The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs shows you the origins, traditions, and contemporary culture of more than 450 fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, herbs, and spices.

From roots and shoots to almonds and zucchini, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs delectable guide which reveals the intriguing stories of the world's favorite food plants. Go on a gorgeously illustrated tour through the gardens of the world and discover why this is the explorative home cook's best friend.

This guide is splashed with hundreds of appetizing images and written by top culinary and horticultural experts. You will never want for the geographical origins of produce, botanical facts, traditional uses, and culinary tips for hundreds of plants again!

Throughout the lively narrative, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs tempts us with layers of information, including:

• The little-known geopolitical role of food plants
• How agriculture caused cities to blossom
• How the taste for spices drove global exploration and conquest
• Our endeavors toward a green future 
• Legends and lore of natural remedies
• The lineage of regional classics such as Italian tomatoes, Irish potatoes, Hawaiian pineapples, and Hungarian paprika

Take this bounty of knowledge, combine it with 500 mouthwatering photographs, and savor a scrumptious resource of useful information and fascinating reading!

Deborah Madison founding chef of the Greens restaurant in San Francisco, has long been committed to local and sustainable approaches to growing food, and has, through cooking, writing, and teaching helped chefs, home cooks, and young people make that connection for themselves. She is the author of nine cookbooks, including Local Flavors, many of which have received prestigious awards from the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals, among others. Madison has had an abiding interest in the diversity of edible plants, and the Greens restaurant was among the first restaurant to introduce exotics such as arugula, fingerling potatoes, and golden beets to the dining public in the late 1970s. A board member of the Seed Savers Exchange. Madison gardens and writes at her home in New Mexico.