Field Guide To North American Truffles: Hunting, Identifying, And Enjoying The World's Most Prized Fungi Download Free (EPUB, PDF)

                
              
Field Guide To North American Truffles: Hunting, Identifying, And Enjoying The World's Most Prized Fungi Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
The second most expensive food in the world after saffron, truffles are treasured, coveted, and savored for their mysterious and exotic flavor. This complete field guide shows chefs and fungi aficionados how to forage for and identify the wide variety of truffles that grow in temperate forests throughout North America. Written by expert horticulturalists who have studied, classified, and enjoyed truffles for decades, the FIELD GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN TRUFFLES makes these celebrated underground jewels accessible to all. The first full-color illustrated guide to identifying North American truffles by their key features, including profiles of more than 80 species of truffles. Includes more than 80 photographs of rare and hard-to-find truffle species. Features flavor profiles, delectability index, and culinary tips for each species. Perfect size for carrying in a pocket or daypack.Reviews"It'¬?s the first book of its kind, complete with photographs, cross-sectional views of indigenous truffle varieties, guides to seasonal availability, and foraging tips for hundreds of kinds of truffles (both the edible and inedible kinds), as well as tasting notes and cooking tips."-Saveur
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Ten Speed Press (October 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1580088627
ISBN-13: 978-1580088626
Product Dimensions:  4 x 0.4 x 7 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review:  4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #497,226 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)   #23 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > By Region > Pacific Northwest   #58 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > By Region > West   #107 in Books > Science & Math > Biological Sciences > Plants > Mushrooms
If you're thinking of picking this up just so you can jaunt out to the woods and grab some food for dinner, you might want to think twice--given the number of inedible fungi out there (some toxic), the authors do recommend that amateurs wanting edible truffles take along a more experienced truffle hunter until they've got the hang of it. If you think that hunting truffles would make a cool hobby however, particularly given the newness of the sport and the possibility for finding and identifying new species, this is an indispensable book to have in your pocket.Along with an introduction covering plenty of general tips on truffle hunting, the book includes detailed pages on many species of truffle. These include photographs, of course, and it's amazing to discover the vast range of colors, patterns, shapes, sizes, etc. among truffles! The season during which each truffle can be found is noted; for instance, the Trappea darkeri's season is April--November. Distribution comes next, anything from the vague "Western North America" to the incredibly specific "Only in western Oregon and northern California in lowland to foothill forests." Habitat describes, usually, the type of trees under which the truffle variety is found.Since photos and descriptions sometimes aren't enough for identification, spore information is included as well--starting with a photograph of the spores (generally taken through a microscope). Spore notes include size in micrometers and a general description, and sometimes include notes on the particular dye or solution used to bring out certain features."Features" and "Comments" sections provide plenty of information to help you further identify the particular fungus you've found, often including internal physical details found upon cutting the specimen open as well as notes on odor and culinary value.Finally, each entry ends with a brief section labeled simply "DR" for "desirability rating," or how desirable the NATS has deemed the truffle to be for culinary uses. This ranges from unknown or inedible to the entertaining label of `insipid', the damning-with-faint-praise `palatable,' and finally a rare few species labeled tasty or delicious.If you think you you'd be interested in digging up some truffles, this is an absolutely invaluable little book for helping you to figure out what you've got on your hands!
Overall, I was very disappointed in this book. I did receive the book timely and was satisfied with that aspect of the transaction. However, unless you live in the Northwest or Western part of the United States, this book is of limited value in my opinion, especially if you are anywhere in the Eastern half of the country because that part of the U.S. is completely ignored. I am most assuredly NOT a mycologist, and certainly will never claim to be any type of expert whatsoever, but it was disappointing to see that the book never addressed the Tuber Melanosporum (Black Truffle) which is being grown very successfully in the Eastern part of the U.S. in various states, particularly North Carolina and Tennessee, just to name a couple of places with more areas as well. In addition, there was no mention of the Tuber Aestivum (Black Summer Truffles) or any others that can be found in the Eastern parts of the United States. Bottom line, the pictures of what is presented in this book are excellent and the microscopic depictions are as well, but if you don't live in the Pacific Northwest or the Western part of the country, this book isn't worth the investment in my opinion. It will be of minimal value to us as we live in North Carolina.
Okay, I have to admit I was amazed that there are so many truffle species in the US. I've been hunting mushrooms for decades; but it never really dawned on me to dig around for truffles. I did find and eat some truffles when I planted pine trees in northern Alabama years ago; but never gave them much more thought. I'll add a small rake to the equipment I lug around on my forays in the woods this year. I thank the authours for opening up a new passion for me. I especially like the attention to the spore colours and shapes. This is the book to get if you're interested in these little gems
Most of this book is about false truffles, I live in the northwest and only three or four of the truffles of cullinary interest from my area are in this book, however I found it to be an interesting book to look through, and the info I wanted was mostly there.
This is book for those that cook and are looking for new adventures! Detailed descriptions of what and where to look. I do not agree with every review, so take a chance and decide for yourself. Its an adventure! Great book, new hobby.
Learned a lot from this book, just wish I lived in an area that these grow, seems not many in my region of the states. Handy book to carry in the hunting grounds.
A nice little book for the avid mushroom hunter. Not particularly easy to use as a field guide, especially if you are not in the Pacific Northwest and are looking for information by geographic area.
book came in great shape, was easy to read and very informative about truffles. I have 20 acres surrounded by Doug Firs with a variety of truffles, and this book will come in real handy.
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