Thanks to this book, you'll become a mushroom expert.

Often, a passion for mushrooms comes from unforgettable mushroom-picking moments in the forest, accompanied by a grandfather or other family member. For Guillaume E. Lopez, things are a little different. This expert, who is publishing his book "Le génie méconnu (et discret) des champignons" ("The little-known (and discreet) genius of mushrooms") on September 25 2024 with Albin Michel Editions, first developed a passion for gardening in his early childhood, before taking an interest in aquariophily. "Later, I finally turned to permaculture and discovered mycorrhiza, which is the symbiotic association between fungi and plant roots. It fascinated me!"

"Our planet needs the power of fungi to exist".

Little by little, Guillaume E. Lopez realized that the world of mushrooms wasn't just about cooking and meticulous picking, where the slightest mistake can be fatal. "Mushrooms are the foundation of terrestrial life. They speed up the exchange process within living beings and enable life to emerge. They also have a major impact on the oceans, as they accelerate erosion, releasing nutrients such as calcium and providing the building blocks for the skeletons of crustaceans, for example. When crustaceans die, their skeletons sink to the bottom of the oceans, forming rocks and creating a carbon reservoir that impacts our climate. In short, our planet needs the power of fungi to exist!"

Pharmaceutical and food industries

But that's not all. If Guillaume E. Lopez is so passionate about mushrooms that he has written a book about them, it's also to remind us that recreating links with mushrooms means recreating links with the living. "In Europe, because of the 'witch-hunts' that have taken place over the last few centuries, mushrooms have been equated with something evil. Whereas in Asian countries, they have an image of power - the proof is that when Mario eats mushrooms, he gains in strength! Mushrooms are capable of colonizing the elements in which they live, but also of adapting rapidly to their environment, making them super allies in medicine or the food industry."

Among Guillaume E. Lopez's favorite mushrooms is the Judas ear, a black mushroom widely used in Asian cuisine, notably in egg rolls and soups. "It doesn't have much taste and a cartilaginous texture, so it can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. But above all, it thins the blood and adds vitality", explains the expert. To find out more about the fascinating world of mushrooms, read "Le génie méconnu (et discret) des champignons", published by Albin Michel, available from September 25.