Descriptions and photographs of two hundred one edible and poisonous species found in western North America are accompanied by comments on edibility, habitat and range, and microscopic characters.

California and the Western States are rich in abundant and diverse species of mushrooms. Amateur mushroom collectors and mycologists alike will find over 300 species of the region’s most common, distinctive, and ecologically important mushrooms profiled in this comprehensive field guide. It provides the most up-to-date science on the role of fungi in the natural world, methods to identify species, and locations of mushroom habitats. With excellent color illustrations showing top and side views of mushrooms of the Western States and a user-friendly text, it is informative but still light enough to be carried into the woods. When used to identify mushrooms, keys bring the reader to individual species, with a descriptive text providing cues for identifying additional species. Mushrooms common in urban landscapes are included, which is especially useful for the casual encounter with backyard fungi. The guide also provides a table of both old and new species names, and information on edibility and look-alikes, both dangerous and benign. A section on mushroom arts and crafts features mushroom photography, painting, philately, spore prints, dyes, and cultivation. The guide also offers a comprehensive list of resources including national field guides, general mushroom books and periodicals, club and society contact information, and web sites. · Primary descriptions and illustrations of 300 species of mushrooms plus text descriptions of many more. · Latest word in mushroom taxonomy and nomenclature. Clear discussion of DNA sequencing and new classifications. · Especially good coverage of southern California and Southwestern mushrooms often neglected in other field guides.

The Biology and Cultivation of Edible Mushrooms emphasizes the biological and cultivation aspects of edible mushrooms. This book refers to edible mushrooms as epigeous and hypogeous fruiting bodies of macroscopic fungi that are commercially cultivated or grown in half-culture processes or potentially implanted under controlled conditions. The topics discussed include the morphology and classification of edible mushrooms; cryogenic freezing of mushroom spawn; spawning and mycelium growth; and cultivation of Pleurotus. The geographic distribution of truffles; potential cultivation of various edible fungi; and economics of cultivated mushrooms are also elaborated. This publication is intended for experienced mushroom specialists, seasoned commercial growers, and biology students who are interested in edible mushrooms.

Shortlisted for a 2014 Taste Canada Award, this newly revised and updated edition of The Deerholme Mushroom Cookbook is a comprehensive and expert guide that will expand your culinary knowledge of wild and cultivated mushrooms. Foraging for mushrooms is a seasonal pursuit that can be done in large groups or in peaceful solitude. Spring brings the promise of morels, late summer bears the first chanterelles, and autumn welcomes an explosion of mushrooms. In this illuminating handbook on all things fungi, Bill Jones, an acknowledged expert in the field of wild foods, explains in great detail how to safely forage for mushrooms, what to look for in markets and grocery stores, and how to effectively grow your own. But what do you do with your bounty once you arrive back at home? Jones, also a celebrated chef, presents more than 120 delicious recipes for basic pantry preparations, soups, salads, meats, seafood, and vegetable dishes such as Truffle Potato Croquettes Mushroom Pate Porcini Naan Semolina Mushroom Cake Beef Tenderloin and Oyster Mushroom Carpaccio Curried Mushroom and Coconut Bisque With The Deerholme Mushroom Cookbook, the essential guide to edible mushrooms, you’ll gain insight into the medicinal and cultural uses of mushrooms, and reap the health benefits of simple, unprocessed food.

“A merry, idiosyncratic guide, charmingly illustrated.”—Eugenia Bone, The Wall Street Journal An illustrated guide to over 100 types of mushrooms, offering insights and stories about these mysterious organisms An incredible diversity of fungi is flourishing all around us, not just in the forest but in parks, markets, and even museums. Once you know how to look, you can find mushrooms named after fairies and demons, mushrooms that look so much like woodland birds they are shot at by hunters, mushrooms that glow in the dark . . . and so much more. Beyond serving as a guide for identification, Mushrooming explores how “the quiet hunt” can radically expand our perspectives, connect us to nature, and enrich our lives. Whether you’re a beginner forager or an expert mycophile, this is the perfect handbook to spark your curiosity and deepen your appreciation for the fantastic, delicious, deadly, and strange world of fungi.

The Handbook of Mushroom Poisoning provides an in-depth examination of mushroom poisoning, including case examples for each toxic class. The book contains specific chapters on mushroom poison pharmacology and approaches to treatment of cases caused by an unknown mushroom or unknown poison. For those who want a broader background, there are sections on gross and microscopic mushroom identification, general information about the types of toxic substances found in various mushroom families, and tables detailing the results of various field and laboratory tests. For those interested in learning more about mushroom poisonings and how to treat them, this book is a must.

For the seriously dedicated as well as the merely curious ’shroomer, Alaska’s Mushrooms is a wide-ranging guide to the fungi of the Last Frontier. The book, featuring detailed descriptions of 114 species, includes: color photographs; family and common names; genus and species; striking field characters; both a macro- & micro-description; habitat and role; edibility, taste, and odor; look-alikes, and comments. This comprehensive collection also provides information on mushroom seasons and habitats hints for collecting mushrooms for food and study tips on how to tell the real mushrooms from their “imposters” directions for making spore prints (an essential test for identifying mushrooms) hundreds of black-and-white line drawings a section listing all poisonous mushrooms by toxin groups a list of frequently asked questions a range map of Alaska’s biogeographic zones Alaska’s Mushrooms provides authoritative natural history, informative color photographs, and black-and-white line drawings for clear identification, and lively notes from the field. It’s a must-have for anyone who has a passion for hunting mushrooms.

the best food reference work ever to appear in the English language ... read it and be dazzled' Bee Wilson, New Statesman First published in 1999, the ground-breaking Oxford Companion to Food was an immediate success and won prizes and accolades around the world. Its blend of serious food history, culinary expertise, and entertaining serendipity, was and remains unique. Interest in food, cooking, and the culture surrounding food has grown enormously in the intervening period, as has the study of food and food history. University departments, international societies, and academic journals have sprung up dedicated to exploring the meaning of food in the daily lives of people around the world, alongside an ever-increasing number of articles, books, programmes, and websites in the general media devoted to the discussion of food, making the Oxford Companion to Food more relevant than ever. Already a food writing classic, this Companion combines an exhaustive catalogue of foods, be they biscuits named after battles, divas or revolutionaries; body parts (from nose to tail, toe to cerebellum); or breads from the steppes of Asia or the well-built ovens of the Mediterranean; with a richly allusive commentary on the culture of food, expressed in literature and cookery books, or as dishes peculiar to a country or community. While building on the Companion's existing strengths, Tom Jaine has taken the opportunity to update the text and alert readers to new perspectives in food studies. There is new coverage of attitudes to food consumption, production and perception, such as food and genetics, food and sociology, and obesity. New entries include terms such as convenience foods, drugs and food, Ethiopia, leftovers, medicine and food, pasta, and many more. There are also new entries on important personalities who are of special significance within the world of food, among them Clarence Birdseye, Henri Nestl?, and Louis Pasteur. In its new edition the Companion maintains its place as the foremost food reference resource for study and home use.