Edible Mushroom Hunters/Gatherers...

[stasis]

Although some that you mention are familiar to me, nvthis, You have given me some things to look up. Mahalo..!

Have you seen the specimen I photographed above...? Not very common, according to my guides. Looked exactly like a young-teen King (B Edulis) but imagine my surprise upon pulling it and seeing the stipe... Then cutting it in half.. Instant Deep Green-Blue... Even the outside of the cap. Instant.... Deep Green-Blue. Danger.. ! I gasped. Wow..! Sorta new to this hobby.

Found the first Hedgehog today on the search property I have access to. Cooked it up, and it is my favorite so far. Also, at a different location, discovered a couple nice King Boletes today - no bugs. A teen and a baby knob. White Tubes, bruising not at all. Not yellow bruising immediate blue like our "Jackson Pollack" friend photographed above... haha..

Will cook those Kings tomorrow. One sort of mushroom per day. At least at this stage, following the rules is important. And not eating those Zeller's Boletes, (or Red-Cracked) No matter how much I love the colors.. Seems any Blue-Staining Bolete feels a bit bad or worse.

 

[SeaMaiden]

What does that coloration indicate, stasis?

 

[Stondestmanaliv]

Whoa. Nature provides art. This one shocked me..! Ain;t eating it. Boletus Colopus, pretty sure.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=41377&pictureid=978877

Holy hell.. Look at this pic.. "Should I eat it, one may ask".. Cut open the fungus and awaits inside is a natural picture of a question mark (?) and a large X.

so.. "Should I eat it, one may ask" and Nature responds with ~~> ? X nice.. who taught that mushroom? Yes mushroom, I C U

STAND
____
eye

 

[stasis]

Sea Maiden:

The Colors and the Scratch test can be used to help identify Postively what a Mushroom is. Some won't eat Boletes that stain Blue upon scratching. (such as Zeller's Bolete)..

I suppose certain chemicals within each Mushroom cause different oxydation, and thus colors differ. Other than that any indications are unknown to me.

Nature's thrilling...! I am not aware of what causes a Mushroom to turn an amazing wash of Green-blue immediately upon cutting any part..!

Yeah, Stondestmanalive., imagine me cutting it open and seeing hieroglyphics..>!!! haha.,.

 

[stasis]

Weird how King Boletes, Boletus Edulis, Porcini, Gamboni, Steinpilz - all names for the same Mushroom, and it makes me feel a bit more than a little bit Ill whenever I eat it. Perhaps, not cooking it long enough. But,seems thoroughly done to me. The Manuals indicate that it is one of the Mushrooms that can be eatn raw... Everyone's different I guess.

Gotta find one of those hoards of Hedgehogs (Dentium) like a friend once took me to near the King Range..... Bags and Bags of the most wonderful tasting Mushroom.

 

[stasis]

Just cooked up a few Hedgehogs I found today. (Dentium, Tooth Fungi)

It's My favorite so far, along with Chanterelles, which they seem to be similar to texturewise and taste.

Had to stop myself, as I still try to not overindulge. A few bites, and I will finish them tomorrow. At some point I will know what works for mr 100% and what does not. Amazing how these Hedgehogs and Chanterelles have an effect on My taste buds after eating. Makes everything taste better. Even my Cannabis Flowers..!

I can feel that effect just standing here. Some sort of Surprising Chemical reaction, a positive one. An interesting lingering taste.. Even though King Boletes seem to rile my Belly, These Two varieties do not.

There's something special about eating WIld Mushrooms in general. Immune Boost. and who knows what else..?

 

[RandyCalifornia]

Hi Stasis, I live just west of Normal too. If you walk any further west your feet will get real wet. Do you think there are many edible mushrooms like chantrels and boletes that grow in the redwoods or spruce groves up here? Or do I have to go inland and look under oaks and maples?
Thanks for sharing your mushroom experiences and great pics.

 

[unregistered190]

nice thread....coming up year i will be hunting mushrooms again. been years and years but i remember the delicious morels in the midwest

 

[nvthis]

Although some that you mention are familiar to me, nvthis, You have given me some things to look up. Mahalo..!

Have you seen the specimen I photographed above...? Not very common, according to my guides. Looked exactly like a young-teen King (B Edulis) but imagine my surprise upon pulling it and seeing the stipe... Then cutting it in half.. Instant Deep Green-Blue... Even the outside of the cap. Instant.... Deep Green-Blue. Danger.. ! I gasped. Wow..! Sorta new to this hobby.

.

We find LOTS of Erythropus in these woods.

This might be my favorite time of year. While on a walk by the lake, I found a huge vein of unopened Matsutake buttons. Number 1's, very nice. I took them to a local sushi bar (it has to be Japanese run. If it's Koreans or Chinese, they will never recognize what you have...) and swapped them for an awesome sushi dinner. The Japs just go absolutely ape shit for these, and I happily subscribe.

 

[stasis]

Hi Stasis, I live just west of Normal too. If you walk any further west your feet will get real wet. Do you think there are many edible mushrooms like chantrels and boletes that grow in the redwoods or spruce groves up here? Or do I have to go inland and look under oaks and maples?
Thanks for sharing your mushroom experiences and great pics.

Hey there RC.. Yeah, life West of Normal is a bit different, eh..?

I find usually one real nice Un-infested King Bolete every time I look. Most of the time lately it has been within earshot of the Pacific. Within 2 miles down to a quarter of a mile. I also eat Short-stemmed Slippery Jacks. Zellers are tough on my innards.

Haven't seen too many Chanterelles myself. The Yellowfoot Chanterelles should come out soon. They are pretty good, not as meaty as some of the orange ones.

Same as the Hedgehogs, they are starting to come out about now. At the same time as the Wild Irises. Have not seen those Irises yet. These are my favorite edibles so far.

Thank you UNREGISTERED> Go get 'em.

NV>>. I will take on the process of learning Gilled Mushrooms soon. Awesome about the Sushi chefs going bonkers.. Sheesh, right outta nature, fresh and young, of course.. That's as good as it gets for those Guys..

Thanks for the views and comments.. Cheers..

 

[stasis]

Bought a compass. Got turned around the other day in a moderately large forest at 440 pm, sunset was approaching. Had to use the sun and the sound of the ocean to get me back to my car. Then the sun went under the level of the trees, and it got a bit tricky. Got a bit tore up from the Gorse... Bought a compass. haha..

Found a Huge Orange-Cap Bolete. Uninfested. Looks like a King, and is considered the same., But some call it different. The Pores are Super tight, and white.
Also discovered some alien looking Gomphus (Pig's Ear), a Chanterelle relative with upraised Purple-grey grids.. Very ugly and beautiful. Supposedly "Choice" to eat, although Arora says it never impressed him. I think it is because it is rather unsightly, and does really feel like an Animal part.. Maybe I will cook it and take a bite.

 

[evilunclephil]

And chanterelles are so distinctive looking too! It's not like they're a close match for a destroying angel or anything like that..

 

[stasis]

Yeah no worries there. Except that some People Hope that something is a Chanterelle, and that can contribute to false ID. It;s important to get it right..! No matter the outside color, it should be white inside. That;s one clue. The gills such as they are, are NOT greenish (Jack O Lantern - BAD).

I just discovered the joys of Candy Cap Mushrooms. Lactarius Fragilus. Oh man. One little mushroom cooked in a drop of olive oil and the whole house smells of Maple Syrup. More accurately French Toast cooked with Maple syrup on it..

Amazing. Cooked up a small plateful after an initial test. This smell is beyond belief. One small nibble of the cooked Mushroom (in butter) SWALLOWED makes even a subsequent plate of unseasoned bitter steamed Brussel Sprouts taste like a donut. One nibble of the cooked Candy Cap is like the aforementioned French Toast and Syrup. PURE MAPLE, not fake. haha. The Guides say that One;s Body will exude the odour after eating a plateful. I only ate about 6 nibbles... Play it safe the first time One eats any new mushroom. No matter how good it tastes...!

Easy to make mistakes on this specimen. That is why I waited to learn about it first, and then asked a couple people about it. Found them on my own, and carefully ID'd EACH mushroom I found before it went into the bag in the field. There were many of these all around. Intermixed with semi-poisonous lookalikes. Careful..

Pics to follow.

I have a feeling
that I will be tasting Aunt Jemima For Days..! Hope she doesn;t mind.. haha..

 

[Desert Hydro]

i used to go out with my grandma in arkansas. got really sick once and puked all over the schoolbus. havent really liked them since lol. i gag to get cubensis down hahaha.

 

[stasis]

Jelly fungus Pseudohydnum gelatinosis - edible and containing some cancer fighters unique to this mushroom. No flavour besides a little typical 'shroom flavour. Kinda weird. Grows out of logs. Ate one. Ok to eat raw. It Went down hard. haha.
Click on the single picture for a detail of the 'Teeth.'


Candy Caps. Lactarius Fragilis. Smells like sweet maple syrup. Dries nicely. Cooks up smells like French toast WITH maple syrup and Brown sugar. Gives off a white milk, has a stem that always snaps cleanly due to the molecular structure, and never feels slimy on the cap, even when wet. The whole house smells for the whole day after cooking or even setting them on the table uncooked. The bag you carried them in will smell like them for years.. Good for Oatmeal, and making ice cream - a little goes a long way.

In my town, a local Creamery sells an ice cream flavored exclusively with this Fungus. Amazing little mushroom. A larger variety is also present which has a little less smell and taste but still great.


Inedible but interesting Earthstar

 

[stasis]

Freezing nights for a week have slowed down the picking. However, found 3 huge Hedgehogs, which were so meaty and delicious I almost fell over after the first bite.... As good as Golden Chanterelles.

Cooked all of 'em, ate more than half of the Big Ones right out of the pan, Olive Oil, a little Butter, dash of Peppah.. Unreal.
The small Hedgehogs pictured, I added them to Kale and Dandelion Greens dishes.. On a Health Kick and it's working.

Gonna go out tomorrow, hike and look for some more.

 

[nvthis]

Also discovered some alien looking Gomphus (Pig's Ear), a Chanterelle relative with upraised Purple-grey grids.. Very ugly and beautiful. Supposedly "Choice" to eat, although Arora says it never impressed him. I think it is because it is rather unsightly, and does really feel like an Animal part.. Maybe I will cook it and take a bite.

I like Pigs Ears. Don't find a lot of them in my neck of the woods.. They are pretty tasty. Arora's a weird guy. He was supposed to come up and pick Butters with me a few years back. He totally flaked lol.

 

[stasis]

Pigs Ears...? I Never did eat it.

Next one I find (which will probably be next year) I will remember your post get, over my revulsion, and cook it up.

Arora Weird..? No surprise...

Mendocino People are bizarre. Conforming to Their own Standard of Ethics and Morals. Flaking is Nothing up here. Nothing at all. It's Normal as Mushrooms growing after the rain.

In the Larger world of Socially Adapted people, the Mendo-ite is Mentally-Challenged.

Travel to Europe with a Few of them and see... hahahahah - the "Rookie" stories are unreal.

Anyways, the Large Hedge Hogs seem to be popping up more. Not Lots, but when the Freezing Weather at night stops, they will come out... I liked those "Cauliflower" shaped ones.. Couldn't have tasted better..!!!!! Made my knees weak upon tasting. Got Physically Aroused when I saw them in the ground.. (Embarrasing admission - haha).

Last Night, before Sunset, the Sky turned fiery orange, and I got "turned around" in my usual small forest foraging area.. Ought to know better.. haha.. It's a sinking feeling when everything looks the same even for an instant... Found my way out, in good time. No worries.

Did find enough Glowing Hedgehog Mushrooms (they DO Seem to Glow) in those last few tense moments before the "Second sunset" to make for dinner with Dandelion Greens, Lentils, with some leftovers.

 

[DIDM]

these folks host an awesome workshop in Oregon

http://www.opalcreek.org/


on a side note, there was a story the other day on OPB about a guy who trains dogs and their humans how to find truffles. His dog is a master truffle hunter, one year finding 200 pounds them. The guy says anyway you cut it, it was a lot of cash, they went for $900 a pound.

yea, almost 200K taking your dog on a walk in the woods. I think I may take his class, my dog is a herding dog, but they all have a nose for finding things

 

[SeaMaiden]

DIDM, did you know that you can now buy 'truffle oaks'? Oak saplings that are inoculated with the truffle spore/fungus. I'd link you, but for some reason I'm not finding the NorCal outfit that sells them, all my hits are in NZ and Oz. They're in Tomorrowland!