29 MAY 1959, Page 32

MUSHROOMS AND OTHERS

Sta,—If, as Pharos says, the English accept boletus edulis as just another mushroom, it is evidence Of their inability to distinguish finer shades of taste in the dishes that are put before them. French chef', who must cook for more discriminating eaters, separate most carefully the recipes which require mushrooms, from those which require, for instance, morels or ceps. Lumping all edible fungi together 'mushrooms' is as coarsely indiscriminate as the practice of London restaurants of serving the small glaucomatous spheres which they call 'peas' in th'f garnish of every dish, all the year round.—Your' faithfully,

Out wood. Surrey

OLIVER STEWAR1