Netflix and Shroom?
Well, actually…yes! Netflix has some great mushroom content right now! At R&R Cultivation, we love growing and eating mushrooms because of their versatility, complexity, and deliciousness. We also love to learn about how mushrooms and other fungi can be used to help with environmental sustainability, clean up toxic waste, and even treat certain medical conditions. If you’re already a big gourmet mushroom fan, you may enjoy learning more about Kingdom fungi and how it shapes the world around us. Here are a few of our favorite books and documentaries that shed light on all these complex organisms have to offer.
Fantastic Fungi
This Netflix documentary is causing quite the buzz because of its in-depth look into mushrooms and the mycelium that creates them. Our team was surprised to learn about all the fungi that don’t produce mushrooms but still play an integral role in nature and human society. Fantastic Fungi does a great job of showing how humans have relied on fungi throughout history, from the ancient process of yeast fermentation to the ways scientists are using fungi to create a better future.
Entangled Life
The gourmet mushrooms we love to grow and eat are an important part of the fungus kingdom, but there are many other species of fungi that don’t even produce mushrooms! These species all fill different roles on Earth. Entangled Life dives into the complex world of fungi and offers a comprehensive look at how we interact with these organisms every single day. From the complex life cycle of mycelium to the process of fermentation using yeast, Entangled Life does a great job of conveying the immeasurable impact fungi have had on our planet.
Magic Medicine
Many researchers are beginning to explore the therapeutic benefits of mushrooms in a lab setting, wondering if they could be the key to treating and curing both physical and mental ailments. Magic Medicine gives us a look into how scientists go about testing the effects of mushrooms on the body. This British documentary centers around a medical trial to give psilocybin (the psychoactive ingredient in certain mushrooms) to a group of volunteers suffering from clinical depression. The documentary follows three of the volunteers and the staff running the trial, who are all hoping this treatment can someday be used to treat depression that has been resistant to other interventions. It’s a fascinating look into an area that we’re just beginning to explore.
Shroom: Mind-bendingly Good Recipes for Cultivated and Wild Mushrooms
Home cooks continue to become more and more interested in cooking with gourmet mushrooms, so there’s no shortage of mushroom-focused cookbooks on the market. We were drawn to Shroom because of its detailed how-to's on everything home cooks need to know about cleaning, drying, freezing, and dehydrating mushrooms. Of course, we also love this cookbook’s dozens of easy-to-follow recipes for home cooks!
