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Mushroom Madness

Posted at 2:55 PM on July 30, 2008 by Autumn Long (3 Comments)

This year's wet weather has been a boon for fungi. Last week I scored a huge batch of chanterelles in the woods above our pasture, probably five pounds in all. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the chanterelles arrived early this year. Thanks to the continued rainy weather, they've been sticking around.

Mushroom hunting is one form of foraging that still exists in certain segments of modern American society. Although mushrooming is more popular in the Pacific Northwest and in Europe, many edible mushroom species also exist in the Eastern United States. Some fairly well-known wild edible mushrooms found in the Eastern U.S. include: morels, chanterelles, chicken of the woods (aka sulfur shelf), hen of the woods (aka maitake), oyster mushrooms, puffballs, shaggy manes, and some boletes. Successful mushroom hunting combines field identification skills with knowledge about where to look for certain species.

The allure of wild mushrooms is often tinged with fear due to the fact that many mushroom species are poisonous, and some even deadly. Consequently, an aura of danger and mysticism has evolved around mushrooms, but by using common sense and exercising caution, you can safely and confidently add the delicious flavors of wild mushrooms to your home cooking!

Numerous field guides are available to help get you started with mushroom identification in your region of the country. I strongly urge novice mushroom hunters to seek out an experienced mushroomer in your area who will "show you the ropes" of basic mushroom identification and cooking methods. Never consume a mushroom that has not been positively identified by an expert! It is all too easy for amateur mushroomers to mistake a non-edible "look-alike" species for an edible species, so always exercise caution. If in doubt, don't eat it.

Don't let these words of warning dissuade you from learning about mushrooms. Edible species are just the tip of the iceberg; the world of fungi is incredibly diverse and still poorly understood in comparison to other fields of biology. Mushrooms are neither animal nor plant; they are the fruit of an underground fungal organism called a mycelium. Mushrooms are nature's recyclers: They break down organic matter such as wood and forest litter into simple organic materials. Some mushrooms have a symbiotic relationship with specific plants, which is why some mushrooms are always associated with certain trees. There are thousands of types of mushrooms on the planet, some jaw-droppingly beautiful, some outrageously bizarre, and some downright deadly.

So introduce yourself to a local mushroom hunter and get out in the woods. Who knows? You just might bring home dinner!

Comments (3)

Fortunately there has been an increase of mushroom growers in my area. I find the variety of mushrooms to be not only more available, but more affordable then just a few years ago. I would love to find a mushroom hunter to accompany on a forage of wild varieties.

Posted by Patti | August 3, 2008 3:18 PM

Thanks for your comment, Patti. It's true that more folks are growing their own mushrooms these days. Mycologists have made great strides recently in figuring out successful innoculation processes for various edible mushrooms, leading to a wider variety of mushrooms being domesticated and more people getting onboard with that hobby. I'd like to try a mushroom log sometime, preferably oysters or shiitakes. Anyone out there have mushroom-log experience?
Happy local eating,
Autumn

Posted by Autumn Long | August 4, 2008 10:10 AM

Nice posting Autumn - I agree, the variety of edible mushrooms is amazing. I remember finding sulfur shelf for the first time while out hiking - I had my mushroom field guide with, and this one is a pretty easy one to ID, so I took a little with me, and added it to my camp dinner that night - oh the earthiness and freshness of that meal still sticks with me.

Posted by Scott | August 8, 2008 9:18 AM