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Savory Porcini 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. by Richard Rammer Bolete. Photo by Yevgeny Nyden Method Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking dish or pie plate (about 1 ½ inches deep) with butter or olive oil. Sauté shallots in olive oil until transparent. Cool and reserve in bowl. Mix the batter ingredients in a blender and let rest in the fridge for an hour. The batter can be prepared up to a day in advance. In another pan, sauté the mushrooms in butter until lightly browned. Cool and combine with shallots. Combine the clafouti batter with the mushroom / shallot mixture. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with cheese. Place in the middle of the oven and bake for about 1 hr. The clafouti will puff up in the oven but will sink a bit when taken out. Serve warm. Recipe contributed: March 2015 The adaptation transforms clafoutis, a traditional French dessert made with cherries, into a savory first course or entrée. Boletes may be switched for black trumpets, Agaricus species, or other robustly-flavored wild mushrooms. Objective: Main course Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes Yield: Serves 6 Suggested Mushrooms: Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) Join FFSC or renew your membership to access the rest of this content. Join FFSC Login as an FFSC member to access the rest of this content. Login Ingredients 3 cups (about 1 lb.) bolete buttons, cut into 1 to 1 ½ inch pieces ½ cup chopped shallots 1 ½ cup half & half or whole milk 3 eggs ⅔ cups unbleached all-purpose flour ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra to sprinkle on top 1 tsp grated lemon zest ½ tsp kosher salt Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / 2016 Alaska Foray Field Report Before going, Noah Seigel was saying it was going to be a banner year for mushrooms in Alaska... I was getting excited and checking the weather of Soldotna months before the trip. My palms were sweating. Katherine (Kitty) Elvin • September 18, 2016 Cruise view. Photo by Katherine Elvin This will be my fourth consecutive trip now and I am an Alaskan fixture at Bill White's Sports Lodge. I will start off with Hugh's unique verbiage of our trip,"North.. to Alaska, we're goin' North, the rush is on! It rained for two weeks before we arrived in Alaska. Locals said it rained for a month. Wednesday we landed in Anchorage and the sun came out. Everything was wet. No sign of rain. We arrived two days early so we could do something other than mushroom hunt (!). After all, this IS our 4th trip. (On our 3rd visit we said that it would be our last). We drove to Seward. Arriving there, itwas still raining. It rained all night. It rained harder. It was rainingThursday when we woke up. And then... it stopped. The sun came out and it never rained again for our entire 11 days inAlaska! (Forecast for days after we left was rain). View from the cruise Thursday morning we took a six hour cruise to Kenai Fjords NationalPark. There are no roads in this park, paved anyway, and it is our nation's largest park next to Denali, also in Alaska. (Denali has roads). I've got to tell you; until you've been up to the face of a glacier in the ocean, you have not experienced a glacier. Although the face of Holgate Glacier is 200 feet high, all scale is lost.The captain shut the engines down. The whole scene appeared to be static, motionless.Silence. Then great cracks and explosions were heard in the ominous silence, asif from many bolts of lightning. The sky was clear. Pieces of ice, some as big as cars, fell off the face from multiple sites. In actuality we were not near the face at all. The sound was arriving too late! The ice was hitting the water as the sound arrived in great rolls!Silence again. But static? No! Is that a creek at the base? No. A river, hardly noticeable on this scale, was gushing from a void at the base of the glacier, violent and raging like a boiling cauldron. This is no creek. This is beyond description. The next day we went Zip Lining. Sandi and I have done this in theTropics a couple times and I must say here, I think the Tropics were much more fun. But the Arboreal forest has much to offer in it's own right. One of our guides knew the trees and our other guide knew the berries and plants, the forest floor. He knew of 6 types of berries that were edible and other plants with medicinal uses. They knew almost nothing of mushrooms. Although they did know of Morels and Chicken Of The Woods(which we found), that was the extent of their mushroom knowledge. Sandi and I started pointing out mushrooms from our perches up in the trees. There were Russula , Cortinarius , Leccinum , Hedgehogs, Hebaloma , Clitocybe , Yellow Feet... too many to name. They were fascinated! I showed them a few they could eat, the differences, the warnings. It was an exciting trip for all of us. They were ready for a hunt and they had access to the land. What a day! On the Kenai Peninsula everywhere we went is one hour forty minutes away. Anchorage to Seward. Seward to Sterling. Sterling to Seward! Sterling to Homer. Homer to Sterling! Everywhere, that is except for the mushrooms. The mushrooms are not far apart at all. The mushrooms are everywhere you step. Just try and NOTstep on one. Go ahead. Think you can do it? ... Sent two dehydrators ahead of us. Shoulda sent 4. Running 5 right now. Coulda used one more. (That's a poem). Ted showing off an Alaska Gold The hunts were awesome. We found King Boletes, Chicken Of The Woods, Hedgehogs, Hawk's Wings, Yellow Feet, Matsutake, Man On Horseback, Gypsies, Alaska Gold, Bears Head... But those are the mushrooms I didn't eat. Weird huh? Yeah that's weird. But I'm Hughish. I actually tried several though... King Bolete (stipe, no. Cap, fair, on the BBQ), Matsutake (better in Top Ramen), Alaska Gold (no), Russula xeramphalina (no), Man On Horseback (pretty good), Bears Head (that's good!). It really DOES depend on the chef and the method, doesn't it. We have added many species to the original list created by our group from the 2010 trip. Debbie, Irene, Mark and Phil documented 192 species on that list. That was the trip where we had several Mushroom Wizards in our group. A Wizard is one of those people I look up to. Wizards can identify pretty much any mushroom, at least to Genus. Mushrooms not on the 2010 list include Laetiporus conifericola , Ganoderma applanatum (Artist's Conch), Hygrocybe (2 species), Amanita (grisette), Inonotus (Chaga), Neoboletus luridiformis ( Boletuserythropus ?), Daldinia , Hericium abietis (Bears Head)... To make a long story short, it was another great trip! Now we are home to the Dog Days of Summer. But what a trip! Farewell, Alaska Parting thoughts, Fungi are an ubiquitous, integrated part of life on Earth. Fungi break down organic material until that material cycles again into that which went before it. Mushrooms are everywhere, more common than plants. Life on this planet could not exist without fungi yet few people consider them if they notice them at all. I feel very fortunate to have been exposed early on to the macro world by my mother; the insects in the yard, the fauna in the puddles, and the vast array of creatures in the oceans' tide pools and then, by my brother, the fascinating diversity of the forest and the forest floor. What a thrill! And last, A special thank you to our gracious hosts, Bill and Jerri, who also extend their thanks to their son. Without their son's influence, and without Bill and Jerri's, this kind of trip may not ever have happened. Without them, we may never have experienced Alaska. Thank you!" Hugh sums up our trip pretty much. We found many mushrooms. The B. edulius was plentiful near the lodge, but with all that sunny weather many were big and beautiful, but buggy. As we headed out toward Seward and Girdwood they were younger and pristine. More mushrooms we collected (try to stop us), more mushrooms we had to prep and dry. All the agony of cleaning and prepping a trunk load of mushrooms, pounds and pounds. You got to feel sorry for us! Denali Several of us got on planes and got an amazing unobstructive view of Denali and joined the lucky 10% club, where I too am a member (year 1) while some of us went out to Cooks Inlet to view grizzlies. Both groups got amazing views of glaciers along the way. "The flight over Denali was the high point of the trip for me. Crystal clear weather; glorious views. Loved seeing the Native art exhibits and picking lots of boletes. Potlucks were fantastic. Hugh's antics were delightful and everyone was in high spirits (with a few resultant hangovers)"- Richard Rammer Alaska is truly the last wilderness we have and we need to cherish it. We can freely pick mushrooms in all the parks and they cheer you on, what a breath of fresh air. "What a spectacular time we all had in the Land of the Midnight Sun! The best company, breathtaking scenery, delicious food , more mushrooms than one could take home, tons of laughs and almost too much fun!. What more could anyone ask for!" -Ron Bader Thank you Bill and Jerri for introducing Alaska to us. For those who have made it here, we are lucky. I want to come back... so much more to do and see. "Another magnificent Alaskan foray! Great people and phenomenal mushrooming in the midst of incredible natural beauty. What's not to love? Hard to choose just one highlight, so take your pick: Crossing Kachemak Bay with otters and a pod of humpbacks, followed by a spectacular hike. Denali! Epic quantities of boletes. Mushrooms to dye for! This was my third visit and definitely not the last." - Debbie Johnson Now if I can shake off the tiredness. Days in the Alaskan summer where the sun does not go down until 9PM mess with your cerulean clock. You wake up early and go, go, go all day - hunting, fishing, shopping, hiking and eating. Crash to sleep at midnight. So when you come home, you are dragging for days until you body says OK, I finally made up the rest you failed to provide me on your vacation. Smile Till I return, I will have to hang on to the memories... This was my husband's first trip to Alaska. If his smile is not an advertisement, I don't know what is. Check out the Members Only section below for links to more photos. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2015 Alaska Foray Report Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Mycology & Art News Dye Workshop Recap 2013 Alissa Allen’s dye workshop held on March 16th was attended by 20 fungus and fiber enthusiasts, and it’s safe to say that everyone had a lot of fun! Deb • April 1, 2013 2013 Alissa Allen Dye Workshop - Group photo. . Photo by Deb Johnson 10 mushroom and 2 lichen species yielded a vivid rainbow of 28 hues on wool, and two community dyepots bubbled with yarn, socks and shibori silk scarves. Who knew you could get olive green from Phaeolus schweinitzii ? No worries if you missed this one; more to come next season. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Change is Afoot: Duff Prepares to Go Online Editoricus blatheronsus ... As we prepare to enter the New Millennium, a host of changes awaits the members of The Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz. Larry Payne • October 1, 2000 Marasmius plicatulus. © themylkwoodfaery (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 38921601) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Hygrocybe laetissima (Waxy Caps) As deep winter settles on the Redwood Coast, you’ll begin to notice many small red, orange and yellow Waxy Caps (Hygrocybe ); sprinkled through the understory of redwood forests; beacons of color in the dark duff. by Noah Siegel Hygrocybe laetissima. Photo by Noah Siegel California enjoys a great diversity of Waxy Caps, many of which have special affinity for Coast Redwood, California Bay-laurel and Monterey Cypress habitats. Unfortunately, we are using 'borrowed' European names for many of these lovely waxy caps, and as we continue to learn about our mycoflora, we are realizing that many of our species are distinct, and deserving of their own names. Hygrocybe laetissima vs. punicea One common and fairly distinctive species is Hygrocybe laetissima ; which has a scarlet to bright red, moist to slightly viscid cap, gills that are whitish, yellowish to pinkish when young, but become pinkish to reddish in age (occasionally with an yellowish-orange tone), a yellow stipe that has a reddish base (often entirely white when young), and a surface covered in vertical striations and fibrils. This species is very common in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Santa Cruz Mountains, and ranges north into Oregon, but is uncommon north of Mendocino County. Hygrocybe punicea . Photo by Noah Siegel Originally described by Smith and Hesler in 1942 from Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, this name has mostly been forgotten or at least heavily underused in California. The reason for this is that we have been content to use the name of a similar species ( H. punicea ) to almost all of our large red Hygrocybe . Hygrocybe punicea is a European name for a supposedly widespread species; but it is very likely that genetic evidence will indicate that it doesn’t occur in California, and that the similar-looking western North American taxa should not be referred to by that name. Hygrocybe coccinea The other Hygrocybe punicea -like taxon in our area can be recognized by its dry to slightly tacky, ox-blood red cap, pale yellowish gills, and darker orangish to reddish stipe that also shows vertical-striations (an important feature that helps differentiate between the H. coccinea and H. punicea complexes). Hygrocybe coccinea . Photo by Noah Siegel H. coccinea sensu CA typically is a smaller mushroom than either of the latter two species, and has a bright blood red to dark red cap, red gills, and a smooth red stipe (lacking any vertical fibrils or striations). It is common and widespread in CA in mossy forest understories, especially under redwood. Although H. coccinea has been reported as edible, there are mixed reports about the edibility of H. punicea , and local experience is lacking. Be cautious when sampling these species - it's probably better to admire them. Hygrocybe splendidissima and aurantiosplendens Hygrocybe splendidissima . Photo by Noah Siegel We begin to get into an area of seeming intergrades and other curveballs when we start seeing the uncommon H. splendidissima (sensu CA): a mushroom that resembles both H. laetissima and H. coccinea . Hygrocybe splendidissima has a scarlet to blood red cap, young gills that are pale when young but redder in age, (almost as if the the cap color leaches downward), and a smooth stipe (occasionally developing appressed fibrils in age). The smooth stipe is probably the best feature to distinguish this species from H. punicea and H. laetissima , and the pale gills help distinguish it from H. coccinea . Younger specimens can be strikingly similar to H. aurantiosplendens , which has a scarlet-red cap when young, but quickly fades to orange. Hygrocybe aurantiosplendens . Photo by Noah Siegel There are also a multitude of smaller orange to red species (caps typically under 3 cm across, with most around 0.5-1.5 cm across), but I'll save those for another article. Mushrooms covered: Hygrocybe aurantiosplendens Hygrocybe coccinea ( scarlet hood, scarlet waxcap) Hygrocybe laetissima Hygrocybe punicea (scarlet waxy cap) Hygrocybe splendidissima (splendid waxcap) Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

The Mycophagist's Ten Commandments When you are collecting for the table, follow these "ten commandments" -- and stay safe! Amanita novinupta in Douglas Fir. Photo by Katherine Elvin When you are collecting for the table, follow these "Mycophagist's* Ten Commandments," excerpted from Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America by David Fischer and Alan Bessette: 1 Never eat a mushroom unless it is positively identified as edible . Mistakes can result in toxic reactions ranging from mild gastric upset to death. If in doubt, throw it out! 2 Eat only fresh mushrooms that are free from infestation by insects or larvae. Mushrooms can spoil, and eating any spoiled food can cause food poisoning or other adverse reactions. 3 Thoroughly cook all mushrooms unless they are specifically known to be edible raw. Some mushrooms contain toxins or gastrointestinal irritants that must be destroyed by cooking. 4 Eat mushrooms only in moderate quantities . Mushrooms are not easily digested; overeating them is an easy way to get sick. 5 When trying an edible mushroom for the first time, eat only a small portion (a spoonful), and don't try any other new kinds for forty-eight hours. As with many kinds of food, some people are sensitive or allergic to mushrooms commonly eaten by other people. Individuals with known food allergies or sensitivities should be extra careful when trying mushrooms new to them, especially those species known to present problems for some individuals. 6 Don't pick mushrooms from contaminated habitats . These include polluted areas, chemically treated lawns, ornamental trees, and places close to highways, landfills, toxic waste sites, crop fields, power lines, railroads, buildings, industrial areas, or firebreaks. Contaminants may accumulate in wild mushrooms. 7 Never assume that a wild mushroom you find overseas is the same edible species you know from North America, or vice versa. Too many serious cases of mushroom poisoning occur because vacationers and immigrants unwittingly gather dangerous look-alike species not found in their native lands. 8 Be conservative about feeding wild mushrooms to children, the elderly, and the infirm. Avoid edible species known to cause adverse reactions in some people, and don't let children, the elderly, or persons in poor health try an unfamiliar kind of wild mushroom until you and other friends or relatives have identified and eaten it without any adverse reactions. Limit portion sizes for children, the elderly, and the sick because they're generally more susceptible to toxins than other people are. 9 When trying a wild mushroom for the first time, save a few intact, uncooked specimens in the refrigerator for forty-eight hours. If someone develops an illness within two days after trying an unfamiliar mushroom, the physician may want expert identification to rule out the mushroom as the culprit. 10 Examine every specimen in every collection of mushrooms to avoid inadvertent mixing of different species. Even experienced mushroom hunters can err if they become careless and fill their baskets too hurriedly. *A mycophagist is an organism or person who eats fungi, particularly mushrooms, or an enthusiast who is deeply interested in mushrooms from a gastronomic perspective. The term combines the Greek-derived prefix "myco-," meaning mushroom or fungus, with the word "phage," referring to eating. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

News & Stories / Mystical Glow in the Dark Dark Woods Don’t you just love tales of the elusive, finally experienced? The green flash of sunset over water, the evanescent glow of the Jack o’ Lantern mushroom... Debbie Viess relates a really magical story. Debbie Viess • February 1, 2013 Omphalotus olivascens. Photo by Debbie Viess I had been cooped up in my house for too many days, so I dashed over to my fave park in Oakland, Huckleberry Preserve, to do a brisk, late afternoon walk and glory in the damp. For once I decided to lighten my load, so no camera, no binocs, just a bit of water and some well-appreciated layers of warm clothing. Original Headline from February 2013 Duff As I broke off a piece of likely-looking crust fungi from a rotten log at the park entrance (since taking Tom Bruns’ crust class at NAMA, I have fallen hard for this surprisingly interesting group of fungi), a woman came up along the trail and said to me: “You’re a Mycologist!” Busted. She then said that she had taken a class with me somewhere. So much for anonymity. I told her that crusts didn’t look like much in hand but got pretty spectacular under the scope. She just had to take my word for it, though. But after her, no one. Nothing like rain and mud to clear out the tourists. I pretty much had the place to myself, which is just the way I like it. Well, just me and the plants and birds and fungi, one big happy family. The red under-brim of my rain hat is really pissing off the Ruby Crowned Kinglets, though, since they consider it to be a color signaling aggressive faux pas. ..not much I can do about that, just be grateful that they may be feisty, but they are also very, very small. I made my apologies to them as I walked by. Can’t please everyone. The woods were gorgeous and fungi filled: mycenas, candy caps forming a conga line on a vertical mossy bank right along the trail (too small to pick and so pretty to see), a mystery Hygrophorus, Camarophyllus russocoriaceus , with its refreshing odor of cedar, Hygrocybe punicea , that big red waxy, ridiculously small white mycenas dusted into tree bark moss, a tiny Xerocomus sp., Stereum and Turkey tails, bright and refreshed by the rain, and at days end and as I came upon the last twists of the trail Oh! My! God! A huge fruiting of Omphalotus olivascens . It spilled along the back side of a big eucalyptus stump, and sprawled down into the canyon, following the buried root system. Best sighting ever, and no camera!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. While I mentally plotted to return to take a photo (and it would not be easy since there was no good vantage point, it just dropped straight down off the trail) I realized just what kind of mushroom I had there...a bioluminescent one, and darkness just a shot away. Why not just seize the moment and observe the bioluminescence directly in nature? Of course, I had no flashlight, but I know the trail well, having walked it oh, maybe a thousand times, and it was pretty close to the entrance and my eyes would be adjusted to the dark...so I decided to wait it out and see what I could see. It was 4:30. I figured that it would start getting dark after 5, so what the hey. I plunked myself down atop the stump and settled in for the wait. A female Great Horned Owl woke up and started her contact calls, calling for her mate. She sounded so lonely and there was no answering hoot, so I finally gave a hoot myself. As dusk fell, she flew beneath me into a opening, and rose to a hidden perch. Then she flew a bit closer. I sat still and quiet, startling another bird coming in to roost, and a couple of late afternoon hikers, too. At five pm, the owl’s mate started calling back. But still there was a bit of light in the sky, too much for my eyes to perceive any possible spectral glow. Once the sun dipped, the temps did too, and I was very grateful for every bit of clothing that I had brought along.And still I waited. By now it was too dark to make out much detail. I knew that the ground behind the stump dropped sharply, and my viewing vantage from above was not great, so I inched along the side of the stump at a crouch, and grabbed onto a thick huckleberry branch on my right, to stabilize myself in case I slipped, and waited some more. I started to notice a glow on the wood of the stump just inches from my face, in the cracks of the bark. Darned if the Omphalotus mycelia wasn’t glowing, too! As the darkness grew thicker I started to see light along the edges of the Omphalotus caps, borne in thick, cascading fungal scallops below me. The wind was blowing away from the trail and on and down into the canyon and I stated to see puffs of phosphorescence...could the spores be bioluminescent, too? Oh man, this is SO cool! In the back of my head was the thought that my husband David was probably getting worried at home...I had claimed to be returning for dinner, heck I claimed to be making dinner, but this was an opportunity to be seized, and I had no way to contact him. I couldn’t even keep checking my watch since it glowed and ruined my night vision. Screw it, I was in for a pound.Finally, after watching the caps glow and feeling guilty over David and starting to worry just a bit about how the heck I was gonna find my way out, I started to leave...but was drawn back one more time. This time, I laid on top of the stump and looked down... The edges of the caps gently pulsed with eerie green bioluminescence. In fact, there was a spill of spectral light from the stump right below my face and flowing down into the canyon. Wow. I had to drag myself away. Heading back for that last quarter mile, I did my best Helen Keller imitation, using my hands (brushing sword ferns that lined the path) and feet to help find the path. I knew where I was supposed to be, and I could still see a bit of light at the very top of the trail above me, but I sure couldn’t see very much at my feet! Luckily my instincts took over, and I slowly but surely came up the trail. At one point I almost panicked when I thought that I had lost the trail, but I stayed calm and persevered. Whew. Back safe to the car at 6:30, I called David first thing, and yes, he was relieved to hear from me and about to come out looking for me. If indeed I had gotten off trail I would have been grateful to have seen his flashlight, but all was well. Better than merely well, it was magical. For the price of a little bodily warmth and a bit more time than anticipated, I observed an awesome natural phenomenon. Just me and the spooks. Cool beans. Debbie Viess. Photo by David Rust Debbie Viess, AKA Amanitarita, in modest Muscaria regalia. Upper ‘shroom from Wine & Mushroom party last year. Can you find another bit of muscaria kitsch NOT touching her body? Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

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 1, 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! Mycology & Art News D.I.Y. Mycoblitz Mycology & Art News Take a Closer Look at your Black Trumpets Mycology & Art News 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. by Dan Tischler 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: Agaricus augustus (The Prince) Laetiporus gilbertsonii (western hardwood sulphur shelf) Pisolithus arhizus (dead man's foot, dyer's puffball) Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster) Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

Vinegar Pickled Mushrooms Mushrooms that have been properly pickled in vinegar can last for years. They be eaten as an appetizer, or incorporated into other recipes. by Galina Plizga Vinegar Pickled Mushrooms (stock photo) This preservation approach involves pickling with vinegar in boiling water bath. The acidic environment created by the use of vinegar prevents the growth of Clostridium botulinum , the bacterium responsible for botulism. Advantages of vinegar pickling May be stored in pantry if processed in a water bath. Can be flavored with different vinegars, herbs, etc. if desired. Mushrooms are pre-seasoned and ready to use as an appetizer or in recipes Works well for substantial mushrooms such as Bolete buttons, Chanterelles, Russula spp . Works well for mushrooms with bolder flavors. Disadvantages of vinegar pickling Pronounced vinegar flavor can overpower delicate mushrooms. Does not work well for less substantial mushrooms. Objective: Storage/Prep Total Time: Approx. 40 minutes Suggested Mushrooms: Boletus sp. (bolete) Cantharellus sp. (chanterelle) Russula cyanoxantha Equipment and/or Ingredients Equipment Canning pot and rack Sterilized canning jars and lids Ingredients IMPORTANT : The following recipe can be varied with regard to seasoning, but one must strictly observe the quantity of vinegar . Fresh mushrooms (I use very small porcini, chanterelles) boiled in salted water for 5 minutes Pickling Marinade, per liter: 1 liter water ¾ C vinegar 1 Tbl salt 1 tsp sugar Peppercorns Mustard seed Allspice Juniper berries Laurel leaves Method Boil water with vinegar. Add seasonings. Place the hot mushrooms in the hot sterilized jar, and pour the pickling marinade over them while still hot , ensuring that all the mushrooms are covered and leaving ½” headspace. Screw the lid shut. Pasteurize the mushrooms in a hot water canning bath to boil for 10 minutes (see the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving if you’re not familiar with canning). Check jars for leakage by turning them upside down on a cloth until the next morning. If any leak, you can eat them in a day or so (keep in the refrigerator), but do not preserve for later . Intact (non-leaking) jars should then be placed in a cool, dark place, where they will keep for years. Special request : If you have pickled your own mushrooms in vinegar, would you be willing to send us a photo of your completed container? We'd love to replace the stock photo at the top of this page with a member's photo! See Showcase a Photo for information about how to submit a photo. Previous Technique All Techniques Next Technique

News & Stories / Field Reports Albion I Foray, December 2003 One hundred six (106) species were identified at the Albion I foray. Cortinarius and Russula tied at nine for most species, but Russula walked away with the most new species, with eight not on the Master list. John Brown • January 1, 2004 Albion Brain Trust (John, Phil, Henry), December 2003. Photo by Jim Maley Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Albion I Foray Species List — December 10-12, 2004 Albion I Foray 2005 Species List 2006 Albion I Foray Species List Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Triple Mushroom Strudel This strudel recipe uses mushrooms commonly available in markets, or you can modify it with your favorite wild mushrooms to bring out a unique flavor profile. by Rene Seltzer Pleurotus ostreatus. © (CC-BY-NC) by emmashelton (from inaturalist.org, ID 330655900) Method Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare the Mushroom Filling Chop mushrooms in food processor. Place mushrooms, shallots, white wine, tarragon, salt, pepper and Sambuca in a heavy pot and cook until all liquid is gone and the mushroom mixture is dry. As the mixture reduces, watch carefully to avoid burning. Let the mixture cool and add salt and pepper to taste. Assemble the Strudel After the mushroom filling is cool, add breadcrumbs until mixture is firm enough to hold together in a ball. Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough on a towel. Brush butter onto that sheet, and then add another sheet. Repeat this process until dough is 6 layers thick. Place half of the mushroom mixture on the edge of the dough and prepare to form a neat log. Roll the dough and mushroom mixture into a log, using a towel to help in folding it over. Using a towel, place the strudel on a buttered cookie sheet, and then butter the outside of the strudel, and sprinkle sugar over the top. Repeat this process to create a second strudel. Bake at 350° until golden brown (about 30 minutes). Slice each strudel into about 7 pieces, and serve! Recipe contributed: April 2002 This strudel pairs well with an aromatic white wine, like Gewürztraminer. Objective: Main course Total Time: 1.5 to 2 hours Yield: 14 pieces (2 strudels) Suggested Mushrooms: Oyster / king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus) Portobello/portabella, champignon, cremini, button (Agaricus bisporus) Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) Join FFSC or renew your membership to access the rest of this content. Join FFSC Login as an FFSC member to access the rest of this content. Login Ingredients 2 lbs Agarigus bisporus (e.g., cremini or portabello) 1 lb Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushrooms) 1 lb Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) 5 Tbsp shallots, chopped 2 cups white wine 1 Tbsp tarragon, fresh & chopped Salt to taste White pepper to taste 2 Tbsp. Sambuca or Pernod* 2 Tbsp breadcrumbs 12 sheets phyllo (filo) dough, thawed ½ cup butter, melted ½ cup sugar Suggestion from the Editor : If you don't have Sambuca or Pernod on hand, you can create a similar anise flavor profile by using dry Vermouth and a pinch of fennel seed instead. Or, if you don't like the flavor of anethole (the aromatic compound which give licorice, anise, and fennel their taste), alternatives like dry white wine or sherry also work well. Just remember to taste, taste, taste (see Pairing and Cooking Mushrooms with Wine )! Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe