Joe's Book of Mushroom Cookery [signed] [first edition]

When Joe's restaurant opened in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1916 as a working man's bar, it specialized in mushroom soup made from wild mushrooms gathered in the pine forests outside of town. Now the restaurant's former proprietor brings this sumptuous collection of more than 300 recipes, ranging from the elegantly simple to the ultimately sophisticated. All the old favorites are here, as well as exciting new recipes such as Wild Mushroom Vichyssoise, Soft-Shelled Crabs with Chanterelles, and Duck with Oyster Mushrooms and Cassis-Zinfandel Sauce. Delicious mushroomless desserts like Blueberry-Peach Trifle and Double Chocolate Souffle top off each meal. There is also detailed information on how to choose and prepare mushrooms in all forms (fresh, canned, dried), tips on the best ways to bring out their quintessential flavors, menu plans, and a list of mycological clubs: everything you need to bring the adventure of mushroom cuisine to your table. "At last we have a book that demystifies wild mushrooms and that shows us the wonderful ways to cook them. Joe's Book of Mushroom Cookery inspired me to...really get going with mushrooms. A very much needed book!" —Jeremiah Tower "As a lifelong mushroom hunter and cook, I can truly vouch that this is the most interesting book written on the subject. [It is] as good for meat lovers as it is for vegetarians, and the mint of information the book contains is pure pleasure to the reader." —Madeleine Kamman "Concise, well-written, imaginative, and fascinating. This is without doubt one of the most important and unusual cookbooks to be published in years." —James Villas