Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares (eBook)

Tales from the forest floor

Part 1. Mushrooms and culture

Passionate about mushrooms : the Russian and Slavic experience

Overcoming distrust : mushrooming in America

Part 2. Mushrooms as food

Leading with our stomachs

The Foolproof Four : updated for a new millennium

Chanterelles

Boletus edulis

The Agaricus brothers

Part 3. Dangerously toxic, deadly interesting

poisonous mushrooms : not as bad as you fear

Mushroom poisoning : not as bad as you fear ; Mushroom poisoning : the potential risks and ways to avoid them

Amanita nightmares : the Death Cap and Destroying Angel

False morels : the Finnish Fugu

A fallen angel

The poison pax : a deadly mystery

Part 4. Mushrooms and the mind : the origin of religion and the pathway to enlightenment

Entheogens : a new way to view hallucinogenic mushrooms

Amanita muscaria : soma, religion, and Santa

Psilocybin : gateway to the soul or just a good high?

Part 5. Mushrooms within living ecosystems

Honey mushrooms : the race for the world's largest fungus

Fairy rings and fairy tales

Fungal bioluminescence : mushroom nightlights

Who's eating the truffles?

Woodpeckers, wood decay fungi, and forest health

Part 6. Tools for a new world

Growing mushrooms in the garden : a how-to story

lt;p>Publishers Weekly-

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.

Booklist-

Mushroom lovers who can only get their fix by sampling the often paltry array that appears in their grocer’s produce section may be sorely tempted to indulge their mycophilia when they encounter some choice fungi in the wild. Unlike many Asian and European cultures, however, most Americans are hesitant to just pluck one off the forest floor and eat it on the spot. Perhaps such evocative names as the “Death Cap” mushroom has something to do with this mycophobia. Yet, says Marley, armed with proper background, this culinary caution can turn into complete confidence. From the fabled psychedelic “magic mushrooms” to the duplicitous appearance of “false morels,” Marley examines these fungal fiends and provides thorough descriptions of their habitat, appearance, and toxic properties to ward off potential misadventures. An avowed mycophile, Marley offers an entertaining and inquisitive look at both the heroes and villains of the kingdom Fungi in an enlightened guide that comprehensively examines their nutritional benefits, undesirable properties, and diverse cultural history.