[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]

Originally Posted by stasis

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

https://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

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!