The Mushroom Hunters: On the Trail of an Underground America

Langdon Cook's The Mushroom Hunters is a quirky little book, no doubt about it. And yet, I loved it. Cook is, as the title implies, on the trail of those who hunt for, as well as buy, sell, and cook with, the wild mushrooms that proliferate across America, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. The book is populated with true characters...as one whose livelihood as an itinerant fungi hunter, often on federal lands, and often illegally, must be.

The aptly named Cook not only discusses the vagaries of the mushroom trade, but also cooks his way through the myriad mushrooms, leaving any mushroom-loving reader with a hankering to sample more broadly from the species. (Cauliflower and lobster mushrooms are at the top of my new list, though I'm not sure I'll ever have the occasion to try either one.) Neither does Cook omit the travelogue element, with forays into how the landscape is changing, and musings on rural America writ large. Hint: these are mostly depressing, as he traces the growth of meth and opioids, as well as the deterioration of conditions in tiny towns and the industries that used to employ their denizens. Less depressingly, Cook delves into mushrooms' popularity in different cuisines and cultures, from East Asia to Western Europe, as well as its growth in haute cuisine here.

In terms of style, I was regularly reminded of Fuchsia Dunlop's Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, and in fact, the two books seemed frequently to be telling a similar story about the role of foods in both the author's life, as well as a region's cuisine and palate. (Of the two, I had a strong preference for The Mushroom Hunters.) Too, I could not help but recall the lessons of Salt, Sugar, Fat, and the benefits of turning to nature for a greater share of what we consume.

When people (my mom, my son's OT, colleagues) asked what I was reading and I told them a book about hunting for mushrooms, I got more knowing looks than with any other book I've read. I get that it sounds weird and, in many ways, can appeal only to a narrow audience. This is a shame, because The Mushroom Hunters is actually one of the most interesting and thought-provoking books I've read this year.

Four stars.