the_sassy_bookworm's review
4.0
⭐⭐⭐⭐
PROS
-- Well written
-- Author passionate about the subject
-- Informative
-- Entertaining
-- Wonderful poetry
-- Recipes
-- Beautiful illustrations
CONS
-- Very specific to Japan so I am not sure how easy it would be to make a lot of the recipes
**ARC Via NetGalley**
PROS
-- Well written
-- Author passionate about the subject
-- Informative
-- Entertaining
-- Wonderful poetry
-- Recipes
-- Beautiful illustrations
CONS
-- Very specific to Japan so I am not sure how easy it would be to make a lot of the recipes
**ARC Via NetGalley**
lillist's review
5.0
I have received an advanced review copy via Netgalley in return for my honest opinion. Thank you!
5 stars - Beautifully compiled essays and useful information about foraging in Japan
Winifred Bird has put together an absolutely wonderful book on the cultural history of foraging food in Japan, completed by a guide to plants, recipes and a very thorough bibliography for anyone interested in further reading.
It is rounded off by absolutely beautiful illustrations by Paul Poynter.
The first half of the book is made up by 5 essays which focus on single plants or plant groups with the greatest historical relevance and impact, like the horse chestnut, bamboo shots or seaweeds. Those chapters are beautifully written and elegantly weave together the tales of her research travels, the cultural history of these foods and further musings on the philosophies of foraging. For anyone who likes foraging this will be a wonderful read, even if you have never been to Japan.
Next is a guide to the many plants mentioned in the previous chapters which provides plenty of useful information like the scientific name of the plant as well as the Japanese name(s) and also advice on how to prepare this plant and what type of recipes it lends itself to. This part will probably only be useful to a limited number of readers but I think it might work well for experienced foragers who will probably have access to several similar plants in their neck of the woods, since the scientific name makes it easy to identfy their international cousins. Bird herself mentions which plants in other parts of the world fall into those categories.
Finally, the last part of the book are the recipes. Since Japanese cooking uses categories of dishes who are all prepared similarly, this is a trove in disguise. The recipe section may look deceptively simple, but it covers all basic preparation methods (dressed foods, simmered dishes, pickles, braises, tempura, rice dishes etc.) with basic recipes and plenty of information which plants or plant types work for which type of preparation. Since Japanese condiments are readily available all over the world, the recipes can be used to prepare local foraged (or bought) food Japanese style.
The whole book speaks loudly of Winifred Bird's love of Japan and nature, her culinary curiosity and is throughly researched. It left me longing to go back to Japan was a joy to read. I am sure I will refer to it time and again to try out some of the recipes!
5 stars - Beautifully compiled essays and useful information about foraging in Japan
Winifred Bird has put together an absolutely wonderful book on the cultural history of foraging food in Japan, completed by a guide to plants, recipes and a very thorough bibliography for anyone interested in further reading.
It is rounded off by absolutely beautiful illustrations by Paul Poynter.
The first half of the book is made up by 5 essays which focus on single plants or plant groups with the greatest historical relevance and impact, like the horse chestnut, bamboo shots or seaweeds. Those chapters are beautifully written and elegantly weave together the tales of her research travels, the cultural history of these foods and further musings on the philosophies of foraging. For anyone who likes foraging this will be a wonderful read, even if you have never been to Japan.
Next is a guide to the many plants mentioned in the previous chapters which provides plenty of useful information like the scientific name of the plant as well as the Japanese name(s) and also advice on how to prepare this plant and what type of recipes it lends itself to. This part will probably only be useful to a limited number of readers but I think it might work well for experienced foragers who will probably have access to several similar plants in their neck of the woods, since the scientific name makes it easy to identfy their international cousins. Bird herself mentions which plants in other parts of the world fall into those categories.
Finally, the last part of the book are the recipes. Since Japanese cooking uses categories of dishes who are all prepared similarly, this is a trove in disguise. The recipe section may look deceptively simple, but it covers all basic preparation methods (dressed foods, simmered dishes, pickles, braises, tempura, rice dishes etc.) with basic recipes and plenty of information which plants or plant types work for which type of preparation. Since Japanese condiments are readily available all over the world, the recipes can be used to prepare local foraged (or bought) food Japanese style.
The whole book speaks loudly of Winifred Bird's love of Japan and nature, her culinary curiosity and is throughly researched. It left me longing to go back to Japan was a joy to read. I am sure I will refer to it time and again to try out some of the recipes!
kairosdreaming's review
4.0
*This book was received from NetGalley as an advanced reviewer's copy.
Foraged foods have always been an interest to me. I can remember being little and going mushroom hunting with my uncle and dad. And later as an adult, I've attended foraging classes at a nearby homestead. Learning about other foragers in other areas is right up my alley as a result. And what better place than Japan, where ingredients are treated with respect in most cooking.
Bird, who lives in Japan, undertakes several trips to see the various foraging areas and specialties of Japan. This can range from ferns in the mountainside, to seaweed from the coast, with plenty of other edibles along the way. She also describes the history behind the foraged item (due to famine, scarcity, etc.) and how it has evolved in the culture.
Overall, it was a very easy reading book. Not too technical when describing the foods, but still with enough information to get an overall sense of what was being eaten and how it persisted in diets. The book also had a guide at the end (and recipes throughout) to give it a holistic approach.
Very interesting, and I can only hope if I ever get to travel to Japan, I will be able to try some of these foraged foods.
Review by M. Reynard 2021
Foraged foods have always been an interest to me. I can remember being little and going mushroom hunting with my uncle and dad. And later as an adult, I've attended foraging classes at a nearby homestead. Learning about other foragers in other areas is right up my alley as a result. And what better place than Japan, where ingredients are treated with respect in most cooking.
Bird, who lives in Japan, undertakes several trips to see the various foraging areas and specialties of Japan. This can range from ferns in the mountainside, to seaweed from the coast, with plenty of other edibles along the way. She also describes the history behind the foraged item (due to famine, scarcity, etc.) and how it has evolved in the culture.
Overall, it was a very easy reading book. Not too technical when describing the foods, but still with enough information to get an overall sense of what was being eaten and how it persisted in diets. The book also had a guide at the end (and recipes throughout) to give it a holistic approach.
Very interesting, and I can only hope if I ever get to travel to Japan, I will be able to try some of these foraged foods.
Review by M. Reynard 2021
gladiolus17's review
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I’ve lived in Japan for a total of three years, but had never learned about sansai until now. I’d eaten some at the supermarket, but never knew any of the deeper culture behind it. Reading these essays gave me a deeper view of the food culture in the country I love, and brought up environmental problems I never thought of. Hopefully I’ll encounter these sansai in the wild soon!
thesassybookworm's review
4.0
⭐⭐⭐⭐
PROS
-- Well written
-- Author passionate about the subject
-- Informative
-- Entertaining
-- Wonderful poetry
-- Recipes
-- Beautiful illustrations
CONS
-- Very specific to Japan so I am not sure how easy it would be to make a lot of the recipes
**ARC Via NetGalley**
PROS
-- Well written
-- Author passionate about the subject
-- Informative
-- Entertaining
-- Wonderful poetry
-- Recipes
-- Beautiful illustrations
CONS
-- Very specific to Japan so I am not sure how easy it would be to make a lot of the recipes
**ARC Via NetGalley**
venneh's review
4.0
This was a fascinating look at foraging culture in Japan, and manages to be three books in one - a collection of personal essays, a field guide to identifying wild herbs and vegetables and how not to die eating them, and a small collection of recipes using these wild herbs and veggies. The essays are incredibly well written, especially the footnotes, the field guide is accessible. The odds that you’ll be in Japan and using these to cook is low, but the recipes are still very well done. Definitely pick this up if you get the chance.
erinloranger's review
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Stone Bridge Press for giving me the opportunity to read Eating Wild Japan and provide an honest review. Congratulations to author Winifred Bird on this gorgeous book which was no doubt a labor of love.
Recently repatriated after having lived in Japan for a numbers of years, my family still has a running joke that everything green and not immediately identifiable is a "mountain vegetable". For that reason, the description of this book immediately appealed to me and I am delighted that it far exceeded my expectations.
Bird takes us on a journey to places not typically visited by a casual traveler and had access to the people who are using traditional techniques to forage for and prepare the ingredients they find. The author's thorough research and obvious ability to connect with people and tell their stories makes this book read like a wonderful mash-up of travel writing / food writing / cultural and character study. I love that each essay begins with a piece of poetry and concludes with a recipe. Many of the things foraged need to be manipulated to remove toxins or bitterness before cooking can even begin. Pairing that knowledge with the care taken in the many steps that are required in these precise recipes serves to reinforce the respect that the foragers have for their bounty.
I highly recommend this book and believe it will no doubt appeal to a wide range of curious readers. I am eagerly looking forward to its publication date so that I may purchase it in hardcover and add it to my library.
Recently repatriated after having lived in Japan for a numbers of years, my family still has a running joke that everything green and not immediately identifiable is a "mountain vegetable". For that reason, the description of this book immediately appealed to me and I am delighted that it far exceeded my expectations.
Bird takes us on a journey to places not typically visited by a casual traveler and had access to the people who are using traditional techniques to forage for and prepare the ingredients they find. The author's thorough research and obvious ability to connect with people and tell their stories makes this book read like a wonderful mash-up of travel writing / food writing / cultural and character study. I love that each essay begins with a piece of poetry and concludes with a recipe. Many of the things foraged need to be manipulated to remove toxins or bitterness before cooking can even begin. Pairing that knowledge with the care taken in the many steps that are required in these precise recipes serves to reinforce the respect that the foragers have for their bounty.
I highly recommend this book and believe it will no doubt appeal to a wide range of curious readers. I am eagerly looking forward to its publication date so that I may purchase it in hardcover and add it to my library.
goldenfenris's review
5.0
I found this little book to be a really fascinating read. There was something comforting about Bird's food based adventures and I have added a lot of things to my culinary bucket list because of this book. However, a lot of the "wild produce" discussed within these pages would not be available where I live, but there are a lot of related species that could be used as a substitute along with some more readily available specialty ingredients from the local Asian supermarket. I don't come from a background of foraging myself, but I'm feeling inspired to take a closer look at what could be available in my area. It's interesting to think that I could be supplementing my diet with some foraged local ingredients and get a bit of variety that other would overlook. Which, since I can't try Fuki, Gyoja Ninniku, and Warabi (at least right now), I think would make the author happy in a different way.
Thank you to Netgalley and Stone Bridge Press for providing me with an eARC of this book, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and Stone Bridge Press for providing me with an eARC of this book, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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