Table of Contents

How to use this guide  8
The mushrooming without fear method  9
What does ‘edible’ mean?
Learn to leave a mushroom
Look-alike poisonous species 
The tools of the trade
Worm-infested mushrooms
Cutting or pulling?
Raw mushrooms
What is a mushroom?   12
Tubes, spines, ridges and gills  15
Tubes  16
Spines  17
Ridges  18
Gills.  20
Comparing ridges and gills  24
Mushrooming without Fear
Mushrooms with tubes  29
Cep or Penny Bun Bolete  30
Red Cracked Bolete  34
Dotted Stemmed Bolete  38
Larch Bolete 44
Slippery Jack   48
Bay Bolete  52
Birch Bolete  58
Mushrooms with ridges  63
Chanterelle  64
Trumpet Chanterelle  68
Mushrooms with spines  73
Hedgehog Fungus  74
Mavericks  79
Morel  80
Common Puffball  88
Hen of the Woods  92
Horn of Plenty  96
Cauliflower Mushroom  100
For those who want to know
more about mushrooms with gills
Mushrooms with gills  109
Field Mushroom  110
Wood Blewit  116
Shaggy Ink Cap  120
Parasol  124
Shaggy Parasol  130
Oyster Mushroom  134
St George’s Mushroom  138
Charcoal Burner  142
Amethyst Deceiver  148
Background
Trees and mushrooms  152
The mushrooming season  154
Handling, storage and cooking  154
Fascinating folklore  157
Index  159

About the Author

Alexander Schwab grew up in Switzerland and was ­awarded a Masters Degree in philosophy and history at ­Aberdeen University. His main interests are all aspects of fishing, hunting and mushrooming. He now lives in New Zealand and when not mushrooming, fishing or hunting, he is thinking or writing about them.