Recipes & Cooking  |  11/06/2013

BOOK REVIEW: "A Bird Hunter's Table"


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I seem to collect wild game cookbooks these days in the same addictive manner I once accumulated baseball cards. The newest addition to my pantry bookshelf is “A Bird Hunter’s Table,” by Sarah M. Davies.
 
During the day, Davies is the Senior Director for Western Development at Trout Unlimited.  Although in the same conservation industry, I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Davies.  However, after consuming the pages of her new game bird-focused book, I do have a sense of who she is and I’m certain I’d like her in person. Her passion for dogs, bird hunting, and festive game bird dinners with friends are all easily relatable to me.
 
While the book is a celebration of pheasants, quail, grouse and ducks as the table’s centerpiece, the pages are truly an ode to her father. In fact, she writes the following:
 
“I dedicate this book to him and know he will always be with me. Dad had a wonderful way of seeing and painting the sky, and I see his skies nearly every day. His art is infused throughout this book.” 
 
Ms. Davies can be proud of this book as a worthy tribute. It’s filled with her father’s stunning artwork, as well as beautiful hunting and bird dog photography. Likewise, the recipes are straightforward and consumable for the “want-to-be-a-chef” guy like me. My single wish would have been for a greater number of photos of the dishes next to each recipe. I am a visual learner and always appreciate knowing what my end goal is supposed to look like when in the kitchen.  However, the book stands on its own without those photos.
 
Davies’ first book successfully captures the connection between the land, dogs, birds and food. In fact, Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever’s President and CEO wrote the following endorsement which appears on the book’s back cover:
 
“In the spirit of Aldo Leopold’s classic writings, it’s important for all of us to remember where our food comes from – the land.  Wise conservation of our natural resources protects our outdoor heritage, water resources and the food on our tables.” 
 
I’d call that a ringing endorsement. It’s also worth noting that Davies plans to donate a portion of all book sales to Trout Unlimited and Pheasants Forever. Thank you, Sara!
 
Learn more about the new book and order a copy: “A Bird Hunter’s Table”
 
The Pointer is written by Bob St.Pierre, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Vice President of Marketing.  Follow Bob on Twitter @BobStPierre and listen to Bob and Billy Hildebrand every Saturday morning on FAN Outdoors radio on KFAN FM100.3.