Sonoran Desert Foods and Living: A Cookbook

Eat Mesquite and More celebrates the native food forests of the Sonoran Desert and beyond, featuring over 170 recipes showcasing wild, indigenous foods such as mesquite, acorn, barrel cactus, chiltepin, cholla, desert chia, desert herbs and flowers, desert ironwood, hackberry, palo verde, prickly pear, saguaro, wolfberry, and wild greens. The recipes, contributed by desert dwellers, harvesters, chefs, and innovators, capture a spirit of adventure and reverence, inviting both newcomers and seasoned experts to try new foods and experiment with new flavors.

More than just a cookbook, this guide also encourages a renaissance of "wild agriculture," one that emphasizes the ethical harvesting and selection of wild foods, and the re-planting of native food sources in urban and residential areas without the need for imported water or fertilizers. It contains stories of significant individuals, organizations, and businesses that have contributed knowledge, products, and innovation in the planting, harvesting, and use of wild, native desert foods.

Additionally, the book includes essays that reveal the poetry of the foraging life, provide guidance on how to plant the rain, and explore the medicinal uses and ethnobotanical histories of desert plants. Many of the food plants featured in this cookbook, or their close relatives, can be found or grown in other deserts and drylands of North America and South America, making this book a valuable resource for harvesting and cooking throughout the Americas.

Universally, the concepts and approach presented in this book can help communities everywhere collaborate with their ecosystems, while enhancing the health of all. By embracing the abundant, nutritious, and sustainable resources of the desert, readers are invited to embark on a journey of culinary exploration and environmental stewardship, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and harmonious relationship between people and the land.

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