I believe mushrooms are one of my absolute favorite foods.  I have loved them for years but I think I have loved them even more after becoming a vegetarian.  Also known as toadstools, they are fleshy growths of fungus that are used in foods throughout the world.  “Meaty”, hardy and versatile, I have cooked white mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and of course portobello mushrooms.  I always have truffle oil in the house and I once told my husband at a wedding that truffles made ANYthing heavenly.  (He almost refused the macaroni and cheese because of his distrust.  After begging him to just take a taste he devoured three huge helpings.  All I could do was pray no one noticed and smirk, “I TOLD you!”)  I have consumed other different types like chanterelle, morel, and oyster mushrooms in restaurants in everything from soups to (vegetarian) “hamburgers”.  They say there are thousands of different types of mushrooms and only a small percentage of them are poisonous.  But I have always been too afraid to forage for mushrooms in the wild.  Despite the wonders of Google, I still wouldn’t trust getting the difference right between edible and poisonous.  While researching this subject I learned that mycology is the branch of biology dealing with fungi.  A mycologist has studied their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy, and use to humans as well as their dangers.  I found it fascinating that fungi are evolutionarily more closely related to animals than plants!  This was not recognized until only a few decades ago according to what I’ve read.  Fungi are fundamental for life on earth in their roles as symbionts.  Many fungi are able to break down pollutants and, by decomposing these molecules, fungi play a critical role in the global carbon cycle.  I certainly had no idea.  American mycologist Paul Stamets said, “Fungi are the grand recyclers of the planet and the vanguard species in habitat restoration.”  So now I have even more reasons to be wild about mushrooms … as long as someone can reassure me I’m eating the right ones.