Mushroom question

[Fro-in-shorts]

Youtube has been a source of information as well, but unfortunately for the most part dvd's and youtube vids are provided by people in the US, who are more than willing to share info, Brits seem fairly happy to keep stum. What applies across the pond may not be the same over here. However hint taken, i'm guessing like most things in life its going to be trial and error on my part, being in the right place at the right time. I'v cracked the code for bass, lobbies, chantrelles and parasols, I look forwards to doing the same with morels.

 

[foxfish]

I have a good one made by the mushroom chap from river cottage, I will see if I can find it tomorrow.

 

[ekinoderminator]

It is Candy Cap season over here on the coast of California. Very strong fruiting this year. A friend introduced me to chanterelle vodka - it was amazing, captured the fresh essence of chanterelles. I decided to apply the same to candy caps - super good. Candy Caps are so aromatic that after eating (or drinking!) them you take on the aroma for a few days.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

How many species of fungi do you collect ekinoderminator? I'm only confident with 3 really, then again I think you've been doing this a bit longer than me. Glad to see someones harvesting something at the moment, i'm sat twiddling my thumbs wating until late spring for hopefully my first attempt at morels.

 

[ekinoderminator]

I started with Boletes and Chanterelles about 35 years ago. I often don't bother with "lesser edibles" e.g. slippery jacks, chicken of the woods, elfin saddles, oysters, etc., because I can pick so many choice edibles, e.g. golden chanterelles, prince, black trumpets, morels, porcini, etc. There are other under appreciated edibles I consider choice, e.g. Boletus mirabilis, blewitts, candy caps, Boletus appendiculatus. I have not counted the number of species I feel confident harvesting but I would say I have been generally lazy in keying out the full array of mushrooms I encounter because it is so easy to get caught up in the frenzy of picking the choice edibles. So lately I am trying to make a point of getting to know and appreciate the full array.
Here in California there are choice edibles year round.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

cool, Only started picking this year just gone, tho did spend about 8 months doing some extensive reading and trial identifications, lots of picking a sample taking home identifying and discarding in the garden. Picked a couple of species that were user friendly, chanterelles, hedgehog mushrooms, and parasols, looked for giant puffballs and boletes, but too late, so will try for them next year. Going to have a crack at morels this year. Any tasty fungs that you'd reccomend that I might get over here in Wales?

 

[foxfish]

Sounds like you forgot the late season blewits, I collect them from late November until mid Jan in Guernsey.
Feb is a bit dead although I still get the occasional oyster - next up would be St George then morels.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

Looked for st georges but never came across any last year, mabe the area I was walking, but didnt see any. I was aware of blewets from that post portinfer did ages ago, but they never made the hit list, was worried with confusing them with something else.

 

[foxfish]

Fair comment - field blewits actually grow on my lawn every December, Wood blewits are very common in certain areas.
It took me ages to gain enough confidence to collect wood blewits but, they are now a very tasty & colourful part of my hedgerow harvest.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

Think I will take my time with collecting, mabe add a species a year, focus on destroying my body via surfing as opposed to poisoning, more fun. Had some great hauls last year, especially chantarelles and parasols. Ive only seen parasols in guernsey from mid aug onwards, when do u normally find them foxy? I didn't spot any down the gower until late october, was weird, as I found a whole load in june when I was camping in pembrokshire. Parasols in my (limited) opinion are the best eating mushroom out there.

Or am I missing out on something? Any contenders?

 

[tecdave]

I think ceps or bay bolete are best in my limited opinion! So versatile and I still have some dried ones left from last year! Bonus!

 

[ekinoderminator]

Think I will take my time with collecting, mabe add a species a year, focus on destroying my body via surfing as opposed to poisoning, more fun. Had some great hauls last year, especially chantarelles and parasols. Ive only seen parasols in guernsey from mid aug onwards, when do u normally find them foxy? I didn't spot any down the gower until late october, was weird, as I found a whole load in june when I was camping in pembrokshire. Parasols in my (limited) opinion are the best eating mushroom out there.

Or am I missing out on something? Any contenders?

One species per year? You'd be better off learning the best of what your region has to offer in one year and enjoying them year after year.

Top 10 (excluding white truffles and in no particular order)

Morchella deliciosa
Agaricus augustus
Craterellus cornucopiodes
Cantharellus sp. (golden chanterelle)
Boletus sp. (porcini)
Lepiota rachodes
Lactarius rubidus
Sparassis crispa
Agaricus subrutilescens
Hericium sp.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

Morel season is getting closer, can anyone advise when I should start looking, as I really have quite limited time available, so hunting days are precious. I'm also unsure of what type of trees/forrest I should be looking around, I have birch, elm, evergreen oaks, pine, conifer ect and all sorts of forests near me just dont want to waste my time looking in a completely unsuitable habitat is all. I've done the reading, but nothing beats the advice of others who are in the know. There are also masses and masses of woodchip/mulch covered flower beds in the parks around me and across the university i study at, worth a try?

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

I know I'm being cheeky asking this much information from people, though its not like im asking you to name local spots or anything (foxy your Island spots are safe from me, wont be home over easter or may)

 

[foxfish]

Mate the competition in Guernsey is very strong!!!
I tried covering a few Ceps last year with leafs to allow another days growth but you can guess what happened...
Anyhow I have only ever found one edible morel over here so I am not the person to ask.
However they are traditionally found in shade & prefer a loose soil or sandy soil, along path edges in parks & open forest. good luck

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

Cheers foxy, fingers crossed I find a good patch at the end of April.

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

Was wandering back through uni today after a lecture and my gaze drifted to one of the wood chip filled flowerbeds. bit early isnt it?

 

[foxfish]

Are you still alive then?

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

Yep, ha ha I know what you are thinking, the biggest of the fungi on the plate looks suspicious, but its just from the poor angle I took the shot at, its actually heavily pitted and has taken some serious abuse. Spent ages pouring through books, watching video's and disecting to check I didnt have a plate full of Verpa, or Gyromitra.

The features i made my identification decision on were the "Pits" vs "wrinkles" which i would not reccomend to be the sole means of Id.

The fact that the stem is part of the head, and does not attatch inside the cap. There wasn't a cap as I would describe it the top and stem of the mushroom are one.

The muschooms on the plate deviated in colour and greatly from appearance from Gyromitra.

The mushrooms were all hollow and uniform inside with no "cotton candy" like fluff of any kind.


Very tasty and I did not die. In conclusion I'm going to try and find more for future consumption but want to see the same mushroom grow over a period of weeks, so i know exactly how they differ in appearance as they mature.

Only thing I wasn't sure on was how long to cook them for, as i was told they need to be cooked properly to be edible. I gave it a good stint in the pan but this did dry the mushrooms out quite a bit. Would it be worth soaking them before cooking?

 

[Fro-in-shorts]

Anyone have any experience with chicken of the woods? worth looking for?