FFSC News & Stories Field reports, member stories, and mushroom-related news, from newest to oldest. (Visit FFSC Events for upcoming club activities.) Cookeina tricholoma (Mont.) Kuntze (2014, Yukatan). Photo by Yev Nyden More Finds Featured Fungi Mushroom Photos Recipes Events of 29 pages Go Go Go Go Go More Finds Featured Fungi Mushroom Photos Events Recipes Fair News FFSC News July 7, 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Logo Design Contest 2027 It's that time again! Submit your entries for the 2027 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair logo design contest by 10pm on August 31, 2026. The Grand Prize is $500 plus other perks! Category Writings FFSC News July 3, 2026 Earth Stars — Astreas Hygrometricus I went to Yuba County to hunt for Earth Stars. Although they are curled up and dry during the summer months, they aren’t too hard to find once you find a few older stray ones. The grass isn’t tall and it’s dry as well. Category Mycology & Art News FFSC News June 18, 2026 Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada - 2026 Recap Each spring, the retreat of the snowpack provides a unique ecological window of opportunity for “snowbank fungi”, a group of mushrooms that (as the name suggests) grow in and around snowbanks. As spring gives way to summer, curious mycophiles from around the world gather at a rustic campus in Tahoe National Forest to study these fascinating fungi. Category Writings FFSC News May 20, 2026 FFSC 2026 Ministers Elections-Results Welcome our new slate of FFSC ministers elected at May 19, 2026 general meeting. Category Stewardship FFSC News March 10, 2026 FFSC Bylaws 2026 Revision We are revising our club bylaws. FFSC members are encouraged to review the changes before the April 2026 members meeting. Category Fair News FFSC News January 20, 2026 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair: Our Mission in Action The Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz exists to expand the understanding and appreciation of mycology through education; and to assist the public, institutions, and partner organizations in advancing that goal--and keeping the FUN in fungi. The 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair brought all of these groups together to make high-quality mycological education accessible to thousands of people, while producing real scientific output and supporting local arts, culture and economic development. Category of 29 pages Go Go Go Go Go Filter by Category Fair News Field Reports Mycology & Art News Stewardship Writings Reset

Learn about mushrooms, both deadly and delicious, at the 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair, brought to you by the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. View hundreds of regional species, have your mushroom finds identified, and explore the secrets of the fungal kingdom. Mushrooms fascinate us! They're ubiquitous and mysterious, delicious and sometimes deadly. They're among the oldest living things on earth. Excited to learn more? You might be a fungiphile! Learn About Fungi Explore the World of Fungi Join us as we hunt mushrooms for scientific interest and for the table. Learn to create art with fungi. Spend time outdoors and share your fungi finds with friends! Explore All Events We Keep the "fun" in fungus! Our mission is to foster and expand the understanding and appreciation of mycology among our members and the general public. And to always keep the “fun” in fungus! Why Join FFSC? Previous Next Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz "An eating and drinking club with a mushroom problem" -- Henry Young January 9-11, 2026 Santa Cruz, CA Thanks for visiting! Fungus Fair Fungus Fair Fungus Fair Fungus Fair The 2026 Santa Cruz Upcoming FFSC Events August 29, 2026 at 3:00 PM – September 6, 2026 at 11:00 AM Alaska Long-Distance Foray, September 2026 Save the date for our fantastic journey in Alaska! Explore the Alaskan Kenai peninsula and be amazed by the wildlife, fjords, glaciers and of course mushrooms. September 15, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM September Speaker | Liv Fragiacomo : Organic Strawberries - Bio Alternatives to Plastic Join us for our first monthly speaker of the 2026-2027 season! October 20, 2026, 6:00 – 9:00 PM October Speaker | Save the Date : Details TBD Check back at the beginning of the season to learn about our October monthly speaker. Explore All Events Recent News & Stories More Articles Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Committee July 7, 2026 at 7:46:30 PM Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Logo Design Contest 2027 It's that time again! Submit your entries for the 2027 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair logo design contest by 10pm on August 31, 2026. The Grand Prize is $500 plus other perks! Pinned to top Hugh Smith July 3, 2026 at 4:45:00 PM Earth Stars — Astreas Hygrometricus I went to Yuba County to hunt for Earth Stars. Although they are curled up and dry during the summer months, they aren’t too hard to find once you find a few older stray ones. The grass isn’t tall and it’s dry as well. Pinned to top Lisa Tesler June 18, 2026 at 9:13:00 PM Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada - 2026 Recap Each spring, the retreat of the snowpack provides a unique ecological window of opportunity for “snowbank fungi”, a group of mushrooms that (as the name suggests) grow in and around snowbanks. As spring gives way to summer, curious mycophiles from around the world gather at a rustic campus in Tahoe National Forest to study these fascinating fungi. Pinned to top Follow @scfungusfed on Instagram

News & Stories / Mycology & Art News Why Study a Genus? The answer is very simple: We need experts. Having a monograph is useless if no one knows how to use it. John Brown • September 2, 2005 Why not learn Pholiotina? Pholiotina rugosa. © Darvin DeShazer (from mushroomobserver.org) I have a number of reasons why I decided to study the genus Inocybe : Year after year I find mushrooms which I can’t ID, and using Arora, I never will. A few months into my study I at least knew some of these were Inocybes. The driving reason that gave me my original impetus came from a class on career devel-pment. The instructor simply said: “If you want to be valued within your field, be an expert at something.” The last reason really came after I started the study: The many mushrooms in the genus have repetitive features, both macro and microscopic. Paying attention to your observations gives you a great deal of insight into the whole genus. Some of you are coming back from San Francisco State’s mushroom microscopy class. Chances are, you were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. I’m still overwhelmed, despite a second class and a visit last summer. If you study a genus, your information becomes focused, and becomes a great deal more understandable. We need people that understand the various genera. We need them at the Fair. We need them at the ID table on forays. There is too much information for any one person to know it all. Many of the people in the club are good generalists. Some of us have learned to use the monographs in the Agaricales of California , but to my best knowledge, we have the following monographs that no one uses: Mycena , Psathyrella , veiled Hebelomas , Pholiota, Pholiotina , Gymnopilus , Thele phora. If you want a challenge, do Psathyrella . We have lots of them. If you’ve mastered one monograph and would like to try another, you could try the veiled Hebelomas . I have no idea what Thelephora entails, which itself points to the need for someone versed in this genus. We also have books on Suillus and Boletes. John Brown, Science Advisor Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Warning: Chanterelle Lookalikes May Cause You to Lose Your Lunch! D.I.Y. Mycoblitz Take a Closer Look at your Black Trumpets Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Kenai Peninsula Foray, Alaska 2005 We found a large variety of fungi, notable edibles including Hydnum imbricatum, Dentinum repan-dum, and Leccinum insigne. Our potluck was a feast of wonderful dishes. Bill White • November 2, 2005 Participants at the Alaska Foray 2025 Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Foraging in Alaska in 2008 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports From the Perpetrators of the 2025 Echo Summit Foray If you missed the Echo Summit foray, well, sorry and don’t let it happen again! Thirty eight of us did make the journey and a good time was indeed had by all. The weather was fine and a number of species were found, edibles among them. Marje Young • November 2, 2005 Echo Summit Foray 2005. Photo by Jerri White Thanks to those who shared: John Brown brought Tricholoma magnivelare (yes, Matsutake in the mountains!) and oysters for tasting, Bill McGuire and Richard Rammer prepared Sarcodon imbricatum , and Tina and Thomas Keller, Mark and Toni Gillespie and Gloria Woodside donated boletes to the brethren. Apologies to anyone we’ve missed, and thanks to all of you! And thanks to everyone for your help, both in the kitchen and out, during the foray. You’re the best, and it couldn’t happen without you! Marje and I have been coordinating this foray for the last eight years. Richard Rammer, our predecessor, also organized Echo for eight years, as did Phil Carpenter before him. It seems we’ve hit our expiration date, so we’re looking for new people and new ideas! The job basically involves taking reservations and money, menu planning, food purchases/transport, and coordinating kitchen duties. Foray attendees help with food prep, dishes and cleanup. An added perk is that the organizers get first crack at the private rooms! We would be happy to work with you next year to get the hang of things. If you have questions, please call either of us for details. Cheers! Debbie Johnson & Marje Young Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Echo Summit Foray 2025: A Participants Perspective Field Reports Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Mycology & Art News Warning: Chanterelle Lookalikes May Cause You to Lose Your Lunch! I went chanterelle hunting and found about 50 mushrooms on and near an oak tree. Karen Kaplan • February 1, 2006 Omphalotus olivascens. © Alan Rockefeller (from mushroomobserver.org) I was excited, thinking I had found chanterelles, until experienced fungiphile Theodore Lorek informed me they were poisonous Omphalotus olivascens (aka: Jack O' Lantern Mushrooms) which contained muscarine. Muscarine poisoning results in profuse sweating and gastrointestinal upset. On closer examination, they were a darker color than the yellow chanterelles we had been collecting and they had true gills rather than the shallow, blunt, foldlike gills of chanterelles. Chanterelles also don’t fruit from wood. According to David Arora, Jack O Lanterns can also glow in the dark! I learned my lesson and know it's good to bring mushrooms to the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and learn to properly identify the difference between "gourmet" and "poison" before I lose my lunch! Note from the Editor : This article is not intended as a field guide. Never consume any mushroom that you cannot confidently identify. The following examples show similarities and differences between chanterelles and Jack O' Lanterns, but you should refer to a field guide or an ID expert to confirm your findings. When in doubt, throw it out! Chanterelle ridges (continuous with the cap's flesh) Jack O' Lantern true gills (thin, easily moveable blades) Chanterelles Jack O' Lanterns Chanterelle caps Jack O' Lantern caps Also see our Featured Fungi section on this website: Top Ten Poisonous Mushrooms of California The Chanterelles Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Matsutake or Amanita? Thank You, Debbie Viess! Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Stewardship 24th Annual Wine & Mushroom Fest: Edible and Choice! The celebration is over and it was outstanding, with choice edibles abounding. The wild mushroom dishes prepared by the great cooks in our organization went far beyond my wildest dreams! Vernetta McGuire • March 1, 2006 Chocolate fountain at the 2006 Wine and Mushroom Dinner. Photo by Felicity Christenson You could never partake of these truly delicious and diverse dishes in any other place I could name. Attendance was about the same as in years past, despite a change of venue. Those who were unable to attend truly missed a sumptuous feast and an entertaining evening. Phyllis Cole in almost-full fungal regalia (minus her NAMA mushroom tiara) and Lee Yamada. Photo by Felicity Christenson We had many of the best wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winery Association, thanks to Jeff Emery who coordinated this part of the fest. Silver Mountain, Clos Tita, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards, Osocalis, River Run, Thomas Fogarty and Ahlgren poured their best. Jeff puts the wine in the Wine and Mushroom and we couldn’t do it without him. The music by the Chanterelles was truly exceptional, adding a classical touch to our affair. Out in the woods. Photo by Felicity Christenson Then there was Bob Wynn, always on hand to dish out that wonderful appetizer he cooks along with the treats everyone else brings, from appetizers to desserts. Thanks so much to both of them. We had on the spot cooking of blinis by “King Henry”, served hot off the griddle with the assistance of his serving wench Marje. As always there was much enthusiasm; a line formed and it was certainly well worth the wait! Willie Wonka's Mushroom Wonderland at the 2006 Wine and Mushroom (by Deb Johnson and Phred Molnar). Photo by Felicity Christenson The dessert course was one of the best we’ve ever had. It was difficult to choose which one you wanted to partake of, as we had so many to choose from. Some included wild mushrooms in them, such as Candy Cap Crême Brulée and Candy Cap Cheesecake. Deb Johnson and Phred Molnar presented us with a completely edible forest log sprouting saprophytic chocolate mushrooms, surrounded with chocolate leaf duff and wax baggies of munchable mushrooms sitting in the duff. It was a feast for the eyes as well as the tongue. Then came the grand finale: a luscious and well-behaved chocolate fountain! Bridget Binko and Hensl Lise at the 2006 Wine & Mushroom Dinner. Photo by Felicity Christenson Special thanks go to the volunteers for your time and efforts in putting this event together and making it happen. We have such a great and fun group to work with! Each and every one of you made the 24th annual Wine and Mushroom event a delight to attend. Without all your help this could never happen. With my sincere appreciation, Vernetta McGuire, Culinary Minister Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts The Wine and Mushroom Experience was Phenomenal Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports Echo Summit Foray 2025: A Participants Perspective The hunting was heavenly and the fungus was awe-some at the FFSC’s annual foray up at Echo Summit, just west of Lake Tahoe. David and I had the pleasure of joining with our Santa Cruz friends to hunt mushrooms, dine splendidly and enjoy the beauty and majesty of the mountains in the comfort of Echo Summit Lodge Chalet; gosh, there is life after camping! Debbie Viess • November 1, 2005 Hygrophorus hypothejus. Illustration by Debbie Viess Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts From the Perpetrators of the 2025 Echo Summit Foray Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Albion I Foray 2005 Species List The December Albion foray was outstanding; many thanks to Horst Kuhlmann for arranging the foray, dinner at Ledford and the great weather. Douglas Smith • January 1, 2006 Cortinarius vanduzerensis. © Alan Rockefeller (from mushroomobserver.org) The species count came in at 158, an all-time record, with about 20 miscellaneous Suillus , Russula and Mycena species which were never named. Our ability to come up with such a big list so quickly can be attributed to Douglas Smith, who elegantly combined the last five years’ species lists into a checklist to make the process go faster, complete with illustrated ID cards for the table. Kudos to Douglas! Mother Nature was good to us, as well! FFSC members can login to see the full list below. - Editor Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / 2006 Fungus Fair: Thanks to Our Volunteers! The 32nd annual Fungus Fair is but a fond memory now. The Fungus Federation should be proud of its participation in making it happen this year. Phil Carpenter • February 1, 2006 Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) at a Fair. Photo by Larry Volpe Many, many volunteers made the quick assembly and smooth running of the event very easy. From all accounts it was a very successful show. Mark reports that we also had over 40 new club members sign up as well as a large percentage of renewals. There were well over 300 species of mushrooms recorded, most of which were on display during the weekend. Stores recorded an after-tax income of $7,233, up 11% from last year. With the$2,800 paid to the Federation by the Museum, the before-expenses income for the fair, including memberships, is over $11,400. That will pay for a lot of FFSC speakers and special project and scholarship expenses! The official count of paying attendees was 2,543 with an unofficial count of 200 additional for the Friday night reception. I feel, however, that the count is low. From past experience, the crowds seemed much more like the 3,000 attendees we’ve seen a couple of times in the past. I cannot offer enough thanks to all of the people who put in time to help out with the many tasks associated with making the show a success. There was no shortage of people to help with col-lecting mushrooms, setting up, sorting and iden-tifying mushrooms, peopling the tables during the fair, take down and all other aspects. I am very pleased to see the very positive response of so many who stepped forward to participate. It was our best volunteer turnout ever. This show just cannot be done without the assistance of volunteers and your efforts are sincerely appreciated. Special thanks go to the FFSC planning committee, a group of dedicated individuals who put in much more than their share of time in both planning and execution of the fair. Specifically, my thanks go to Marje Young (overview, planning and setup), Debbie Johnson (vendor coordinator and setup), Horst Kuhlmann (setup), Marilyn Fenn (art show and publicity), Henry Young and John Brown (ID and science input), Bill White (CEO and help with all phases), Vernetta McGuire (Friday night reception), Mark Gillespie (membership), Monise Sheehan (stores and T-Shirts), Catharine Gunderson (Kid’s room) and Nate Segraves (Mushrooms 101 presentation and ID). Thanks to Phred Molnar and Bridget Binko for their donation of handmade mushroom earrings, necklaces and chocolate mushrooms for sale in Stores. We also appreciate the generosity of our mushroom donors: Monterey Mushrooms, Far West Fungi, Hazel Dell Mushrooms, Fitz Fresh Mushrooms and King of Mushrooms. Jozseph Schultz and Bob Sellers kept the volunteers in hot soup, and Bob Wynn put on his usual wonderful post-cleanup dinner. If I have forgotten anyone, I am really sorry. Your efforts are no less appreciated though I may have failed to to mention your contribution. It is with regret that I announce that this will be the last year that I’ll be able to function as the chairperson of the FFSC planning committee. I’ve worked on the Fungus Fair every year since 1978 and have been part of the planning com-mittee since the role was taken over by the FFSC about 12-13 years ago. However, time constraints of a new job will prevent me from being able to continue to spend the time necessary to fulfill the requirements of the role. So, the position is open for someone to step in and gain the satisfaction of helping put this show together. Yes, it is a lot of work, but it is quite rewarding. Of course, I will assist the new coor-dinator and still plan on working as much as I can at fair time. Phil Carpenter, Fair Coordinator Kids artwork at the 32nd Fair A huge thank you to all of the wonderful helpers in the Children’s Room! They were dynamic, sensitive interpreters of fungi for the younger ones and their families. There were some touching moments, and the room was as busy as I have seen it. All of the volunteers brought something important for children. One magical moment was when a young girl saw a mushroom on a post card in the Children’s Room and then somehow managed to look out of the high (for her) window to see the same mushroom growing down in the front of the Center! My hope is that many of the same great volunteers in the Children’s Room will return next year! Catharine Gunderson, Children’s Room Coordinator Sincere thanks to everyone who helped set up and run the Friday night Fair Preview Reception! Making up trays, moving tables, decorating and serving went off without a hitch. Special thanks go to Jeff Emery of Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards for providing not only won-derful wine but a varied tasting opportunity, and to Massimo Caporale of Gelato Massimo for his incomparable Candy Cap Gelato. A good time was had by all! Vernetta McGuire, Culinary Minister Our appreciation goes out to all of the members who helped with setup, shoveling, sweeping, staffing the Membership and Stores booths, spritzing the mushrooms to keep them fresh, maintaining order in the Programs room and many more tasks, all equally important. Cleanup time set a new record this year: one hour! Really an amazing effort all around. Thanks to all! Mark Gillespie, Membership leader Horst Kuhlmann, Setup leader Monise Sheehan, Stores leader Marje Young, Overview/Planning leader Debbie Johnson, Vendors/Setup leader Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Mushroom Recipes Our FFSC members love to share recipes! Whether you're looking for something new to try at home or for one of our potlucks, here are some tasty recipes to experiment with. Mushroom Bisque in a Teacup. Photo by John Spaur Filter by Mushroom Close Almond Candy Cap Cookies ... Did you like the candy cap cookies served at the 2009 Fair? Here’s the recipe. Now all you need to do is get out and find some Candy Caps! Black & White Truffle Cheese Fondue ... Todd Spanier's cooking demonstration at the 2012 Fungus Fair included this very yummy Truffle Fondue. Breaded Bolete Caps ... When the Echo Summit foray is only a few weeks away, thoughts of delicious boletes are on everyone’s mind. Breaded Boletes with Tomatoes ... A warm dish for late fall along the coast or in the spring after the snow melts. Brie with Wild Mushrooms in Puff Pastry ... The beauty of this recipe is that it can be made a day in advance. The filling can be used on baguettes, or if you double the puff pastry you really don’t need anything else to serve with it! Candy Cap & Sage Pork Tenderloin ... This savory Candy Cap dish delighted members at one of our long-distance foray dinners. Chanterelle Pancake Crepes ... Fresh from the forest and down on the table, a delicious chanterelle recipe, contributed by Annie Lang. Chanterelle Phyllo Cup Appetizers ... Try this tasty appetizer for party or a potluck! Chanterelle Quiche ... We are on the front end of our mushroom season, the “beginning of the beginning”. Meanwhile, here is another chanterelle moment... Chanterelle Sauce ... I hear that Chanterelles are out there. I can’t find them yet. I’ve checked my patches in the mountains. Nothing yet, but reports indicate the findings are still closer to the coast. Chanterelle and Cheese Pancakes ... Debbie Johnson and her sister, Lynn, served their now famous Chanterelle and Cheese Pancakes at the Wine and Mushroom Dinner. Here is the much-requested recipe. Chanterelles and Mussels, Alive, Alive O ... For me, this is another recipe and cooking experience that started at Lion’s Market on Saratoga Boulevard in San Jose. Walking along a frozen seafood case, I saw a package of New Zealand Green Mussels, half shelled and pre-cooked at $3.99 a pound. Chef Mazi's Perfect Rice ... A Mazi family favorite, this recipe uses stock and powdered mushrooms with the rice in a standard rice cooker for a more full flavored and medicinal version of a standard starch. Chewy Noels ... What, you may ask, is a Chewy Noel? If you’ve been to a FFSC event (circa 2006), you’ve probably had them: they’re the mysterious chewy, nutty confections John Brown sometimes makes. Chicken with Olives, Caramelized Onions, and Sage ... Marje Young’s chicken dinner was wildly successful at one of our Echo Summit forays, with many people clamoring for the recipe. Crab Stuffed Morels ... Here is a morel recipe from Phil Carpenter. This stuffing can be used on cap-type mushrooms also! Crab and Mushroom Chowder ... Many supermarkets now carry a decent selection of "exotic” mushroom varieties, such as shiitake, oyster, and cremini mushrooms. You can make this delicious chowder using a single variety or a combination of foraged and commercial varieties. Curried Green Beans with Sulphur Shelf ... Enjoy this tasty treatment for sulphur shelf mushrooms in coconut curry. Gruyere, Wild Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Pizza ... Thanks to Cecilia Stipes for another great recipe! Morel Corn Macadamia Fritters ... Thai-style recipe. Fritters can be served warm or at room temperature as an appetizer or side dish. Morel Crusted Ahi Tuna ... This one went super fast at one of our Wine & Mushroom gatherings! Morels and Asparagus ... A simple dish of baked or grilled asparagus, topped with morels and sage. Mushroom Bisque ... I usually look at other recipes and then wing it, so quantities are guesstimates. The liquid needs to be varied to get the right consistency of the bisque. Mushroom Piroshki ... Have fun improvising, by alternating different combinations of ingredients. North African Pork and Beans with Candy Cap Mushrooms ... We most often think of the Candy Cap in a sweet context; this recipe provides a delectable savory alternative! Pasta Porcini ... This Northern Italian recipe comes from the year Deb taught school in Trieste, Italy. Paula's Chanterelle Soup ... Overcooked chanterelles taste remarkably like canned mushrooms. For this reason, the mushrooms are cooked separately and added last. Pheasant with Wild Mushrooms ... Jeff Broadbent made this dish for the holiday potluck. It was delicious! If you are unsuccessful in buddying up to Jeff or another pheasant hunter (Richard Stipes comes to mind), chicken might serve as a substitute. Porcini Soup ... Robin Morris shared this wonderful Porcini soup recipe. Enjoy! Portabella Polenta Pie ... This can be served as a main course, side dish, or appetizer depending on how you slice the pie. Quick Mushroom Tempura ... If you’ve found some terrific edibles already, what should you do with them? (I suspect you already know the answer) but here is an idea! Tempura really works. Roasted Mushrooms, Spring Onions, and Pea Shoots ... This versatile dish can be served as a topping on bruschetta or Eggs Benedict, or standalone as a salad. Savory Mushroom Clafouti ... I learned this recipe from the late Larry Stickney, a phenomenal guy who was instrumental in creating a culture of mushrooming in the Bay Area. Snow Peas, Leeks, and Shiitake Mushrooms ... A quick and delicious Asian inspired vegetable dish. Super Immune Soup ... A special request from the flu-inundated doctors of Santa Cruz Naturopathic Medical Center. Turkey Bacon Dip ... Maria Tanase made this dip for the FFSC Holiday Potluck. It was a big hit with the participants. Wild Mushroom Duxelles ... Spread on a baguette or crackers, or use it as mushroom duxelles to enliven a variety of dishes. Wild Rice and Bolete Soup ... A little cream goes a long way in this earthy, comforting soup. Enjoy–it’s even better the next day! Wild and Creamy Mushroom Soup ... Adapted by Cecilia Stipes from a soup recipe that she once found in a magazine. You Want Fries with That?? ... At one of our Echo Summit forays, Dennis Nolan surprised many with fresh bolete fries – a first for many at Echo Summit. They were quite tasty and a hit on the appetizer circuit.

Top Ten Poisonous Mushrooms of California Many people come to the love of mushrooms through eating them, and many people don’t eat them because they can be very poisonous. ... Omphalotus olivascens. © Douglas Smith (from mushroomobserver.org) Concerns about poisonous mushrooms outweigh the love of mushrooms in the general populace, and in a few species these concerns are valid. To go into the woods to find mushrooms for food is noble, but to know mushrooms that are poisonous is to be safe. People should be careful, and get to know poisonous species before they start to eat mushrooms they gather themselves from the wild. Plus these can be interesting mushrooms to find: some are common, some are beautiful. If you are planning on finding mushrooms for food in the wild, as an extra challenge for the season this year and for safety’s sake, try to find and ID these also. Just make sure you don’t eat them! For ID confirmation, come to one of FFSC's events; join our Google Group, or try other resources where experts can be found. (See our FAQs for links.) This list was compiled with help from Mike Beug, Professor Emeritus of Evergreen State College, Olympia WA. The Toxicology Chair of the North American Mycological Society, Mike has been compiling stats on mushroom poisonings for years, and was very helpful in creating this list. The list is the top ten weighted by the seriousness of the poisoning along with the number of poisoning cases from the western US each year. 1. The Death Cap — Amanita phalloides Amanita phalloides . © Douglas Smith (from mushroomobserver.org) The Death Cap is the most deadly of mushroom species, accounting for more deaths that any other. It contains amanita toxins which block cells’ ability to function, and then destroys the liver. A. phalloides causes serious illness, liver damage or failure, and death. Each year a few cases of this occur in California, usually from people moving here that were used to eating edible Amanitas at home. Identity can be determined by a thick base with a volval sack, off-white grey to grey-green cap, and bright white stipe, gills, and partial veil. Usually found with live oak in California, there are rare sightings with other oaks reported. Common in the Bay Area and south, it is slowly moving out to other areas of California, and can be found from Mendocino to Los Angeles, and east through the central valley. 2. The Destroying Angel — Amanita ocreata Amanita ocreata . © Darvin DeShazer (from mushroomobserver.org) A mushroom as deadly as A. phalloides , also containing the deadly amanita toxins. This one causes fewer deaths, because it seems to be eaten less often. Perhaps because while A. phalloides is found early to mid-season, this one is usually found mid to late-season. Still a serious concern, and can be confused with the fairly popular local edible Amanita velosa , which shares the same season and habitat. This species has a similar base and stipe to A. phalloides , with the thick base, and volva, and the same bright white stipe, gills, and thin partial veil. This species differs in that the cap is usually off-white, sometimes with a tan central disc, and rarely with pink colors in the tan. The partial veil on the stipe of this one is so thin, it often disappears, something to keep in mind for a careful ID. 3. Green Spored Parasol — Chlorophyllum molybdites Chlorophyllum molybdites . © Nathan Wilson (from mushroomobserver.org) The most common cause for poisoning cases in the USA, but this is more true in the midwest and east than for California. Causes severe gastrointestinal distress in most people, and enough to cause some to end up in the hospital. Usually confused with the edible Shaggy Parasol ( Chlorophyllum rachodes / brunneum ) which it can look very similar, except the poisonous species has green spores, and the edible species have white spores. Found in grassy places, and landscaping. 4. The Fly Agaric — Amanita muscaria and A. pantherina A tie for fourth place, these two species have similar effects on people, and cause similar numbers of cases in the west. These contain muscimol and ibotenic acid which produce a number of effects in people, from severe sickness to fever, sweating, and delirium. Along with being poisonous, it is also one of the most popular mushrooms from the wild. If someone asks me to ID this fantastic mushroom they saw hiking, it is usually the A. muscaria . These are very common species in California, found among pine and fir trees. 5. The Western Jack-o-Lantern — Omphalotus olivascens Omphalotus olivascens . © Douglas Smith (from mushroomobserver.org) This mushroom causes gastrointestinal upset. It’s a “wishful thinking” poisoning: if compared for long enough with a chanterelle picture, "maybe it will be OK to eat!" Although this mushroom isn’t really that close to the chanterelle, they do share orangish colors, and a vaguely vase-shaped body form. The Jack-o-Lantern is different in that it often grows clustered, on wood, with brown-green colors, and thick, true gills in comparison to the vein-like false gills of the chanterelle. 6. The Deadly Galerina — Galerina marginata ( autumnalis ) Galerina marginata . © Mke Woods (mykoweb.com) A small brown mushroom, this one also contains the amanita toxins that are found in A. phalloides , and can be a quite serious and deadly mushroom if eaten. It is rarely eaten, and almost never confused with any mushrooms used for food, but it could be confused with Psilocybin mushrooms if those were desired. Found on wood, it is small, brown, and usually with a fibrous veil near the top of the stipe, that is brown with adherent spores. 7. The False Morel — Gyromitra esculenta Gyromitra esculenta . © Fred Stevens (from mykoweb.com) A spring-time ascomycete that shares the same season and habitat with the popular edible Morels. This is a confusing mushroom in term of edibility: it was called a choice edible for years, but it contains poisons that get processed into monomethylhydrazine in the body. The tolerance for this chemical in the body is extremely variable, going from nothing to kidney failure. This is the cause of many serious poisonings in the midwest, but poisonings are rare in California. 8. Psilocybin mushrooms — Psilocybe coprophila / cyanescens and others Psilocybe cyanescens . © Fred Stevens (from mykoweb.com) This is a collection of species that contain the chemicals psilocybin and psilocin, which are hallucinogens. They cause confusion and delirium in people, and send a few to the hospital each year. These are more a concern for small children, where their low body weight makes the effect stronger, and at least one case of death of a small child is attributed to these. Small brown mushrooms with deep purple-brown to black spores, they usually stain blue when bruised. Depending on species they grow on either wood chips or dung. 9. False puffballs — Scleroderma polyrhizum / cepa / areolatum Scleroderma areolatum . © Darvin DeShazer (from mushroomobserver.org) These are similar to puffballs, growing on the ground, with spores developing inside. They differ from other puffballs with a thick yellow-brown skin, a yellowish inside when young, and spores that are purple-black when mature. Other puffballs develop deep brown spores. They have caused kidney/liver failure in pigs and dogs, but this hasn’t been seen in people yet. Poisonings of these are rare in the US, but more common in California, perhaps due to the popularity of puffballs for the table here. Make sure you can ID Scleroderma before eating any puffballs. 10. Poison Pax — Paxillus involutus Paxillus involutus . © Mike Woods (mykoweb.com) A species that is sometimes eaten in Europe, but it contains poisons that result in kidney failure if they build up in your system. There are some deaths attributed to the mushroom, but poisonings seem to be rare in California, perhaps because it is such a drab and fairly ugly mushroom in our area. This can be identified by its vase shape, long decurrent gills, and brown velvety cap. And wait, there’s more... Mike Beug actually put a surprise species higher on the list here — Morels! — Morchella elata / esculenta Morchella elata . © Nathan Wilson (from mykoweb.com) Although these are a top ten edible, when raw and undercooked they account for a number of poisoning cases in California. I’ve pushed this to an afterword to point out other species and keep the top ten format, but people should keep this in mind when eating morels. 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