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Auriscalpium vulgare. Photo by Dan Tischler Auriscalpium vulgare Dan Tischler The ear-pick or pine cone mushroom is a member of the order Russulales , making it a close relative of Russula and Lactarius species along with Stereum and Hericium . Camera Olympus TG-4 Focal L. 6mm Aperture f/3.2 Shutter Sp. 1/100s ISO 200 Flash Off Photo taken on January 19, 2019 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Stuffed Mushrooms Florentine Great when you have 12 to 16 tasty specimens with shallow-bowl shaped caps, such as edible Agaricus species, shiitake, or shaggy parasol. by Rene Seltzer Agaricus arvensis. © scarletchapman (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 81232694) Method Prepare the Mushroom Caps Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking pan with a drizzle of the olive oil. Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a damp paper towel. Carefully remove the stems and set stems aside. Melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter. Brush or dip the mushroom caps in the melted butter to coat them, then place them upside-down (gills up) in the prepared baking pan. (Melt additional butter as needed for this step, depending on the size and quantity of your caps.) Prepare the Filling Chop the reserved mushroom stems small. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter with the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped stems and minced onion. Sauté until the mushroom stems have lost their water and the onions are limp (5 to 7 minutes). Stir in minced shallot and cook until translucent and fragrant (about 3 minutes). Make sure the spinach has been washed and squeezed very dry, and it to the skillet. Add the cooked meat (or veggie substitute), nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to warm and combine flavors. Remove from heat. Assemble and Serve Fill the caps with the spinach mixture equally, packing the filling down gently. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the filling. Bake at 375°F until the mushroom caps are tender and the cheese on top is melted and golden brown (15 to 20 minutes). Transfer to an attractive serving platter and serve warm. Recipe contributed: March 2001 For stuffed mushrooms, you want bowl-like species with wide, thick caps hold the stuffing, such as horse mushroom, portobello, giant cypress Agaricus, shiitake, or shaggy parasol. If using shiitake caps, the stems might be too woody, so you could chop up some porcini, butter boletes, or blewits (ensure they're thoroughly cooked) to use in the stuffing. Objective: Appetizer Total Time: 45 minutes Yield: 12 to 16 stuffed caps Suggested Mushrooms: Blewit (Collybia nuda) Butter bolete (Butyriboletus persolidus) Giant cypress Agaricus (Agaricus lilaceps) Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) Portobello/portabella, champignon, cremini, button (Agaricus bisporus) Shaggy parasol (Chlorophyllum brunneum) 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 12 to 16 medium mushrooms 4 Tbsp (½ stick) butter, divided 1 to 1½ Tbsp. olive oil 1 to 1½ Tbsp minced onion 1 Tbsp minced shallot ¾ cup fresh spinach, cooked until just limp, pureed, and squeezed very dry (Optional) ½ cup pre-cooked and chopped chicken, turkey or pork* ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg ½ tsp salt ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper 4 to 6 Tbsp, Parmigiano, Asiago, or similar cheese, freshly grated * If you'd like to use a meat alternative, try chopped walnuts or pecans; diced tempeh; or perhaps brown or green lentils cooked al dente. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Writings Mushroom Soup Tip – Fried Dried Mushrooms Here is an idea that I recently came up with based on something I got from the Italian American Heritage Foundation of San Jose during a recent talk. Jim Maley • November 1, 2010 Craterellus tubaeformis. © Alan Rockefeller (from mushroomobserver.org) The Italians fry dried peppers in olive oil and garnish with kosher or sea salt. I have done this with fresh peppers, but never dried. Anyway, I experimented with throwing dried mushrooms in the mix and it worked great! Recently I served Chanterelle Soup from a recent trip to Oregon and garnished with fried dry mushrooms (instead of croutons). I tried dried Craterellus and Winter Chanterelles (Yellowfoot) and both worked very well. Since the mushrooms were not reconstituted in water, there was a little grit from the horns, so I have decided that dried Winter Chanterelles are best for this as they are a bit cleaner. Just a few minutes in the hot olive oil until they puff up a bit is enough. Any way, try putting a little crunch in your soup with this idea. I certainly will do this again and have a large amount of dried Yellowfoot and expect to get more in January. Enjoy! --Jim Maley Note: Visit our Recipes page for more ideas! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Writings The Mushroom Basket Not long after my dad passed on, my mom and I were in the “cantina” (combination store room/wine cellar) of her home. We were cleaning out shelves of canned goods, when my eye spied a large wicker basket about 30 inches in diameter. Marianne Cogorno • May 1, 2011 Foragers Basket (2014). Photo by Cass Fuentes FFSC member Marilyn Diamond handed me a copy of thisstory at the Fungus Fair. It is a lovely reminiscence of a childhood amongst ardent mushroom foragers. I hope you enjoy it! Regards, Wendy The basket handle had been rather haphazardly reinforced with string and wire. My mom saw me looking at it and with a smile announced that this was the basket my dad used when he went mushroom hunting. She asked if I would like it and I quickly jumped at the chance to have this memento, to remember him. Mushrooms, because of their abundance and excellent quality in the “old country” were and are a mainstay of Italian cooking. The rich mountain soil near my hometown of Stockton produced mushroom. Some say they are not as flavorful as those which grow in Italy, but certainly more than acceptable for those Italians who had immigrated to California. So they continued the tradition of mushroom hunting—both for the richness mushrooms added to their food and to the sport and fun of it! I was only an observer to this process, because mushroom hunting always took place in November and December, when I was in school. Because the growing conditions of the mushroom dictated exact timing, the seasoned “hunter” would know exactly how much rain, fallen over how many days, would cause these precious molds to grow. It was not unheard of for my father to wake up early in the morning and decide right then that this was the day to go “up to the hills” to go mushrooming. Not only were the perfect growing conditions absolutely essential, but also the location was also critical. Several variables played an important part in where mushrooms would grow in abundance—exposure to light, slope of the land, amount of compost in the soil—were all important to the critical eye of the mushroom hunter. There would be places that yielded a significant mushroom harvest, but often there was much secrecy about the exact location. I can remember my father and uncles discussing their good luck on various mushrooming expeditions, but exact “spots” were rarely revealed. There was a friendly teasing and rivalry about who could find the biggest stash, and one’s worth as a man was somewhat measured by the quantity he could produce! Despite this competition, everyone in the family was of course very generous about sharing mushrooms, should someone run out. The part I did play was in preparing the mushrooms for drying. First the mushrooms had to be cleaned by hand. Each mushroom was held in one hand, while the other gently but thoroughly removed all the slimy surface dirt from each crevice and plane. The cleaning rag, which soon became heavy with moist dirt, gave off the heady odor of locker rooms. This process seemed to take hours, as the mushrooms were transferred from the dirty pile to the clean one. Next, old window screens were placed on sawhorses. My mom expertly sliced the mushrooms into cross-sections and then they were placed on screens to dry. After what seemed like weeks, but was only probably days, the dried delicacies were placed in tall tins, with bay leaves and dried chili peppers as a fumigant, to be stored until needed. While mushroom hunting was usually, but not always a man’s domain, the women were not to be outdone with their skilled preparation of this rich and delicious “ambrosia,” which found its way into sauces, or scallopine and when fresh into frittate or antipasti. We took for granted the spectacular flavor combinations the “lowly fungus” provided, because year in and year out, our food was seasoned with this flavorful garnish. It wasn’t until I began cooking for my own family, that I realized how the canned variety paled in comparison. As my dad got older, he made fewer mushroom hunting trips, so I was relegated to buying canned mushrooms for less special meals, and to hoarding the less abundant dried delicacies that came my way for “dining!” The day I brought my dad’s basket home, I had a hard time deciding where to put it. I knew it was too bulky to be displayed on a wall or on a table. But then one day after about a year, I decided on the perfect spot to display it - the hearth of our family room fireplace. It still has it’s reinforced rope and wire handle, just as my father last left it. At Christmas time it holds Poinsettias, at Easter ferns, and in the summer miniature Calla Lilies. But most of all my Dad’s basket holds sensory memories of a time gone by. I can feel the crisp autumn wind on my cheeks and nose reminiscent of mushroom hunting time. I can smell the peat must emanating from the mushrooms piled high ready to be cleaned. I hear the banter as elders teasingly refuse to share the exact coordinates of their special mushroom hiding “places”. I see several generations congregated together in the cold basement huddled working together to process the mushrooms. I can savor those marvelous delicacies, the well-earned reward for hours of tedious, dedicated work. Certainly, the goal of mushroom hunters was the end product: the wonderful, concentrated flavor a dried mushroom brings. Beyond that, the basket reminds of the constancy and the anchoring that the mushroom hunting experience brought to my early years and helped define who I was and am. How lucky I am to have a visual reminder of a very important part of my Italian culture; how glad that I realized it should be displayed in plain sight. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Writings FFSC Poetry Contest Winners, May 2000 In March, I asked FFSC members to send me their mushroom poetry. As promised, here are the winners (in no particular order). Larry Payne • May 1, 2000 Mycena haematopus. © Damon Tighe (CC-BY-NC) (inaturalist.org, obs. 339256901) Snow melted. Dogwood flowers. Friends around campfire. Oh, Morchella , where are you? — Bill Maxfield My cousin, Sally Lehmann sent me this poem for my birthday last September. — Helen Sowers Fair Helen stalks the woodland glen, The fungi tremble, all. Their posted sentries spread the word. "She comes, she comes," they call. "We're lost, we're lost," the boletes cry, and Cantharellus wail. There is no joy in mushroom hearts When Helen's on their trail. (Except of course for the death caps: They just don't give a damn.) — Sally Lehmann It's a mean old Summer that ushers the sun back, Chasing the clouds away Making me long for days of Rain. Days where the drops create shimmering rainbows Splashing through forest trees Painting their dark green leaves with Rain. But now I must live with my pain, for Cruel Summer has brought its dry change A drought that must drive me insane For nowhere in sight is there rain. It's a beautiful vision when mushrooms surround me, Chanterelles under oaks Boletes 'neath the pines once Again. My dogs and I tromp among patches of glory. The fungi have come alive And joy has returned thanks to Rain. But this fantasy's just in my brain, For the Summer is here with its pain, Which will torture me 'til once again Lovely winter returns my love Rain. — Anonymous FFSC Member Stumbling with vine-torn pants Spider's strands attack my eye Trudging miles to secret haunts Everything, everywhere completely dry If I don't see a mushroom soon I really think that I might die Oh God, oh God, oh God How I hate July. — Scriptomyces suspectum Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Call for Entries: FFSC Poetry Contest Haikus Celebrating the Secret Life of Fungi Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Michael Beug Professor Emeritus, Evergreen State College Michael Beug is Professor Emeritus of The Evergreen State College and an award-winning photographer, with photographs published in over 50 books and articles. He is principal author (with Alan and Arleen Bessette) of Ascomycete Fungi of North America: A Mushroom Reference Guide . He writes about mushrooms in McIlvainea , The Mycophile , Fungi Magazine , and Mushroom: The Journal of Wild Mushrooming . He created 25 PowerPoint mushroom programs available through the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) as a two-DVD set. He is a coauthor of MatchMaker , a free mushroom identification program covering 4,092 taxa with over 5,000 images of 1,984 illustrated taxa (www.matchmakermushrooms.com). He was winner of the 2006 NAMA Award for Contributions to Amateur Mycology. He is chair of the NAMA Toxicology Committee, chair the Editorial Committee and past editor of the journal McIlvainea. In the Columbia River Gorge, he currently studies the unique fungal ecosystem associated with Quercus garryana where he has found roughly 50 unnamed Cortinarius species, many unnamed Hebeloma species, new species of Russula, a new Amanita , a new Polyozellus (a blue Chanterelle), a new morel and a new Sarcomyxa as well as numerous species previously thought to be restricted to California and Southern Oregon. His hobbies are organic farming and winemaking. Michael Beug with Morels Upcoming Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Hallucinogens as Entheogens (Saturday) How hallucinogens have the potential to make the world a better place. Saturday, January 12, 2019 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Room 3 Hallucinogens as Entheogens (Sunday) How hallucinogens have the potential to make the world a better place. Sunday, January 13, 2019 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Room 3 Past Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Hallucinogens as Entheogens (Sunday) How hallucinogens have the potential to make the world a better place. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Sunday, January 13, 2019 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Room 3 Hallucinogens as Entheogens (Saturday) How hallucinogens have the potential to make the world a better place. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 12, 2019 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Room 3

Pressure Canning Mushrooms Pressure canning is a process for canning mushrooms while not utilizing vinegar to create an acid environment. by Sue Willis Pressure Cooker (stock photo) Have you had experience with this method? We would love to hear about your experiences so we can share them here. Advantages of pressure canning May be stored in pantry. Can be flavored with herbs, etc. if desired Works well for substantial mushrooms, such as Bolete buttons, Chanterelles, Russula spp ., etc. Disadvantages of pressure canning The pressure canning process is somewhat involved. Does not work well for more delicate mushrooms. Canning incorrectly can result in botulism, which can be fatal. Objective: Storage/Prep Total Time: Suggested Mushrooms: Boletus sp. (bolete) Cantharellus sp. (chanterelle) Russula cyanoxantha Equipment and/or Ingredients Required equipment: Pressure canning pot and rack; and sterilized canning jars and lids Method VERY IMPORTANT: Canning non-acid food requires careful technique and the use of a pressure canner to prevent botulism . Caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum , botulism produces neurotoxins and can be fatal . Instructions for pressure canning can be found in the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving , or similar books on pressure cooking and canning. Previous Technique All Techniques Next Technique

Deep Dish Mushroom Pie We love a good pot pie in the wintertime. Here's a rich one, sure to keep you warm at night. by Wisconsin Mycological Society Agaricus arvensis. © Christian Schwarz (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 14795272) Method Top Crust Mix flour and salt together. Cut in shortening till mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Gradually work in 2-3 Tbsp. cold water till mixture binds together. Roll out between floured sheets of waxed paper to create a 9" round (shaped to fit your casserole dish). Filling Chop mushroom stems and leave caps whole. Heat 4 Tbsp. butter in large skillet. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cover and cook 5 min. Extract the mushrooms and place in buttered casserole dish. Add 2 Tbsp. butter and 6 Tbsp. flour to juices remaining in skillet. Gradually stir in bouillon. Cook, stirring constantly, till thick and smooth. Add wine and cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over mushrooms in the casserole dish. Assemble and Bake the Pie Cover the mushroom mixture with the crust. Beat the egg and brush the top of the crust. Slit the crust with a vent to allow steam to escape. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Recipe contributed: December 1993 We originally found this recipe in the Spring 1993 issue of the Newsletter of the Wisconsin Mycological Society , and we reproduced it with permission in the December 1993 issue of The Duff . As the Spring 1993 issue of the WMS newsletter is missing from their archives, we're still maintaining the recipe here for FFSC members. Objective: Main course Total Time: 2 to 2.5 hours Yield: 6 to 8 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Giant cypress Agaricus (Agaricus lilaceps) Horse mushroom (Agaricus arvensis, Agaricus osecanus) Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) The Prince (Agaricus augustus) 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 Filling 2 Lbs. mushrooms 6 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 6 Tbsp. flour 1 Cup chicken, beef, or veggie bouillon 3/4 Cups Madeira wine 1/2 Cup heavy cream 1 clove of pressed garlic Salt and pepper to taste Top Crust 1 Cup flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 Cup shortening 2-3 Tbsp. cold water 1 egg 2 quart casserole dish, about 9" in diameter Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

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 Summer Time Mushrooms! With all the fog we have been having along the coast, aided by summer lawn irrigation, there are lots of mushrooms fruiting in the wetter locations. Michael Wood • September 1, 2001 Amanita pantherina. © Chris Evers (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 2763070) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Vegan Mushroom Broth (Chef's Treat) Use this broth as a base for a non-dairy mushroom soup, vegetable soup, or just float a few veggies and herbs in it and serve as a light first course. by Bo Letos Boletus edulis. © Shahram Tavakol (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 331615746) Method In a large soup pot, heat the oil on medium-high. Add the onions and fresh mushrooms, and cook until they shrink and develop a deep brown color (5 to 8 minutes). Toss in the carrots, celery, parsnips, thyme, bay, rosemary, and dried oregano. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. Season with 1 tsp salt. and a dash of pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until it coats the vegetables (like a roux). Stir in tomato paste and wine. Raise heat to a boil, and vigorously scrape the bottom of the pot to blend all the flavors for about 2 minutes. Add 6 cups of water and the dried porcini, bring to a boil again, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain the broth into a serving bowl, or into jars. Pick out the cooked mushrooms and set aside, along with a splash of the broth. (Discard the remains of the carrots, celery, parsnips, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf.) Refrigerate the broth for up to 1 week, or freeze it. You should end up with about a quart of broth. Chef's Treat Purée the cooked mushrooms with just a splash of the broth to create a cup of rich, velvety soup base that you can enjoy immediately. Optionally, thicken the puréed mushrooms with a cornstarch slurry, mashed potatoes, cooked white rice or cannellini beans; or simmer uncovered to reduce the purée down; or add a roux of flour and olive oil and simmer until thick. If you want to stretch your treat into 2 servings, pour it over veggies or noodles. Recipe contributed: January 2013 This broth takes a bit of time, but it stands head and shoulders above packaged broths from the store, and it freezes well. It was adapted from a recipe in Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen . Objective: Soup Total Time: 1 ¼ hour Yield: 1 quart broth Suggested Mushrooms: Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) 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 1 cup dried porcini 6 cups water 4 tsp. light sesame or olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 large carrot, chopped 2 celery stalks, diced 1 small parsnip, peeled and chopped 4 sprigs thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf 1 rosemary sprig 1 tsp. dried oregano ¾ lb. fresh porcini (or shiitake and/or scraps and trimmings from other recipes) 4 garlic cloves, crushed Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 to 1 ¼ Tbsp. tomato paste 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 2 cups Merlot, Cab, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, or other dry red wine Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Field Reports September Seasons and October Rains I pause to reminisce about September and the beginning of our mushroom season. What a start, with our wonderful 25th anniversary dinner followed closely by the beautiful Echo Summit foray at Lake Tahoe. Wendy Wells • October 1, 2009 Volvariella bombycina. Photo by Taylor Lockwood (taylorlockwood.com) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article