I never used to think chicken and dumplings was worth making. But I was wrong, and the dish is even better with pheasant or grouse.

Nothing is quite so driven by hope as the act of gathering food from the wild. Anyone who has ever hunted, fished or foraged knows the feeling that the bonanza could come at any moment.

Wapato, arrowhead, duck potato: Sagittaria is an aquatic tuber of American marshes said to be the equal of a potato. I have never found it. But a friend sent me some, so I got my first tantalizing taste.

Duck season is winding down, and we’re in our groove: Hunting, plucking, dressing and cooking the waterfowl we bring home. Over the years I’ve found uses for every part of the bird.

Snow geese rule the winter skies in Northern California. They are among the hardest birds to hunt — and are among the most challenging to cook.

The winter mushrooms of California’s North Coast are popping in earnest: Hedgehogs, black trumpets, yellowfoot chanterelles and candy caps!

Stifado, the iconic Greek rabbit stew, is a beguiling mix of sweet, spicy and savory. Sweet wine and lots of olive oil make this dish, as does a good brace of cottontails.

It seems that there is no one “authentic” Hungarian goulash. But this one, made with venison, comes pretty close to the old recipes, csipetke dumplings and everything.

Pine nuts from America’s Great Basin are among the best in the world. Combine them with some desert wildflower honey I bought in Arizona and you have one spectacular ice cream.