Synopses & Reviews
Authoritative, opinionated, and visually striking field guide to the Pacific Northwest’s edible mushrooms by a leading expert
*Key characteristics for each species to aid in identification
*Full-color photographs depicting each featured species
*Includes recipes for simple backcountry fare to elaborate dishes
With details for harvesting everything from the ever-popular golden chanterelles to the red-cracked bolete, Fruits of the Forest will appeal to both the novice and the avid mushroom hunter. Lifelong mushroom educator and expert Daniel Winkler presents more than 200 edible wild mushrooms that flourish across our region, from Northern California to British Columbia. Comprehensive yet accessible and full of personality, this full-color field guide features habitat and seasonality, how to store and prep different varieties, tips for differentiating look-alike species, and much more.
Not only does Winkler have vast experience finding, identifying, and collecting mushrooms, he has also spent decades preparing various species in all sorts of meals. He presents a few dozen recipes, ranging from Chanterelles in Cream Sauce to Bold Bolete Quiche, Breaded Saffron Milkcaps to Candy Cap Butter Cookies. Winkler shares notes on mushroom culture around the world, tips on foraging, ideas for preserving mushrooms, and suggestions for medicinal teas and extracts. With Fruits of the Forest in hand, a delicious world of fungi tastes awaits!
Review
"There are lots of books about mushrooms, but Daniel Winkler’s new book fills a hole. It’s focused on edible mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest, giving local foragers of any experience level the tools to safely identify, responsibly harvest, store and cook the tasty fungal treats that flourish in our fields and forests... At the end of the book is a goldmine of recipes, including bolete butter, mushroom jerky and a sturdy collection of unusual soups, main dishes and even desserts." Meg Olson / Mount Baker Experience
Review
"[Fruits of the Forest] is beautiful, well written, useful and easy to use, and it is the perfect companion for anyone thinking of foraging for mushrooms, not just for mushroomers." Elinoar Shavit, ethnomycologist and FUNGI magazine contributing editor
About the Author
A mushroom educator, trained ecologist, and award-winning photographer, Dan Winkler grew up collecting mushrooms in the Alps. Winkler has been foraging for more than 25 years in the Pacific Northwest, in addition to South America and High Asia, where he is involved in ethno-mycological fieldwork. He served as vice president of the Puget Sound Mycological Society, who recognized his lifetime of service with their Golden Mushroom Award. Through his travel agency, Mushroaming, Winkler runs mushroom-focused eco-tours to Tibet, Bhutan, the Amazon, Colombia, and the Austrian Alps as well as in the Northwest. He lives in Kirkland, Washington. Find him online at mushroaming.com.