Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares: The Love, Lore and Mystique of Mushrooms

By following a few basic guidelines, readers interested in foraging for their food will find themselves with a wealth of culinary opportunities courtesy of longtime amateur mycologist Marley (Mushrooms for Health). An enthusiastic guide, Marley introduces foragers to the most common wild edible shrooms – morels, puffballs, chicken mushrooms, and shaggy mane – as well as their more recognizable cousins in the market, such as chanterelles. Basic recipes for preparation (risottos, simple pastas, and the like) are included, enabling readers to get the most from their bounty. But Marley spends equal time with their more toxic and psychedelic brethren, describing key characteristics, common regions, and potential side effects, ensuring that initiates spend more time in the woods than the ER. While the book does have a set of color slides to aid in identification of edible and poisonous varieties, the sample pales in comparison to the many species Marley mentions. He's an enthused guide, though his tireless mushroom minutiae (trivia, history, taxonomy, and so on) and narrow focus on species native to the American northeast narrow the book's appeal. (Oct.)