More than three hundred innovative and eclectic mushroom-based recipes are complemented by explicit buying and preserving instructions, menu plans, and information about mail-order outlets and mycological clubs In 1916, Joe Czarnecki opened a workingman's bar in Reading, Pennsylvania, named, aptly, Joe's. The specialty was mushroom soup made from the wild mushrooms gathered in nearby pine forests. Joe's became famous for the mushroom dishes and survived through two more generations of Czarneckis, including his grandson Jack. A former proprietor of Joe's Restaurant, Jack Czarnecki has put together one of the most complete mushroom cookbooks ever assembled. Joe's Book of Mushroom Cookery is the New Basics of fungus. With more than 300 recipes, the selection ranges from the elegantly simple to the ultimately sophisticated. The book is also an excellent guide to demystifying cooking with both commercial and wild mushrooms. Czarnecki immediately cautions of the inherent dangers in collecting wild mushrooms, and advises that caution and education are the best way to avoid pitfalls. Since this is a cookbook, not a field guide, a chapter is included on how and where to learn about collecting wild mushrooms. Also helpful is an extensive section on the culinary characteristics and preparation and storage of selected mushrooms. But where Czarnecki ultimately shines is in the recipe section of the book. Joe's Book of Mushroom Cookery is perhaps the most comprehensive collection of mushroom recipes available. The spectrum is broad, covering classic French approaches such as Filet Mignon en Croûte, to lighter nouvelle dishes such as Fresh Trout with Mushroom Stuffing. There are also excellent sections on mushroom soups, appetizers, sauces, and desserts. Several lifetimes of experience in Joe's Book of Mushroom Cookery and the passion can't help but be contagious. --Mark O. Howerton