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News & Stories / Mycology & Art News A Tale of Ozark Shiitake Growing Living in the Ozark woods brought out an interest in Fungi. Mushrooms... wild, exotic, forbidden fruit for the picking. But never enough...! Why not grow my own? Bo Letos • November 1, 2009 Lentinula edodes. © Alan Rockefeller (mushroomobserver.org) Calling one of many commercial suppliers resulted in a wide range strain of spawn shipped to my door. After thinning out a variety of oaks trees, I had a few dozen gently collected fresh logs, about 3-4 feet long. The suggested optimal log harvest time for sugar and water content is mid-to-late winter. My shiitake mushrooms grow in logs. Photo by the author After drilling a cross-hatch pattern of 1/2 inch holes in the logs, a spawn laced plug was placed in each hole and sealed with a paint-brush stroke of not-to-hot liquid wax. Soon a white patch with blackened edges will appear under the wax. Hmmm... Is this fungi? After a nice growing season with a little water and rain, the Shiitake come bursting out of the wax. Time now for the one-of-a-kind luxury of popping small tender crumbly pinhead primordia straight from log to mouth. I know where this mushroom has been. ( Editor’s note: cooking mushrooms thoroughly prior to consumption is generally advised, but this is a tiny taste indeed.) Commercial mushroom cultivation in the Ozarks uses oak sawdust, water, and rabbit food (yep), placed in tubular plastic with rubber bands holding each end of the foot long “log”. After being cooked, a pencil shaped dowel injected with Shiitake spores is poked in one end. The logs are placed in a warm dry room and grow quickly. The stiff brown skinned logs are next placed in the rain room, minus plastic. Fresh cool humid air is pumped in with five minutes of sprinkler rain every few hours, resulting in commercial grade Shiitake. Commercial Shiitake often have uniformly smooth brown caps. The home grower may have a variety of beautiful strains and environments. Shaggier caps or cracked caps from colder drier environments are more highly valued and UV exposure increases vitamin D content. If placing your logs outside, give some thought to the ground the log resides upon. The log can wick up moisture from the ground along with whatever chemical substances that are in the ground. For instance the shady side of your house under the drip edge of the roof is an easy and convenient location, but consider the variety and strong doses of long-lasting termite and insecticides that may lurk underneath the surface. Think about an “organic” growing site. Author- Unknown Hillbilly (by request) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Lamb Chops with 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. by Richard Lyness Cantharellus californicus. © Alan Rockefeller (from mushroomobserver.org) Method Build the Sauce Base Combine the stock, red wine, smashed garlic, and diced root vegetables in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the results through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, and pour the clear liquid back into the saucepan. (Discard the solids.) Bring to a boil over medium heat to reduce until the sauce thickens (about 10 minutes to reduce volume by half). Add a little flour if desired. Turn off heat, and set this sauce base aside. Cook the Lamb Chops Sear your lamb chops in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet. (If using thick loin chops, make sure the skillet is oven-safe, so you can sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer entire skillet to a preheated 400°F oven for another 4 to 5 minutes.) Remove lamb chops from skillet, and place on a warm plate tented loosely with foil. Let them rest for 5 to 8 minutes to let juices redistribute. Pour the rendered lamb fat out of the skillet, but leave the browned bits (fond) at the bottom. Finish and Serve While the lamb rests, place skillet back on stove over medium-low heat. Pour your sauce base into the skillet to deglaze all the tasty lamb bits from the bottom. Now’s the time to add your chanterelles and simmer for a few minutes more. On medium-low, stir in the sliced mushrooms. Let them simmer in the sauce base until they're completely tender and have released their juices into the sauce (about 5 minutes). Cream will be the finishing component. Lower the heat to low. Pour in the cream while stirring continuously. Let the sauce warm through again for about a minute (without letting it boil). Turn off the heat and (if desired) stir in chopped capers, mint or other flavoring agents you are fond of. Drizzle sauce over and around the lamb chops, or serve on the side. Optionally, sprinkle capers or mint sprigs over the dish. Recipe contributed: November 2009 Thus far, the best patch I’ve found is the $9.95/lb one at the Santa Cruz Costco. The chanterelles are there now, but may not be there for long. Still, it is a deal not to be missed. If your patch (or Costco), has provided you with chanterelles, what should you do? You might cook a few small mushrooms with the meat on your grill. Or sauté your chanterelles with a little butter, olive oil and Hennessy XO cognac, a practice I learned from Bill McGuire). Or, you might try a remarkable treat I experienced this week at a wine maker dinner prepared by Ralph at Nonno’s in Redwood Estates. The main course was grilled lamb chops with a Zinfandel veal stock reduction with chanterelles. Wow!! A terrific treatment that is easy to do. You can do this!! Here is my approximation of the dish. Objective: Sauce / topping / stuffing Total Time: About 1 hour Yield: 4 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Chanterelle (Cantharellus californicus, Cantharellus formosus, Cantharellus subalbidus) 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 cups veal stock (or low-sodium chicken stock) ½ cup red wine (e.g., Zinfandel*, Syrah/Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon) 2 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed) ½ cup of your favorite root vegetables (e.g., finely diced carrots or celery root) 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (as needed, to thicken) 1 ½ to 2 cups chanterelles (cleaned and sliced) ⅓ to ½ cup heavy cream, to taste 1 tsp. finely chopped capers (plus a few as garnish) 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint (plus mint sprigs as garnish) Lamb chops (8 rib chops or 4 thick loin chops) * If you find that using Zinfandel curdles the cream, try an "old vine" Zin, which may have lower acidity. Of course, if you’re cooking fish you will want to use your favorite white wine to prepare the sauce (chardonnay works well). Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / ACCF 2007 — We Kept the Fun in Fungi The All California Clubs Foray in Mendocino held January 26 - 28 was a sell-out, with attendees from Santa Cruz to Clearlake and Humboldt. Deb • March 1, 2007 Gliophorus (Hygrocybe) psittacinus. © Hugh Smith (from mykoweb.com) Our most distant member was from Minnesota; he joined to attend the foray, and found that he likes leaving the snow for a while and collecting mushrooms in relative warmth. Attendees of ACCF 2007 Debbie Dawson served up fabulous food all week-end and the weather gods were accomodating: it rained for the drive up Friday, and Saturday was sunny and clear. Fungi were more abundant than expected, given the preceding dry, cold conditions, and many people cooperated to put names on the collections. See Douglas Smith’s synopsis and species list below. Dr. Terry Henkel from Humboldt State gave a wonderful talk on wood rotters, providing valuable insight into a process we sometimes take for granted. The foray was a joint effort of the FFSC and BAMS. Many thanks to Debbie Viess and David Rust for all their efforts in making the weekend run so smoothly. The last ACCF was held two years ago, so plan to join us for the next one in a couple of years! Thanks to our ace team of identifiers: Dr. Terry Henkel, Phil Carpenter, Henry Young, Douglas Smith, John Brown, Herman Brown, Debbie Viess, David Rust and a special virtual guest appearance by Dr. Dennis Desjardin, who nailed the ID on our “moth-ball” fungus, Camarophyllopsis foetens . For an interesting account of this mushroom, see this Mushroom of the Month article on the Bay Area Mycological Society website. All California Clubs Foray Species List It wasn't that good a year for edibles. Except for candy caps, which were found in abundance, the other edi-bles were scant. But it was a very good year for number of species found and ID'ed. As this was the All-California foray there were people working the id table from all over California, from Santa Cruz to Humboldt. And I think people spent time in the field looking for little weird guys, since the edibles weren't really coming. Russula stuntzii . © Douglas Smith (from mushroomobserver.org) One of the stars of the weekend were the Hygrocybe psittacina , which are usually rare, but this time every-one brought in a few and there was a pile at the end of the day. Also Russula stuntzii was found for the first time, never found or ID'ed before. But this time almost everyone brought one in. This list has 140 species, the most found for a January foray in the history of keeping lists. There were also about 20 other incompletely identified mushrooms on the list as Genus sp. This list was compiled and com-pared between me ad Debbie Viess, with input from others. As a team effort we were able to get a more complete list. There were 24 new species added to list, which brings us back to 15-20% of species found each time are new to the list. In December only 8% of species found were new. This means were are still not finding a "complete" list of species to find up there, and there is more to find. Which is either good news, or bad news depending on how you look at it. Agaricus hondensis Agaricus subrutilescens Alboleptonia sericella Amanita constricta Amanita franchetii Amanita gemmata Amanita pachycolea Armillaria mellea Auriscalpium vulgare Bisporella citrina Boletus edulis Boletus zelleri Calocera viscosa Camarophyllopsis foetens Camarophyllus borealis Camarophyllus pratensis Camarophyllus russocoriaceus Cantharellus cibarius Cantharellus infundibuliformis Cantharellus subalbidus Caulorhiza umbonata Cholorociboria aeruginascens Clavulina cinerea Clavulina cristata Clavulinopsis laeticolor Clitocybe nebularis Clitocybe nuda Cortinarius alboviolaceus Cortinarius collinitus group Cortinarius luteoarmillatus Cortinarius rubicundulus Cortinarius vanduzerensis Craterellus cornucopioides Crepidotus mollis Cystoderma fallax Entoloma bloxami Entoloma rhodopolium gp. Fomitopsis cajanderi Fomitopsis pinicola Galerina autumnalis Gandoderma tsugae Gomphidius oregonensis Gomphidius subroseus Gomphus clavatus Gomphus floccosus Gomphus kauffmanii Gyromitra infula Hebeloma crustuliniforme Helvella lacunosa Hydnellum aurantiacum Hydnellum peckii Hydnum repandum Hydnum umbilicatum Hygrocybe coccinea Hygrocybe conica Hygrocybe flavescens Hygrocybe psittacina Hygrocybe punicea Hygrocybe singeri Hygrophorus agathosmus Hygrophorus bakerensis Hygrophorus chrysodon Hygrophorus eburneus Hygrophorus erubescens Hygrophorus gliocyclus Hygrophorus hypothejus Hygrophorus pudorinus Hypholoma aurantiaca Hypholoma capnoides Hypholoma fasciculare Hypomyces cervinigenus Hypomyces hyalinus Hypoxylon thouarsianum Inocybe fuscodisca Inocybe geophylla Inocybe lilacina Inocybe pudica Inocybe sororia Jahnoporus hirtus Laccaria amythysteo-occidentalis Laccaria laccata Lactarius argillaceifolius var. megacarpus Lactarius deliciosus Lactarius fallax Lactarius pseudomucidus Lactarius rubidus Lactarius subflammeus Lactarius subvillosus Lactarius xanthogalactus Lenzites betulina Leotia lubrica Leotia viscosa Leptonia violaceonigra Marasmius quercophilus Melanopus badius * formerly Polyporus badius Microglossum viride Mycena californiensis Mycena pura Nidula candida Nidula niveotomentosa Oligoporus chioneus Oligoporus fragilis Omphalotus olivescens Phaeolus schweinitzii Pluteus cervinus Psathyrella gracillis group Psathyrella longipes Pseudohydnum gelatinosum Ramaria botrytis Ramaria formosa Ramaria rasilispora Rhizopogon ochraceorubens Russula abietina Russula amoenolens Russula brevipes Russula brevipes var. acrior Russula cremoricolor Russula cyanoxantha Russula nigricans Russula olivacea Russula sanguinea Russula silvicola Russula stuntzii Russula tenuiceps Russula xerampelina Sarcocypha coccinea Sarcosoma mexicana Sowerbyella rhenana Stereum hirsutum Stropharia ambigua Suillus caerulescens Tapenella panuoides* formerly Paxillus panuoides Thelephora terrestris gp. Trametes versicolor Tricholoma aurantio-olivaceum Tricholoma flavovirens Tricholoma imbricatum Tricholoma saponaceum Tricholomopsis rutilans Tubaria furfuracea Douglas Smith Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2007 NAMA Annual Foray Report Collecting Conditions in Mendocino at ACCF 2014 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Warm Endive Salad with Chanterelles, Enoki and Asparagus Here is a recipe that you will see in Marjorie Young's and my upcoming book, From Duff to Dinner . by Vince Viverito and Marje Young Flammulina velutipes. © Ulysses M (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 142054993) Method Infuse the Olive Oil Overnight 24 hours prior to serving the salad, heat the oil and basil to 110°F in a saucepan (you can use a kitchen thermometer to monitor the temperature.) Let it cool slightly, cover it, and refrigerate* immediately to steep overnight. Strain the infusion through a fine mesh strainer or paper coffee filter. Return infused oil to the refrigerator until ready for use (consume within 4 days). Pull the oil out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving, so it can warm back up to a smooth liquid. Prepare the Salad Fill a large bowl with enough ice water to submerge the bunch of asparagus. In a large pot, boil water and season with salt and 1 tsp. baking soda. Blanch asparagus in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Immediately transfer the asparagus to the ice water bath, and reserve. Heat 2 Tbsp. of the basil-infused olive oil in pan and cook the chanterelles until they release their water and are soft and aromatic. Season chanterelles to taste with salt and pepper. On a separate cutting board, cut off the woody root base of the enoki, separate the stands, and toss the enoki into a pan with oil or butter to sauté until wilted (about 2 minutes). Arrange the enoki on a plate and allow them to steam for 3 minutes. In the meantime, thoroughly wash the cutting board and your hands before touching other foods.** Cut the chilled asparagus into 1" pieces, and place in a salad bowl or individual plates. Trim the Belgian endive as needed, and place in salad bowl or on the plates. Drizzle the sautéed chanterelles over the salad. Garnish with the enoki** mushrooms and shaved Parmesan cheese. * Note : Fresh basil can carry soil-borne moisture and microbes into the olive oil, such as Clostridium botulinum spores. As 110°F is too low to kill the spores, it's best to keep the oil infusion refrigerated. Alternatively, if you want to save refrigerator space, here's a counter-safe approach that uses dried basil instead: Place ⅓ cup dry basil in a clean, dry, heatproof glass jar, and crush the basil gently to release the essential oils. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan to 180°F. Pour the hot oil over the dried basil, and cap the jar tightly. Steep on the counter at room temperature overnight to build a strong flavor. (3 to 5 days will build a stronger flavor.) Before using, strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve or paper coffee filter to remove gritty herb particles. (If you choose to store the oil for longer, strain it within 2 weeks to prevent bitterness, and to keep the oil clean and bright.) Similarly, fresh garlic, herbs, or peppers can introduce moisture and the risk of botulism. If you want to add such flavors, use garlic powder, dried herbs, dried chili flakes, etc. to keep the oil pantry-safe. ** Note: As of the 2020s, the CDC and FDA warn that raw enoki is prone to carrying Listeria monocytogenes . Traditional Asian cuisines always serve enoki cooked, even in chilled dishes where the mushrooms are blanched and cooled first. Recipe contributed: January 1998 This recipe comes to us from Chef Joseph M. Cirone (former owner of Hay Market restaurant and Over Under bar in San Jose), and is one of many wonderful mushroom recipes we have collected and printed with permission. Editor's Note : From Duff to Dinner is out of print, but you can still find used copies in good condition online. Objective: Salad Total Time: 45 mins plus 24 hours for oil infusion Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as a second course Suggested Mushrooms: Chanterelle (Cantharellus californicus, Cantharellus formosus, Cantharellus subalbidus) Enoki (Flammulina filiformis, Flammulina velutipes) 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 Basil-Infused Olive Oil 2 cups extra virgin olive oil 1 bunch basil (Alternatively, buy infused oil at your local market.) Salad ¼ lb. chanterelles or hedgehogs 1 package enoki 4 to 6 heads Belgian endive 1 bunch asparagus 1 tsp. baking soda Salt and pepper to taste Parmesan cheese, shaved as a garnish Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Orzo Pilaf with Boletes Chopped boletes provide the base flavor for this orzo dish. by Vernetta McGuire Boletus edulis var. grandedulis. © Debbie Viess (from mushroomobserver.org) Method Reconstitute the dried boletes in 2 cups of water. Strain the liquid from the reconstituted boletes, and set the liquid aside. Chop the reconstituted boletes (which will become part of the base flavor). Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add your onion and the (freshly picked) bolete slices, sautéing until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Add the 2 cups of broth and the chopped (reconstituted) boletes, and bring to a boil. Stir in orzo. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the orzo is tender and has absorbed all liquid (about 15 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove the pilaf from heat. Stir in the pine nuts and parsley. Season to taste with salt & pepper, and serve immediately. Recipe contributed: February 2006 Objective: Main course Total Time: About 1.5 hours Yield: 2 - 4 servings 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 8 oz. sliced fresh boletes (or substitute with your favorite fresh mushrooms) ½ oz. dried boletes 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 chopped onion 1 Cup of your favorite orzo pasta 3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley 2 cups of chicken or veggie broth (or strain the liquid you'll have after reconstituting the dried boletes and combine it with chicken or veggie broth) Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Field Reports Time Lapsed Laetiporous Time lapse of chicken-of-the-woods growing over 11 days. Phil Carpenter • October 12, 2023 Day 11 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter I discovered this Laetiporus growing on one of my eucalyptus stumps. To record its growth, I took the same picture every day for 11 days, and sent them out to club members, so we could all watch its growth together. Day 1 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Day 2 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Day 3 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Day 4 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Day 5 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Day 6 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Day 7 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Day 8 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Day 9 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Day 10 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Day 11 (Laetiporus time lapse). Photo by Phil Carpenter Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Phil Carpenter receives Knighton Award at Appalachia NAMA 2023 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Wild Mushroom Timbales with Bacon and Arugula Timbales make a substantial first course or a great brunch or lunch. Also a delight for potlucks! by Rick & Ella Schwartzi Craterellus calicornucopioides. © Bria Nathan (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 336658975) Method Prepare the Timbales Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Stir the salt, pepper, lemon zest, parsley, thyme and Parmesan into the cooled mushroom mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, milk and eggs. Stir in the cooled mushroom mixture. Spray ramekins with vegetable oil. Fill each about ½ to ⅔ with the mushroomy custard, and set in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins, creating a bain-marie to ensure the custard is uniformly set. Bake at 325°F until set (about 55 minutes). Prepare the Sauce and Garnish While the mushroom custard is baking, fry the bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels. Pour most of the bacon fat from the skillet and discard. Add the vinegar and demi-glace to the skillet, and simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes, scraping up and mixing in any bacon bits stuck to the pan. Keep warm until the timbales are ready. Crumble bacon. Assemble and Serve Spoon 2 Tbsp. of the sauce onto the center of 8 plates. Mound 1 cup of arugula in the center of each serving plate. Run the tip of a small knife or offset spatula around the inner edge of the ramekins to loosen the custards. Carefully transfer an un-molded* timbale onto the center of the arugula on each plate. Scatter the bacon bits around the timbales and serve immediately. * To un-mold a timbale, you can either: Spoon it out carefully onto the arugula (easiest, though potentially messiest). Place a separate small plate (or large flat spatula) on top of the ramekin like a lid, hold together firmly and quickly flip over to release the timbale onto the plate (tap the bottom of the ramekin if it sticks). Then use a small spatula to carefully slide the timbale onto the arugula. Un-mold the timbale directly onto the center of its serving plate (invert it over the ramekin and then flip as described above) before adding the sauce and arugula, then arrange the sauce and arugula around it. Recipe contributed: April 2004 You can use a mixture of mushrooms or a single species—fresh, dried, or from your freezer. Should you come back from foray (or freezer) with an empty basket, either shiitake or white domestic mushrooms can be substituted. Ideal mushrooms might be porcini, black trumpet, yellowfoot, maitake, or cauliflower mushrooms, as they'll hold up well against the heavy cream and parmesan. Likewise, watercress or a mixture of spicy greens can be used in place of, or in addition to, arugula. This dish can be prepared up to two days ahead of time, then reheated in a slow oven or microwave prior to serving—a great option for a party or an FFSC potluck! Objective: Side or first course Total Time: About 1 ¾ hours Yield: 8 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Black trumpet / black chanterelle (Craterellus atrocinereus, Craterellus calicornucopioides, Craterellus cinereus) Cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis americana, Sparassis crispa, Sparassis radicata) Maitake (Grifola frondosa) Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) Yellowfoot (winter chanterelle) (Craterellus tubaeformis) 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 Timbales 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 small onion, peeled and chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 ½ lbs. mushrooms, trimmed and sliced into ½" dice 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt Freshly ground pepper to taste 1 tsp. grated lemon zest ¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup milk 3 large eggs Vegetable oil spray Garnish 8 strips thick-sliced bacon ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 1 cup demi-glace (beef, veal, or duck-and-veal) 8 cups arugula, tough stems removed Plus: 8 ramekins (6 oz. size) Large roasting pan (large enough to hold the ramekins, and at least 2" deep) Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Field Reports Foray and Habitat Walk March 2015 A great time was had during the FFSC Habitat Walk and Foray in Felton on Saturday, March 21st. Cass Fuentes • March 29, 2015 FFSC Foray group shot. Photo by Cass Fuentes Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts November 2014 Habitat Walk Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Puff of Smoke (Caloscypha fulgens). Lassen National Park. Photo by Hugh Smith Puff of Smoke Hugh Smith Caloscypha fulgens disperses its spores using synchronous spore ejection (a single rapid burst). Camera (Not provided) Focal L. Aperture Shutter Sp. ISO Flash Photo taken on June 4, 2016 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Why Join FFSC? Perhaps you’ve gone out on your first foray with a friend, came back with a basket of exquisite mushrooms, and now you’ve caught the myco-bug! Where do you go from there? Andrea and Jeanne at an FFSC Members table. Photo by Vellany Pierce Maybe you learned bit about mushrooming by coming to the Fungus Fair and then studying on your own? And you’ve attended a few of our Monthly Speaker meetings and you're ready to get more involved? Why not Join FFSC? It's only $25/year, per household ! Join FFSC Now Join Our Forays and Explore the Outdoors Nothing compares with learning in the field from experienced collectors. Our foray leaders plan many outings from September to May, depending on what's growing each season. We offer free and discounted Local Forays (one-day outings) for members. Some forays are also opened to non-members if space permits. Plus, we offer reasonably priced Long Distance Forays (weekend or week-long trips) to the Sierras and North Coast for members only. Learn in the field, explore different habitats, and get out in the woods and hills with like-minded people! For the Food and Fun! We love cooking with mushrooms as much as we love finding them, and our Food and Fun (culinary) events and recipes are proof positive. We like to meet new people and have fun, so come get to know us! Formal dinners and free or low-cost potlucks are scattered throughout the year. Some are for FFSC members and their guests only; others are open to the public. Expand Your Knowledge Take it up a notch and gain a lot more knowledge by learning from and alongside a group of experienced foragers, mycologists, and mycophages! Classes and Workshops: Take your knowledge to the next level. Beginning and Intermediate mushroom ID classes are offered to FFSC members at a low cost. (Or if you're pretty knowledgeable already, help teach some classes!) Field Reports: We find more than morels when we hunt! We've collected lists of what types of mushrooms we've identified in specific areas during past forays. Field reports can only be viewed by FFSC members. Stay Connected : Connect with other members in FFSC's private discussion groups. Read about what others are finding, share photos, and get early information about upcoming forays and more. NAMA membership discount : As an FFSC member, you're eligible to join the North American Mycological Association at the Member of Affiliated Club price. FFSC Membership FAQ What is the Membership Price? A single Household Membership only costs $25/year per household. Who qualifies as a member in my household? We usually consider a "household" to include up to 2 adults (18+ years) plus minor children (under 18 years) living at the same address. Each of those individuals qualifies as an FFSC member. The single $25 annual subscription covers all of them. (They do not need to purchase separate memberships.) Each individual can participate in members-only events. Each individual is eligible for member prices/discounts (when offered). Limitation : Currently, only the primary account holder (the login associated with the membership subscription) can access members-only content and checkout as a member on this website. You are welcome to list the other members of your household in your account, so that we can look them up to confirm their membership status at events. How does the membership renewal work? You can pay for one year at a time, or choose the subscription option so that your membership automatically renews each year. The price is the same in both cases. If you choose the subscription (automatic renewal) option: Your membership starts (or renews) as of the date of payment. Your membership is processed as a subscription, and it will renew automatically every year. You'll receive an email reminder each year, a few days before the renewal. You can cancel your upcoming (next) renewal at any time from your Account. If you cancel, your current membership will still remain active until the expiration date, as long as you still have an account. If you delete your account, your membership records will be deleted as well, and will not be recoverable. What if I join during the off-season? Most FFSC activities are held during California's wild mushroom season from September to May. Membership dues are not pro-rated for members joining late in the mushroom season, because your membership will remain active through the same date the following season. You'll get the same amount of benefit per dollar regardless of when you join. Should I renew before my membership expires? If you renew early, the fee won't be pro-rated . Each year of membership begins on the date of payment, and expires a year later If you choose the subscription (auto-renewing) option, your membership will renew automatically on the stated expiration date. Just allow it to renew. (If the payment fails, you'll receive an email at your registered email address, so you can fix it.) If you choose the 1-year option, the system will send an email reminder when your membership expiration date approaches. You can login on or after the expiration date to pay for another year. Your new membership will expire 1 year from the latest date of payment. What are my membership fees and other fees used for? FFSC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Learn more about what our fees are used for on our FFSC Financials page. Why does FFSC use PayPal as the payment processor? All of the different online systems and vendors that we use (such as this website, our domain host, Ticket Tailor, and others) support PayPal, and some include PayPal integrations. More Funds for Giving: The fact that the PayPal support is already built-in means FFSC can allocate more funds to cover scholarships, monthly speakers, etc. If we used an unsupported payment processor or multiple processors, then we would need to reallocate those funds to manage more systems. Less Complexity for FFSC Volunteers : Some of our online systems provide support for other payment processing options as well. However, PayPal is the only processor they all have in common . By using fewer payment processors, we reduce complexity (and save time) for the generous volunteer who reconciles financial reports across all our systems. Plus, our many event volunteers only need to learn one type of card reader and system, which helps us complete transactions more smoothly for participants. We re-evaluate the latest payment processing options and cross-platform integrations options periodically. If the situation changes, we'll adapt accordingly. Join FFSC Now Not Ready to Become an FFSC Member? You can still learn and get to know us! Amanita muscaria at the Fungus Fair, by Linda Williams The Santa Cruz Fungus Fair: The general public can explore a re-created wild mushroom habitat, learn from experts, and sample culinary delights at our biggest event, the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair , held over three days each January in Santa Cruz. Local Forays: Non-members are welcome to participate in some of our local forays without a member discount, when space permits. Monthly Speakers and Social Hour : Connect with others, learn from presentations by informative and renowned mycologists, and get your fungi finds properly identified at our Monthly Speakers events. Non-members are welcome to stop by to see what we're all about, but may not vote on business topics. Join our Google Group and Public Social Media : We're on social media and iNaturalist, plus we have a moderated mailing list. Visit our Contact FFSC page to learn more. 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A Bolete by Any Other Name... Many mushrooms we see in our local woods now have a new name or spot in the myco tree of life. One of our most prized groups of local mushrooms, the boletes, is no exception. Let's look at some name changes that you might need to be aware of if you're using older field guides. by Adam Ryszka Porcini (bolete) found on an Albion foray. Photo by Katherine Elvin As many of you know, the mushroom world has been going through a lot of changes in recent years with the onset of genetic sequencing. One of the main impacts of this has been the renaming or reclassification of not only singular mushrooms, but in some instances whole genera (heck, Suillus got its own family!). It sometimes seems that just about every mushroom we see in our local woods now has a new name or spot in the myco tree of life. And one of our most prized groups of local mushrooms, the boletes, is no exception. With the recent publishing of scientific papers some of their names have changed as well. So let’s dive in on some of the name changes which have impacted our beloved Boletus . A few important notes before we begin... One , I am only going to cover the more common stuff that you would encounter in the woods and would also be found under the genus Boletus in Mushrooms Demystified . Two , these mushrooms have for better or worse worked themselves into different discrete groups, which in turn prompted the creation of new genera. The King Group Queen Boletes (Mendocino 2016. Photo by Katherine Elvin The heavy hitters of Boletus and the ones most are scouring the woods for once the first big fall rains arrive. These mushrooms have remained in the genus Boletus but with some species name changes. Here is what we have: Species Notes Boletus barrowsii The “White King” bolete remains with no changes. Boletus edulis var. grandedulis The “King” bolete got “ var. grandedulis ” appended to its name. We may also have the true European king bolete here growing with imported pine trees, but that will remain speculation until the genetic work is done. Boletus regineus The “Queen” bolete, which used to be Boletus aereus , a misapplied European name. Thankfully the name change did not affect its edibility. The Butter Group Butter Boletes (2017). Photo by Katherine Elvin Here is, in my opinion, the biggest change of them all. The “Butter” boletes have now been moved out of Boletus and into their own genus Butyriboletus . On top of that, we now have three local species instead of the traditional two. Here they are: Species Notes Butyriboletus persolidus Our traditional “Butter” bolete, that beautiful, intense blue staining, rock hard edible bolete found with hardwoods. It used to go by Boletus appendictulatus . Butyriboletus querciregius The “Pink-capped Butter” bolete, aka the elusive cousin of the more common butter bolete. I have still never found this thing.. Butyriboletus autumniregius The new one on the scene is the rosy autumn butter bolete, a.k.a., the “other” pink-capped butter bolete. This one differs from the other both genetically and by preferred habitat. It grows with coastal conifers instead of with hardwoods. This is probably the one that grows with the pine (and matsutake) around the fire roads of upper UCSC campus. The Cracked-Cap Boletes Xerocomellus dryophilu sp. Photo by Martin Livezey (from mushroomobserver.org) These are usually way more common than any of the boletes we have covered thus far. Sometimes called the “Woodland” boletes, they flourish fall through spring in both our live oak and tan oak habitats (they like hardwoods). Identifying down to species can be tough, and we may have undescribed species or members going by European names. Basically, dry caps that crack, often staining blue, often reddish stipes, often parasitized by Hypomyces and even more often not worth eating... So what matters here? For a long time they were in Boletus , then moved to Xerocomus , and now they are in Xerocomellus . Looks like they will stay in Xerocomellus with our one “true” Xercomus , Boletus subtomentosus , moving into its proper nomenclature home. Still with me? Current species: Species Notes Xerocomellus chrysenteron The “Cracked Cap” bolete. Used to be B. chrysenteron . Xerocomellus dryophilus Xerocomellus dryophilus – Probably one you are not familiar with. Really pretty red-capped mushroom that is sporadic in the county, but often common where it does occur. Formally B. dryophilus . Xerocomellus truncatus Xerocomellus truncatus – Macroscopically very similar to X. chrysenteron and often difficult to tell apart. Used to be B. truncatus . Xerocomellus zelleri and Xerocomellus atropurpureus “Zeller's” bolete and supposedly the best edible of the bunch... (But put enough butter, salt and garlic on a piece of cardboard and it too can be the best edible in Office Max. Fifteen glasses of wine prior probably does not hurt either...) Regardless, a really striking mushroom when fresh. Both to be B. zelleri . Xerocomellus atropurpureus is considered the more common of the two. Auroboletus (Oh yeah! Those things!) This change has been around for a while and is pretty easy. The boletes with the neon yellow pores are now in Auroboletus . We currently only have two which grow with local hardwoods (both are edible). Some years they are scarce, some years abundant. During one abundant year we decided to cook them up for some UCSC students. They actually really liked them! Go figure... Species Notes Aureoboletus citriniporus The dry-capped one. Previously Boletus citriniporus Aureoboletus flaviporus The slimy-capped one. Boletus flaviporus Poisonous Boletes Rubroboletus eastwoodiae . Photo by Yevgeny Nyden I guess what could be called the “poisonous” bolete group, these two were in limbo for a while, but have now been reclassified. Species Notes Suillellus amygdalinus No common name that I know of. Orangish pores and intensely stains blue. Grows with hardwoods. Long thought to be poisonous, recent discussions and some unverified taste tests claim it is actually edible. That is NOT an invitation for you to find out for sure. But if you do let me know. Formerly Boletus amygdalinus . Rubroboletus eastwoodiae The North American counterpart to "Satan's bolete" ( Rubroboletus satanas ). The common name is often misapplied here. Formerly known as Boletus eastwoodiae and Boletus satanas . Huge and gorgeous. Some years scarce, some years fruiting in enormous quantities. Easy one to learn. This species is without question seriously poisonous ! So there you have it. The current status on our local boletes, all of which could be wrong by this time next year. See you in the woods... Mushrooms covered: Aureoboletus citriniporus Aureoboletus flaviporus Aureoboletus flaviporus (viscid bolete) Boletus edulis (porcini, penny bun, king bolete, cèpe) Boletus regineus Boletus sp. (bolete) Butyriboletus autumniregius (rosy autumn butter bolete) Butyriboletus persolidus (butter bolete) Butyriboletus querciregius Xerocomellus atropurpureus Xerocomellus chrysenteron Xerocomellus dryophilus (oak-loving bolete) Xerocomellus truncatus Xerocomellus zelleri Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

News & Stories / Field Reports Species List from December 11, 1999 Local Foray Here is a species list from the foray. Bill Maxfield • February 1, 2000 Amanita sp. 'gemmata-CA01'. © Dean Lyons (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 190884555) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article