A Connoisseur's World: The Austrian Biosphere Reserves, Environments. Animals. Plants. Men.

The recipe: Take seven biosphere reserves, regional recipes with natural local products, a pinch of rather rare herbs and spices, have it mixed and prepared by young, ambitious soon-to-be cooks from a vocational school, presented in just the right light by a renowned photographer, annotated by expert biologists, and finally served on fine art paper as the world's first biosphere reserve cookery book. On the occasion of the 'International Year of Biodiversity', pupils from the Wienerwald and GroA es Walsertal biosphere reserves and their immediate surroundings were asked to document biodiversity by the use of culinary herbs and spices. To honour the successful project, the national committee of the UNESCO 'Man and Biosphere (MAB)' research programme decided to publish a cookery book dedicated to Austria's biosphere reserves. Regional recipes, integrated with concise information on habitats, plants and people, show why biodiversity is one of the big subjects of the future and why it affects our quality of life.