Myco-what??

The month of September is National Mushroom Month.

How many of you out there knew that fascinating bit of trivia before reading this blog post? I confess I did not, but it certainly sparked my curiosity, and as this blog is called the “Curiosity Exchange,” I thought I would look into ways the library can help us all give props to and celebrate mushrooms during September and share the many possibilities with you.

For the Mycologists and Mycophiles

Some of you may already be hip to many varieties of mushrooms and which are and are not edible, but for those of you who aren’t so mushroom savvy, there are plenty of guides to be consulted in the MORE system under the subject heading “Mushroom Identification.” Our collection in Eau Claire offers the featured title 100 Cool Mushrooms, which covers “a broad spectrum of North American mushrooms.” But folks, according to The Journal of Wild Mushrooming, there are roughly 10,000 species that have been described in North America and mycophiles agree that there are many species that have not yet been identified, so 100 cool mushrooms is just the tip of the iceberg.

If you’re looking for a new hobby, check out our collection of items that will guide you in the art of cultivating mushrooms under the “Mushroom Culture” subject heading. You can find information on growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms at home, collecting edible mushrooms, organic mushroom farming, and a beginner’s guide to mushrooming without fear. 

For the Mycophagists

And if you are looking for some great new recipes to prepare all of those mushrooms you have now learned to cultivate and identify, check out the books under the “Cooking Mushrooms” subject heading, where you can find recipes for enhancing the subtleties of your preferred mushroom’s texture, flavor and size.

One Final Pun

And the morel of the story is…

Eat more mushrooms and you too can be a Fungi.

Sources consulted:

http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question93651.html

http://www.mushroomthejournal.com/greatlakesdata/TopTen/Quest19.html#1Howmanymu