The dates for the first session of this class are August 18-19 and replace the August 22-23 dates printed in the catalog. Our apologies for the discrepancy.

This class will spend a day in the field and a day in the kitchen. Stepping into nature, we are surrounded by edible wild foods. Old traditions of foraging have seen a passionate resurgence of interest among Midwestern chefs and home cooks intrigued by the vitality of foods growing just footsteps—or a healthy hike—from their doors. However, many hesitate over collecting wild mushrooms: How do you know which mushrooms are safe to eat? And once you do, how should you prepare them? Join a certified wild mushroom identification expert and a veteran cook and mycophile for an intelligent hunt for delicious fungi in the local woods.

We will begin by discussing the natural habitats friendly to fruitings of edible mushrooms, then head out for a full day of exploration, hopefully discovering a basketful of late summer or early autumn species like lobster, chanterelle, or king boletes. The next morning, we’ll gather in the school’s kitchen classroom for a cooking workshop and communal lunch. Be prepared for a healthy hike of more than a mile over uneven ground on Day 1.

Michael and Lisa are the co-authors (along with photographer Dennis Becker) of Untamed Mushrooms: From Field to Table. A hybrid guidebook/cookbook, it invites readers to get off the couch and into the woods to start their own mushroom-stalking adventures. Students will learn a baker's dozen of easily identifiable edible and delicious wild mushrooms.

This course is open to students ages 12+.

Physical ability note: Students will need to be able to stand and walk for the better part of the class.

Required Tools

• Comfortable, sturdy hiking shoes
• Insect repellent
• Lightweight backpack, water bottle, snacks/bag lunch (for Saturday, when we’re in the field)

Physical Ability/Skills Needed

•  Ability to stand & walk for the better part of the class