Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares

Discover the wonders and mysteries of mushrooms—and our conflicting human reactions to them—in this “enticing invitation to the fungal realm” (Sandor Ellix Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation).Includes tips for mushroom foraging, cultivation, and preparation!Throughout history, people have had a complex and confusing relationship with mushrooms. Are fungi food or medicine, beneficial decomposers or deadly “toadstools” ready to kill anyone foolhardy enough to eat them? In fact, there is truth in all these statements. With tales from around the world, Marley, a seasoned mushroom expert, expl ains that some cultures are mycophilic (mushroom-loving), like those of Russia and Eastern Europe, while others are intensely mycophobic (mushroom-fearing), including, the US. He shares stories from China, Japan, and Korea-where mushrooms are interwoven into the fabric of daily life as food, medicine, fable, and folklore-and from Slavic countries where whole families leave villages and cities...