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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 46 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 Thanks to all who entered the 2027 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair logo design contest. We have contacted all artists with the status of their entries. 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 46 pages Go Go Go Go Go Filter by Category Fair News Field Reports Mycology & Art News Stewardship Writings Reset

Matsutake with Garlic and Ginger When guest speaker Gerry Miller was here in December 1984, he exhibited great excitement when told that matsutake occurs in the Santa Cruz Mountains. by Melanie Leuca Tricholoma murrillianum. © joe nudell (CC-BY-NC) (inaturalist.org, obs:196478327) Method Slice the matsutake very thinly. Slice and mince the garlic and the ginger. Sauté the garlic and ginger in butter until the garlic begins to taste sweet. Add the matsutake, and slowly sauté until limp. Add two to three dashes of soy sauce to the pan, and the dish is ready to eat. As an experiment, I tried adding a dash of dry white wine to the pan as a result, and was pleased with the result. Recipe contributed: January 1985 When asked how else he prepared them besides soups and broths, he gave a recipe for a simple and (here I can speak from personal experience) strongly addicting dish. The effect is that your taste buds are assaulted by many flavors simultaneously — garlic, ginger, matsutake, sugar, and salt — all proclaim their presence at once. Immediately after trying one matsutake this way, I cooked the other five and devoured them. I insist you try them this way if you get any matsutake! Objective: Side or first course Total Time: 30 mins Yield: Varies Suggested Mushrooms: Matsutake (Tricholoma magnivelare, Tricholoma matsutake, Tricholoma murrillianum) 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 One 8" diameter matsutake 1 garlic clove about half the size of the end of your thumb Sweet, unsalted butter About half to a third as much fresh ginger as garlic Two to three dashes soy sauce A dash of dry white wine (optional) Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Thea Chesney Thea Chesney is a lifelong Sierra Nevada foothill resident and naturalist. She has had an interest in mushrooms (and plants, and the rest of the natural world) since early childhood, which gradually became an obsession. She holds a B.S. in forestry from UC Berkeley. During her time at Berkeley, she spent plenty of time working and hanging out in the Berkeley mycology labs. She worked on a mushroom survey crew around Mt. Shasta for several seasons, which allowed her to become intimately familiar with the fungal inhabitants and ecology of the area. Since then, she has worked a variety of field jobs, primarily as a botanist. She teaches occasional workshops in mushroom and plant identification. Her fieldwork and her own studies of plants and fungi are centered in the Sierra Nevada and other mountains of California. 2026 Thea Chesney 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Fungal Range Maps How We Build Them and Why They Matter Understanding where an organism lives, and why, is an essential part of understanding its life history and ecology, yet we have been lacking in… Show More Sunday, January 12, 2025 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Room 3

Roasted Garlic and Portobello Sandwich This portobello sandwich from the turn of the 21st century is a classic! by Rene Seltzer Agaricus bisporus. © yashou10 (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 61125717) Method Roasted Garlic Puree Preheat oven to 450°F. Lay the full head of garlic on a square of foil. Drizzle 1 tsp. of the olive oil over the top. Bring up the sides of the foil and wrap up the garlic. Roast garlic head until tender (about 40 minutes). In the meantime, prepare the mushrooms (below), and add them to the same oven so that they finish at about the same time. Prepare the Mushrooms Remove stems from portobellos, wipe caps clean with a moist paper towel. Rub the caps all over with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Lay them in an ovenproof pan, gill sides up. In a small bowl, combine the shallots, 1 clove chopped garlic, thyme, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the shallot mixture evenly over each portobello cap. Roast the filled portobellos until the mushrooms are tender and browned (20 to 30 minutes). Assemble and Serve Remove garlic from oven when done, and allow garlic head to cool to the touch. Squeeze the garlic pulp into a small bowl and mash. Remove the portobellos from the oven when done, and set the oven temperature to broil. Toast the bread slices on both sides under the broiler. Spread each slice with a portion of the roasted garlic puree. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Top four of the slices with a roasted portobello cap, and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the cheese over each cap, and return them to the oven to melt the cheese. Top with parsley and another bread slice complete the sandwich. Recipe contributed: October 2000 This dish was inspired by a recipe in the Nov. 2000 issue of Fine Cooking . In this recipe, the portobello is served whole, like a hamburger. Editor's Note : Fine Cooking magazine ceased being published in 2022, and shut down its website shortly afterwards. Objective: Main course Total Time: About 1½ hours Yield: 4 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Portobello/portabella, champignon, cremini, button (Agaricus bisporus) 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 1 full head garlic, loose papery skins removed 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 Tbsp. olive oil 8 slices whole grain bread 4 medium portobellos (cap diameters about 1" wider than the bread)* Coarse salt 2 medium shallots, finely chopped (¼ cup) 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar Freshly ground black pepper ⅔ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley * If your loaf is 4.5" wide, then 5.5" caps (raw) usually shrink down to fit nicely after cooking. If a cap is very large, slice it on the diagonal to fit the slices on the bread. If too small, use additional caps as needed. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Mushroom Poisoning If you suspect you have consumed a poisonous mushroom, call 911. Then go to the Emergency Department, and call Poison Control: 1-800.222.1222 Galerina marginata group. Photo by Christian Schwarz Emergency Procedures If you suspect you have consumed a poisonous mushroom: Call 911 Go to the Emergency Department Call Poison Control @ 1-800.222.1222 Call toll-free 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, with poison-related questions or help in California. Santa Cruz Area Hospitals Watsonville Community Hospital : (831) 724-4741 Dominican Hospital, Santa Cruz : (831) 462-7700 Dominican Hospital and Watsonville Hospital keep a list of contacts to help with identification of suspect fungi. Some hospitals have engaged in clinical trials for the immediate treatment of amatoxin mushroom poisonings. Call 911 and talk to a doctor to determine the best course of action if you suspect you or someone you know may have been poisoned. Bring the Mushroom With You If you believe a mushroom poisoning has occurred, the doctors will need to identify the mushroom so they can determine the most appropriate treatment. For an accurate identification, your best chance is to bring a sample of the mushroom with you. The more complete your specimen is, the better chance to ID it correctly. A complete specimen consists of the cap, stem, bottom of the mushroom and any roots or fluff that may have been part of the mushroom at one time. Store the specimen in a paper or waxed paper bag (not plastic) in the refrigerator until needed. Note where the mushrooms were collected in case of potential contamination by pesticides or heavy metals from lawns, roadsides or industrial areas. Non-Emergency Recommendations There is an old saying that “There are old mushroom hunters, and bold mushroom hunters. But there are no old, bold mushroom hunters.” Bit of exaggeration? Sure. But it’s critically important to know what you’re eating! Mushroom Identification The term "poisonous" refers to a wide range of toxicity, covering the range from mild nausea to allergic reactions to life-threatening illness. For general identification of mushrooms you’ve found (not a poisoning case) we encourage you to bring them to our Monthly Meeting or the annual Santa Cruz Fungus Fair . You can also send a Mushroom ID request to our FFSC community mailing list (our Google Group), or via the Contact FFSC page on this website. Pet Poisonings Pets, particularly dogs, eat wild mushrooms on occasion. While the majority of these mushrooms are not toxic, a highly toxic small percentage can cause illness and death in pets. Contact your veterinarian if you see your pet consume a wild mushroom and bring a sample of the mushrooms in the area. For more information see Mushroom Poisonings in Dogs and Cats on the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) website. Report All Poisonings NAMA (North American Mycological Association) tracks all mushroom poisoning incidents. It is important to file a report, even for a minor gastrointestinal upset. After the incident, help document mushroom poisonings by submitting an online report or mail-in report to the NAMA Poison Case Registry. Learn More about Mushroom Safety The California Poison Control System (CPCS) Bay Area Mycological Society: Mushroom Poisonings North American Mycology Association: Mushroom Poisonings Wikipedia: Mushroom Poisoning Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

Mushroom Dye Resources Has your artistic curiosity been piqued by the idea of mushroom-based pigments? Here are some resources to get you started with this fascinating process. Dyeing fabric with mushroom pigments at the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair One of our members has put together this short "how to" for beginners: Intro to Dyeing with Mushroom Pigments Below are some other resources you can use to learn more about dyeing with mushroom pigments. Books Mushrooms for Dyes, Paper, Pigments & Myco-Stix (Fungi Perfecti) By Miriam Rice and Dorothy Beebee The Rainbow Beneath My Feet: A Mushroom Dyer’s Field Guide (Amazon) by Arlene and Alan Bessette (Best feature IMO: Dye Duds section) The Mushroom Color Atlas: A guide to Dyes and Pigments Made from Fungi (Amazon) by Julie Beeler Websites IMDI – International Mushroom Dye Institute Mycopigments website by Alissa Allen Alissa Allen's beautiful and useful Facebook page Shroomworks Bloom & Dye The Mushroom Color Atlas (free online color guide) by Bloom & Dye Regional Palettes: A Closer Look at Northern California Dye Mushrooms Supplies Maiwa Natural Dyes Dharma Trading Company Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

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. by Richard Lyness Boletus edulis. © Darvin DeShazer (from mushroomobserver.org) Method Make the Tempura Wipe your mushrooms clean, and ensure they're bone-dry on the surface. Slice larger mushrooms about ½" thick. (If using small, store-bought chanterelles, leave them whole or slice lengthwise into chunky halves.) Follow tempura batter instructions to make batter. (Typically whisk with about ½ to ¾ cups of ice cold water for 5 oz. of batter mix, to create a thick batter.) Dip mushroom pieces in the batter, and deep fry per the batter mix instructions (e.g., 1 to 2 minutes at 350°F until the batter is light golden and crisp). Prepare at least two or three dipping sauces. Make the Dipping Sauces The quickest way is to buy dipping sauces from the store. If you want to try making your own sauces: Mix 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, 3 Tbs. mirin (or water with a pinch of sugar), and a splash of rice vinegar for a soy-based dip. Mix 2 Tbsp. sweet chili cause with 1 Tbsp. sriracha and a squeeze of lime juice for a chili sauce dip. Mix 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. horseradish (in a jar), and a few drops of soy sauce for a horseradish dip. Recipe contributed: November 2009 Objective: Side or first course Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 4 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Chanterelle (Cantharellus californicus, Cantharellus formosus, Cantharellus subalbidus) 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 12 to 16 oz. porcini or chanterelles 5 oz. tempura batter mix (typically sold in 10 oz. packages at Asian markets, Costco or Safeway) Soy sauce Chili sauce Horseradish dip Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Field Report on January 2015 Local Foray We had a great foray last Saturday on our foray! A big thanks to the all the great folks who participated! Cass Fuentes • January 5, 2015 Craterellus cornucopioides (from another foray). Photo by Hugh Smith Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2015 January Local Foray Wrap Up Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports Account of Todd Spanier's 15th Annual Winter Chef's Foray Hugh and Sandi Smith were the proud FFSC Fungus Fair Raffle winners for the 15th Annual Winter Chef ’s Foray led by Todd Spanier of King of Mushrooms. Hugh provided the following vignette of their weekend. Hugh Smith • April 1, 2010 Coastal Redwood. Photo by Hugh Smith Wow, was that the 15th Annual Winter Chef ’s Foray? I can’t imagine what the other 14 were like! This was the first one I attended though, so I wish I hadn’t missed the others. I hadn’t heard of it before, but Todd Spanier puts on this annual event ... every year. Three Januarys ago, Sandi and I entered the raffle at the FFSC 34th Fungus Fair. Todd had been more than generous to offer such a weekend of Hunting, Wining and Dining in the Anderson Valley. Pretty generous, Todd. All of us (you and me) are very busy of course, and Sandi and I weren’t able to collect on our prize until now. It was certainly worth the wait. We arrived at the Screaming Lizard Ranch (a private property) to meet up with everyone at the house where we would be staying. Sandi and I took the cabin away from the main house. There are Redwood, Oak, Fir, Pine, and many other types of trees on the 40 acres. Our bathroom was inside, but our shower was outside. Imagine me, in my outside shower, with hot running water, in the woods, naked ... OK, don’t. Hungry? We picked greens from the back yard for our salad. But the first thing I did when we arrived was to get out of the car and start the hunt. There is always something to find at this time of year. Lots of things! Exciting things! Gyromitra esculenta , Ganoderma applanatum , Craterellus cinereus , Phlogiotus helvelloides , Helvella compressa , and far too many other mushrooms to name here. Y’know, really great stuff. There were also Cantharellus californicus , Craterellus cornucopioides , Spring Coccora , Hydnum umbilicatum ... the usual. We went to the Yorkville Winery, Todd showed us a place where Oak Trees have been inoculated and French truffles are being propagated, and there’s a grove of virgin Coastal Redwoods (Hendy Woods). But the real treat came Saturday night. After a day of hunting, wine tasting, sack lunches and sunshine, we picked some more of our salad in the yard, had a campfire, and had some of the most awesome dishes created for us that I have ever tasted. Although Todd is a great chef in his own right (he was the head chef Friday night), he invited a man named Marc Vogel for Saturday night. Marc, I had no idea mushrooms could taste that good. I don’t really like mushrooms, y’know. I’d usually rather trade them for Chicken. It’s about the hunt, y’know? The discovery! But with cooking like that, I’m rethinking if I know what I have talked myself into, or out of. Could mushrooms really taste this great? That was a terrific weekend, Todd. Thank you very much! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Strobilurus trullisatus. 2013, Fort Bragg. Photo by Hugh Smith Strobilurus trullisatus Hugh Smith Strobilurus trullisatus forms colonies on old Douglas fir cones. Thank you, Hugh, for this lovely photograph! Camera (Not provided) Focal L. Aperture Shutter Sp. ISO Flash Photo taken on January 19, 2015 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

News & Stories / Editoricus Blatheronsus: What are Entheogenic Mushrooms Since I just love stirring the pot, let's see if I can't create even more controversy this month. Larry Payne • February 1, 2000 Amanita muscaria ssp. flavivolvata. © Sadie Krier (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 198254605) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports Collecting Conditions in Mendocino at ACCF 2014 I went to the All California Clubs Foray (ACCF) in Albion last weekend. We actually found an amazingly large number of mushrooms so the myco-geeks were thrilled. Edibles? - only a few chanterelles, hedgehogs and winter chanterelles. Phil Carpenter • February 27, 2014 Fomitopsis pinicola. © Ember Erebus (from mushroomobserver.org) I just wanted to let you all know that it is my opinion that the right decision was made to cancel Albion II. All of the "usual" places were dry, dry, dry and essentially devoid of fungi. We all sought out the deepest canyons that never saw the sun to find damp spots to collect. Even then, things were sparse (especially edibles). With a lot of people gathering and spending the time, we had plenty of diversity and things to discuss. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the excellent mycologists present to continue my education. It was a good call to bring this subject up for a vote, Wendy! I agree that our group would have been disappointed. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Report from the Mendocino Coast 2018 December Albion Foray Species List Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article