Cooking the Wild Southwest

Over the last few decades, interest in eating locally has grown quickly.  From just-picked apples in Washington to fresh peaches in Georgia, local food movements and farmers’ market have proliferated all over the country.  Desert dwellers in the Southwest are taking a new look at native plants.

Many people’s idea of cooking with southwestern plants begins and ends with prickly pear jelly.  With this update of the classic Tumbleweed Gourmet, master cook Carolyn Niethammer opens a window on the incredible bounty of the southwestern desert and offers recipes to help you bring these plants to your table.  The chapters include basic information, harvesting techniques, and general characteristics.  But the real treat comes in the form of some 150 recipes collected or developed by the author herself.  Ranging from everyday to gourmet, from simple to complex, these recipes offer something for cooks of all skill levels.

This volume will serve as an indispensable guide from harvest to table.  Whether you’re looking for more ways to prepare local foods or ideas for sustainable harvesting, or just want to expand your palette to take in some out-of-the-ordinary flavors, Cooking the Wild Southwest is sure to delight.