5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect companion for hiking

C. · 17 April 2022

If you have any interest in foraging, this little portable book is ideal.It is small enough to fit in your back pocket, very portable little thing.The plants in the book have illustrations and photos so it’s pretty easy to recognise what you’re looking at, even for a novice like me.It goes in to a bit of detail on how you would prep and use the plants you’re able to forage, which is really useful too.There’s so many uses for this book - parents out with their kids teaching them a little about nature - all kids love this sort of thing they really do, keep it with you when camping to see what you can add to the campfire, keep it handy when on a hike so you can pick up some snacks along the way, it’s even a great addition for survivalists to learn how to live off the land.Great little book, very useful when there’s no phone coverage, and very cheap too.What’s not to like?

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative book.

C. · 19 August 2025

Definitely one of the best books on edible plants.

4.0 out of 5 stars Collins Gem - Food for Free

t. · 17 October 2012

I recently borrowed an earlier version of this book (Harper Collins Natural History 1989) from a friend and was so impressed I wanted one of my own (and in fact one for a friend too, who was also impressed by the book). The newer version is more compact.Compared to the earlier version, there is now an index for the recipes, and new recipes have been added. This is quite useful. Unfortunately a few plants have been all but left out, I'm not sure if this is because some of these plants are now endangered or have disappeared altogether. E.g. there was no reference to the marsh mallow - I plant I find particularly intriguing! A more serious omission in my view is the poisonous plants: there is a whole group of plants (e.g. cow parsley, wild parsnip) which to me look almost identical, in the field, to the dropworts and hemlock - very poisonous; the new version does mention some of these in passing (but not in the index) and suggests using a well illustrated field guide in combination with this Gem. I think I found it more practical to have clear descriptions, with clear warnings, in the one book, as in the earlier version.However, the layout of the new guide, in spite of its tiny size, is beautifully clear and it contains photographs, which is a big improvement. Its size (approx. 12*8*1 cm) means it fits easily in any of my pockets. I can hardly wait for next spring to gather beech leaves and try the beech leaf noyau, a `thickish, sweet spirit ...devastating in its effects' ... !

5.0 out of 5 stars Good purchase.

T. · 6 June 2025

Small, helpful and easy to use.

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant little pocked size foraging guide

M.P. · 19 September 2010

This is a great little guide whether you intend to set out on a forage or are just ambling around the countryside and fancy taking something tasty home. It lists pretty much all your standard countryside fare - nuts, berries, flowers, edible foliage, vegetables, seeds etc. - and gives clear guides on identification, when to pick and what to use them for. It also lists shellfish and seaweeds in similar detail, and although there is a good mushroom section with the easiest to identify species, if you haven't been mushroom picking before do get at least one other book on mushrooms to compare with and make very certain of what you are picking.There is also a great introduction to edible foraging and the law, and a month by month pick guide as well as some basic info on making, jams etc. The only things that let it down in my eyes are its size - while nicely compact it would be easier to read if it were a tad bigger, and it could do with more pictures, although you can say this of any flora guide. It also makes no mention of the many wild foods you can pick to use for wine and beer making, but this is probably outside of the book's scope.All in all a fantastic little guide and amazing value. Go out there and pick some fat hen!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book

J. · 5 September 2025

Book came in great condition, and good quality.

3.0 out of 5 stars Small

S. · 20 September 2025

I mistook this for a much larger book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very handy travel size guide

0. · 18 January 2011

This is a gem of a book. Nice little pocket sized. I thought i'd give it a try although i was preparing myself for receiving another toilet shelf book. This is definitely not one for the toilet shelf. I personally think the pictures are great, some plants are hard to differentiate but this book does describe them as well, there is no use in buying a book like this if you just want to look at the pictures for an instant answer if its edible. This gives clear and concise information thats easy to take in and fun as well as useful to use. This is also a very well priced book. Nice little gift got those who like camping or hiking etc. Its really amazing how much food is out there that we could be using. Although i think the reason may be the taste..Overall i'd say this is a great buy, perfectly sized, easily to carry, fun and educational to use. You don't have to be a genius to read this book, its good for adult and children.

Mini

J.M.M.F. · 12 May 2014

Por la foto, me lo esperaba más grande, pero es un tamaño mini, lo cual es positivo si se quiere llevar al campo.Muy interesantes las recetas y los usos populares.

Really interesting and helpfull!!

S. · 10 August 2023

There's a ton of good recipes and really good descriptions of the plants and mushrooms so it's easier to identify. I am in love with this book and think everyone should have it in their possession!

One of the best

A.F.B. · 9 April 2022

I have read many foraging books, and this one is great for beginners or when you need a refresher. Images are great, and content is written well.

format de poche et rempli d'informations utiles

L. · 13 September 2013

livre trs pratique d'avoir dans le sac à dos, rempli de photos claires et de descriptions de la façon de récolter des plantes les plus communes trouvées en Europe.

Lovely book with small flaws

A.K. · 29 May 2025

The recipes, depictions and descriptions are all lovely. Not a fan of the included mushroom section, as someone who regularly forages for mushrooms. There’s not enough information for safe identification and since it’s a small chapter anyway I would have just left it out for a separate book. The plants however make up almost the whole book and for those I would 100% recommend if you live in the UK or northern to mid-Europe. The size is also great for bringing with you on hikes and relaxed strolls through nature.