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Stalking the Wild Asparagus
Euell Gibbons was one of the few people in this country to devote a considerable part of his life to the adventure of “living off the land.” He sought out wild plants all over North America and made them into delicious dishes. His book includes recipes for vegetable and casserole dishes, breads, cakes, muffins and twenty different pies. He also shows how to make numerous jellies, jams, teas, and wines, and how to sweeten them with wild honey or homemade maple syrup.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1962
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
July 2, 2008
What a great book! This guide to foraging is more of a folksy cookbook than a field guide, but well worth a read. Just browsing through it, I found out that acorns are edible, there are no poisonous wild onions, you can make great apple dishes, butter & jams with crab apples, and that I could make maple syrup from the trees in my yard, even though they are not sugar maples. The author has a grandfatherly style I really enjoy.
The only thing that would make it better are more tips for recognizing the edible plants described in book, and actual photos instead of line drawings. I plan on buying this book and finding another that is more a field-guide type. Trying The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants first.
The only thing that would make it better are more tips for recognizing the edible plants described in book, and actual photos instead of line drawings. I plan on buying this book and finding another that is more a field-guide type. Trying The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants first.
July 23, 2019
Imagine, if you will, sitting with your grandfather on his screened-in front porch or around a picnic table listening to your great-uncle spin his tales of years past. That might be the sensation you experience reading Gibbons' iconic 1962 text on wild foods.
Filled with personal vignettes, interesting recipes (some even with MSG!), and thoughtful commentary and insightful views, Gibbons came before the 1960's and 70's "back-to-nature" movement and the Foxfire books... perhaps his writings helped inspire those endeavors? As portrayed in his text he promotes natural foods, but not as a "natural-only" push... he distinctly states that medical science should be used when necessary, and waxes that his desire that his natural, foraged food diet limits that need.
Filled with personal vignettes, interesting recipes (some even with MSG!), and thoughtful commentary and insightful views, Gibbons came before the 1960's and 70's "back-to-nature" movement and the Foxfire books... perhaps his writings helped inspire those endeavors? As portrayed in his text he promotes natural foods, but not as a "natural-only" push... he distinctly states that medical science should be used when necessary, and waxes that his desire that his natural, foraged food diet limits that need.
March 21, 2023
Okay now I have a crush on Euell Gibbons. I enjoyed this book immensely. Given its publication date, I was expecting and did find several off-handed comments that don't stand up today re: race and culture. What I wasn't expecting and still found were a number of concerted efforts to call out prejudice and to change hearts and minds. Plus plants, plus food? Sold! I plan to add this to the personal library.
March 31, 2023
This is an interesting historical text to read if you’re into foraging! A lot of the language is extremely dated though, and some of the cooking/food prep suggestions aren’t quite in line with what I tend to hear from modern foragers.
October 25, 2017
I’m a little torn on how to review this book. It’s partly on me that I expected it to be all about asparagus. But come on! So I basically borrowed a book from the library to read 2.5 pages on the subject of asparagus and it wasn’t even about growing it. It’s about finding it in the wild. In any event, I found some of the other chapters interesting, although I got tired of the author repeatedly saying he has no use for wine. We get it! You heard people make dandelion wine and grape wine but you can’t speak to its flavor. Maybe if you’re going to cover a topic that you don’t know much about, you just research it or interview others? I read the dandelion chapter eagerly to learn about its peculiar wine only to find that chapter truncated due to the author’s distaste for wine.
October 9, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this work. I did not enjoy weeding out the sexism and the "holier than thou" thoughts about his "drinking uncle" and how he loathes the taste of wine and drink (as though it makes him a better human). I was greatly encouraged by his passion for foraging to begin my own adventure with the task. Gibbons writes in length about the exquisite meals he and his partner prepare for their completely foraged dinner parties. It makes my mouth water, to be honest. And I adore the way that he seems to honor and lay tribute to the beauty and power that the wild vegetation holds. I would highly recommend any level of forager to delve into the appetizing prose of Gibbins and reap the harvest of honor, wisdom, and kindness Stalking the Wild Asparagus offers.
October 5, 2012
Loved this book. Read it all the time. The grand-daddy of foraging in America!
May 8, 2018
Excellent guide to beginning with wild foods and a great segment on tapping maples and other wild foods and various preparations as well as a crucial herb distillation process that can be done for cheap but you cannot use aluminum or iron stainless steel is preferable for distillation.
March 22, 2023
Stalking the Wild Asparagus, Stalking the Healthful Herbs, and Stalking the Blue-Eyed Scallop. Part inspiration, part identification, part cookbook. Full of wit and wisdom. Essential reference works.
September 6, 2015
What I learned from this book: Euell Gibbons is a badass, who learned how to forage to support his family during the Great Depression. He really loves making jellies and chiffon pies. He thinks wine is a waste of good juice. And there are lots of wild plants that can be cooked like potatoes.
This is a fun book to read through, though all the jams and jellies get a bit tedious by the end. It's not really a foraging guide (few pictures, minimal descriptions on habitat and season), but it will get you inspired to start looking for food in new places. Plus, he has some great stories about spearing fish on horseback in Arizona.
This is a fun book to read through, though all the jams and jellies get a bit tedious by the end. It's not really a foraging guide (few pictures, minimal descriptions on habitat and season), but it will get you inspired to start looking for food in new places. Plus, he has some great stories about spearing fish on horseback in Arizona.
July 24, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable book for foragers or want-to-be-foragers. Delightfully written by a very enthusiastic and passionate forager. I am old enough to remember the Grape Nuts TV commercial with Euell Gibbons in the 1970s - people made him out to be a kooky health food nut - but he was just ahead of the times. The book provides directions on how to prepare/cook your finds as well as where to find them, and when.
Although the book has black and white drawings of the plants (I have the 1962 edition), I wish it contained color photographs or drawings of the plant in season for easier identification. Maybe this has been revised in newer editions of this book.
Although the book has black and white drawings of the plants (I have the 1962 edition), I wish it contained color photographs or drawings of the plant in season for easier identification. Maybe this has been revised in newer editions of this book.
June 4, 2019
This was an exceptional book on foraging the wild, collecting just the right plants, and then cooking them to perfection. Euell Gibbons is a master gardener, forager, and cook. There are also drawings of each plant so that you can recognize them in the wild. With our food in the supermarkets these days, knowing how to forage, prepare and cook wild plants is a comforting backup to our food chain.
July 24, 2012
I now recognize the edible, wild plants that I have been seeing everyday on my walk! Anyone want to come over for some milkweed?
April 12, 2013
More of a cookbook than guide. Sort of sweetly old fashioned with its emphasis on pies and jellies. The sense of humor and writing style are nice.
December 18, 2024
Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible.
--Euell Gibbons, 1970s TV commercial for Grape Nuts cereal
Back when I was a teen, we went through a spell of making jokes using "Ever eat a ___? Many parts are edible" as a template. A meme, if you will.
In Stalking the Wild Asparagus I discovered I really like Gibbons, the man. The jokes we made might have been funny but now I realize he was a national treasure, an inspiration. He was wonderfully entertaining and generous. He possessed a true wealth of information and was a nature-lover of the first order. In his book, even his friends teased him about the effort and economics of foraging. But he always responded good naturedly about it, secretly knowing that his Saturday's bounty was all free and healthful, while his friends gardened or golfed that day--neither of those activities with low economies per take home output. Gibbons knew that he, instead, had the memory of a beautiful day spent in the sun or in a cooling rain among critters and plants with complete relaxation and peace of mind. And arms full of good food.
Sadly, I couldn't help but wonder about how different the American landscape might seem to him now, 50 years later. Would four adults--he, his wife, a friend and his wife--still be able to forage all their meals on a Pennsylvania man's 20 acres? For a week? He did back then. Maybe he could now too, but much of where he might have foraged once is buried under cement or barred by No Trespassing signs, I'm sure.
Still, it did make my heart sing to attentively imagine all that he gathered and vicariously enjoy the many ways he prepared his wild foods. I admired that he carried within him eons of human knowledge.
I felt a twinge of the wannabe prepper in me, wondering how much I could gather right here that was edible. I see thousands of gold bean pods hanging from maligned mesquite trees every late summer and autumn and know the Native Americans made a flour from them. I wonder how that might taste. On leisurely winter walks I've gathered several pounds of pecans from neighbors' trees that fall on the public side. Late this summer, my eldest granddaughter, 20, made prickly pear tuna jelly from cacti growing not more than 10 feet from our homes. The jelly was delicious and sparkled a jewel-like magenta. This summer I taught my littlest granddaughters, 6 and 8, that the weeds growing in their lawn--clover--were edible and tasted lemony. They tried them and were amazed, couldn't wait to share with their parents when they got home.
As I read Gibbons, I realized how all around me, even in a desert, grow edibles. Wild amaranth, dandelions, oaks with acorns, mustard weed, purslane, mushrooms, wild garlic, horehound, milkweed, sage, common sunflowers -all perfectly edible--and more I'm certain if only I too would partake of eons of human knowledge.
I loved this book. No joke.
--Euell Gibbons, 1970s TV commercial for Grape Nuts cereal
Back when I was a teen, we went through a spell of making jokes using "Ever eat a ___? Many parts are edible" as a template. A meme, if you will.
In Stalking the Wild Asparagus I discovered I really like Gibbons, the man. The jokes we made might have been funny but now I realize he was a national treasure, an inspiration. He was wonderfully entertaining and generous. He possessed a true wealth of information and was a nature-lover of the first order. In his book, even his friends teased him about the effort and economics of foraging. But he always responded good naturedly about it, secretly knowing that his Saturday's bounty was all free and healthful, while his friends gardened or golfed that day--neither of those activities with low economies per take home output. Gibbons knew that he, instead, had the memory of a beautiful day spent in the sun or in a cooling rain among critters and plants with complete relaxation and peace of mind. And arms full of good food.
Sadly, I couldn't help but wonder about how different the American landscape might seem to him now, 50 years later. Would four adults--he, his wife, a friend and his wife--still be able to forage all their meals on a Pennsylvania man's 20 acres? For a week? He did back then. Maybe he could now too, but much of where he might have foraged once is buried under cement or barred by No Trespassing signs, I'm sure.
Still, it did make my heart sing to attentively imagine all that he gathered and vicariously enjoy the many ways he prepared his wild foods. I admired that he carried within him eons of human knowledge.
I felt a twinge of the wannabe prepper in me, wondering how much I could gather right here that was edible. I see thousands of gold bean pods hanging from maligned mesquite trees every late summer and autumn and know the Native Americans made a flour from them. I wonder how that might taste. On leisurely winter walks I've gathered several pounds of pecans from neighbors' trees that fall on the public side. Late this summer, my eldest granddaughter, 20, made prickly pear tuna jelly from cacti growing not more than 10 feet from our homes. The jelly was delicious and sparkled a jewel-like magenta. This summer I taught my littlest granddaughters, 6 and 8, that the weeds growing in their lawn--clover--were edible and tasted lemony. They tried them and were amazed, couldn't wait to share with their parents when they got home.
As I read Gibbons, I realized how all around me, even in a desert, grow edibles. Wild amaranth, dandelions, oaks with acorns, mustard weed, purslane, mushrooms, wild garlic, horehound, milkweed, sage, common sunflowers -all perfectly edible--and more I'm certain if only I too would partake of eons of human knowledge.
I loved this book. No joke.
June 26, 2023
I'm not sure what I expected this book to be about, but what I found is that it is a narrative of a compilation of edible plants you can forage for in the wilderness and multiple recipes to use them in. There are a few stories from the author's life and experiences mingled in, as well as a few points of pontification.
In many ways, I wish my life was more like his. Except I don't like to cook, so...
One thing I'm embarrassed to admit (but obviously not TOO embarrassed to admit) is that I had naively assumed that as a forager and gatherer you just picked up dug up your food, washed it, and then ate it. But oh no! There are so many ways to cook and prepare these vegetables, fruits, and nuts - plus fish, turtles, frogs, and small game. I suppose I assumed that to be a real forager you would have to forego any commercially sold products, but Gibbons routinely uses butter and salt, oil, bacon, cream cheese, wheat flour, etc. Even MSG! And that was extra funny, but considering when the book was published, it does make sense.
My only complaint is that the book is plentiful with information about the east and the plains and the south and the midwest, and even California, Washington, and Hawaii make it in there. But next to nothing about the intermountain west. There were enough plants in there that I recognized and could find in the wild easily, like chicory and milkweed, and many others. But there were a lot that I had never heard of and am pretty sure just don't grow in these high mountain valleys and deserts. And that's fine. He was writing down the information of his life experiences and it just doesn't look like he spent much time in Utah/Colorado/Idaho/Nevada/Montana, etc. But I'd really be interested in a book EXACTLY like this one, but focused more on the region I live in.
In many ways, I wish my life was more like his. Except I don't like to cook, so...
One thing I'm embarrassed to admit (but obviously not TOO embarrassed to admit) is that I had naively assumed that as a forager and gatherer you just picked up dug up your food, washed it, and then ate it. But oh no! There are so many ways to cook and prepare these vegetables, fruits, and nuts - plus fish, turtles, frogs, and small game. I suppose I assumed that to be a real forager you would have to forego any commercially sold products, but Gibbons routinely uses butter and salt, oil, bacon, cream cheese, wheat flour, etc. Even MSG! And that was extra funny, but considering when the book was published, it does make sense.
My only complaint is that the book is plentiful with information about the east and the plains and the south and the midwest, and even California, Washington, and Hawaii make it in there. But next to nothing about the intermountain west. There were enough plants in there that I recognized and could find in the wild easily, like chicory and milkweed, and many others. But there were a lot that I had never heard of and am pretty sure just don't grow in these high mountain valleys and deserts. And that's fine. He was writing down the information of his life experiences and it just doesn't look like he spent much time in Utah/Colorado/Idaho/Nevada/Montana, etc. But I'd really be interested in a book EXACTLY like this one, but focused more on the region I live in.
August 31, 2022
Stalking the Wild Sparagus is a lovely book about foraging wild food in Eastern North America. It contains over 50 short chapters, each presenting a different wild food including fruits, nuts, greens, vegetables, roots, mushrooms, meat and fish. He does mention the medicinal and nutricinal values of each and includes a chapter on wild medicine, but the goal is to eat wild and well. He clearly talks about the joy of foraging and connecting with the wild. The book is the fruit of a lifetime of learning, collecting and experimenting with recipies. Each chapter includes 5 or 10 recipies written in paragraph form with notes and anecdotes about each dish. The recipes are not pretentious, they are wild and wonderful and offer something 'else'. Something wholesome. Something clean. Something so diffetent from what the grocery store is offering that it feels exotic, but it grows in our backyards.
May 21, 2020
Really enjoyed this book, it cause you to look at the plants around you and start viewing them all as a potential source of food. I like that the author doesn’t fixate on native species and has no problem writing about common weeds or invasive species; especially considering how common they are. Overall my only critique would be that many of the recipes don’t sound very tasty, like the greens are boiled to death, or there’s gelatine mixed in where you wouldn’t really want it, etc... parts of it just feel like a very 60’s/70’s era cookbook, but overall a delightful read.
December 10, 2019
I loved this book. I love the outdoors. I love to see and learn about wild plants. And I love to eat good food that is actually good for you. So this was just the book for me.
Euell Gibbons has a down-to-earth way of telling his story. He is enthusiastic. He explains how through research and experimentation he came up with the ways of preparing and cooking each of these wild foods so that they taste good.
This book has a happy and positive outlook that makes you feel good.
Euell Gibbons has a down-to-earth way of telling his story. He is enthusiastic. He explains how through research and experimentation he came up with the ways of preparing and cooking each of these wild foods so that they taste good.
This book has a happy and positive outlook that makes you feel good.
October 30, 2023
Lots of good practical information about food foraging told with a bit of sense of humor. I remember when there were a lot of jokes told about him. Not sure why I never did read this book before, but glad I finally did. Originally published in 1962. In a few instances, some inappropriate cultural references that would not be suitable today. At the same time, acceptance and fairness to all peoples. Can't wait to make some elderberry chutney!
September 27, 2017
My favorite foraging book, so good that I read it cover to cover. This guy loves his wild plants and it seems like he has tried cooking every one of them in every way possible. I love that it also includes a section on "foraging" meat.
It's old so it doesn't have color photographs (my copy at least), but it wasn't hard to look up dozens on my little computer as I read.
It's old so it doesn't have color photographs (my copy at least), but it wasn't hard to look up dozens on my little computer as I read.
March 6, 2020
Fun read, the most interesting part was probably the short forward about the author's life. The plant sections are really interesting, but not at all scientific and do not leave the reader confident to do more wild foraging. Recipes mostly just rely on gobs of sugar to render things edible.
January 16, 2021
Incredible! Found in a used book store on the way to Acadia. Read most of it while there. 1960s book on foraging wild food. Charming, old-timey stories, great info, tested recipes. I'm thrilled and hooked!
March 5, 2021
This is a awesome book! Being a gardener for a long time, I have been paid to pull most of these plants! I love the pictures, the botanical names and the many uses each plant has! Great field guide!
February 18, 2019
Excellent resource for living off the land. If you traipse through meadows, forests, and ditches you’ll want to have read at least some of this book. Useful and entertaining writings.
September 30, 2020
An excellent field guide for foragers and the curious, especially during the lockdown. I learned a lot about the superfoods growing around us.
December 13, 2021
I know it's a classic, and I do find this content interesting and exciting, but it was more dry than I expected. I will try his memoir instead.
August 1, 2023
I read about 3 chapters of this delightful natural history book!
August 20, 2023
I would have liked this book to be more of a field guide than an introduction.
September 19, 2023
The audiobook recording made me feel that Euell Gibbons is still out there foraging! More than an identification guide, this book includes Gibbons sharing stories from his long history learning about—and cooking gourmet meals with—common plants available in our back yards. (Available as long as we avoid herbicides & pesticides! And correctly identify them.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews