Among Richard Mabey's acclaimed publications are Food for Free (his first book and never out of print), Gilbert White (Whitbread Biography of the Year) and the ground-breaking bestseller Flora Britannica, which won the British Book Awards' Illustrated Book of the Year and the Botanical Society of the British Isles' President's Award and was runner-up for the BP Natural World Book Prize. He collaborated on Birds Britannica (which was his idea) and Nature Cure, described as 'A brilliant, candid and heartfelt memoir', had such wide appeal that it was shortlisted for no fewer than four prestigious prizes- the Whitbread Biography, the J.R. Ackerley for autobiography, Mind (for its investigation into depression) and the Ondaatje Prize for the evocation of the spirit of place. Richard Mabey was born and brought up among the beech woods of the Chilterns, and now lives in Norfolk.
"""Mabey has been described as ""Britain's greatest living nature writer"" and he brings equal authority to writing about food in this engaging memoir cum recipe book"" Sunday Telegraph ""The frugality of its recipes is offset by the gloriousness of its prose. This is the man who brought us Food For Free, so there's nothing about making do that he doesn't know - this book's a delight"" The Times, Books of the Year ""Excellent... More than just a recipe book. It covers a useful skill in a downturn, the art of foraging"" Independent on Sunday ""Learn the art of culinary busking with home-grown staples in this spirited and hands-on guide"" Dailiy Mail ""A book for both the ecologically anxious and thrify, and since that means virtually everyone in Britain these days, it should sell by the truckload"" Observer"