Mushroom Fever by Phyllis Ma explores the history of the first mushroom club in New York City—the 19th century New York Mycological Club.

Cornelia C. Bedford founded the organization in 1897 with the goals of studying and eating wild fungi. She was a cooking teacher and food writer who also created the snickerdoodle cookie.

The club’s lively social events around the city included bicycle forays, cooking demonstrations and Chinatown mushroom dinners. After a few exhilarating years, the New York Mycological Club dissolved and its demise remains a mystery.