cover image Celebrating the Wild Mushroom: A Passionate Quest

Celebrating the Wild Mushroom: A Passionate Quest

Sara Ann Friedman. Dodd Mead, $0 (265pp) ISBN 978-0-396-08755-7

Friedman's spirited writing invitingly blends entertainment with information on assorted fungi, edible and not. The author tells how she became one of thousands obsessed by the wild mushroom, and she describes clearly the varieties under the heading Mycetes. There are interesting notes on the history of mushrooms, their place in different cultures. In the main, however, Freidman conveys the joy of hunting for the delicacies and their culinary uses. Jacobs expertly illustrates the text, showing the characteristics of the Chanterelle, Fairy-Ring mushroom, other tasty kinds as well as toxic ones. The drawings and text caution: ""Don't eat any you don't absolutely know are harmless.'' Rounding out the book are recipes for mushrooms proved safe and flavorful as well as tips for preserving them for future use. (June)