Fuchsi. Hygrocybe coccinea. Photo by Joshua Becker Fuchsi Joshua Becker Found in Big Basin along the Skyline-to-Sea Trail. Wet weather. Visit our Featured Fungi page on waxy caps to get more information on these lovely mushrooms: Hygrocybe laetissima (Waxy Caps) Camera (Not provided) Focal L. Aperture Shutter Sp. ISO Flash Photo taken on December 12, 2016 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Chanterelle Phyllo Cup Appetizers Try this tasty appetizer for party or a potluck! ... White Chanterelles. Photo by Katherine Elvin Objective: Appetizer/Salad Total Time: About 30 minutes Yield: 20 to 40 cups, depending on sheet size Suggested Mushrooms: See code Ingredients Cups 1 pkg. phyllo dough, thawed 1⁄2 C Butter, melted, skimmed and warm 1⁄2 lb. Brie Cheese, cut into small squares, max 1”x 1” Filling Remaining clarified butter from making the phyllo cups 1 lb. chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned, small dice (1/4” cubed) 1⁄2 C White wine, dry 1 Tbl. Honey Salt and white pepper to taste Topping 6 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked 1⁄2 C hazelnuts, lightly toasted and chopped Method Create the Cups Lay a single sheet of phyllo on a clean work surface, and brush to completely coat with clarified butter. Immediately add a second sheet and brush with butter; repeat for a third sheet (to create a 3-sheet stack). Repeat the above steps to create a second three-sheet stack. Using a cookie cutter, cut 3.5” circles out of each stack of dough, trying to waste as little as possible. Gently press each circle into a small muffin tin, not ripping them. Bake at 350° until light golden brown, about 2-4 minutes, but check often to catch them early and prevent burning. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Prepare the Filling Heat clarified butter in a sauté pan until quite hot and add enough chanterelles to create a single layer in the pan (do not overcrowd!). They should sizzle and release their liquid to steam almost immediately. Do not burn. (Chanterelles will turn an unattractive brown if cooked too long. ) Add 1⁄4 cup of the wine and thyme leaves. Repeat as needed, as preparing chanterelles this way can take several batches. The idea is to fry the chanterelle pieces with heat and quickly, leaving much space in the pan to allow for this. After the final batch, add all mushrooms back into the pan, and add the remaining 1⁄4 cup of wine (or all of it if you skipped step 2), and cook it down quickly, tossing in salt and pepper to season. Final Steps Fill cooled phyllo cups 2/3 full and top each with one cheese square. Bake at 450°F for 1–2 minutes to melt cheese. Top with hazelnuts and thyme, and serve. Note : This recipe was originally posted alongside "Relishing Medicinal Mushrooms" by Chef Zachary Mazi in the May 2013 issue of Duff . Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Hymenoscyphus fructigenus on Acorn. Photo by Anisa Etemadi Mushy Acorn Anisa Etemadi This acorn was found under a decomposing log in the Santa Cruz mountains. The photo was taken by Anisa Etemadi and the acorn was found by Zac Vavoulis. We believe they are Hymenoscyphus fructigenus , a saprobic mushroom found on only certain nuts! Camera Apple iPhone 6s Focal L. 4mm Aperture f/2.2 Shutter Sp. 1/300s ISO 100 Flash Off Photo taken on December 11, 2016 Mushroom(s) Hymenoscyphus fructigenus (acorn cup fungus, nut disco) Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Chanterelle Quiche We are on the front end of our mushroom season, the “beginning of the beginning”. Meanwhile, here is another chanterelle moment... ... Cantharellus formosus. © Alan Rockfeller (from mushroomobserver.org) Objective: Main Course Total Time: 1.5 hours Yield: Varies Suggested Mushrooms: See code Ingredients 1 8 oz Crescent refrigerated dough roll 2 Tbl olive oil 2 shallots, sliced 1 lb Chanterelle mushrooms, roughly sliced Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1/2 C milk 1/2 C heavy cream 3 large eggs 1/2 C Gruyere cheese, grated 1 C Swiss cheese, grated Method Preheat your oven to 350°. Coat a 9-inch pie shaped baking dish with non-stick spray or butter. Arrange the crescent roll triangles in a circle with the tip part hanging over the rim of the dish about 1-2 inches. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the baking dish to fill in any gaps. Over moderate heat, sauté the shallots in the olive oil about 1 minute. Add the chanterelles, salt and pepper. Cook and stir frequently until the water released from the mushrooms evaporates. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are lightly browned. Taste and season as appropriate. In a separate bowl, gently whisk the eggs until frothy. Combine with the mushrooms and cheese and pour into the baking dish. Fold the crescent roll tips over the top of the mixture. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes until the center of the quiche is firm to touch. Let cool and enjoy. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Writings Spring Musings with Bill McGuire On a brief foray today, I may have heard this silent exchange. The sun was hot, the walk was long, and I felt oddly strange. But then, on second thought, I might not have. Bill McGuire • May 2, 2010 Two princes. (Photographer unknown) Said the Prince to the Princess Appendiculatus, you’re quite a mess Those silly pores and fat reticulated stipe Quite obvious my dear, you’re just not my type! Replied the Princess to the Prince These words, lets us not mince That awful almond smell – as well As your yellow stained skinny stipe Augustus, I find you quite disgustus And definitely, you’re not my type! Hastily returning to my car, I found I had already gone, the tiny little bits of greenish stained stems on the ground gave me a clue. I may impart the lesson to you, on second thought, I may not! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts The Season Begins Haikus Celebrating the Secret Life of Fungi Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Gomphidius in the Rain (spike cap). Photo by Jim Austin Gomphidius in the Rain Jim Austin More about Gomphidius: Gomphidius , Wikipedia Spikes (genus Gomphidius) , iNaturalist Camera Nikon D5300 Focal L. 48mm Aperture f/10.0 Shutter Sp. 1/200s ISO 1000 Flash Off Photo taken on December 6, 2014 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

News & Stories / Stewardship Sudden Oak Death — Sensible Measures in the Woods Fungi are finally fruiting, a compelling reason to get out into the woods. Do you think about Sudden Oak Death much, other than to look at the dead trees and think “How sad”? But it’s all around us, and we have responsibilities as users of the forests and as environmentalists. What can we do to prevent spread? Deb • January 1, 2009 Humboldt tanoak mortality (from suddenoakdeath.org) David Rust spoke about Phytopthora ramorum , the fungus causing SOD, at our September meeting. The dismaying news is that it’s virtually endemic in our woodlands, infecting seemingly healthy hosts such as Bay Laurel, a frequently encountered tree in our forests. So what can we do to prevent spread? Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of Sudden Oak Death on oaks and tanoaks and the leaf spot symptoms on California bay laurel, blackberry bushes, fir, chinquapin, fern, maple, manzanita, and other plants. You’ll then be able to avoid or be prepared to recover from heavily infested areas. https://www.suddenoakdeath.org/ If possible, remove all soil from shoes, boots, tires, or other conveyances prior to leaving an infested site. If this is not feasible, stop as soon as possible and wash soil from vehicles. Use Lysol® or a bleach solution to disinfect shoes and boots after cleaning. If you are frequently in and out of infested sites, consider committing footwear for use in that environment only. Remove and clean the footwear before leaving the area. Clean tools in a similar manner. It’s a good idea to change clothes, bagging your old clothes before leaving the site. Wash at home. In all cases make sure that you remove all plant material (needles and leaves) from your body,vehicles, animals, tools, or other containers before leaving the infested site. This is required under State regulations. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Four Dry Season Mushrooms At the beginning of the season, while we wait patiently for the fall rains to arrive, there are still some interesting sporocarps lurking in our local outdoor spaces. ... Two Princes Oyster mushrooms ( Pleurotus ostreatus ) and the Prince ( Agaricus augustus ) often fruit in the summer fog season, and Dead Man’s Foot or the Dyers Puffball, ( Pisolithus arhizus ) pops up unexpectedly in dry meadows and sandy trails with hardly any moisture. But one of the most spectacular dry season fungi is the Hardwood Sulfur Shelf, Laetiporus gilbertsonii . Chicken roosting In our area, L gilbertsonii is found on eucalyptus, oak, and other hardwood species. It can grow on logs, stumps, or on dead or living trees and can fruit in inland valleys during the driest part late summer without any sign of nearby moisture. It first appears as a small blob, expanding into broad semicircular shelves that can form rosettes or impressive clusters with overlapping layers. The main body is a striking salmon pink to orange color with bright lemon yellow or sulfur yellow pores on the undersides of the tips. When fresh, the colors are vibrant and the texture is soft and spongy. (Members can view photos of a Time Lapsed Laetiporous for examples of this growth.) With age, the fruiting body slowly turns lighter in color and becomes harder and more brittle, eventually turning dull white. Crumbly remnants can persist for months before slowly weathering away. Laetiporus is a brown rot fungus, a type of saprobe which breaks down the cellulose in dead wood. The affected wood will often appear brown, cracked, and shrunken with a soft brittle texture. It is also parasitic, so living trees can be hollowed out and drop large branches or break in strong winds, so you have reason for concern when you find this fungus on that old oak tree that is shading your house. But on a more positive note, when fresh and tender, Laetiporus gilbertsonii is a prized edible, commonly referred to as “chicken of the woods.” It is one of the “foolproof four” wild edible mushrooms recommended by Clyde Christianson in his book Common Edible Mushrooms , first published in 1943. Along with the giant puffball, ( Calvatia gigantea ), morels ( Morchella sp. ), and the shaggy mane ( Coprinus comatus ), “chicken of the woods” was considered to be a choice edible that was both abundant and distinctive enough that a prudent beginner could easily identify it without risk of confusion with any dangerous species. But of course nothing is completely foolproof. Christianson’s “chicken of the woods” was Laetiporus sulphureus , which has since been divided into at least eight distinct species including our L. gilbertsonii and another western species L. conifericola , which not surprisingly grows on conifers. Most of the species are so similar, that they cannot be differentiated by macroscopic or microscopic physical characteristics alone. Looking at the species of wood they are growing on, location on the tree, and region where they are found provides some clues, and DNA sequencing is ongoing to clarify the definitions of this group of similar species. Luckily, all seem to be relatively safe edibles. What is meant by relatively safe, you might ask? Just like chicken, chicken of the woods should be cooked thoroughly. Though it is not fatal, people have been sickened by eating raw or undercooked Laetiporus . Only tender young fruiting bodies or the tender outer tips of older specimens should be eaten. There are reports of gastric upsets caused by fungus harvested on eucalyptus, though many people (including the author) have eaten L. gilbertsonii from eucalyptus without any ill effects. Still it is best to eat just a bit the first time to make sure you don’t have a bad reaction. L. conifericola is equally edible and should be treated with the same precautions. And again, don’t forget to cook it thoroughly. But when well cooked, this mushroom does make a good chicken or meat substitute. With its firm flakey texture and a bit of imagination, some people claim it tastes just like chicken (or snake or turtle etc). There are about as many ways to cook this mushroom as there are to cook chicken. Here is one recipe to start with, Curried Green Beans with Sulphur Shelf . Mushrooms covered: See code Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

Tricholoma Murrillianum (Matsutake) Of all the choice edible mushrooms that occur in our area, none eluded me longer than the matsutake, Tricholoma murrillianum . ... Tricholoma murrillianum (matsutake). Photo by Hugh Smith The name "matsutake" literally means pine mushroom, from the habitat in which it is found in Japan. Formerly called Armillaria ponderosa and Tricholoma magnivelare , our California species is a close relative of the Japanese form. For years I had scoured the mountains looking for my own secret patch of this much esteemed fungus. Every year l would stare with envy at the dozen or so which mystically appeared at each Fungus Fair knowing that they came from some place nearby. The preferred local habitat is tanoak, or so I was told. Yet all my years of searching had failed to turn up any. These must be the best-kept secret in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Why? I didn't want to be forced to drive north to Mendocino Co. just to find my first matsutake. Where were they? While it might be true that tanoak is the preferred habitat, l found my first specimen and subsequent others on Christmas day (nice present. huh?) in the kind of place you would normally pass by for hunting. The kind of place that a jack rabbit or a covey of quail hiding from a larger predator would take refuge in. The kind of place that leaves you with battered shin bones. telltale scratches. and shredded clothing. The kind of place where your progress is measured in feet/ min. rather than feet/sec. There must be square miles of dense impenetrable thickets of manzanita and scrub oak in the Santa Cruz mountains. Throw in a few chinquapins, pines and sandy soil and you'll begin to visualize the habitat l'm describing. Imagine crawling on your belly with barely enough room for you and your basket, or banging your shins against umpteen manzanita burls and you get the idea. Yet this is where they grow and why they had eluded me for so long. The matsutake clan comprises at least 3 species: the white matsutake, T. murrillianum , our local representative; T. caligatum , which has a darker fibrillose cap and occurs east of the Great Lakes and under conifers in the Pacific NW; and T. matsutake , which occurs in Japan and the Orient and closely resembles T. caligatum . Our version of the matsutake is a firm, dense, robust mushroom standing up to 6" tall with a cap as large as 8"-10" in diameter. The cap is initially white, dense and firm, but soon develops cinnamon to brown fibrils. The cap margin is inrolled when young. The gills are white but usually discolor brownish with age. The spore print is white. The stem is l"-2" thick, hard and tough, white above, but scaly below and colored like the cap. There is a thick white veil forming a prominent ring that flares outward from the stem. The most unique feature of the matsutake, however is its odor - what David Arora refers to as "a provocative compromise between 'red hots’ and dirty socks." There is definitely a cinnamon component to it. I thought this odor was unique to the matsutake group but there is another local mushroom I found with the same fragrance but vastly different appearance called Inocybe fraudans (formerly known as Inocybe pyriodora ). Matsutake are highly esteemed in Japan. The demand for these mushrooms is so great that individual specimens command prices as high as $300 (in 1989) depending upon their size and condition. A lucrative export business has developed in the Pacific Northwest for matsutakes which are air freighted directly to Tokyo where there is an ever increasing market for these "exotic" fungi. Last month (December 1988) I saw our local matsutake selling at the Monterey Market in Palo Alto for $27/1b., quite a bargain compared to Japanese prices ! You would expect a special treat from such a high priced mushroom, and the matsutake is probably worth it. It tastes like it smells (without the dirty socks) and keeps its somewhat chewy texture when cooked. It is wonderful simply sliced razor thin and grilled with soy sauce. I also like it finely shredded in a stir fry dish and have used it in small quantities to season white rice. Mushrooms covered: Inocybe fraudans Tricholoma caligatum (false matsutake) Tricholoma magnivelare (matsutake, white matsutake, American matsutake) Tricholoma matsutake (matsutake) Tricholoma murrillianum (T. magnivelare, A. ponderosa) (matsutake, western matsutake, ponderosa mushroom) Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

Cookeina tricholoma (Mont.) Kuntze (2014, Yukatan). Photo by Yev Nyden Cookeina Kuntze Sprouting from Forest Litter in Quintana Roo Yevgeny Nyden Thank you Yev Nyden for contributing this exotic find from Quintana Roo, Mexico. Yev says he stumbled upon this peculiar looking mushroom while hiking Nohoch Mul temple in Coba. Enjoy! More about cup fungi in the genus Cookeina : Cookeina , Wikipedia Bristly Tropical Cup (Cookeina) , iNaturalist Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark III Focal L. 97mm Aperture f/4.0 Shutter Sp. 1/2s ISO 500 Flash Off Photo taken on November 26, 2014 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Mushroom flower. Stalked polypore. Photo by Alex Russakovsky Mushroom Flower Alex Russakovsky On a yearly trip to the Mendonoma coast that we always dedicate to the memory of Ryane Snow . Spent some days under pouring rain hunting for edibles, however not much to report. About 200 chanterelles (3 different varieties), 15 matsutake, 20 honeys, a couple of pigs' ears. Camera (Not provided) Focal L. Aperture Shutter Sp. ISO Flash Photo taken on December 7, 2019 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Scarlet Waxy Cap. Photo by Jim Kern Scarlet Waxy Cap James Kern Scarlet waxy cap in Mesick, Michigan. Photo taken August 18, 2017 by James Kern. Read upon Waxy Caps in our Featured Fungi: Hygrocybe laetissima (Waxy Caps) Camera Nikon D600 Focal L. 60mm Aperture f/3.5 Shutter Sp. 1/800s ISO 200 Flash Off Photo taken on August 19, 2017 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo