Mushroom Gastronomy

"Mushroom Gastronomy" by Krista Towns... a worthwhile guide with mushroom-by-mushroom profiles and recipes like king trumpet char siu and black pearl oyster mushroom Stroganoff.

Towns’ penchant for mixing and matching Asian mushrooms into Western dishes is as fun as it is enlightening. From classic takes such as the delicious “Sesame and Chili-Roasted Shiitake with Garlic Fried Rice”, to unexpected offerings such as the luxurious mushroom-infused matsutake gin fizz cocktail. Even sweet mushrooms make an appearance, used as an ice cream topping or part of granola.

Elegant in its culinary presentation, Mushroom Gastronomy is a mycophilic delight that inspires broader and more playful kitchen experimentation with edible mushrooms.

Put this one on your 2024 must-read list. Towns is the culinary editor for Fungi Magazine and culinary advisor/recipe developer for a premier mushroom farm. The recipes, 120 in total, range from ambitious to accessible, and they're all exquisite. Beyond the recipes, she offers up nutritional values, cooking methods, culinary tips and flavor pairings, making this the ultimate culinary resource for home cooks and professional chefs alike.

Fungi fanciers new and old have an excellent guide to the wonderful world of mushroom cookery.

This is a masterpiece. Mushroom Gastronomy, her first book, benefits from the modesty of a newcomer to writing cookbooks yet shows up as the most qualified collection of original mushroom cookery anywhere.

I always look forward to cracking open a good mushroom cookbook, but this one truly was a delight for the eyes. I’ve read many that fail to capture the entire fungal magnificence, but this one presents each and every mushroom like a veritable work of art.

“Mushroom Gastronomy: The Art of Cooking With Mushrooms”, is part cookbook, part encyclopedia. But because of its laser-focused attention to a single ingredient—the protean mushroom—it never feels overwhelming in its scope. Chapters like “The Mushroom Pantry” and “Cooking Methods”, equip readers with a brief but thorough education while showcasing author Krista Towns’ talent as a photographer. Her photos are in turn fascinating (as in her shot of the lion’s mane variety, which looks like the Tribbles from that episode of Star Trek) and mouth-watering (I could practically taste the maitake Philly cheesesteak). You’ll find recipes for stroganoff, Chantilly potatoes, omelets, a croque monsieur and more, all with a unique mushroom-centric approach. A treat for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, Mushroom Gastronomy even includes a spin on beef Wellington that incorporates goat cheese and portobellos wrapped in puff pastry.