BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year

Subject: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: olddude
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 01:27 PM

I scored some dandies.   A big hen of the woods and some giant puff balls. In my yard I have a large group of jack-o-lanterns (Omphalotus illudens). I keep going out at night to see if they glow. People say they do but I never really noticed .

any pickers

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: olddude
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 01:33 PM

wild mushroom soup oh yes

(notice: no guns involved in the harvest of wild mushrooms. Names changed to protect the innocent)   :-) lol

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: olddude
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 01:38 PM

one of my Jack-o-lanterns

very edible but I don't care for them in my soup. Just like to look at them

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 01:46 PM

My wife grew up in the Polish community of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. In fact, her first language was Polish. Mushroom gathering was a community event, an activity that everyone loved. She had a big jar of dried Rhode Island mushrooms when we got married twelve years ago. They're long gone now, but they were delicious.
And we don't feel competent picking California mushrooms.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: olddude
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 02:30 PM

me too Joe. I only know the ones I grew up with. I still have to see if my Jack-o-lantern glows in the dark.   I know some guys that are specialist in wild mushrooms. I am not. I use to tell people in survival find something else. I mean you have the know the gill pattern some have a milky cap others do not. some are edible some kill you .. I stick with what I know it is the safest way. There is only a few that I go after but wow tastey

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: GUEST,sciencegeek
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 02:46 PM

here in the East, I only trust shaggy manes and puffballs... the ones I know I can't screw up... LOL

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: GUEST,#
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 03:25 PM

Made a neat soup with a puffball my buddy brought over. Does anyone know whether puffballs can be dried and saved over winter?

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: olddude
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 03:52 PM

I have done that.. I have dried them works good. Oh some people get sick eating a jackolantern mushroom. I am not one of them I never got sick but best to not eat them if you have them. Taste like a wet dish towel I just look at them. Now hen of the woods awesome

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: olddude
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 04:29 PM

Stick to the ones that are always safe chicken of the woods, hen of the woods, giant puffs. The risk is not good. If you have an expert friend fine but they can make you sick if you experiment on your own. I only do ones I really know well even if I am pretty certain of the others. Some are fine at one stage then make you puke at another stage. Some are fine on hardwood but not on pine. It's a science I don't know enough about. I use to tell survival guys just leave them alone.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 04:39 PM

A friend of mine in New York sent a picture of a lobster mushroom she had picked. Looked luscious, but I've never seen one.

I've never picked any mushrooms to eat but there are a couple I would feel confident of picking, the shaggy mane and the chanterelle mostly.

I have no qualms eating mushrooms that some people have picked but ONLY if they grew up picking them.

Once a sis gave me a small jar of mushrooms she had been given. Like her, I never even opened it. Just pitched it in the trash.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 04:41 PM

Meant to add that I have a Polish friend whose expertise I trust, and another friend from Kansas whose wild mushrooms I would eat.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 04:42 PM

I love the IDEA of collecting wild mushrooms, but the ones I recognise enough to be confident of, are invariably maggot ridden mouldy old things! I have done well with fly agaric in the past (possibly the easiest of all fungi to identify?) I've not actually tried it myself - though I know those who drink it in 'shamanic' tea.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: olddude
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 04:51 PM

Awesome Cs yea Ebbie it makes a difference who gets them. I have eaten many that are listed as poisonous and never got sick. Only because I got them at a time period where they are usually ok. I have learned to stick to the basics. Heck one big hen of the woods can be the size of a large basket and never poison. Now I am a lot less of a risk taker than when I was young. Many are listed as poison and are only poison at certain times but only an expert knows and I am not

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: bobad
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 07:04 PM

Same friend as Guest#'s laid some puffball on me. Fried it up and shared with friends who had never had it before.....delicious and savoured by all.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: olddude
Date: 02 Oct 14 - 07:40 PM

Wish you were close I would give you a huge hen of the woods.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 03:56 AM

Although I can no longer remember where I heard or read it, I think it is worth mentioning that, so I understand, there are wild mushrooms in North America that resemble edible European mushrooms but which are in fact a different variety and poisonous. So beware, and eat carefully.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: GUEST,sciencegeek
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 09:11 AM

I am actually more interested in growing my own mushrooms... plenty of good sources now of spore & innoculated dowels... and a much greater number of varieties available.

my next retirement project, but first I need to retire!!!

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Rumncoke
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 09:40 AM

amanita phalloides, one of the deadliest fungi known are growing at this time of year in England. Another name for them is death cap.

When I was living up in the Midlands I used to go around picking them from beneath the trees left standing on open ground around the housing estate - just in case someone thought they were good to eat. They smell of roses.

Many people saw me collecting them and not one ever said 'oh - you do know they can kill you.' or similar warning words.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Rapparee
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 09:40 AM

Morels.

I shall say no more except, Morels.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Rumncoke
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 09:58 AM

omphalotus olearius grows in some parts of England, and it is poisonous - o illudens is a similar species - also considered poisonous, and (I just found out) known as jack o lanterns. They cause vomiting, diarrhea and cramps.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 10:07 AM

I thought bobert might have started this thread, just to gloat about having favorite morel sites.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 10:36 AM

I had the best mushroom soup one could ever dream of in a little restaurant near the salt mine outside Krakow. It had noodles in it that were perfectly al dente (or the Polish equivalent). Never thought of noodles in mushroom soup before, but they were delicious.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: GUEST,#
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 01:35 PM

Wild Mushroom Time by Billy Zit and the Grapes

The wintertime is coming
And the Psilocybe semilanceata are sweetly blooming
And the wild mountain Thymus vulgaris
Grows around the blooming Calluna vulgaris
Will you go, lassie, go


It needs a little work.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: olddude
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 01:58 PM

I love it thank you for song and also yes thank you for the poison on the jack o lanterns. Never eat them. I have and didn't ever get sick but most people will don't try it. Morels oh yes I agree yum I can't find them this year so far

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 03:16 PM

I've only ever found morels in early summer (except dried ones from shops).

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 03:03 PM

Once a giant puffball has turned to spores in the middle it's no good. One giant puffball can produce as many spores as there are people on Earth. The best thing I ever did with giant puffball was to cut it into half-inch thick slices, dip it into beaten egg then seasoned breadcrumbs and fry it for a few minutes each side in butter. I can't tell you how good that is with kippers (real ones, not boil-in-the-bag nonsense).

I eat a number of wild species round here but my two favourites are horse mushrooms (Agaricus arvensis) and parasols. Horse mushrooms can be huge and satisfyingly meaty. There's a nasty little blighter in the field next to my house that looks like an insipid version of a horse mushroom, the Yellow Stainer. If you scratch the stalk of a horse mushroom it will smell pleasantly aniseedy and may discolour only slightly. If you scratch a Yellow Stainer it discolours quickly to an assertive yellow and it gives off an unpleasant, dry inky smell. Horse mushrooms, in my view, taste even better than ordinary field mushrooms, but they're both superb. If you cut them just above ground level and keep them upright you'll avoid getting nasty bits of grit in the gills. Parasols are delicious but are definitely best picked well before the caps flatten out (and become full of maggots). As with horse mushrooms I just hack them into chunks and fry in butter. Maybe with a bit of seasoning plus parsley and garlic, then eat them on buttered toast. Mmmm.

By the way, the suggested consumption of fly agaric is bad advice.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 03:06 PM

To be clear, the colour-stain scratch test should be carried out on the bases of the stems. These two mushrooms can grow together.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 14 - 06:38 PM

Once a giant puffball has turned to spores in the middle it's no good. One giant puffball can produce as many spores as there are people on Earth. The best thing I ever did with giant puffball was to cut it into half-inch thick slices, dip it into beaten egg then seasoned breadcrumbs and fry it for a few minutes each side in butter. I can't tell you how good that is with kippers (real ones, not boil-in-the-bag nonsense).

I eat a number of wild species round here but my two favourites are horse mushrooms (Agaricus arvensis) and parasols. Horse mushrooms can be huge and satisfyingly meaty. There's a nasty little blighter in the field next to my house that looks like an insipid version of a horse mushroom, the Yellow Stainer. If you scratch the stalk of a horse mushroom it will smell pleasantly aniseedy and may discolour only slightly. If you scratch a Yellow Stainer it discolours quickly to an assertive yellow and it gives off an unpleasant, dry inky smell. Horse mushrooms, in my view, taste even better than ordinary field mushrooms, but they're both superb. If you cut them just above ground level and keep them upright you'll avoid getting nasty bits of grit in the gills. Parasols are delicious but are definitely best picked well before the caps flatten out (and become full of maggots). As with horse mushrooms I just hack them into chunks and fry in butter. Maybe with a bit of seasoning plus parsley and garlic, then eat them on buttered toast. Mmmm.

By the way, the suggested consumption of fly agaric is bad advice.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Oct 14 - 03:30 PM

We have a friend who grows and sells the setup for growing Shittake mushrooms. He actually was included in our crafts area at the Washington Folk Festival in June... sold like 27 oak logs with the spores for injecting.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Oct 14 - 06:09 PM

Cultivated mushrooms suck. Good for nothing.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 05 Oct 14 - 09:12 PM

I have absolutely no idea why my longer post above posted for a second time over three hours after its first manifestation. Nothing to do with me.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: olddude
Date: 05 Oct 14 - 09:26 PM

Well they don't have the flavor at least my opinion

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Rumncoke
Date: 06 Oct 14 - 06:29 AM

They taste fine to me - but then, I can't stand the additions in most processed foods these days - everything is loaded with sugar or salt, pepper, chillies - grossly over flavoured and then labelled reduced fat.

I heard someone on the Radio last night refer to these as, I think it was, AFSs, almost food-like substances.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: gnu
Date: 06 Oct 14 - 02:27 PM

Steve... that double post musta been a flashback from the Magic Shrooms, man.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Oct 14 - 06:12 PM

I take no substances. Oi, Rumncoke, wassup with chillies by the way! But I will not buy any food that says reduced fat. I'd sooner hack off me privates with a rusty machete.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: Janie
Date: 06 Oct 14 - 08:16 PM

Used to know and eat a handful of wild shrooms - most of which Old Dude already mentioned, but am out of practice and not likely these days to go for anything other than puffball, meadow mushrooms and sulpher shelf/chicken of the woods, or a couple of boletes I am well familiar with.

A few years ago moved to a place with a large, heavily shaded lot that every fall has an abundance of 'shrooms growing, but have lost the "eye" and the knowledge to key out those I think might be edible, so steer clear. None of the varieties that spring up in my yard are readily and easily identifiable without taking spoor prints, etc. Got very sick once, many years ago, from misidentifying so probably more cautious than the average bear.

One casual caveat about puff balls - immature earth stars can be mistaken for puff balls, so if you are a novice, cut the damn thing open before heating the oil in the skillet.

Tiny bit of thread drift but related to my above post. I first started learning about and eating wild plants in the spring of the year. One of my favorites that first year, gathered with a knowledgeable guide, were milkweed shoots -asparagusly tasting and very yummy. I moved north a couple of degrees over the winter. The following spring I gathered a large basket of what I thought were milkweed shoots. Something wasn't quite right, and after the pot was ready to add the shoots to steam them, I decided to take a more careful look and pulled out all the field guides. I had gathered dog bane shoots. Quite toxic. Further north, they appeared at about the same time as milkweed shoots where I had previously lived. Very similar in appearance, but not fuzzy. Closer call than I care to remember.

Subject: RE: BS: its the wild mushroom time of the year
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 07 Oct 14 - 03:35 AM

I don't buy anything that says 'reduced fat' though there is no need for a rusty machete. Nor do I buy anything that says 'reduced sugar' - in most cases I look at the list of ingredients and choose something without sugar. It's not a 'health' thing, I just don't like my dinner to be sweet except when it is supposed to be, such as ice cream or cake, though even then I prefer to be able to taste the other ingredients rather than the whole thing being swamped by sweetness. 'Reduced sugar' usually means they have used artificial sweeteners, which are even worse.