Overview

California's diverse geography overflows with many types of edible plants. Through the seasons, this forager's paradise offers a continually changing list of wild, harvestable treasures. Nuts and Berries of California guides you to the edible wild foods and healthful herbs of the West. This valuable reference guide will help you identify and appreciate the wild bounty of California. Inside you'll find: detailed descriptions for edible nuts and berries; tips on finding, preparing and consuming them. Use Nuts and Berries of California as a field guide or as a delightful armchair read. No matter what you're looking for, this guide will enhance your next backpacking trip or easy stroll around the garden, and may just provide some new favorites for your dinner table.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493001842
Publisher:	Falcon Guides
Publication date:	05/15/2015
Series:	Nuts and Berries Series
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	1,047,495
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Christopher Nyerges, co-founder of the School of Self-reliance, has led wild food walks for thousands of students since 1974.  He has authored 10 books on wild foods, survival, and self-reliance, and thousands of newspaper and magazine articles. He continues to teach where he lives in Los Angeles County, California.

Table of Contents

Foreword Dr. James David Adams ix

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xii

Foraging California's Nuts and Berries xii

How to Use This Guide xii

Why Gather Nuts and Berries? xiii

Environmental Regions xv

Leaf Arrangements, Margins, and Shapes xix

Natives

Nuts

Acorn 2

Black Walnut 6

California Bay 9

California Buckeye 13

Chinquapin 17

Jojoba 19

Mesquite Pods and Screwbeans 21

Pine Nuts 24

Berries

The Rubus Brothers 27

Blackberries and Raspberries 27

Salmonberries 30

Thimbie berries 31

Cherry (Wild) 34

Coffeeberry 37

Currant and Gooseberry 41

Elderberry 44

Grape (Wild) 48

Ground Cherry 51

Huckleberry 54

Juniper 56

Madrone 59

Manzanita 62

Western Nightshade, Black Nightshade 65

Oregon Grape (Barberry) 68

Palm Dates (California Fan Palm) 71

Prickly Pear 74

Rose Hip (Wild Rose) 78

Salal 81

Serviceberry 83

Strawberry 85

The Three Rhus 88

Sugar Bush 89

Lemonade Berry 89

Basket Bush 89

Toyon 91

Horticulturally Introduced Plants

Plants Gone Wild 95

Eugenia (Australian Brush Cherry) 97

Fig 99

Ginkgo 102

Jujube 105

Loquat 107

Mulberry 110

Natal Plum 112

Olive 114

Pyracantha 117

Index 120

Recipe Index 122

About the Author 123