Search this site

Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding I'm sure you won't be disappointed with this recipe. I served this at a potluck luncheon where it received great reviews. by Rene Seltzer Pleurotus ostreatus. © dietel (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 142192368) Method Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter glass baking dish. Heat oil in a heavy, large pot over medium-high heat. Add all the mushrooms and garlic to the pot and sauté 10 minutes, then add basil and parsley (I used a very generous amount), sage, and thyme. Sauté 5 more minutes, then remove pot from the heat. Whisk eggs, cream, milk, parmesan, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add bread cubes, and toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture. Transfer to buttered baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top. Bake at 350°F until pudding is golden brown and set in the center (about 1 hour). Serve warm. Bon appetit! Recipe contributed: February 2000 It was served with a Windsor '96 Petite Syrah, which has a wonderfully dry finish. As it opened up, the wine just kept getting better and better. Objective: Side or first course Total Time: About 2 hours Yield: Serves 10 to 12 Suggested Mushrooms: Oyster / king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus) 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 3 Tbsp. olive oil 6 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced (omit stem) 6 oz. oyster mushrooms, sliced 6 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced 2 oz. portobello mushrooms, sliced (omit stem) 4 tsp. chopped garlic 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp. dried rubbed sage 1 tsp. dried thyme 5 large eggs 2 cup whipping cream 1 cup milk (I used 1% to balance the cream!) ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese ¾ tsp. salt ½ tsp. ground pepper 6 cups 1" cubes crustless sourdough French bread 8"x8"x2" glass baking dish Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Leccinum Burgundy in Snail Shells Transform your bountiful Leccinum harvest with this escargot-style preparation. by Shea Moss Leccinum manzanitae. © Jasmine S. (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 139595975) (cropped) Method Clean the Shells Clean the shells in a pan of hot water. Set aside and allow to cool. Sauté the Leccinum Cut the Leccinum into 2" x 1" rectangles. Sauté in 2 Tbsp. butter until the mushrooms give off their water (about 8 minutes). Remove mushrooms from the pan with a slotted spoon. To the skillet add the white wine and the sliced shallots. Cook until the liquid is reduced by 1/2. Add back the Leccinum and sauté 2 minutes more, then remove from heat and allow to cool. Prepare the Dish Preheat oven to 425°F. In a bowl, mix the garlic with the chopped shallots, parsley, salt, pepper and butter. Mix well. In each shell, place a small amount of the butter mixture, then insert a piece of the cooked Leccinum , and seal with more of the butter mixture. Arrange the shells with the open side up on an ovenproof serving dish. Sprinkle each shell with water and a pinch of bread crumbs. Bake for 8 minutes. Serve piping hot from the oven. For the table, escargot holders and forks would be a nice touch, plus fresh baguettes on hand to soak up the garlic butter. Recipe contributed: November 1988 This escargot-style recipe uses real snail shells, with Leccinum in place of the snail meat. (Perhaps this should be called "Leccargot"?) If you decide to try to harvest shells from your own garden snails instead of purchasing clean empty shells, be sure to educate yourself on how to raise and harvest live snails for cooking first. Bringing live snails to food-grade standard is more complicated than you might think. Snails often feed on vegetation and dead animal matter that are dangerous for human consumption. Some toxins can reside in their bodies for several days. Thus, you would need to raise your snails in a carefully controlled environment, performing certain tests along the way to ensure their edibility. Keeping them alive throughout the entire process is another matter, requiring care in handling the little critters. Finally, before cooking, it is necessary to put the snails and their shells through a careful cleansing process. (If you eat the snails themselves, a specific tenderizing process is also necessary.) Find a very good French cookbook or reliable online resource to understand what this ensnails entails. But herein lays the greatest danger: It is important to examine the livestock in your escargatoire (snail herd) one by one each day to evaluate their health, speed, size, snail color, etc. If one is not careful, one begins to ascribe personalities to them, encourage races, perhaps even name them. Over time, you may notice a difference in the way your family and close friends are behaving towards you... By then, popping the little rascals into boiling salted water takes nerves of steel! Whatever you do, don't put "Jumbo" and "Slicker" back in the garden. And don't put them in my garden either. I've had enough problems with "Spit" and "Chip" as it is. Objective: Side or first course Total Time: 1 hour Yield: 8+ servings Suggested Mushrooms: Leccinum (aspen, birch, and manzanita boletes) (Leccinum insigne, Leccinum manzanitae, Leccinum scabrum) 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 Warm water 50 snail shells, cleaned* 2 Lbs. Leccinum caps, cleaned 2 Tbsp. sweet butter or margarine (and) 1/2 Lb. sweet butter or margarine 1/2 cup white Burgundy (a dry Chardonnay) 2 shallots, thinly sliced 3/4 tsp. garlic, finely chopped 1 1/2 (1.5) Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, finely chopped 3/4 Tbsp. salt Pinch of fresh ground pepper 1/2 cup fine white breadcrumbs Fresh baguette for the table Plus: Ovenproof serving dish Escargot holders and forks, if available * Editors note: As of the 2020s, you can purchase pre-cleaned, food-grade empty snail shells online and at specialty gourmet shops. Burgundy snail shells from Helix pomatia snails are the gold standard. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Stewardship Jackson Demonstration State Forest Permit Changes Rules for mushroom gathering at Jackson Demonstration State Forest have recently changed. Deb • August 18, 2014 Bolete with Newt. Photo by Yevgeny Nyden Due to massive abuse of the system the JDSF no longer issues free personal collection permits. The only permits now issued are commercial permits. The good news is that the permits are $20 per year with no weight limit. The not-so-good news is that the permit must be applied for in person and the office is now open Monday–Friday. If you're planning to go to Mendocino this year, we suggest getting a permit ahead of time —it's good through 2014. We realize this presents a challenge to the usual order of things at our Albion forays. The FFSC ministers will be sorting out details and working towards a solution. In the meantime, if your travels take you to Ft. Bragg during the week, do yourself a favor and pick up a permit; the fine for collecting without a permit is $1000. See the FAQ sheet from the JDSF office , and stay tuned for further details. Contact info: Jackson Demonstration State Forest 802 N Main St. Fort Bragg CA 95437 (707) 964-5674 Fax: (707) 964-0941 Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Soquel State Demonstration Forest Permits Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Stewardship Staying Found in the Woods Shea Moss wrote this article several years ago and it has enduring value. Shea Moss • December 1, 2003 Huddled somewhere in Jackson Demonstration Forest The Jackson State Demonstration Forest in Mendocino, and particularly the Pigmy Forest, can be very deceiving. Flat terrain on an overcast day with uniform foliage provides few clues as to direction. I often find the bridge to the CSNY song Déja Vu running though my head...”and I feel like I’ve been here before....”. - Deb Remember, whenever you go off trail into the woods you must be prepared to spend a forced night out. Learn to read a topographical map, mark your location and check the map frequently. Memorize your car's compass reading (location). Leave a note on your car dash indicating your direction of travel. Look back at your point of entry, keep checking your surroundings every ten minutes. If every thing looks the same to you, begin trail marking. Mark your turns with stones, sticks, tied branches, etc. Hunt with a partner; stay within voice range or whistle range and make contact frequently. If you carry radios, practice using them frequently. If possible, have everyone change to use the same communication channel. Carry food bars in your pocket Stay alert and listen for falling branches. Watch for crumbling logs. In fire areas tree roots may have burned out underground, leaving a hidden pit to fall into. Keep small children in view at all times. Keep a fanny pack with your mushroom gear. PUT IT ON whenever you hunt off road, even if you are just going out for a quick peek. Have the following items in your fanny pack: Compass and map (and GPS if you have one and know how to use it) Personal medication Candle and lighter (candle shavings make good fire starters) Space blanket 2 light sticks 2 Power Bars Small bottle of water Paper and pencil Small cotton bandanna - large enough to make a sweat band or to cover your head and ears Signal mirror Whistle - a loud one. You should be able to put it in your mouth and hear noise while breathing normally. Here are the FFSC whistle codes (number of chirps): Call Response 1 : Where are you? 1 : Over here. 4: I'm picking mushrooms, leave me alone! 2: Return to the car. 2: Coming now. 3: I need help! 5 (or more): There are so many mushrooms here, come and pick some! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Lost: The Companion's View Reality Check: Dispelling a Myth Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Lentinus (Polyporus) arcularius. Photo by Cathy Welch Lentinus (Polyporus) arcularius Cathy Welch This photo comes to us from Kathy Welch who snapped this image while lying under the branch. She says it ( Lentinus (Polyporus) arcularius ) was growing near a monastery in Tibet... a magical place! Thank you, Kathy. Camera Nikon COOLPIX S6100 Focal L. 5mm Aperture f/3.7 Shutter Sp. 1/100s ISO 80 Flash Off Photo taken on July 27, 2012 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

News & Stories / Stewardship Phil Carpenter receives Knighton Award at Appalachia NAMA 2023 Phil Carpenter, FFSC Science Advisor, has been awarded the 2023 Harry and Elsie Knighton Service Award by the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) ! Sue Willis • August 3, 2023 Phil Carpenter receiving Knighton Award. Photo credit: Brennon Strnad The Harry and Elsie Knighton Service Award was established by the NAMA Board of Trustees to recognize and encourage persons who have distinguished themselves in service to their local clubs. It is named for the Knightons, whose efforts began the North American Mycological Association in 1967. The annual award consists of: A plaque Publicity for the winner and club in The Mycophile A one-year membership in the organization Rregistration, housing and foray fees for the next NAMA Foray. Each year's recipient is selected by the three most recent recipients of the Award. Every NAMA-affiliated mycological club may nominate one candidate whom it feels has performed meritorious service during the current or preceding year, which has to be described! The North American Mycological Association (NAMA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of professional and amateur mycologists with over 90 affiliated mycological societies in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Phil was presented with the award at the 2023 NAMA National Foray in North Carolina, with over 400 amateur and professional mycologists in attendance. Read a summary of Phil's contributions on pages 9-11 of The Mycophile Quarterly (July August September 2023 issue). Phil Carpenter. (Photo credit: Dan Tischler) Congratulations, Phil! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Field Report - 2021 NAMA Foray Grandby CO Stewardship Time Lapsed Laetiporous Stewardship Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Mycology & Art News FFSC Scholarship Awarded to Christian Schwarz For all of you who took part in our very successful 2011 Fungus Fair—this is what we do it for! FFSC has awarded a scholarship to Christian Schwarz in support of his pending work on the UCSC Fungal Herbarium Sub-curator and Mass Sequencing Initiative. Marje Young • March 1, 2011 Christian Schwarz Christian is becoming well known and well respected for his mycological knowledge. The project will benefit us locally and members of the Fungus Federation will have access to the herbarium research collection. This is indeed a worthwhile project that we are delighted to be able to fund. Over the past few years, Christian has contributed over 400 micro fungal items to the herbarium collection at UC Santa Cruz. He will be working with the entire fungal collection (approximately 700 items) to move it into proper herbarium boxes; scan and digitize academic collection notes; create database of the text descriptions, with reference to the herbarium specimens; establish and develop a website for collection descriptions, photographs and academic notes (with international access); partner with the UCSC Gilbert Lab and UC Berkeley to obtain DNA sequencing of the collection; and complete an interactive polychotomous key to macro fungi. The herbarium, including its online presence, will be of significant value to the local scientific, taxonomic, and enthusiast communities, as well as state and international researchers. !is will be especially true given that a large proportion of the collections will come accompanied with DNA sequence data. Marje Young and Phil Carpenter Scholarship Committee Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts FFSC Scholarship Awarded to Alison McGregor 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

Portobello Potato Pancakes These pancakes are like cheesy latkes (but not cheesy in the silly way). They can be served hot or cold! by Rene Seltzer Agaricus bisporus. © Christian Schwarz (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 2814540) Method In a large skillet, cover bottom of skillet with olive oil. Heat over medium high heat. Place diced mushrooms in skillet and cook until moisture is removed (about 10 minutes). Add onions and garlic and continue cooking until onions are transparent (about 5 minutes or more). When done, remove immediately. Grate carrots, zucchini, and potatoes. Mix together with the mushrooms. Cover the bottom of a large skillet (ensure it has an oven-proof handle) with olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Pour the grated mixture into skillet. Stir and cook for approximately 5-7 minutes. Then flatten the potato mixture into a large pancake with a spatula, but do not stir. Cook for another 6-10 minutes until the large pancake is browned on the underside and almost cooked completely through. Remove skillet from stovetop and sprinkle grated cheese on top of the pancake while in the skillet. Place skillet under broiler until cheese is completely melted and cake is gold brown on topside (about 4 or 5 minutes). Then remove from broiler immediately. Cut into 6 or 8 wedges and serve immediately as a hot dish. This can also be served as a cold side dish. Just wrap each wedge in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Recipe contributed: September 2002 Objective: Side or first course Total Time: About an hour Yield: 6 to 8 wedges Suggested Mushrooms: Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) 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 1/8 cup olive oil 3 large Agaricus bisporus (portabello) or Boletus edulis (porcini), diced 1 large onion, sliced 1 clove minced garlic 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated 2 medium zucchini, trimmed and grated 4 medium potatoes, shredded ½ cup medium cheddar cheese, grated salt and pepper to taste Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Echo Summit Foray Report: September 9-11, 2011 Hoping for the early rains that had proven true in past years, the Echo Summit foray was again planned for early September rather than the usual late September date. Phil Carpenter • November 1, 2011 Echo Summit 2011. Photo by Hugh Smith Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Chanterelle Bisque Shea was our Minister of Culinary Affairs when she first prepared this tasty bisque for the third annual Wine and Mushroom dinner. by Shea Moss Cantharellus californicus. © Christin New (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 40643752) Method Sauté the chanterelles in the butter for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a 4-quart saucepan. Over a low flame, add the Bechamel and stock, stirring to blend well. Add parsley. Use a blender or food processor to process the mixture. Make sure the mushrooms are thoroughly pureed and the color is a pale orange. Transfer back to the saucepan. Add sherry, correct seasonings and simmer for 5 minutes. Three minutes before serving, add cream. Do not overcook the cream or it will curdle. Sprinkle ground nutmeg over each portion. Recipe contributed: February 1987 After the dinner (held in December 1986), Shea's dish was noted by Malcolm Hébert, a cookbook author and former San Jose Mercury News and Chicago Tribune food and wine editor. Objective: Soup Total Time: About 45 minutes Yield: Serves 8 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 1 lb. chanterelles, sliced 1/4 lb sweet butter 4 cups Bechamel sauce (white sauce) 1 qt chicken stock 1 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped 1/2 cup dry sherry Salt to taste 1 cup heavy cream (whipping cream) Ground nutmeg to taste Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Fair News 2005 Fungus Fair Wrap Up The Fungus Fair held on the 8th and 9th of January, 2005, was a rousing success on all counts. Phil Carpenter • February 1, 2005 Fungus Fair Toadstool We had 3000 paid attendance and over 275 species identified. All went very smoothly, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I want to sincerely thank all of the very many people who put in long hours to help make the fair a success. The turnout of volunteers was very gratifying and, believe me, appreciated! Without all of the great help, the fair would certainly not have been the event it was. If you have any suggestions you'd like to share with the planning committee to make the fair even better, please submit them. Again, many thanks to those who contributed to the successful fair. - Phil Carpenter, Fair Committee Chairperson Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2006 Fungus Fair: Thanks to Our Volunteers! Fair News 2007 Fungus Fair — Thank You Fair News Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article