Gathering edible wild food is a wonderful way to forge a connection to the earth. Mushrooms are the ultimate local food source; they grow literally everywhere, from Central Park to your own backyard. The Complete Mushroom Hunter invites readers to connect with a hobby that will enrich their understanding of the natural world and build an appreciation for an ancient, critically relevant, and useful body of knowledge. Here, amateur mycologists and mushroom enthusiasts will find a source and guidebook for their passion. Mushroom guru Gary Lincoff escorts the reader from the mushroom's earliest culinary awakening, through getting started and equipped for mushroom forays, to preparing and serving the fruits of the foray, wherever you live. This is the only mushrooming book that treats you to the not-so "underground" hobby of mushroom hunting and gathering.

Gary Lincoff is the author, co-author, or editor of several books and articles on mushrooms. He teaches courses on mushroom and plant identification and use at the New York Botanical Garden and has led wild mushroom and edible wild plant study trips and forays to 30 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and South, Central, and North America. Lincoff chaired the Telluride Mushroom Festival for 25 years (1980–2004), and still participates as its principal speaker. He is also a featured “myco visionary” in the award-winning documentary, Know Your Mushrooms, by Ron Mann. Lincoff also founded and led the New York City Edible Wild Plant Workshop, which featured a once-a-week wild edibles dinner plus a weekend hunt for edible wild plants and mushrooms in city parks. Patricia Wells published his edible wild plant recipes in an article in the New York Times, and he has been profiled in the Village Voice and New York magazine. He lives in New York City. http://www.garylincoff.com