Alan E. Bessette – författare

Unusual shapes and colors make many mushrooms alluring to the eye, while the exotic flavors and textures of edible mushrooms are a gourmet delicacy for the palate. Yet many people never venture beyond the supermarket offerings, fearing that all other mushrooms are poisonous.With amateur mushroom hunters especially in mind, David Fischer and Alan Bessette have prepared Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America. This field guide presents more than 100 species of the most delicious mushrooms, along with detailed information on how to find, gather, store, and prepare them for the table. More than 70 savory recipes, ranging from soups and salads to casseroles, canapes, quiches, and even a dessert, are included.Throughout, the authors constantly emphasize the need for correct identification of species for safe eating. Each species is described in detailed, nontechnical language, accompanied by a list of key identifying characteristics that reliably rule out all but the target species. Superb color photographs also aid in identification. Poisonous "lookalikes" are described and illustrated, and the authors also assess the risks of allergic or idiosyncratic reactions to edible species and the possibilities of chemical or bacterial contamination.

A unique and useful reference guide to some of the more common and best color-producing dye mushrooms of North America. The book includes step-by-step instructions to the process from collecting the mushrooms to dyeing the wool. There is an accurate and up-to-date description for each species along with over 200 color photographs. The scope of this work goes beyond the identification of species. The authors provide information about dyeing equipment, mordants, preparing and dyeing the wool, and the dazzling array of colors that can be obtained from mushroom.

Of all the groups of wild mushrooms, none have engendered more enthusiasm and affection than the boletes. Their inherent beauty, abundance, and, for many, culinary appeal have firmly established them in the hearts of mushroom hunters around the world. The habitats, geographic distribution, and ecology of boletes--including the intriguing relationships they have with trees and shrubs--only add to their interest.Boletes of Eastern North America, Second Edition offers readers a comprehensive field guide, providing extensive descriptions and more than 450 rich color photographs. Each species listing includes the most recent scientific name with existing synonyms; common names when applicable; and an overview with field impressions, similar species, and detailed information about habitat, fruiting frequency, and geographic distribution. Updated and expanded from the previous release to incorporate new photos and an improved, more readable layout, this is an indispensable resource for mycologists, mushroom hunters, foragers, and cooks alike.

This book is a comprehensive field guide to the mushrooms of the southeastern United States. Although it will stand on its own, it is intended to complement and serve as a companion to ""Mushrooms of Northeastern North America"", also published by Syracuse University Press. Together these volumes form a foundation and reference for identifying mushrooms found in eastern North America from Canada to the subtropics of Florida and Texas. Featuring more than 450 species, this volume includes detailed descriptions and rich color photographs. The photographs were selected for high-quality color fidelity and documentary merit and reflect some of the aesthetic appeal of the subject. The number of species described and illustrated in color is substantially more than has previously appeared in any other single work devoted to the mushrooms of the southeastern United States. Although this book contains the necessary detail required by advanced students and professional mycologists, it emphasizes identification based primarily on macroscopic field characters for easier use by a general audience.

Welcome to the world of mushrooms! A Field Guide to the Mushrooms of Georgia is the first highly illustrated, comprehensive mushroom field guide dedicated to the entire state of Georgia. Written in a relaxed style and using terminology that is easily accessible for both beginners and more experienced mushroom enthusiasts, this book emphasizes identification based primarily on macroscopic field characters, including observational data based on the authors’ years of experience.The authors provide a step-by-step identification process that makes mushroom foraging fun and informative, and the guide’s 750+ color photographs make fungi species identification easy.Each species description contains information on edibility and/or toxicity, which is essential for foragers interested in eating wild mushrooms. Additionally, the descriptions provide enough detailed information to be of use for advanced students and professional mycologists. The highest quality documentary color images, as well as black-and-white illustrations by Anthoni Goodman, further assist in the identification process. This is the definitive guide for mushroom identification in the state of Georgia.

Identifying mushrooms in the wild can present an enticing challenge. Taking on unbelievable forms, some are delicious, others are deadly, but the edibility status of the majority remains unknown. In this revised and expanded edition of the classic, best-selling A Field Guide to Mushrooms of the Carolinas, readers will find over 1,000 mushroom species described in clear, simple terms, with color photographs showcasing their unique combinations of features.What's included:*Information on mushroom edibility and toxicity*Basic information on spore characteristics*Updated nomenclature and taxonomy based on the latest genetic analyses*An overview of the Carolinas' role in the history of American mycology*Over 1,000 color photographs of Carolina mushroomsThe unusually large number of described species makes this book a must-have for experienced mushroom hunters as well as those newly interested in mycology. Here, at last, is the definitive field guide for mushrooms in North and South Carolina, from the mountains to the coast, presented in a single portable volume.

The weather patterns and topography of America's Gulf Coast create favorable growing conditions for thousands of species of mushrooms, but the complete region has generally gone uncharted when it comes to mycology. Mushrooms of the Gulf Coast States at last delivers an in-depth, high-quality, user-friendly field guide, featuring more than 1,000 common and lesser-known species-some of which are being illustrated in color for the first time.Using easily identifiable characteristics and a color key, the authors enable anyone, whether amateur mushroom hunter or professional mycologist, to discern and learn about the numerous species of mushrooms encountered in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Wild-food enthusiasts will appreciate the information on edibility or toxicity that accompanies each description, and they will also find the book’s detailed instructions for collecting, cleaning, testing, preserving, and cooking wild mushrooms to be of great interest. Providing encyclopedic knowledge in a handy format that fits in a backpack, Mushrooms of the Gulf Coast States is a must-have for any mushroom lover.

This is the first color-illustrated guide to polypores and similar fungi specific to the eastern and central regions of the United States and Canada. Welcoming and comprehensive, it accurately presents the currently available information about polypores, emphasizes identification based primarily on macroscopic field characters, and includes observational data drawn from the authors' extensive experience. It includes new species and genera; addresses changing nomenclature; and provides details about polypores' biology, morphology, composition, role as parasites, interactions with various arthropods, and purported medicinal applications. The book also highlights how changes in geology, soil structure, and plant species due to factors such as continental drift and climate change have affected the evolution of polypores. Featuring more than 240 species of polypores, extensive and easy-to-use dichotomous keys, and more than 300 color illustrations and multiple maps and line drawings, it is a must-have for amateur and professional mycologists, forest service personnel, mycophagists, and anyone interested in learning more about this remarkable group of fungi.