"There are old mushroom hunters and bold mushroom hunters, but there are no old, bold mushroom hunters"
This is the well known mantra of many wild mushroom eaters, and as cheesy as it may sound it is a good thing to keep in mind if ever you are considering eating a mushroom you have found anywhere but the grocery store.
With this understanding I have ventured this fall into the world of delicious and intriguing edible mushrooms. The following is a synopsis of the mushrooms which I have picked and eaten in the last month or so. There are not many but they have been delicious and I have learned a lot about mushrooms which has been extremely satisfying.
These are Common Oyster Mushrooms. Notice that the Gills (the deep furrows which hold the spores) extend down the stem of the mushroom. Also, the stems are slightly off-center which is very typical of Oysters. The mushroom it's self is delicate and smells appealing. This specimen was growing on a standing hardwood tree - although I found several other nice Oysters nearby which were growing on a dead and horizontal hardwood. These particular mushrooms had little black beetles infesting some of them which was actually a welcome thing as they are another identifying factor. There are many species of Oyster mushrooms and none are poisonous, though some are less palatable. There are no poisonous lookalikes therefore this is a fairly safe mushroom to eat without concern.
Following a recipe that I found I battered them and breaded them with cracker crumbs and then fried them in butter. I only ate two - it is always good to start with a small portion as some people have allergies, or may react negatively even to non-poisonous wild mushrooms. The flavor was delicious although the texture was a bit slimy and not my favorite. None the less, the experience was great and I will not hesitate to eat them again, perhaps trying another way of preparing them.
It's a strange thing, I know, but I dreamed about these mushrooms the night before I happened upon them as I was running on a trail near my house. I was actually not expecting to find these brilliantly orange Chanterelles, called Cinnabar Chanterelles. You can be sure that I was extremely happy to find them and they were one of the reasons I became so fascinated with mushrooms this fall. They are small but found in abundance. In fact, I have found so many of them that I no longer always stop to pick them when I am out running (although I am always ridiculously delighted to see them)
Cinnabar Chanterelles have a fantastic flavor - this Quiche was one of the best I have ever made, deriving it's flavor from the sauteed Cinnabars.
A bit later in the season I started finding regular Chanterelles. They are amazing. Take a look at the "false gills" that these mushrooms have. They are shallow ridges that extend a ways down the stem rather than the more severe and "sharp" gills of many mushrooms. Chanterelles are brilliantly colored and these, unlike the Cinnabar variety, are not extremely delicate.
Chanterelles have an flavor that you have to experience in order to understand. They have a richness which is awesome and addicting. I can see why people look forward to Chanterelle season all year long. These "Chanterelle Puffs" were amazing!
Chanterelles, however, can be a bit trickier than Oysters to identify correctly. These are some sort of "Gomphus" mushroom - they do not have true gills and could easily be mistaken for Chanterelles - however, the gills are deeper than Chanterelles' gills are and the velvety dark patch on the top of the mushroom cap is a give-away that they are not Chanterelles.
These "Vase Chanterelles" also can be deceiving - but once you know what to look for they are easily avoided. They are vase shaped - even holding water (sorry about the picture on the left, I took it with my phone on a day I realized that my sd card was at home). They are quite impressive mushrooms. Unlike the above mentioned Gomphus species, the "gills" on these Vases are very shallow and extend down the entire length of the mushroom.
Once you can identify a Chanterelle they are very hard to mistake - but don't think that anything resembling a "Chant" goes.
These Black Trumpets I did not cook, which I highly regret. I hope that I find some more as these were my favorite find this year. They smell absolutely amazing - like fresh fruit. I had been searching for them without success when I stumbled upon them at the farm as I was out cutting some ash poles. They have a very short season and turn into to a slimy mess quite quickly. A week after I found these I came upon a huge patch of expired Black Trumpets which was a sad day for me. But, there is still time this year and I hope to find some to eat. If not, I will have a fun challenge for the next mushroom season.
I have many more mushroom pictures and much more information to post - yet this concludes my feasting for this year. Let me leave you with a few photos of Destroying Angels, a beautiful pure white mushroom which is amazing to look at but will try to kill you if you venture a bite:
Here is a link to Cornell University's Mushroom Blog which outlines a fascinating story about mistaken mushroom identity and near death:
