The Book of Herbs: An Illustrated A-Z of the World's Most Popular Culinary and Medicinal Plants

British author and broadcaster Phillips provides an illustrated guide to more than 80 herbs that have traditionally been identified as having medicinal and cooking value. Each plant entry features full-color photographs of the plant, its leaves, seeds, and flowers. The clarity of the photographs and the plants' associated folklore make this collection very useful as a horticultural identification guide. The culinary uses are also useful and sometimes unusual. The adventurous cook may find galangal to be an inventive substitute for ginger, or myrtle berries to be a salutary accompaniment to Middle Eastern cuisine. Unfortunately, as with other books about natural medicine, its medicinal claims are rather less valuable. They range from the homespun (chamomile tea as a soothing drink), to the frivolous (applying arnica flowers externally to dislocations), to the dangerous (homeopathic use of digitalis and hemlock). Those interested in learning about the fascinating historical, culinary, and horticultural uses of plants will plenty of well-illustrated, easy to access information. Those looking for medical treatment should look elsewhere. Includes index. Full-color illustrations throughout. (July)