Foraging for and Cooking with Wild Mushrooms

by Anthony Ricciuto

Mushroom Foraging 101

Now I know its been a while since I have done a book review so I thought it would be a good time to do one. My good friend Dwight Thornton, (you may have remembered him from his old company called Fiddlehead Heaven), and is now owner of Boreal Wild Foods. Now if you remember some time back I did a review of his amazing chaga. I am sure many of you may not be aware of this but Dwight is the pioneer that got chaga known to the North American audience. Yes it was Dwight that was the original educator that helped bring the amazing health benefits of chaga to the mainstream health community. Without him we would not be where we are today where we can take advantage of all the health benefits chaga offers.

Dwight Thornton is an Author and Industry Legend!

A Wonderful Gift Package

So just a few weeks back Dwight sent me a package of some really nice items from his new company. I will tell you one thing, and that anytime Dwight sends me over a gift pack I am like a kid in a candy store. I can’t wait to rip the box open and see what goodies are inside waiting for me. The reason being is that Dwight makes some amazing products that are very niche. Second is that Dwight is one of the most creative formulators in the industry and is the brains behind some of the biggest formulations that line health food store shelves. While Dwight is one of the most humble people I know, the reality is that he is one of the brightest minds in the health industry.

Lobster Mushrooms are Amazing!

The Future of Mycology

So when I opened the box and saw that he sent me a copy of his book about wild mushrooms I was so happy to give this a read. Now one thing that my long time readers will know about me is that I am a big fan of all forms of mushrooms. I love medicinal mushrooms like Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Turkey Tail. When it comes to the psychedelic mushrooms I do believe they are going to be the future when it comes to healing many of the mental health issues that people today are dealing with like PTSD, anxiety, OCD and much more. Now this book that Dwight wrote is not about the above but more of the culinary wild mushrooms that are found in nature. Yes I am also a big fan of them as well. Being Italian I love mushrooms in many different recipes from egg dishes to stir fry’s and everything in between. So with this said, let’s take a look inside this amazing book.

Wild Mushrooms from Boreal Wild Foods

Dwight’s History of Foraging

Dwight starts off with a warning that if you decide to start on the journey for hunting mushrooms it just might become addictive. I think that is definitely true for not only mushrooms but also anything that you will be foraging from the forrest. Dwight lets you in on some information about how he got started and why. The fact that he comes from a family of 13 children and being raised in the 1950’s made foraging a must to keep such a large family well fed. Since he was the youngest of five boys he didn’t get to hunt much like the older ones, and got sent out with his mom and sisters to forage for Fiddleheads and other edible treats.

Dwight taking a Break after a Hard Days Work!

Valuable and Usable Real World Info

Now one thing I really like about this book is all the valuable and usable information it contains. If you are looking for a 300 page book with mostly fluff and glitter and very little usable information then this is not the book for you. But if you are looking to get the most advanced knowledge and its application in a real world setting from someone that knows the forrest and anything edible that you will find in it, then this book will be a gold mine of information for you.

Dwight’s Lobster Mushrooms can be Shipped Right to Your Door!

Prepping You for Your Journey Into the Forrest

Dwight covers all the equipment you will need to have before you start your journey. He will also provide very valuable tips like keeping a log about where you have been using GPS coordinates and how to document your best finds along the way. He will also provide some very important things that you should never do as well. One very important tip is how you shouldn’t go mushroom picking right after a rainfall due to them breaking down in your basket leaving you with just a bunch of mush. He also gives you important collecting guidelines to follow for each of the different edible mushrooms that he discusses.

Boreal Wild Foods is a Company I Trust for Quality!

Delicious Recipes to Die For!

Dwight doesn’t just give you these tips but he also includes a wide variety of different recipes that you can use. One that I absolutely love is his King Boletus(Porcini) Risotto recipe that is simply out of this world. As much as Dwight is an amazing forager and one of the most innovative minds in natural health formulations, I think he might be a master chef but he just hasn’t told any of us yet. Dwight also gives us some tips to maximize the mushroom patches out in nature so we have even more to forage for the future. This technique alone is worth its weight in gold for anyone that wants to have a continual supply of mushrooms to take care of their needs.

Dwight Harvesting some Monstrous Wild Chaga!

I Loved this Book!

Now for those of you who may be new to the whole idea of mushroom foraging, then this is the book for you. Dwight outlines just about everything you need to know to get you started on this mushroom path without a doubt. He wrote this book in a way that will not only educate you, but also entertain you as well. If anyone reading this knows Dwight on a personal level, you already know how funny he can be that is for sure. Now as much as I love mushrooms, I have to admit that I have never gone out personally to forage them. But with the knowledge that I gained from this book I know with full confidence that I will be well prepared when I do go out this coming summer. Dwight did an amazing job with this book and I highly recommend it to anyone that may be interested in learning more about edible mushroom foraging. Dwight, I want to say thank you not only for gifting me this excellent book but also bringing to light some of your expertise in the wonderful information you shared. So if any of you have an interest in going out to the forrest and living off the land, Dwight’s book is just what you need!

To get a copy of Dwight’s book or some of his amazing products check them out on the web at:

www.BorealWildFoods.com

Or Call Dwight at:

Foraging for and Cooking with Wild Mushrooms