Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest | Village Books (Bellingham, WA)

Join Village Books, North Cascades Institute, and Whatcom Land Trust in welcoming expert in herbalism and foraging wild local plants Natalie Hammerquist to the Readings Gallery for her newest book, Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest! This new title is appropriate for beginners and experienced naturalists alike, this book teaches readers to identify, harvest, and cook with 40 of the region's most common wild plants.

A foraging guide that emphasizes the tastiest wild foods of the region, Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest is a comprehensive, effective, and ethical resource for anyone interested in foraged food. Appropriate for beginners and experienced naturalists alike, this book teaches readers to identify, harvest, and cook with 40 of the region’s most common wild plants.

Expert forager and educator Natalie Hammerquist not only teaches readers to recognize the most common plants, but she also shows them how to steer clear of threatened species, as well as toxic and poisonous plants, using highly detailed visuals to make identification more immediate and accurate. Her holistic approach to wild foods incorporates both Eastern and Western traditions, as well as folk knowledge, and invites people to form relationships with the land and to act with reciprocity and care in our wild spaces.

Plants range from familiar treats like nettles and evergreen huckleberries, to lesser-known edibles like cattail, mallow, wood sorrel, and more. Recipes include local favorites like rose-petal jam, dock-seed crackers, and slow-cooker applesauce.