The Botanical Bible

The Botanical Bible is an elegant and comprehensive introduction to the beauty, diversity, and value of the botanical world. Author Sonya Patel Ellis covers the evolution of the plant kingdom, the history of horticulture, basic botany, and more. Readers will learn not only how to garden and forage in six major climate zones but also how to make the most of their harvest through a series of recipes for savory dishes, sweets, and drinks. Ellis demonstrates how to use botanicals for beauty and health, with instructions for making essential oils, herbal remedies, floral scents, and natural cosmetics--and even explores the world of botanical artistry and crafts. Gorgeously illustrated throughout, and packed with information and hands-on projects, The Botanical Bible is the ultimate guide for aspiring gardeners, botanists, homesteaders, and anyone seeking a more meaningful relationship with nature.

This book celebrates the plants of the Old Testament and New Testament, including the Apocrypha, and of the Quran. From acacia, the wood of the tabernacle, to wormwood, whose bitter leaves cured intestinal worms, 81 fascinating chapters—covering every plant that has a true botanical counterpart—tell the stories of the fruits and grains, grasses and trees, flowers and fragrances of ancient lore. The descriptions include the plants' botanical characteristics, habitat, uses, and literary context. With evocative quotations and revelatory interpretations, this information is all the more critical today as the traditional agrarian societies that knew the plants intimately become urbanized. The unusually broad geographic range of this volume extends beyond Israel to encompass the Holy Land's biblical neighbors from southern Turkey to central Sudan and from Cyprus to the Iraq border. Richly illustrated with extensive color photography and with a foreword by the incomparable Garrison Keillor, this delightful ecumenical botany offers the welcome tonic of a deep look into an enduring, shared natural heritage.

Throughout time, people have chosen to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet for a variety of reasons, from ethics to economy to personal and planetary well-being. Experts now suggest a new reason for doing so: maximizing flavor -- which is too often masked by meat-based stocks or butter and cream. The Vegetarian Flavor Bible is an essential guide to culinary creativity, based on insights from dozens of leading American chefs, representing such acclaimed restaurants as Crossroads and M.A.K.E. in Los Angeles; Candle 79, Dirt Candy, and Kajitsu in New York City, Green Zebra in Chicago, Greens and Millennium in San Francisco, Natural Selection and Portobello in Portland, Plum Bistro in Seattle, and Vedge in Philadelphia. Emphasizing plant-based whole foods including vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, the book provides an A-to-Z listing of hundreds of ingredients, from avßav? to zucchini blossoms, cross-referenced with the herbs, spices, and other seasonings that best enhance their flavor, resulting in thousands of recommended pairings. The Vegetarian Flavor Bible is the ideal reference for the way millions of people cook and eat today -- vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores alike. This groundbreaking book will empower both home cooks and professional chefs to create more compassionate, healthful, and flavorful cuisine.

Presents botanical illustrations of familiar and exotic flowers, trees, and plants mentioned in the accompanying Bible verses and selections.

". . . and it was Evening and it was Morning, the Third Day." Why was this day different from all others according to the Bible? In the Book of Genesis we are told that every plant on earth, including trees, was created on that day. In this seminal study, Jo Ann Gardner shows how the ancient Israelites, the compilers of the Hebrew Bible, not only made practical use of native plants but studied them to reveal meanings that enabled them to better understand the Biblical text. From the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve ate, to the mandrakes Rachel pleaded with her sister to share with her, to the reeds used to protect Moses when he was set adrift as an infant, deeper insights are provided regarding their significance. Seeds of Transcendence has been designed to enable readers to develop a more profound appreciation of the most influential book ever written. Over 100 full-color photos. "One of the most erudite and fascinating books I have read in recent times" -- Blu Greenberg, author of On Women and Judaism

This book describes and illustrates each plant mentioned in the Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha. The book draws on Lytton John Musselman's extensive field investigations from Beirut to Borneo and from the Atlas to the Zagros mountains and includes his original images of each plant. Incorporating new research on their use, the text also reviews recent analytical studies of plants used in materials and technology as well as ancient grains, beer production, medicine, tensile materials, soap, and other articles. Based on these materials, Musselman provides several new plant identifications for controversial biblical passages. In addition, the book surveys the history of Bible plant literature from the time of the Greeks and Romans to the present and reviews and correlates it with Bible plant hermeneutics. To aid readers, extensive references for further study are provided, along with an index to all verses containing references to these plants, which enables the reader to quickly locate the plant of interest in its textual setting.

A full-color, illustrated guide showing how to design and plant a theme garden based on plants mentioned in Scripture.