Are you a fan of eating mushrooms? Doesn't is seem curious that mushrooms are suddenly so popular after being relegated to the back pantry shelf of western cooking and cuisine for so long?
Come join us for a delightful evening to step back and take an inquisitive look at fungi and food production. From the culinary habits and hubris of western cuisine to the growing possibilities of fungi for flavor, health, and culinary innovation. Inventive chef and author, Zachary Mazi will be presenting on Erecting the Third Culinary Kingdom: A fungi-centric review of cooking literature past, present, and future on Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
Zachary Mazi is a classically trained in the art of French cuisine, with ventures into the wide array of New American and Pacific Northwest cuisine. Chef Zachary Mazi presents an organic, foraged, local, & imaginative experience in both global cuisine & dining. Igniting others with his contagious zest for life, he creates lasting inspiration with delicious recipes and lectures. He is currently in the Pacific Northwest having returned from Chiang Mai, Thailand where he lived and foraged with his fiancé Kimberly for 80 unexpected weeks, planning on relocating to Mexico in March of 2022. He is the owner-chef-imaginator of The Food Bender, a cookbook author, and mycophagy researcher. See his self-published work on patreon.com/mycophagybook.
Chef Zachary will be discussing that as a civilizations, as a global culture, we have been lulled into complacency in our cookbooks. Our bookshelves of culinary classics present a world made up of TWO kingdoms: plants and animals. Until recently, the fungi kingdom, the with its dazzling diversity and cryptic habit, has been completely ignored if not willfully misunderstood. We lump "mushrooms" under M in the vegetable section, and consider our work done. Such insolence! Such ignorance!
Fortunately, the amazing potential of fungi for food production, health, and culinary delight is more and more clear. This presentation expands some of the nuance of both edible mushrooms but also the fungi we employ in all manner of cooking already, from fermentation to baking. This engrossing and informative presentation sheds light not just on cooking fungi, but on our history with cooking and with the art of cooking as a human race, urging attendees to start thinking outside of the box they didn't even know they were in!
Please RSVP now and you will be sent the Zoom link for this not-to-be-missed presentation.
Chef Zachary, is also known as the food bender, because of his belief that food literally shapes us. It shapes our culture, our bodies, our emotional well being, and for us mushroom enthusiasts it shapes what we spend every fleeting moment thinking about during monsoon or morel season. His passion for edible fungi and food is clear and contagious.
Also, now available is a very special and quality opportunity to join Zack in Oaxaca this summer: https://mycophagybook.com/oaxaca.html.
Take in Oaxaca’s rich culture, cuisine & nature over 7 full days & 8 nights as you forage, cook, & craft with local Zapotecs in verdant Sierra Norte highlands & explore the ancient history, epic cuisine, & indigenous artisanship of the region. Beginning with one night in Oaxaca City, we will experience the culinary delights & visit some ancient history of the region.
This event will be recorded and will be available to AMS members on the website.