The Gourmand’s Mushroom

As promised, The Gourmand team return with their third book spin-off, this time celebrating the mushroom. After spotlighting the egg and the lemon as endlessly versatile single ingredients, this edition gathers another mix of stories spanning history, culture, and cookery, unearthing the mysterious life of fungi.

Opening with chef and food writer Jeremy Lee’s reflection on these multifaceted fruiting bodies, the book dives into a wide range of perspectives: Jennifer Higgie’s piece on Hieronymus Bosch’s depiction of a mushroom; Takashi Murakami’s cartoon fungi; Beatrix Potter‘s tiny fungal worlds; Yayoi Kusama‘s mycelium-like forms; and an exploration into the spore‘s resilience in space and their possible extraterrestrial origins. Elsewhere, fashion’s obsession with mushrooms, Philip Gouston’s Mushroom Nail, and more. 

Alongside these contributions, find a generous platter of recipes, from Cantonese stuffed mushrooms and pâté to Polish porcini barszcz, okonomiyaki, crispy tempura, shiitake gyoza, mushroom ketchup, and a variety of pasta and pie dishes.