Poisonous Mushrooms in Northeastern North America

It is important to know that there are at least 10 reasons why people get sick from eating EDIBLE mushrooms:

1. Too many mushrooms are eaten – mushrooms are hard to digest; chewing well is advised.
2. Mushrooms are eaten raw or undercooked.
3. Too much butter is used in cooking the mushrooms.
4. Alcohol sometimes causes an adverse reaction when eating mushrooms.
5. The mushrooms are not in good condition; they are in some state of decomposition.
6. Some poisonous mushrooms are inadvertently mixed in with the edibles.
7. A personal allergy can cause anything from GI distress to a rash.
8. A prescription drug (MAO inhibitor) can cause a reaction with particular mushrooms, such as polypores.
9. Edible mushrooms that are badly canned can cause botulism.
10. A GI reaction (cramps, diarrhea) or nausea may occur after a meal, not related to the mushrooms eaten. A pre-existing virus may cause this.

There is also the Fear Factor. Someone may be eating wild mushrooms at your table for the first time ever, and be petrified, and become, or imagine becoming, ill because of stress.

Mushrooms known to cause death in Northeastern North America:
1. Amanita virosa AG 551
2. Amanita phalloides AG 543
3. Galerina autumnalis AG 620
4. Lepiota josserandii AG 517
5. Gyromitra esculenta AG 336

Because of the very real possibility of misidentification (for whatever reason) and the very real consequences of severe mushroom poisoning, the following is advised:

Do not eat any Amanitas even though some are known to be edible.
Do not eat any LBM (Little Brown Mushroom).
Do not eat any small species of Lepiota.
Do not eat any large Lepiota without first finding out its spore color. Definitely avoid the green-spored Lepiota, Chlorophyllum molybdites -- it will make you seriously ill.
Do not eat any Gyromitra (False Morel), at least not when found east of the Mississippi River.
Do not eat Jack O'Lantern, Omphalotus olearius, mistakenly thinking it is a chanterelle. --
Always keep a fresh specimen in the refrigerator, in case identification is needed for treatment.

Mushrooms to be avoided because a few species in Europe have caused kidney failure and the toxins are found throughout the genus:
Cortinarius, all species -- AG 610ff.

Mushrooms known to cause muscarine-like symptoms [profuse sweating, tunnel vision] in Northeastern North America:
1. Clitocybe dealbata AG 745 --
2. Inocybe, all species AG 626ff. --

Mushrooms known to cause a reaction when alcohol has been consumed up to 72 hours after eating the mushroom:
1. Coprinus atramentarius AG 596
2. Clitocybe clavipes AG 745

Mushroom known to cause disorientation, GI symptoms, muscarine-like symptoms:
Amanita muscaria AG 538

Mushrooms known to cause transient hallucinations:
1. Psilocybe caerulipes, and other blue-staining species of Psilocybe AG 719
2. Gymnopilus spectabilis AG 623

Mushrooms known or suspected to cause mild to severe GI distress:
Gilled Mushrooms:
1. Agaricus meleagris AG 507
2. Amanita gemmata (= A. crenulata) AG 537
3. Armillaria mellea AG 736
4. Chlorophyllum molybdites AG 509
5. Entoloma, many species
6. Hebeloma, all species suspected
7. Lactarius, many species
8. Lepiota naucina AG 519
9. Naematoloma (= Hypholoma) fasciculare AG 709
10. Omphalotus olearius AG 787
11. Paxillus involutus AG 671
12. Russula, several species
13. Tricholoma, several species
14. Tricholomopsis platyphylla AG 807

Boletes:
1. Boletus huronensis (in Bessette, North American Boletes)
2. Boletus (= Chalciporus) piperatus AG 571
3. Boletus sensibilis AG 567
4. Boletus, some species with red pore-mouths
5. Suillus luteus (can be laxative) AG 586
6. Tylopilus eximius AG 592

Other Mushrooms:
1. Morels eaten raw AG 326
2. Gomphus floccosus AG 396
3. Ramaria formosa and possibly other coral fungi AG 408
4. Scleroderma citrinum AG 839
5. Calvatia gigantea, occasionally reported. AG 823

black-truffle-tuber-melanosporum.

Mushrooms for Good Health?

Mushrooms for Good Health?
In general, I advise against eating a lot of the cultivated white or "button" mushrooms found on supermarket shelves throughout the United States (portobello and crimini mushrooms are the same species). They are among a number of foods (including celery, peanuts, peanut products,
and salted, pickled, or smoked foods) that contain natural carcinogens. If you do eat these varieties, never eat them raw and cook them thoroughly over high heat; that will break down some of the toxins.
Related Weil Products
Instead of button mushrooms, I recommend seeking out the more exotic varieties, which are becoming increasingly available in the United States. Some are edible mushrooms and can make a delicious addition to your diet, but some are strictly medicinal mushrooms available in dried, liquid extract or in capsule form.

Here's a brief guide to my favorites:

* Shiitake: These meaty and flavorful mushrooms contain a substance called eritadenine, which encourages body tissues to absorb cholesterol and lower the amount circulating in the blood. Dried shiitakes, available at Asian grocery stores, are also effective. Fresh ones are readily available thanks to domestic cultivation. (To prepare, remove stems or slice fresh ones thinly; they are often tough.)
* Cordyceps: A Chinese mushroom used as a tonic and restorative. You can buy whole, dried cordyceps in health food stores and add them to soups and stews, or drink tea made from powdered cordyceps. get cordyceps in liquid or capsule form. * Enoki: Slender white edible mushrooms that need only brief cooking and have a very mild taste. Enoki mushrooms have significant anticancer and immune-enhancing effects.
* Maitake: This delicious Japanese edible mushroom is also called "hen of the woods" because it grows in big clusters that resemble the fluffed tail feathers of a nesting hen. Maitake has anticancer, antiviral, and immune-system enhancing effects and may also help control both high blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
* Reishi: Strictly a medicinal mushroom, not a culinary one, reishi is woody, hard, and bitter. Like maitake and other related mushrooms species, reishi can improve immune function and inhibit the growth of some malignant tumors. It also shows significant anti-inflammatory effects, reduces allergic responsiveness, and protects the liver. You can buy dried, ground mushrooms and use them to make tea if you don't mind the bitterness. Otherwise, buy reishi tablets, liquid extracts or capsules, which are available in health food stores and follow the recommended dosage. Allergies to edible mushrooms are rare, but some people do find them hard to digest. To learn more about the health-promoting effects of mushrooms, check out www.fungi.com, the web site of Fungi Perfecti, an excellent source for information about medicinal and gourmet edible mushrooms, as well as dried mushrooms and extracts.


history-of-edible-mushrooms.

EdibLe Mushrooms Gallery

Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulfureus) There are a few things to be aware of when picking this mushroom. Firstly, there's some evidence that if it's growing on either yew or eucalyptus, it might be poisonous. Secondly, you really only want it when it's young and juicy; it gets old and woody later, and it isn't good eating any more. Thirdly, there are some extremely rare examples of children hallucinating after eating this mushroom. So don't feed it to any tiny tots. Other than that, munch away. It's remarkable just how much this mushroom really does taste like chicken, so I recommend making the most of that by adding it to chicken stews and curries. I like to keep some in the freezer, ready to be diced up and marinated in olive oil and herbs, making an ideal barbecue treat for vegetarians."

Fairy Ring Mushroom (Marasmius oreades) "Be careful with this one. Really careful. You could mistake one of the toxic Clitocybe species or it, and that wouldn’t be good. Could be fatal. But once you get the eye for this mushroom, it’s a cracker, it really is. A lot of people write books on wild foods that you can find in immaculate woodlands that you never ever get to. They tell you about chanterelles, ceps, morels and the like. What they don’t tell you about is this little mushroom that forms most of the fairy rings in parks, football pitches, school playing fields, etc. And it has an almondy, mushroomy flavour as good as any other mushroom. It’s not big, so you want to pick plenty for a meal. This isn’t a problem; you might find rings that are ten yards across or more, with hundreds of mushrooms on them. You get them from Spring through till Autumn, but in May they’re at their best because there is less chance of them being full of maggots. As you pick them, pull the stipe (stem) out and look at where it joins the cap; you want there to be no maggot holes there. And best of all, they dry very well. Thread the caps onto cotton and hang them somewhere warm to dry."[/img]

Giant Puffball (Langermannia gigantea) The giant puffball is a mammoth amongst mushrooms. It is a near spherical fungal fruiting body, somewhere between a few inches and a yard or more in diameter. It is attached to the ground by a thin stem, which breaks upon ripening allowing the puffball to dry out and release spores (sometimes for a year or two) as it rolls about in the wind. If you are lucky enough to find a young, fresh specimen (it MUST be white all the way through; as it yellows, eventually turning green and brown, it will make you sick) then you are in for a real treat. Take it home (laughing maniacally as you do so), slice it into half inch steaks, and fry it (battered or covered in egg and breadcrumbs if you like). It’s kind of like a strongly mushroom flavoured marshmallow. Or dice it for stews and soups, slice it up and add some olive oil, put in a pot and bake it... Even stuff it with mince and its own chopped innards before baking (the smell it gives out when you cook it that way is almost overpowering!). Whatever you do with it, it is a fine tasting mushroom. Different guidebooks will give different habitats for the giant puffball, but I personally think that it grows where it likes. I’ve found them on muddy lake banks that are covered in water for two months of most years, I’ve picked it from a pile of waste soil next to a rugby pitch, and I’ve found a ring of a dozen football sized puffballs in a patch of scrubby woodland by a railway track. The only linking thing I can find is that the soil must be relatively undisturbed for a few years. I can’t really offer definitive advice on what habitat it prefers, but I will stick my neck out and say that sooner or later, if you keep your eyes open, you’ll find one. Can’t easily be misidentified, unless you find a football in the woods."

When the pics aren't from Downsizer, it might be worth mentioning where the pics are from or including a link. Always a polite thing to do Or ask for pics from Downsizers of course. Here, for example, is a chanterelle from Wakefield:

Deceivers... (Laccaria laccata) Thats from outside the chemistry department of Cambridge University, right on Lensfield Road... Very pretty but I didn't eat them! October '01. And the similar purple species, the amethyst deceiver, Laccaria amethysta Thats from Thetford forest, same roll of film as the other pic so only more or less the same time as the deceivers. They're both slight little shrooms, only a few of centimeters across and the shape is very variable. But when found in profusion they're really nice and tasty, well worth having.

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 06 10:43 am Post subject: Agrocybe cylindracea "...cream at first, darker brown with age, with persistent ring which soon becomes dusted brown by the spores. Flesh white in the cap and stem, brown in the stem base. Taste nutty, smell of old wine casks. Habitat in tufts wood especially willows and poplars. Season all year round."

More About Mushrooms

More About Mushrooms

What is a mushroom? Mushrooms are actually the fruits of fungus. The fungus itself is simply a net of threadlike fibers, called a mycelium, growing in soil, wood or decaying matter. Mushrooms on a mycelium are like apples on an apple tree.

The function of a mushroom is to produce spores, which are the "seeds" of the fungus. Some kinds of mushrooms produce their spores on gills (the gilled fungi);some in pores (the pore fungi); some on teeth (the tooth fungi); some inside a leathery pouch (the puffballs); some on the inside of shallow cups ( the cup fungi, including the morels); and some simply on the surface of the mushroom (coral fungi and others). The spores form on these various structures, then fall off to blow away on the wind or be carried by animals, water or insects. If a spore lands in a suitable spot, it germinates and grows into a new mycelium.

The mushrooms most people recognize are the gilled fungi. These typical parasol-shaped mushrooms have caps with bladelike gills on the underside and stems with or without rings. The pore fungi are similar in appearance but have a spongy layer of tubes of pores on the underside of the cap instead of gills.

Collecting mushrooms

Mushroom collecting requires only the simplest of equipment: a flat-bottomed basket or box, a roll of waxed paper, a digging tool and a pencil and paper for notes.

Be sure to collect the entire mushroom, including the base. Take only fresh, young specimens that are free of insect damage. Each type of mushroom should be wrapped separately in waxed paper (not plastic wrap, which hastens decay), along with any notes you might want to make about the habitat and appearance of the mushroom. It's a good idea to note where the mushroom is growing (on wood, soil, moss); whether it is single or in clusters' the colors of the caps, gills and stem; and any other distinctive features. The more you can observe about the mushroom in the field, the easier it will be to identify at home.

Making a spore print

Individual spores are too small to be seen with the naked eye, but you can make a spore print that will show the color of the spores in mass. This color is an important identifying characteristic for many mushrooms, especially the gilled fungi.

To make a spore print, cut the stem off the mushroom and place the cap gill-side or pore-side down on a piece of white paper. To best see the spore color, use on sheet of black paper and one of white, taped together side-by-side. Cover with a bowl or jar. If the mushroom is at the right stage-not too young, too old or deteriorated-the spores will slowly collect on the paper. A spore print will be visible in one to 12 hours.

Edible or Poisonous?

Edible or Poisonous?

The first question most people want answered about a mushroom is "Is it poisonous?" followed closely by "Can I eat it?"
The first rule for those who choose to eat wild mushrooms is "When in doubt, throw it out."

The fact is that there are many excellent edible wild mushrooms that almost anyone can learn to identify. There are also deadly poisonous species that every collector should be familiar with.
However, there are no simple rules that can reliably tell you which mushrooms are poisonous and which are edible. The only way to safely collect wild mushrooms is to be familiar with the characteristics of the species you wish to collect. The best way to learn these characteristics is to go collecting with experts who can teach them to you. LAMS hosts several mushroom forays where beginners can start.

Beginners should never rely solely on their own identifications to identify edible mushrooms based on any field guide - especially ones that only provide photographs and brief descriptions. If you have found some mushrooms and wish to get them identified see our contact page. Also check our recommended reading page for various websites, books, and journals that can help you learn to identify mushrooms.

history-of-edible-mushrooms

Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus)

Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus)

Laetiporus is a genus of bracket fungi growing throughout much of the world. Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus), also known as the sulphur polypore, is a safe and easily recognized edible mushroom with a soft texture and no gills. The mushroom grows in large brackets – some have been found that weigh over 45 kg, and they can be 5-60 cm across. It is most commonly found on oak trees, though it is also frequently found on yew, cherry wood, sweet chestnut, and willow. You may find this mushroom during the summer and autumn, but rarely in winter or spring.

This large, brightly coloured edible mushrooms is typically found in clusters but is occasionally solitary. Chicken of the Woods is leafy in shape and grows in a semi-circular form around tree trunks or stumps. Bright yellow and colourful when young, the Chicken of the Woods begins forming with multiple thick, petals that develop a bright ivory and yellowish-orange colouring on a velvet-like outer skin. It tends to lighten in colour near the edges. This edible mushroom has no gills, instead its bright yellow undersurface is covered with tiny pores. As it matures, it becomes thinner and speckled with many small dark brown spots that develop into a mixture of tan and off-white shading as the fungus gets lighter in colour and becomes shaped like a wrinkled fan with multiple leafy protrusions. When young, it is thick and juicy with a soft and spongy texture, becoming hard and brittle or crumbly as it ages. Chicken of the Woods should be harvested when they are young and tender, as older specimens get more woody and develop a sour flavour. Specimens that are found attached and growing on conifers and eucalyptus are considered inedible.

Chicken of the Woods grows in trees that are either living (as parasites) or decaying (as saprobes). The mushrooms cause a reddish brown cubical heart-rot of wood and can destabilize a tree by hollowing out its centre. Although rarely fatal to the host tree it may cause it to decay to the point where wind or hail could knock it down. Historically, this fungus was known to damage the wooden ships of the British Naval Fleet.

This is an unmistakable mushroom and you will not confuse it with any poisonous species.

If you find a Chicken of the Woods then do not simply tear it from the tree because this will damage the mycelium and could kill the parent fungus and stop it growing again in future. However if you cut off a chunk close to the tree new mushroom growth will resume next season. You can harvest the edible mushrooms and return the next year for another crop. Or cut just the outer edge (about 5 cm of the fungus) and return later in the season for a second helping.

It is bizarre looking mushroom, and is quite popular for human consumption in some areas, although it has a very woodsy and fungus like flavour and a strong fungusy smell which some people find off putting. Chicken of the Woods actually behaves a lot like chicken when cooked, having flaky white flesh and can be prepared in most ways that you prepare chicken meat. Chicken of the Woods is a good choice for vegetarians as a mock-meat menu item. When cooking Chicken of the Woods, make sure that it is fully cooked, as there are reports of people being adversely affected when the mushroom was not cooked. This is believed to be due to a number of factors that range from very bad allergies to the mushroom's protein, to toxins absorbed by the mushroom from the wood it grows on (for example, hemlock), to simply eating specimens that have decayed past their prime. As such, many field guides request that people who eat Chicken of the Woods exercise caution by only eating fresh, young brackets and begin with small quantities to see how well it sits in their stomach

Chicken of the Woods should be used within several days of being picked. Store it in a paper bag in the fridge before using it, and make sure to brush it gently to remove dirt and plant material before cooking it. Use only leafy and tender sections of the mushroom . It does not dry well, although some mushroom hunters have found that it can be frozen for long periods of time and retain its edibility. In certain parts of Germany and North America, it is even considered a delicacy. The best way to preserve it is to fry small pieces in butter and then freeze them for up to three months.

The flavour is somewhat like chicken. Meaty in texture, it has a noticeable aroma and flavour that provides an excellent enhancement to rice, risotto, curry, and various chicken or poultry dishes, such as chicken and turkey casseroles. Adding bite size chunks to pork or chicken casseroles or curries for the last 20 minutes of cooking will add a wonderful extra depth and taste to the meal. The mushroom can also be sautéed in butter, flavoured with garlic, onions or shallots, and served as a side dish or an ingredient in egg dishes.

Chicken of the Woods Omelette recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup diced Chicken of the Woods
• 1/4 cup shredded cream cheese
• 2 or 3 shallots, diced
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 5 or 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup cream or milk
• Salt and pepper
• 3 Tablespoons butter

Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan over low heat. Beat the eggs and cream, add salt and pepper to taste and pour into the pan. As the eggs start to cook, sprinkle the Chicken of the Woods, cheese, shallots and parsley over the top. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more until the egg mixture sets. Fold the omelette over and remove from the heat; cover and let sit for 1 minute....mmm nice taste !

History-of-edible-mushrooms

Charcoal Burner (Russula cyanoxantha)

Charcoal Burner (Russula cyanoxantha)

The genus Russula includes some very beautiful and interesting species, with brightly-coloured caps (the word Russula comes from the Latin russulus, meaning "reddish", and many Russulas are red). It is relatively east to identify a mushroom as a member of the genus Russula, although the individual species are quite difficult to distinguish. This task often requires microscopic characters, and subtle subjective distinctions, such as the difference between a mild to bitter and a mild to acrid flavour.

Russulas have a distinctive flesh consistency, which is also reflected in the appearance of the gills and stem, and normally makes them immediately recognizable. The gills are brittle except in a few cases, and cannot be bent parallel with the cap without breaking. These mushrooms are so brittle that they crumble when handled roughly. The spore colour varies from white to cream, or even orange.

Russula cyanoxantha, known as the Charcoal Burner, is a mushroom, distinguished from most other members of the Russula genus by the fact that its gills do not split, but are soft and flexible. It is one of the most common Russula in Europe and can be found from summer to autumn in deciduous woodland, where it grows in slightly acidic, but nutrient-rich soil. It is also found on the ground in Eucalypt forests in south eastern Australia. This edible mushroom was designated Mushroom of the Year in 1997 by the German Association of Mycology.

The cap of the Charcoal Burner is 4-15 cm wide, convex at first and later flattened and slightly depressed at the centre, smooth and a little sticky when wet. The cap can be very variable in colour; often greyish or purply-blue lilac it can be brown, purplish, or greenish grey to dark green, bu generally with blotches of green an often blotched with black and reddish purple. It has a solid firm white stem up to 10 cm in height and 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter. The spores are pure white. The gills are white and rather close and narrow and feel slightly greasy and strikingly soft and pliable when touched and do not break easily, as in other Russulas.

Mushroom hunters often carry a small crystal of iron salts around to rub on the stem of any Russula they find. The colour change can help to identify species. Many Russulas show a colour change somewhere between pink and apricot when rubbed. However, the stem flesh of the Charcoal Burner usually shows little change or sometimes turns slightly greenish with iron salts.

Caution is required when identifying Russulas for eating as Russula emetica, also known as The Sickener, can make you ill. Russula emetica has a bright red cap 3-10 cm wide, initially convex, then later flat, or depressed in the centre, and sticky, in which the cuticle peels 1/3-3/4 of the cap radius, a pure white cylindrical stem 4-10 cm long and 1-2 cm wide, white narrowly spaced gills, white spores, and a very acrid or peppery hot taste. Always spit it out if tasted since it is an emetic (it induces vomiting).
Despite the difficulty in positively identifying collected specimens, the possibility to spot the toxic species by their acrid taste makes the Charcoal Burner a popular edible mushrooms. It appears that no species of Russula is deadly poisonous and the mild-tasting ones are all edible. This rule applies ONLY to Russulas and not to other types of mushrooms!

Fricassee of Edible Russulas recipe
This can be served on its own as a first course or to accompany seared foie gras or grilled meats...mmm great taste !

INGREDIENTS

• 150 g (5 oz.) smoked bacon
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 500 g (18 oz.) edible russulas, peeled, washed and cut into pieces
• 50 g (3 tbsp.) butter
• 100 ml (6 tbsp.) aged Burgundy or Bordeaux
• Seasonal herbs
• Salt and pepper

Sauté the diced bacon in a pan; add the onion and let brown slightly. Add 500 ml (2 cups) water. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper and wine and cook, covered, until the liquid has completely reduced. Add a big piece of butter and the finely chopped herbs; brown and serve.

Edible-mushrooms

Chanterelle

Chanterelle (Cantharellus Cibarius)

The genus Cantharellus contains many species that are known generally as chanterelles, although commonly the name refers to the most famous species Cantharellus cibarius. This is the golden chanterelle which is shaped like a funnel (2-12 cm in diameter) and can be found all over the world - in Europe, North America (where the Pacific golden chanterelle is the state mushroom of Oregon), North Africa, Asia and Australia. The golden chanterelle is one of the most recognized edible mushrooms, famous for its delicious and exquisite taste.

The golden chanterelle (C. cibarius) is common in woods in summer and autumn. Cantharellus is a mycorrhizal edible mushrooms, and forms symbiotic associations with hardwoods and conifer trees, where they tend to grow in the same spot year after year. The funnel-shaped cap is orange or yellow, but generally egg-yellow, with paler flesh and is quite meaty. It has forking gills on the underside, running all the way down its stalk, which tapers down seamlessly from the cap. The gills are interconnected and forked near the edge of the cap. Unlike most mushrooms with thin straight gills under the cap, the chanterelle has rounded, shallow and widely spaced ridges. The pale pinkish-buff spores are produced in narrow folds. It has a faint fragrant fruity smell reminiscent of apricots or peaches, and a mildly peppery taste, and is considered an excellent food mushroom. Its taste varies widely – from delicate to fairly intense. The chanterelle is a good source of vitamins A and D and makes a contribution to the intake of the vitamin B complex. In Europe it is known by many names, including Pfifferling (German), and girolle (Italian). The girolle is a variant of C. cibarius with a thicker stalk and stronger flavor.

Caution is required when identifying chanterelles for eating as there are look-alikes that either taste poor or can make you very ill:

The False chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) has finer, more orange gills and a darker cap. Although edible, it is a culinary disappointment.

The Jack O'Lantern mushroom (Omphalotus olearius) and its sister species (Omphalotus olivascens) are very similar in appearance to chanterelles and will make you very sick, although they are not lethal. Unlike chanterelles they have true gills (not forked or divided) that are thinner, have distinct crowns, and generally do not reach up to the edge. Additionally, the Jack-O-Lantern mushroom is bioluminescent and it tends to grow in clumps on trees – NOT under trees, like the chanterelle.

Chefs love the chanterelle because of its cooking versatility. Chanterelles can be added as an ingredient to most dishes, and in general go well with eggs, curry, chicken, pork, fish, beef and veal, can be used as toppings on pizzas, be stewed, marinated, sautéed in olive oil, or used as filling for stuffed crêpes. Select specimens that have a fragrant odor, apricot color, with no slimy, dark or decaying parts, and gills that are widely spaced. Chanterelles require cleaning before cooking because dirt tends to be found in the forked gills and crevices. It is best to use a soft toothbrush or nylon mushroom brush for cleaning. It may help to do so under slowly running water, but don’t soak them and be sure to drain well as the water will take away flavor. Once cleaned keep them in waxed paper of a paper bag in the refrigerator until cooking time. They can last 7-10 days in the refrigerator, although chanterelles are best eaten fresh

Chanterelles are rather firm-fleshed and meaty and therefore need cooking for longer than most mushrooms. The peppery taste combined with the meaty and chewy texture is ideal for cooking. Be sure to cook in large chunks to maximize flavor.

Recipe for Chanterelles with bacon and new potatoes.

Ingredients:

• Approx 1.5 Kg clean chanterelles
• 200g new potatoes
• 150g bacon
• 100g butter

Boil new potatoes for 15-20 minutes until cooked. In another pan saute the chanterelles in 25g of the butter for 5 minutes and then drain off the liquid. Fry bacon strips in the remaining butter until it starts to brown and then add in the mushrooms and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Now add in the new potatoes and cook together for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to season, and garnish with parsley....what a great taste of mushroom !

Conditionally-Edible-Mushrooms-species

King Boletus (Cep)

The King of all mushrooms

Descriptions:
Porcini (Boletus edulis, the taxonomic name) is a highly regarded edible mushroom. It has a number of English names, including cep (from its Catalan name cep or its French name cèpe), king bolete and penny bun. A common term in current use is porcini. This mushroom has a distinct aroma reminiscent of fermented dough. The mushroom can grow singly or in clusters. Its habitat consists of areas dominated by oak, pine, spruce, and fir trees. Not limited to these locations, the King Bolete is also found in hardwood forests containing oaks. It fruits from summer to autumn.

• mushroom colour: Brown
• normal size: over 15cm
• cap type: Convex to shield shaped
• stem type: Bulbous base of stem, Simple stem
• spore colour: Olivaceous

Brown cap often with a whitish bloom at first gradually lost on expanding leaving a white line at the margin, smooth and dry initially becoming greasy, in wet weather slightly viscid and polished. Stem 30–230 x 30–70(110)mm, robust, pallid with white net. Flesh white, unchanging, flushed dirty straw-colour or vinaceous in cap. Taste and smell pleasant. Tubes white becoming grey-yellow. Pores small and round, similarly coloured. Spore print olivaceous snuff-brown.

When you cut them lengthways - the insides remain white. the underside of the cap is always sponge like on a Cep. Large brown mushroom with pores (rather than gills) on the underside of the cap. Said to look like a penny bun.

The major difference between the boletes and gill fungi. is that in the boletes the basidia are located on the inner surface of numerous tubes, which are typically vertically arranged on the lower surface of the pileus (except in Gastroboletus). These tubes, or gills in the case of mushrooms, are commonly designated as the hymenophore, or the part of the basidiocarp bearing the hymenium. The hymenium, in turn, is a layer of rather closely packed basidia plus distinctive sterile cells called cystidia. Another difference noted in the field is that, although some mushrooms grow on logs or other woody substrates, only a few boletes are found consistently on such substrates, and most occur in the soil or humus in the vicinity of woody plants.

A thick stalked mushroom with a round cap.
Native to Europe and found growing wild beneath beech and coniferous trees, in summer and autumn.Brush or wipe clean, trim off the end of stalk. (Wash gently if very dirty). Do not peel. Often found in shops as dried version, add to warm water to allow to re-hydrate for around an hour, retain the liquid and add to dish. Add to soups, sauces, casseroles or omelettes, or sauté.

Types of Cep (Bolete) :

• Bronzy Bolete
• King Bolete
• Summer Bolete
• Pinewood Bolete
• Spindle Stemmed Bolete
• Bay Bolete
• Chestnut Bolete
• Cow Bolete

Boletes to Avoid - Poisonous

• Deceptive bolete
• White Cracking Bolete
• La Gals Bolete
• Satans Bolete

Please note the above lists are not exhaustive. Always check first

Here is some further information about the Cep

Porcini (or King Boletus or Cep)

Boletus edulis

Boletes resemble ordinary mushrooms, but instead of gills have small round pores or tubes through which the spores are shed.

The King Boletus (taxonomic name Boletus edulis) is a highly prized edible mushroom. It has a number of English names, including cep (from its Catalan name cep or its French name cèpe), penny-bun and King Bolete. A name in common use is porcini (from the plural of its Italian name porcino). The scientific name derives from the Latin stem bolet-,
which means "superior mushroom" and edulis, meaning edible, and describes the species' culinary qualities. This mushroom has a higher water content than other edible mushrooms and has a distinct aroma reminiscent of fermented dough.

Boletus edulis can be found most commonly in Europe, Asia and North America. The Borgotaro area of Parma in Italy holds an Annual Festival of the Porcini. In South Africa it has been growing plentifully in pine forests around the country for more than 50 years, after being introduced with the pine trees, and has also been found in New Zealand.

This edible mushroom can grow singly or in small clusters of two or three specimens. It is common in woods (especially beech woods) in summer and autumn. Its habitat often consists of areas dominated by pine, spruce, Eastern hemlock and fir trees, but it is also found in hardwood forests containing oaks. It fruits from summer to autumn, following sustained rainfall. A hot humid summer induces growth. This edible mushroom can also be found during the autumn in Syria and Lebanon where it grows in large clusters on decaying oak tree stumps.

The cap of this edible mushroom is convex, and 5–30 cm in diameter. At first, the cap is white then develops to mostly reddish-brown fading to white in areas near the margin; the colour continues to darken as it matures to a brown, smooth, moist, shining cap. The flesh is chalky white, often tinged with pink. Beneath is a spongy mass of vertical tubes, white at first, becoming yellowish-green, and eventually brown, in which the brown spores are produced. These pores do not stain when bruised. The stalk is stout, pale brown, with a fine network of raised, white veins towards the top and is 8–25 cm in height, and up to 7 cm thick, which is rather large in comparison to the cap. Fully mature specimens can weigh about 1 kg. However, the most appreciated by gourmets are the young small porcini, which are dense and tan to pale brown in colour, as the large ones often harbour insect larvae, and they become slimy, soft and less tasty with age.

Although the King Boletus is quite distinctive, caution is required when identifying it as the related species the Dotted-Stemmed Bolete (Boletus erythropus) which is found from later Summer to Early Autumn can cause stomach upsets, especially if eaten raw. The stem of this mushroom turns blue very quickly when bruised and the cap bruises to a black blue colour.

Chefs consider porcini to be one of the finest-tasting wild edible mushrooms. For centuries Ancient Greeks and Romans thought them to be the best of all edible mushrooms and even today many famous chefs continue to believe this to be true. Porcini mushrooms lacks aroma, but are well valued for their meaty texture, interesting flavour and distinguishing shape. The flavour is nutty, meaty, buttery, savoury, almost sweet, with a smooth, creamy texture. When fresh, porcini can be eaten and enjoyed raw as well as fried, sautéed with butter, ground into pasta, in risotto, in soups, and served with veal and game. They are a feature of many cuisines, including Provençal and Viennese.
They can also be dried by stringing them separately on twine and hanging close to the ceiling of a kitchen for later use in casseroles and soups. Drying the porcini seems to accentuate its sweet and meaty overtones, reducing "l'eau du terre" (smell of the earth) that
distinguishes fresh boletes. Once dry, they are best kept in an airtight container. Drying them in the oven is not advised as it can result in them being cooked and spoiling. When reconstituted, the liquid retrieved from soaking them makes a perfect soup base, needing almost no additions.

Recipe for Porcini Parmesan (serves 4 to 6)

• 1-2 large, fresh, firm porcini mushrooms
• 225g sliced mozzarella cheese
• 50g cup grated Parmesan cheese
• small onion finely chopped
• olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbsp minced parsley
• Pinches of dried basil, marjoram, and oregano, or other Italian
• seasonings
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 660g can of tomato sauce
• 1 egg
• 60ml milk
• bread crumbs - finely ground

Heat some olive oil in a large frypan. Add onions and garlic and sauté over low heat until onions are translucent. Stir in parsley, herbs, salt, pepper, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Slice the mushrooms into ½ cm thick slices. Remove the spongy area underneath the more solid cap of the mushroom. Beat the egg and milk together in a bowl. Dip the slices of mushroom into the egg mixture then dust with bread crumbs. Heat some olive oil in a large frypan to medium heat. Fry the porcini on both sides, adding more oil as needed, until golden brown. In a 2-quart baking dish, layer sauce, mushrooms, mozzarella, topping layers off with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° F for 1 hour.

Like many casserole style dishes this recipe tastes even better the following day, after the flavours are allowed to seep into the mushrooms. You may want to make it ahead of time and reheat it when you want to eat it...wow what a nice taste 1

Black Truffle (Tuber melanosporum)

Black Truffles or Black Perigord Truffles (Tuber melanosporum) are underground mushrooms which grow in symbiosis with certain trees, especially oaks. During a limited harvesting season, they are found in several regions of southern Europe, France, Italy and Spain. Black Truffles are highly valued by gourmets for their typical flavour, and are often called black diamonds. A number of varieties exist, but the Black Truffles of Perigord and Lot in France are highly esteemed as the absolute finest in the world.

Black Truffles are highly aromatic, pungent and will even penetrate eggs stored next to them, changing their taste. The flavour of Black Truffles is far less pungent and more refined than that of white truffles. It is reminiscent of fresh earth and mushrooms, and when fresh, their scent fills a room almost instantly. In 2006, designer Tom Ford released a perfume that lists Black Truffle as its first note.

The Black Truffle has a thick, smooth to wrinkled outer skin, somewhat rough in texture and is greyish-black in colour with small diamond-shaped projections. It can be found in late autumn and winter, reaching up to 7 cm in diameter and weighing 10 - 100g though most are at the lower end of the weight scale. Large truffles cost more because they are rare. They grows on the roots of truffle oaks usually in a circular formation about 1.5 metres from the base of the oak tree, often at less than 30 cm below the surface. Some have white veins but most are very black. To date, cultivating Black Truffles has met with limited success but is being pursued in several countries, including Australia and New Zealand. Moderately humid climates are best for truffle oaks which thrive on soil rich in limestone, with good drainage.

Their harvesting is a delicate and always uncertain operation. Because truffles remain underground even after maturing, the acute sense of smell of certain animals is required to find them. Their growth beneath the earth's surface is thought to be an adaptation to forest fires, drought, or severe cold, where the mushrooms on the surface of the soil
are more prone to destruction. Traditionally pigs were used to locate truffles but they have mostly been replaced by dogs. The fine sense of smell of the pig makes it very efficient at hunting truffles, but it requires constant vigilance, because there is a high risk of the truffles being swallowed by the pig as they enjoy the taste. Also pigs tire rather quickly and are difficult to transport. Dogs however are not naturally interested in truffles and can be trained to indicate with their paw when they scent a truffle, and are happy to be rewarded with a treat. In recent years people have invested money in developing electronic "noses" but they still require work.

Black Truffle production is almost exclusively European, with France accounting for 45%, Spain 35%, Italy 20%, and small amounts from other countries. In 1900, France produced around 1,000 metric tonnes of Black Truffles. Production has considerably diminished in the past century, and is presently around 20 metric tonnes per year, with peaks at 46 metric tonnes in the best years.

The Black Summer Truffle (Tuber aestivum/unicinatum) thrives in northern Italy, central Europe and the UK but also grows in Turkey and North Africa. It is also highly valued for its culinary uses. Summer truffles do not have as strong an aroma or taste as winter truffles do. They are mainly harvested from June to November. These truffles grow in symbiosis with trees such as oaks, hazels and beech. They can weigh up to 20-30 g, and their shape is generally round, up to 4 cm diameter.

Without a trained dog (or pig!) to locate them, most mushroom hunters never find a Black Truffle.

Once unearthed, truffle’s can be stored well packaged in a cool, damp place for months. They can also be frozen, although after thawing, texturally the quality becomes unacceptably soft and mushy. Black Truffles can be served raw, but are best when cooked with meat or added as small bits to sauces and savory dishes, allowing the longer cooking times to blend the flavors together. Slices of raw black truffles are often placed under the skin of uncooked fowl, such as duck or turkey, to enhance the flavor of the meat during and after it has been cooked. In addition to fowl, Black Truffles can be used with venison, beef, pork, bacon and pancetta. Black Truffles are usually used with hot dishes such as omelette's and sauces, including sauces made with wine or brandy, due to their pungent and lasting flavour. A few drops on scrambled eggs produces a special breakfast.

Black Truffle Frittata recipe (serves 4)

• 6 eggs
• 2 large baking potatoes, boiled, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium sized Black Truffle, peeled and diced
• 3 ounces juliennied prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 additional Black Truffle, thinly sliced (optional)
• Dash of salt and pepper

The frittata will be cooked about 3/4 through on the stovetop, then "finished" under the broiler in the same skillet. Turn on broiler to medium. Beat the eggs with a dash of salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in potatoes, diced truffle, parsley and prosciutto. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and pour in the mixture. Do not stir mixture while cooking. Lift the edges and tilt skillet to pour liquid mixture under, repeat around circumference of pan until mixture is almost cooked. Now remove skillet from range and place under broiler to finish. Be careful not to burn, but give surface a light golden hue. Remove from broiler
and sprinkle top with thinly sliced truffle.

Serve from the skillet, cutting like a pizza. Hmmm..nice tasting mushrooms !

Mushroom black market

Several mushroom species are cultivated or collected for use in a recreational or ritualistic context. These mushrooms all have hallucinogenic properties and for this reason they are typically not considered edible. Whereas edible mushrooms are commonly defined by their comestibility and hallucinogenic mushrooms are not comestibles, they are nevertheless eaten and when taken in appropriate doses, the mycotoxins present in the mushrooms will be metabolized by the eater and their effects will disappear within several hours.

Agrocybe farinacea - collected in Japan. Contains psilocybin.
Amanita muscaria - Commonly used for shamanistic purposes by the peoples of Siberia, Turkic peoples, the Sami people, and others. Contains ibotenic acid, muscarine, muscimol.
Conocybe spp. - Used for shamanic purposes by the Mazatecs of Oaxaca. [7] Contains psilocin and psilocybin.
Copelandia spp. - Commonly growing in Hawaii. Contains psilocin and psilocybin
Galerina steglichii - Rare and rarely collected. Contains psilocybin, alpha-amanitin and other amatoxins.
Gerronema fibula- A tropical mushroom.
Gerronema solidipes - A tropical mushroom.
Gymnopilus spp. - Commonly bitter in taste, recreational use is uncommon with most species. Contains psilocybin, bis-noryangonin, and hispidine.
Hypholoma spp. - Contains psilocybin.
Inocybe spp. - Contains muscarine, psilocybin, and aeruginascine.
Mycena cyanorrhiza - Contains psilocybin.
Panaeolus spp. - Collected and cultivated for recreational use.Contains psilocybin, psilocin, serotonin, urea, and tryptophan.
Pluteus spp. - Contains psilocybin [10]
Psilocybe spp. - cultivated for its hallucinogenic properties. These species contain the mycotoxins: psilocybin, psilocin, baeocystin, norbaeocystin, and occasionally other psychoactive tryptamines.