Mushroom Gastronomy - by Krista Towns (Hardcover)

About the Book

Written by a mushroom expert and culinary writer, Mushroom Gastronomy contains over 100 easy-to-execute, innovative, and classic recipes to please vegetarians and carnivores alike, for appetizers, soups and broths, main dishes, desserts, and even cocktails--all celebrating the delicious and mysterious mushroom. You'll also appreciate the valuable tips for selecting, storing, and preserving mushrooms to help keep your favorite mushrooms at their very best!

Book Synopsis

"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."--The New York Times

Finalist, 2025 IACP Cookbook Awards

"Are you a mushroom lover? Well then, this is the cookbook for you!! It is a guide to your old favorites as well as newer unfamiliar varieties that you can now find at farmer's markets around the country. Plus-a wide range of very creative recipes to explore...."--Sara Moulton, Chef, Cookbook Author, and TV Personality, host of Sara's Weeknight Meals. James Beard Award Winner

"There is a recipe for everyone in this lovely mushroom cookbook (I'm going for Maitake Philly Cheesesteak). Mushroom Gastronomy is a welcome addition to the library of anyone who loves cooking with mushrooms!"--Eugenia Bone, featured in the documentary Fantastic Fungi and author of the James Beard Award-nominated cookbook Well Preserved

Whether you forage for elusive mushrooms in the woods, at your local grocery, or farmers market, or are new to cooking with them, Mushroom Gastronomy is the perfect cookbook that will prepare you for an exciting culinary journey into the world of edible mushrooms.

The book explores 25 of the most popular edible and delicious mushrooms. Stunning photographs introduce each variety, including their unique nutritional values, ideal cooking methods, culinary tips, and flavor pairings, making this book a go-to resource for anyone interested in cooking with mushrooms.

Written by a mushroom expert and culinary writer, Mushroom Gastronomy contains over 100 easy-to-execute, innovative, and classic recipes to please vegetarians and carnivores alike, for appetizers, soups and broths, main dishes, desserts, and even cocktails--all celebrating the delicious and mysterious mushroom.

Indulge with comfort food recipes like Black Trumpet Mushroom and White Bean Bisque, or Shiitake with Baked Corn and Cheddar Grits. Celebrate Italian style with Lion's Mane Bolognese, and top off your evening with a Candy Cap Cream Martini. Morel Mini Quiche, Chicken of the Woods Saltimbocca, and Matsutake Tempura with Yuzu-Lemongrass Aioli are just a few samplings of the many delicious recipes you'll enjoy preparing.

You'll also appreciate the valuable tips for selecting, storing, and preserving mushrooms to help keep your favorite mushrooms at their very best!

More Accolades:

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

"Indulging in the world of mushrooms has never been more delicious and delightful than with this exceptional cookbook. Clear and concise instructions, meticulous detailing of more than twenty mushroom species, and a vast array of globally-inspired recipes will thrill both novices and seasoned chefs alike. It is a testament to the author's passion for mushrooms and their vast culinary potential, and not only is it a comprehensive guide, it's a visual feast as well. I can't wait to get cooking!"-- Cynthia Graubart, James Beard award-winning cookbook author of fourteen cookbooks, cooking teacher, and culinary television producer

"This book is a love letter to those of us who are passionate about foraging and creating good food with our mushrooms and should be required reading for anyone who delights in what's out there, in the forests and meadows, awaiting the curious--and hungry--forager."-- Britt Bunyard, PhD, noted lecturer, author, mycologist, and founder and editor-in-chief of Fungi Magazine

"This cookbook is a celebration of mushrooms. The recipes are approachable yet adventurous, making it perfect for both beginners and seasoned chefs. As mushrooms--particularly wild varieties--continue gaining popularity, Krista's book offers valuable guidance to those exploring the unique culinary potential of mushrooms."-- Jack Hamrick, cofounder and CEO of Foraged--A Marketplace for Wild and Specialty Foods

"Krista Town's expert knowledge and indispensable guidance will help you navigate the incredible world of mushrooms and fungi. Her new book is the ultimate culinary resource for both foraged and cultivated varieties, with recipes that are sure to inspire even the most ardent mycophiles."-- Ray Sheehan, restaurateur, multi award-winning chef, and cookbook author

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

"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."--Fantastic Fungi

"Part cookbook, part encyclopedia....Her photos are in turn fascinating...and mouth-watering....A treat for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike." --BookPage

Review Quotes

"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.

"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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

About the Author

Krista Towns is the culinary editor of FUNGI Magazine. A successful recipe developer and award-winning competitive cook, she is also the culinary advisor for Circular Farm--a premier mushroom farm located in Jackson, South Carolina, that supplies gourmet mushrooms, fruiting kits, and growing supplies to consumers. Towns holds a Mushroom Foraging Certification for food service in eighteen states and is an active member of the North American Mycological Association and the South Carolina Upstate Mycological Society. When not foraging, cultivating, photographing mushrooms, or developing recipes, Krista and her husband, John, can be found enjoying the country life in Aiken, South Carolina, with her horses and the family's two beloved spaniels.