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News & Stories / The NHR (Nate, Henry and Richard) April Adventure We include this report, adapted from an email report to a small group, to give everyone some background about what goes into planning a successful group foray. And also to show you the lengths to which our new Minister of Long Distance Forays, Nate Segraves, will go in search of prime fungi! Nate Segraves • May 1, 2006 Helvella lacunosa. © Darvin DeShazer (from mushroomobserver.org) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2007 Spring Foray Species List Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Porcini Barley Soup Porcini are such wonderful mushrooms. Their nutty aroma and flavor can be used to enhance so many dishes. by Bob Sellers Boletus edulis var. grandedulis. © forage_cali (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 324723020) Method If using dried boletes, reconstitute them in warm water until soft (about 20 minutes). Strain the water and reserve to use as part of the ½ qt. water ingredient below. Dice the boletes thickly. Boil and mash the potato (you'll use it as a thickener). Pour the ½ qt. water and the beef or chicken stock into the mashed potatoes, and add all other ingredients into a pot. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes. If you used bay leaves, remove them before serving. Serve piping hot. I suggest serving with toasted sesame bread sticks and your favorite wine. Recipe contributed: October 1998 Here is a recipe from our own Bob Sellers that I have served to dinner guests, as a first course, and received many compliments. Thank you Bob for this tasty soup. The recipe can be found in Marjorie and my cookbook From Duff to Dinner , under the name Boletus Barley Soup. It has been modified by me to provide 4 to 6 servings. You can make this dish a day ahead and reheat before serving. I think the flavors blend better if this is done. Enjoy! —Vince Viverito, Minister of Culinary Affairs (1998) Editor's note: From Duff to Dinner is out of print, but it can still be found in online thrift bookstores. Objective: Soup Total Time: About 2 hours Yield: 4 to 6 bowls 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 1½ cans (22 oz.) beef, chicken, or vegetable stock ½ qt. water 1½ large yellow onions, diced 4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed ⅔ dup pearl barley ¾ tsp. thyme ¾ cup dried Boletus edulis (or 2 cups fresh, diced thick) 4 stalks celery, with tops diced 2 bay leaves (optional) 1 large potato Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

2019 Speaker Schedule : Room 1 2019 Speaker Schedule : Room 3

News & Stories / Field Reports Albion II Foray Species List — January 21-23, 2005 Albion II was another great success. We collected 129 species, and sampled some delicious specimens! John Brown • March 1, 2005 Cuphophyllus pratensis. © Michael Wood (from mykoweb.com) Special thanks to everyone that helped at the Albion II's ID table. We wouldn't have identified the many species without your help: Gloria Woodside, Douglas Smith, Bill White, Marilyn Diamond and Catharine Gunderson. I'd also like to thank Ernst Muusse for pan-testing his Agaricus bitorquis - delicious! And I'd like to extend my special thanks to Mother Nature for creating Cuphophyllus ( Camarophyllus) pratensis - I had some for breakfast and they were outstanding. - John Brown, Science Minister FFSC members can login to view the complete species list below. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Species List — Albion II Foray 2009 Albion II, 2011 – Great Forays, Fungi and Food Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Mycology & Art News D.I.Y. Mycoblitz I don't understand mushrooms. I mean I really just don't. They are either, as my father would say, all the same to me, or at the other extreme all different, seeming to defy any sort of organization. Douglas Smith • March 1, 2007 Amanita augusta. © Douglas Smith (from mushroomobserver.org) Editor's Note: When Gary Lincoff spoke to us in January, he encouraged us to start our own personal mycoblitzes, as he had done in Manhattan’s Central Park, to increase our understanding of the fruiting patterns in a specific place and our overall knowledge of fungi. Nancy Smith Weber visited us in 2001 and told of her long-time survey of her amazingly fecund Portland, Oregon backyard. Nancy’s account is in our video library, entitled “Mushrooms Around the House”. Closer to home, the FFSC’s Douglas Smith has embarked upon a survey in an area near his house. Read on to find out why, and what you can do to help. This extreme misunderstanding demands some sort of effort to sort it all out. After looking at mushrooms for a few years now, I thought I would give it try. But the problem is too large - you need to break it down. If all the mushrooms in the world are too much to try and understand, well then, how about something smaller? What about all the mushrooms in California? No. How about the Bay Area? Still too big. I needed something smaller to start with, and somewhere close to home. I ended up with the idea of a small hike, two to three miles, somewhere close enough to home. The Los Trancos open space preserve in Palo Alto is only a fifteen minute drive from home for me, and has a good mixed hardwood forest starting only a few hundred yards from the parking lot. To give understanding mushrooms a shot, I figured I’d start with this. But there is a problem: as we all know, the gathering of mushrooms in a preserve is against the rules, and not something I could then talk about doing after-wards. At the urging of John Brown, I decided to try and go legit. I contacted the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District ( www.openspace.org ) about a permit to gather mushrooms for a survey. After some discussion, and showing them examples of photos and lists from the Albion forays, they agreed to grant me a permit to study the mushrooms of the Los Trancos preserve for educational purposes, and provide all information to them at the end of the season in April. For this season I have been going up to the Los Trancos preserve about twice a month, doing the same hike each time, and trying to gather a few specimens of each mushroom observed. Then I will photograph the mushrooms, and try my best to ID the specimens. I am trying not to limit myself, as much as possible, and gather all fungal bodies observed. I hope to get a more complete understand-ing of mushrooms, at least from this one small spot in the world. To go along with this, and since I am legit now, I have been posting regular updates of the progress of this survey on the Mushroom Observer web site. You can help out, and keep up with the progress with the Species in Los Trancos Preserve list on the site. This list will get updated about every two weeks, with the new species observed, and samples of the photos taken. This can give you an idea of what is out there in the mixed hardwood forests of the Bay Area, and also you can help out. Each species identification can be commented upon; I have already gotten comments from people, and this has helped in providing a more accurate list of species observed. Hopefully by April I will have a more complete understanding of mushrooms after doing this. But I am not counting on it, in fact I will probably end up understanding less. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts ACCF 2007 — We Kept the Fun in Fungi 2007 NAMA Annual Foray Report Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Vanilla Ice Cream with Candy Caps and Cashews This delish dessert was a hit at one of our Wine & Mushroom dinners. by Jeannine Calcagno Niehaus Lactarius rufulus. © Morgan Stickrod (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 145200505) Method Reconstitute the candy caps in water (or you might try Cognac or brandy instead). Sauté the candy caps in butter, and add in the chopped cashews. When the mushrooms are cooked, allow the mixture to cool. Start making your vanilla ice cream. If you're using an ice cream maker, add the candy caps and cashews to the ice cream about halfway through the mixing/freezing process, then return the finished ice cream to freezer to harden. Handmade Vanilla Ice Cream If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can give this approach a try. This will make about 5 cups (10 to 12 scoops) of ice cream. Chill a metal or glass mixing bowl and beaters in your freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. Pour 2 cups of cold heavy whipping cream into the chilled mixing bowl. Beat the cream with a mixer, starting with medium-low then a medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (about 3 minutes), and slow to a stop. (Don't over-whip into butter.) In another bowl, stir together a 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk, 2 tsp. of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Add the milk mixture into the whipped cream, folding gently with a spatula until it's smooth but still airy. Gently fold in the sautéed candy caps and cashews.* Transfer the mixture into a metal loaf pan. Press some plastic wrap onto the surface of the mixture to prevent ice crystals. Freeze overnight (or for at least 6 hours.) * Alternatively, you can try freezing the ice cream without the candy caps and nuts for 1.5 to 2 hours until it reaches a soft-serve consistency, remove the loaf pan from the freezer, swirl the candy caps and nuts in with a butter knife, and then return the covered loaf pan to the freezer to harden. Recipe contributed: March 1995 Objective: Dessert Total Time: About 30 mins (excluding freezing time) Yield: Varies Suggested Mushrooms: Candy cap (Lactarius fragilis, Lactarius rubidus, Lactarius rufulus) 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 An ice cream maker/freezer Homemade vanilla ice cream recipe A nice pile of dried candy caps Chopped cashews, to taste Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Mushroom and Asparagus Ragù A dense, chunky topping to accompany pasta, rice, baked potatoes, yams, polenta, farro, fish, or an omelet. Use your imagination! by Patria Brown Hydnum oregonense. © lostcoastmike (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 262481768) Method In a large frying pan, melt the butter or margarine. Add the salt and onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until onions turn translucent, glossy, and soft with no brown edges. Add the sliced mushrooms, tarragon, and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the mushrooms begin to soften, release their moisture, and take on a deeper, glistening color. Add wine and mushroom broth (scraping up any fond stuck to the bottom of the pan). Turn up heat to high, and cook until liquid boils. Sprinkle in flour evenly over the boiling liquid, and whisk vigorously until it completely dissolves into a velvety liquid that coats the back of a wooden spoon (1 to 2 minutes). Lower heat, cover skillet, and simmer for about 10 minutes (small, lazy bubbles), stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook uncovered until fragrant (about 5 more minutes). Set aside until ready to serve. Steam the trimmed asparagus until just bright green and yields to a fork (but not limp) (2 to 4 minutes). Move asparagus to a colander and run fresh cold water over it until cool to the touch. Drain well and set aside until starch or protein is ready to serve. Prepare your accompaniment (e.g., pasta, fish, polenta, etc.). A few minutes before your accompaniment is done, place the mushroom sauce back over low heat, stirring gently until steaming hot with a glossy sheen. Gently fold the steamed asparagus into the sauce at the very last minute, so they warm thoroughly while staying emerald green. Spoon over the starch or protein, and finish with grated Parmesan, and a little freshly minced herb such as dill. Recipe contributed: April 2003 This recipe was inspired by the Asparagus-Mushroom Sauce recipe in Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen, published in 1974 and in 2014. Mollie Katzen has authored a number of other delightful vegetarian cookbooks. This recipe should be sufficient to accompany about 1 lb. of pasta, so adjust accordingly based on the starch or protein accompaniment you're using. Objective: Sauce / topping / stuffing Total Time: About an hour Yield: 4 to 6 servings (6.5 cups) Suggested Mushrooms: Black trumpet / black chanterelle (Craterellus atrocinereus, Craterellus calicornucopioides, Craterellus cinereus) Cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis americana, Sparassis crispa, Sparassis radicata) Chanterelle (Cantharellus californicus, Cantharellus formosus, Cantharellus subalbidus) Hedgehog (Hydnum olympicum, Hydnum repandum , Hydnum umbilicatum, Hydnum washintonianum) Honey mushroom (Armillaria mellea) Maitake (Grifola frondosa) Matsutake (Tricholoma magnivelare, Tricholoma matsutake, Tricholoma murrillianum) Morel (Morchella sp.) Oyster / king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus) Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) Portobello/portabella, champignon, cremini, button (Agaricus bisporus) Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) 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 1 ½ lbs. fresh asparagus, trimmed (slender spears work best) 2 Tbsp. butter, margarine, or extra-virgin olive oil 1 ½ cups minced onion 1 tsp. sea salt 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced (e.g., a blend of cremini, shiitake and/or wild mushrooms*) ½ tsp. dried tarragon Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 ½ cups dry white wine 1 cup mushroom broth** 1 to 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 6 to 8 cloves garlic, finely minced Freshly grated Parmesan cheese and freshly minced dill (or parsley), for serving * Given the asparagus, tarragon, wine, and other ingredients, some wild mushrooms to try in this sauce can depend on the starch or protein you choose. For example: Pasta or rice: chanterelle, morel, oyster, or hedgehog mushrooms Polenta: porcini, yellowfoot, or maitake Potatoes: chanterelle, hedgehog, or black trumpet Yams or sweet potatoes: morel, matsutake, or honey mushrooms Poultry, pork, or white-flesh fish: maitake or cauliflower mushrooms Dark meat or portobello caps: porcini or black trumpet ** Mushroom broth is available in stores in cartons or bouillon paste. Alternatively, drop a handful of dried mushrooms in a measuring cup, fill it with boiling water, and steep for 15 to 20 minutes, then strain the liquid (the broth). The reconstituted mushrooms themselves will lose some flavor in this process, but they can still be added to the ragù or as texture for other dishes. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Hymenoscyphus fructigenus on Acorn. Photo by Anisa Etemadi Mushy Acorn Anisa Etemadi This acorn was found under a decomposing log in the Santa Cruz mountains. The photo was taken by Anisa Etemadi and the acorn was found by Zac Vavoulis. We believe they are Hymenoscyphus fructigenus , a saprobic mushroom found on only certain nuts! Camera Apple iPhone 6s Focal L. 4mm Aperture f/2.2 Shutter Sp. 1/300s ISO 100 Flash Off Photo taken on December 11, 2016 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Chanterelle Quiche We are on the front end of our mushroom season, the “beginning of the beginning”. Meanwhile, here is another chanterelle moment... by Richard Lyness Cantharellus formosus. © Alan Rockfeller (from mushroomobserver.org) Method Preheat your oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch pie shaped baking dish with non-stick spray or butter. Arrange the crescent roll triangles in a circle with the tip part hanging over the rim of the dish about 1-2 inches. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the baking dish to fill in any gaps. Over moderate heat, sauté the shallots in the olive oil about 1 minute. Add the chanterelles, salt and pepper. Cook and stir frequently until the water released from the mushrooms evaporates. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are lightly browned. Taste and season as appropriate. In a separate bowl, gently whisk the eggs until frothy. Combine with the mushrooms and cheese and pour into the baking dish. Fold the crescent roll tips over the top of the mixture. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until the center of the quiche is firm to touch. Let cool and enjoy. Recipe contributed: November 2009 Objective: Main course Total Time: 1.5 hours Yield: Varies 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 8 oz Crescent refrigerated dough roll 2 Tbl olive oil 2 shallots, sliced 1 lb Chanterelle mushrooms, roughly sliced Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1/2 C milk 1/2 C heavy cream 3 large eggs 1/2 C Gruyere cheese, grated 1 C Swiss cheese, grated Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Cavolo Nero "Fettuccine" with Morel Cream Sauce A gluten-free fettucine-style dish, using cavolo nero (Lacinato kale) ribbons instead of pasta. by M. Schneider Morchella eximia. © Warren Cardimona (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 163545269) Method Prep the Morels Rehydrate dried morels in 2 cups of simmering water until soft and plump (about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size of morels.) Lift morels out and cool til touchable. Pat dry, and chop into small ¼" pieces. Pour the soaking liquid through a fine strainer into a bowl or jar to remove grit, and reserve ½ cup of the strained liquid for the sauce. (Feel free to use any remaining strained liquid to flavor other sauces or stocks.) Make the Kale Ribbons Strip the leaves of the cavolo nero from the stems (or cut out the stems in a "V" shape). (Optionally, save the stems for a future vegetable stock.) Roll up 4 or 5 leaves tightly into a cylinder, then slice crosswise at 3 to 4 mm intervals to create faux tagliatelle (or fettuccine) strands (as if you're making a chiffonade). Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice bath nearby. Blanch the sliced kale briefly in the boiling water (30–45 seconds) until bright green, then immediately shock it (plunge into the ice bath). Drain thoroughly, pat dry, and reserve aside. Prepare the Sauce In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, chili flakes, and thyme sprig, cooking for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped morels to the pan and sauté for about 2 minutes. Pour in the dry vermouth and simmer the sauce until reduced by half and the morels are soft (about 2 minutes). Pour in the reserved ½ cup of morel soaking liquid and let the sauce simmer down until rich and slightly thickened (6 to 8 minutes). Assemble and Serve Stir the heavy cream into the sauce and let it bubble gently for 1 minute. Add the blanched kale tagliatelle to the pan, and stir and simmer continuously for about a minute until the kale is hot again and it is coated/infused with the sauce. Remove from heat, discard the thyme sprig, and stir in a splash of fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, topped with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Recipe contributed: November 2013 In a conversation in our FFSC Google Group, Jeff Broadbent, Keith Bontrager, and others were sharing ideas for ways to prepare dried morels and leafy greens. Keith conjured up a fettuccine-style dish, and shared it with the group. The recipe below is adapted from Keith's recipe. If you want to include this as part of a main dish, perhaps serve it under or alongside grilled chicken, seared scallops, white fish, or crispy pancetta lardons; or over a bed of polenta. (Jeff and his wife came up with Morel-Stuffed Chard Rolls in a Caramelized Onion & Vermouth Cream Sauce ). Objective: Side or first course Total Time: About 45 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Morel (Morchella sp.) 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 Cavolo Nero Ribbons 2 large bunches cavolo nero (Lacinato kale) Kosher salt (for blanching water) Large bowl of ice water Morel Cream Sauce 1 oz. dried morels 2 cups water (for rehydrating) 3 tbsp. unsalted butter (or 2 tbsp. butter + 1 tbsp. olive oil) 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ tsp. dried red chili flakes (adjust to taste) 2 sprigs fresh thyme ⅓ cup dry vermouth (or dry white wine) ½ cup heavy cream Freshly squeezed lemon juice (from ½ lemon) Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (garnish) Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Tom Volk Tom is a Professor of Biology at the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse. His areas of interest are fungal systematics (especially of Morchella and Armillaria ), fungal ecology and biodiversity. He teaches classes in Mycology, Medical Mycology, Plant Biology, Plant-Microbe Interactions and Latin Greek for Scientists. Visit his website, Tom Volk's Fungi . You'll find it engaging and entertaining. For a moving look at Tom's personal background and his unique relationship with fungi, watch this video from UW-LaCrosse. Upcoming Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Exposé': The Secret Sex Lives of Fungi (Saturday) Saturday, January 11, 2014 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Room 3 Exposé': The Secret Sex Lives of Fungi (Sunday) Sunday, January 12, 2014 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Room 3 Past Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Exposé': The Secret Sex Lives of Fungi (Sunday) Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Sunday, January 12, 2014 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Room 3 Exposé': The Secret Sex Lives of Fungi (Saturday) Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Saturday, January 11, 2014 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Room 3

News & Stories / Spring Musings with Bill McGuire On a brief foray today, I may have heard this silent exchange. The sun was hot, the walk was long, and I felt oddly strange. But then, on second thought, I might not have. Bill McGuire • May 1, 2010 Two princes. (Photographer unknown) Said the Prince to the Princess Appendiculatus, you’re quite a mess Those silly pores and fat reticulated stipe Quite obvious my dear, you’re just not my type! Replied the Princess to the Prince These words, lets us not mince That awful almond smell – as well As your yellow stained skinny stipe Augustus, I find you quite disgustus And definitely, you’re not my type! Hastily returning to my car, I found I had already gone, the tiny little bits of greenish stained stems on the ground gave me a clue. I may impart the lesson to you, on second thought, I may not! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts The Season Begins Haikus Celebrating the Secret Life of Fungi Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article