A Beginner's Guide to Edible Fungi Mushrooms

Dueep J. Singh · John Davidson

Jan 2015 · Mendon Cottage Books

About this ebook

 A Beginner’s Guide to Edible Fungi Mushrooms 
Table of Contents 
Introduction 
Knowing more about Mushrooms 
Mushrooms in Medicine 
Cultivated varieties Of Mushrooms 
Types of Popular Mushrooms in Cuisine 
Morels 
Chanterelles 
Cantharellus cibarius or trumpet mushrooms 
Black Trumpets 
Porcini 
Shitake or Golden oak mushrooms 
Oyster Mushrooms 
Enoki Mushrooms 
Portobello Mushrooms 
Truffles 
Hon- Shimeji- Beech Mushroom 
The Death Cap – Amanita phalloides 
Fly Agaric- Amanita muscaria 
How to Avoid the After Effects of Inedible Mushrooms 
Tips 
Precautions while Hunting Mushrooms in the Wild 
Cultivating Mushrooms in Your Home 
Conclusion 
Author Bio 
Publisher 

Introduction 

For millenniums, mankind has been looking towards nature to find easily available food supplements. While animals and birds provided him with protein, he also looked towards the plant kingdom to provide you with herbs, spices, and other edible means of food. Out of these mushrooms and all their varieties have been an integral part of his cuisine down the centuries, all over the world. 

In ancient China mushrooms were used in alternative medicine more than 3000 years ago. They are still used to cure a number of ailments, along with problems related to the nerves, mind and psyche. The mushrooms used here in minute quantities have psychoactive and psychedelic properties. That is why ancient medicine men normally gave them to patients, who believed that they had gone through a spiritual trance which was life defining. 

These psychedelic trance inducing mushrooms are now called shrooms and even though they are illegal in many parts of the world, they are eaten by people who want a “fix”. 

Edible mushrooms are called mushrooms, while the poisonous varieties were called toadstools. Only very experienced “mushroomists” know the difference between an edible variety and a poisonous variety. And this comes only with proper training from older experienced mushroom collectors.

Ratings and reviews

Some good information, but very general. I wish there was specific info on where and when to look for mushrooms. I know as much as I did before reading, ie: some are edible some are poisonous ask an expert.. Which is why I started reading books about it! Just saying.

To be fully honest I did not feel that any effort had gone into this book. Took around 15 minutes to read and had no information on identification. Just stated you should ask an expert. Not a useful guide unless you want to hear about the authors experiences eating mushrooms.

Nice little booklet on mushrooms . Not a field guide. Talks mostly about mushroom used in cooking. A bunch of advertising in the back of the book. Well worth a buck!

About the author

 John Davidson

Born and raised in Wyoming and Canada on Ranches. Studied at Utah State University and taught drafting at Bridgerland Applied Technology College for 20 years. Own and run several businesses, an architectural design business, a web design business and a Sawmill business. Married to Karla for over 30 years and have 4 great kids, living in Mendon, Utah.