The number of people requiring medical treatment after eating poisonous fungi has risen dramatically this summer, prompting fears that many others will be taken ill during the remaining weeks of the wild mushroom season.

It's been a bumper year so far for wild mushrooms and long may it continue. My foragers in Dorset, Kent and Norfolk have been finding all sorts of stuff, including some lovely firm ceps or penny buns in large quantities.

Serves 4

Serves 4

Serves 4

Serves 4

Gourmets in Italy and beyond are licking their lips in anticipation of a bumper crop this year of the most prized culinary delicacy of all, the white truffle.

The juicy, versatile squash is the ideal ingredient for autumn's most comforting dishes

Nothing smells as good on a weekend morning as field mushrooms simmering in a pan with proper bacon. And conditions for fungi must be perfect this month, because they have been bouncing up all over the place. On the lawn outside my hut, field mushrooms appeared overnight to join hands in an enigmatic dark circle of grass. It's never happened before. But the ground was well warmed by the gorgeous weather we had earlier this summer. Then it rained and up they came.

Serves 4

The number of breweries in Britain has increased four-fold in 40 years, with scores opening in the past year.

Serves 2

This is no more earthy pleasure than new-season mushrooms. But don't limit yourself to the familiar varieties, says Skye Gyngell. Dig around for girolles, and glory in their pungent meatiness

Serves 2