Food Plants of the World.

FOOD PLANTS OF THE WORLD By Ben-Erik van Wyk

If you are looking for a terrific guide that will help you identify plant-derived foods and flavors, including their culinary uses and health properties, then Food Plants of the World is the book for you. It contains gorgeous color photos of each food, along with pictures of their parent plants. I especially enjoyed reading sections on the origin and history of each item, as well as information on cultivating and harvesting the food.

Sample entries include cheri-moya or custard apple, teff, elder-berry, broad bean or fava bean, and tamarind. For example, teff is mainly used for making injera--a large, round, flat, and somewhat spongy bread served with Ethiopian stews. It is gluten-free and a tasty alternative for persons allergic to wheat. Broad bean is known as fava bean in the U.S. The tough outer skin of the ripe seed is removed before it is cooked and eaten, often as a puree or as part of soups or stews. The dry seeds contain 25 percent protein.

Food Plants of the World (ISBN 0-88192-743-0) is published by Timber Press, Inc. This 480-page hardcover book retails for $39.95. Look for this volume in your local bookstore or order if online. Reviewed by Debro Wossermon.