Beginner's Guide to Safely Foraging for Wild Mushrooms

English language

Published Nov. 22, 2022 by Callisto Media.

ISBN:: 978-1-68539-755-5

No rating (1 review)

A fun guide to foraging for mushrooms

There are thousands of mushroom species native to the woods, fields, and forests of North America, but how do you know which are safe to eat? This beginner’s guide will help you discover the diverse and fascinating world of mushrooms so you confidently enjoy nature’s bounty.

A beginner’s field guide—Discover the tools, techniques, and visual cues you need to sustainably and safely harvest wild mushrooms.

Thirty-five mushroom varieties—Detailed descriptions and photos help you positively identify 30 commonly found, edible mushrooms, like chanterelles and lion’s manes, as well as five toxic mushrooms to avoid.

Earth-friendly harvesting tips—Master sustainable harvesting practices, and learn the proper way to store and enjoy your harvest.

Get down and dirty with this safe guide to mushroom foraging.

1 edition

lastblossom reviewed Beginner's Guide to Safely Foraging for Wild Mushrooms by Karen Stephenson

A great book for beginners with a focus on easily identifiable edible mushrooms that have few or no lookalikes.

No rating

Foraging for mushrooms can be very dangerous, with many mushroom lookalikes and difficult-to-identify variations out there. This book eschews most of those in favor of a handful of distinct mushrooms that a beginner might be able to identify with ease. Because of this, it doesn't cover quite as many mushrooms as other field guides might, but it's a very strong place to start. Notes on identification, along with best ways to harvest, and how to tell them apart from potential lookalikes, are present. A handful of notes on flavor profile and how/when to prepare are greatly appreciated. The final chapter covers several deadly mushrooms to avoid, which is also a great thing to learn. Credits in the front list all the photos as stock images, so I won't really review the quality of those here. I wouldn't have minded seeing several of mushrooms in their various stages of life, but …

Foraging for mushrooms can be very dangerous, with many mushroom lookalikes and difficult-to-identify variations out there. This book eschews most of those in favor of a handful of distinct mushrooms that a beginner might be able to identify with ease. Because of this, it doesn't cover quite as many mushrooms as other field guides might, but it's a very strong place to start. Notes on identification, along with best ways to harvest, and how to tell them apart from potential lookalikes, are present. A handful of notes on flavor profile and how/when to prepare are greatly appreciated. The final chapter covers several deadly mushrooms to avoid, which is also a great thing to learn. Credits in the front list all the photos as stock images, so I won't really review the quality of those here. I wouldn't have minded seeing several of mushrooms in their various stages of life, but the photos that are included get the job done admirably. As always, foraging with a local expert is the only way to be certain, but you'll get more out of it if you read this book before you go.

Thanks to NetGalley and Callisto Media for the review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

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