Hot Off the U of I Press: Guide to Wild Mushrooms

So, OK, this book is not HOT off the Press anymore, but I wanted to republish this post anyway, because let's face it, hunting the wild mushroom never goes out of style. This post was originally published on April 15, 2009, and has been revised slightly. -Lisa

Did you know that the humble fungi is responsible for the lived-in look of your favorite stone-washed jeans? It's true. According to Joe McFarland and Greg Mueller, authors of the University of Illinois Press's new book Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois, a fungus is put on the cotton material, allowed to "munch," and subsequently washed off. Who knew? I guess "stone washed" sounds more romantic than "fungus eaten" in ad campaigns.

Anyway, that's just one of the fascinating tidbits of information you'll find in this new guide. I received a review copy last week (thanks, UI Press!), and I've been up to my ears in fungi ever since. Factoids aside, the book is an in-depth guide to finding, positively ID'ing, and cooking wild mushrooms. And it's specifically geared to our region (Illinois and surrounding states). We're in the thick of the mushroom-hunting season now, or will be very soon, so the book's release is perfectly timed.

You're probably familiar with oyster mushrooms, chanterelles, and morels, but I'll bet you've never heard of the lion's mane mushroom, or the cauliflower or lobster mushrooms. Those are just a few of the many varieties of edible fungi presented in the book, which includes gorgeous color photos—of the edible mushrooms and the poisonous look-alikes you need to stay away from.

In fact, the guide could really be called a picture book, that's how filled to the brim it is with photos. And detailed photos, of course, are really essential if you're heading out to try to find and identify these babies. If going on a mushroom hunt piques your interest, this is the book for you. It's really intended for beginners who want to bag their own fresh, wild 'shrooms, though I'm sure even an experienced mushroom hunter would appreciate it.Once you've got your mushrooms, what to do with them? The recipes section of the book will help you out in the cooking-and-eating department, too.You'll find recipes from Illinois cooks and chefs for everything from beer-battered morels to chanterelle cream soup, mushroom Bolognese, and parasol mushroom frittata.And how does wild mushroom lasagna with arugula pesto grab you? That recipe is from Chicago's own Charlie Trotter. Not to be outdone by the Chicago chefs, Christian Phernetton, formerly chef at Silvercreek restaurant in Urbana, contributed a recipe for duck confit and morel Wellington with vanilla-bean reduction. That's right—a C-U restaurant is represented in this book! How fun.

In the past, County Market in Champaign (on Kirby Ave.) has carried morels from California around this time of year, but they're pricey (I seem to remember $20/lb.) Obviously, if you hunt down your own wild mushrooms, the cost will be much less than buying them—like virtually nothing. Familiarize yourself with all the dos and don'ts, tuck a copy of Wild Edible Mushrooms of Illinois & Surrounding States into your backpack or glove compartment, and you should have a successful back-to-nature mushroom experience.

Ever stalked the wild mushroom in this area? If you have, I'd love to hear about your experience and any hunting or cooking tips you may want to impart.