Drink in the Wild: Teas, Cordials, Jams and More. Rev. ed.

Monika Rohlmann is an environmental consultant in Victoria, B.C.

Drink in the Wild is a revised edition of Wild Teas, Coffees and
Cordials (1981). This new edition includes a series of pencil sketches
for plant identification, many new recipes, and snippets of plant
folklore. Hilary Stewart is a critically acclaimed writer of nine books
on Northwest Coast First Nations art and culture. But she also has a
passion for ethnobotany, and this is her first guidebook to the use of
wild plants.

The entry for each plant includes common and scientific names, habitat,
season for harvesting, tips for preparation of drink ingredients, and a
short “Did you know…” anecdotal tale of plant lore. On each
accompanying page is a pencil sketch of the plant, along with notes to
assist in making an accurate identification. Among the 50 plants
featured, many are readily found throughout Canada (e.g., black berry,
chickweed, clover, crab apple, dandelion, juniper, wild mint, nettle,
spruce, and yarrow). A seven-page section on berry jams concludes the
guide. The drink recipes are what make this book unique. The no-nonsense
style in which the plants are described means that anyone can brew a
tasty drink.