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Morels and Asparagus A simple dish of baked or grilled asparagus, topped with morels and sage. by Chef Zachary Mazi Morchella elata. © Michael Wood (from mykoweb.com) Method Sauté mushrooms in butter until well cooked, then toss in sage leaves, salt and pepper. Set aside. Toss asparagus spears with melted oil, salt and pepper. Arrange spears on a cookie sheet and bake until tender at 400°F (or grill). Arrange asparagus on a serving platter, and top with the prepared morels and whole sage leaves. Note : This recipe was originally posted alongside "Relishing Medicinal Mushrooms" by Chef Zachary Mazi in the May 2013 issue of Duff . Recipe contributed: May 2013 Objective: Side or first course Total Time: About 30 mins Yield: 4 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 Morels 1 Lb Morel mushrooms, cut across to make small circle 2 T Butter 1 T Sage leaves, finely minced 1 t salt 1 t black pepper Asparagus 1 Lb Asparagus, ends trimmed (unless grilling) 1 T coconut oil melted 1 t salt 1 t black pepper Note : If Asparagus is very large, consider blanching for 1.5 minutes in boiling slated water before step 1. If grilling, consider skewering the root ends with a soaked wooden skewer to keep them together on the grill. In this case, remove ends after grilling. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

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

Showcase a Photo Do you have beautiful, interesting or just plain quirky photos of mushrooms to share? FFSC members share their photos of mushrooms and events to our FFSC Google Group and the FFSC Facebook Group. Selected images (editor’s choice) can also be posted on this FFSC website and FFSC's Instagram page. Strobilurus trullisatus (Fort Bragg 2013). Photo by Hugh Smith Some of the photos on this website were originally posted many years ago when the size limitations were much lower. We'd love to replace them with sharper originals if possible--and we're interested in new photos too! Info We Need from You If you have great photos to share, here's the information we'll need from you: Your name - For the photo credit. Latin binomial (if it's a mushroom you've identified) Date shot - Approximate month and year Backstory - Any stories to tell about the photo? Or rough location or region, or habitat info, did you leave them in the field or bring home? If edible, how did you prepare them? The photo's specs : If you're sharing a photo to include in Fungi Photo Gallery, please provide the photo's ISO speed, exposure, focal length, and aperture; flash usage if any; and the camera make and model. (Or don't delete the photo's original EXIF data.) Technical Requirements This website automatically crops and resizes each photo to adapt to different page layouts, screen sizes and orientations, etc. Thus, your photo will work better on this site if you follow these guidelines: Don't crop the photo: Instead, share a photo in which the main subject has plenty of breathing room around all sides (so the interesting bits don't get cropped out by our system). File size: At least 100KB (max is 25 MB). Resolution: At least 2560x1440. 3000x3000 is better for images that will be zoomed in, and for background images DPI : 72 DPI is acceptable. (Or up to 300 DPI.) File format: We recommend AVIF, WebP, or JPEG. For illustrations, PNG is also fine. If you share an SVG, it should be under 250KB with no embedded images. (Our system supports most other image file formats too, but the quality might be affected during conversion.) File name: Use plain English, including spaces. Don't replace spaces with dashes, underscores, etc. You can include periods, commas, parentheses, and/or a copyright symbol in the filename. For example, here are some filenames on a Mac: Usage of Your Photos and Other Creative Works This website uses content and automated feeds from the FFSC Facebook group, FFSC Instagram posts, FFSC's iNaturalist projects, FFSC's YouTube, and other social media managed by FFSC. This means any artwork or other works that you post to FFSC-managed pages/feeds may also be displayed on this website without notice or a photo credit. If we individually select one of your photos/videos from an FFSC social media channel or system and include it on this website, we'll do our best to include your name as a credit on hover (or mobile device tap). That said, if you see one of your own photos on this website without a photo credit, it's probably because we didn't know you took it (or one of our volunteers forgot to include it). Feel free to use the Contact Us form on this website to let us know whether you'd like to be credited (or if you would like us to remove the photo). Including Someone Else's Photo If you saw a beautiful photo on someone else's website and you'd like to share it, you can post a link to it in our Google Group or our Facebook group. If you're writing an article for this website and you want to include photos that you didn't take yourself, one option is to provide a link to the original photo (rather than including the photo as an attached file). Depending on the source website, our system might render the first image on the target page as part of the link. For example: www.inaturalist.org inky caps (Genus Coprinus) inky caps from Santa Cruz County, US-CA, US on October 30, 2016 at 09:06 AM by Peter Vahlberg. Gigantic! www.mykoweb.com California Fungi: Cantharellus californicus Photographs and descriptions of the Mushrooms and other Fungi of California, USA That said, if you prefer to include the image inline, then you must have the transferable legal right to copy and share the photo on this website: You must make sure the photo is licensed for free, non-commercial use worldwide. Be sure to include whatever credits the photographer requires, and also let us know where you found the photo (e.g., is it from Mushroom Observer, MykoWeb, iNaturalist, etc.). Do not include any photos, videos, or images you downloaded from Google or other search engines. Those images are often protected under copyright law. If you're using a mushroom stock photo, it must be licensed for free noncommercial use worldwide, and please make sure it's a genuine photo (not generated by AI). See FFSC Terms of Use for more information about the use of copyrighted content on this site. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

News & Stories / Field Reports 2016 February Local Foray Field Report It was a beautiful day for exploring the Santa Cruz area forests last Saturday 2/6/2016, and though the weather was amazing, the fleshy fungi were few and far between... Cass Fuentes • February 22, 2016 Forager basket with wax paper bags. Photo by Cass Fuentes Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2016 February Local Foray Field Report Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports Boletes are Up! Here is a photo of the boletes I found today (November 22) in my local patch. Phil Carpenter • December 1, 2008 Local Boletes. Photo by Phil Carpenter Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Savory Stilton Cheese Tart This tart can be served as a starter, a light lunch, a side dish, or as a contribution to a potluck buffet! by Hensl Lise Craterellus tubaeformis. © Taye Bright (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 337620451) Method Prepare the Dough Place the dry ingredients in a food processor, and pulse to blend. Add the butter and run the machine until the mixture is crumbly. Pour in the egg yolk and water. Run the machine until a ball of dough is formed. Cover and chill for 30 minutes or so. Prepare the Filling Saute the onion & mushrooms in the butter until the mushrooms are fully cooked. Moisten with the Champagne, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Set mushroom mixture aside. Whisk together the cream, eggs and seasoning. Assemble and Bake the Tart Roll out the tart dough and press it into a 10 inch pan. Crumble the cheese inside, spread the onions on top, and pour in the rest of the filling. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350°F and continue bake until the crust is browned and the filling is set (about another 25 to 35 minutes). Recipe contributed: March 1996 Objective: Side or first course Total Time: About 1.5 hours Yield: Serves 8 Suggested Mushrooms: Giant cypress Agaricus (Agaricus lilaceps) Hedgehog (Hydnum olympicum, Hydnum repandum , Hydnum umbilicatum, Hydnum washintonianum) Oyster / king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus) Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) The Prince (Agaricus augustus) 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 Crust 1 1/4 (1.25) Cups flour 1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated 1/4 tsp. salt 12 Tbsp. butter ( 1.5 sticks) 1 egg yolk 3 Tbsp. cold water Filling 1 small red onion, sliced 1-2 Cups fresh wild mushrooms, sliced (or 1 to 2 oz. dried wild mushrooms, reconstituted and mixed with oyster or store mushrooms) 4 Tbsp. butter 1/4 Cup Blanc de Noirs Champagne 1 1/2 (1.5) Cups heavy cream 6 egg yolks 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (optional) 1/4 lb. Stilton (or any blue cheese), crumbled 10" baking pan Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Wavy Caps (Psilocybe cyanescens) Psilocybe is the primary genus of hallucinogenic mushrooms, containing such famous species as Liberty Caps (P. semilanceata ), Cubes (P. cubensis), and the topic of this article, Wavy Caps (P. cyanescens ). by Christian Schwarz Wavy caps specimens. Photo by Christian Schwarz Note from The Powers That Be: In the United States, psilocybin-containing mushrooms are classified as Schedule 1 drugs, illegal to possess, sell, transport, or cultivate. (This includes spores in the State of California.) The information on this page is provided for scientific and educational purposes only. Almost always encountered on wood chips, Psilocybe cyanescens is an aggressive ruderal species, fond of disturbance in urban areas. It is especially common in the cold, wet winter months around the San Francisco Bay. Through a combinatin of unintentional and intentional transplantation by humans and natural dispersal, it has spread widely throughout the United States. In California, it occurs at least as far south as San Diego County, although it is fairly rare south of Santa Cruz County. Psilocybe allenii is a recently-described species that is extremely similar in most respects. It is primarily differentiable by its less-wavy cap. See this link for more details: http://www.czechmycology.org/_cmo/CM64207.pdf Although only P. cyanescens and P. allenii occur with any regularity in Santa Cruz County, the further north one travels along the Pacific Coast, the more diverse the Psilocybe-assemblage becomes: P. baeocystis, P. azurescens, P. stuntzii, P. ovoideocystidiata, P. pelliculosa, and P. semilanceata all occur in this area, among those already mentioned. Main Photo: The main photo on this page shows somewhat faded specimens. Note the wavy caps and blue stains on the stipe. Spore deposit is dark purplish-gray to very dark reddish-brown. Note the aqua to navy-blue stains and the wavy cap margins. Specimens that have not yet developed much blue staining. First Photo: Specimens showing the tendency of the stipe bases to bring up large chunks of substrate tightly bound with tough rhizomorphs. Note the aqua to navy-blue stains and the wavy cap margins. Second Photo: Specimens that have not yet developed much blue staining. Note the umbonate caps that are becoming wavy, chestnut-caramel colored caps, bright white stipes, and button with a silky white cortina-type partial veil near the center. Primary confusion species are other Psilocybe , but recreational users run the risk of confusing them with potentially-deadly Galerina marginata , as well as Pholiotina or Conocybe species. All of these have more fragile stipes, bright rusty-orange spore deposits, and lack strong blue staining on all parts. Galerina marginata grp. Photo: These rusty-spored wood-chip dwellers sometimes grow right alongside Psilocybe species, posing a serious danger to inexperienced recreational pickers. The softer stipe texture, lack of blue staining, and rusty spore deposit help distinguish them. P. cyanescens and its relatives are widely cultivated and collected for recreational use by a global populaton of neuronauts and other adventure-seekers. Effects of ingestion include wondrous and/or overwhelming visual enhancements/disturbances, heightened sensations, cyclical and often “swelling” feelings of ecstasy, euphoria and connection to place, people, Nature, Time, and the Universe; but can also result in feelings of fear, unease, disconnection, and loss of sense of Self. As with any psychedelic drug, personal predispositions and psychic peculiarities in combination with details of set and setting exert a heavy influence on the tone of the trip. Mushrooms covered: Conocybe tenera gr. Galerina marginata (deadly galerina, funeral bell) Pholiotina sp. Psilocybe allenii Psilocybe azurescens Psilocybe baeocystis Psilocybe cyanescens ( wavy cap) Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata Psilocybe pelliculosa Psilocybe semilanceata Psilocybe stuntzii Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

News & Stories / Field Reports Albion I Foray 2005 Species List The December Albion foray was outstanding; many thanks to Horst Kuhlmann for arranging the foray, dinner at Ledford and the great weather. Douglas Smith • January 1, 2006 Cortinarius vanduzerensis. © Alan Rockefeller (from mushroomobserver.org) The species count came in at 158, an all-time record, with about 20 miscellaneous Suillus , Russula and Mycena species which were never named. Our ability to come up with such a big list so quickly can be attributed to Douglas Smith, who elegantly combined the last five years’ species lists into a checklist to make the process go faster, complete with illustrated ID cards for the table. Kudos to Douglas! Mother Nature was good to us, as well! FFSC members can login to see the full list below. - Editor Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / 2011 Suds and Shrooms Picnic Rocked! The Suds and Shrooms Picnic on June 11 rocked! The day was warm and sunny—remember how that used to feel? Deb • September 1, 2011 Appetizer at Suds n Shrooms 2011. Photos by Shea and Deb Central Coast Zymergeeks brought the incredible craft brews for which they’re known, and we brought the food, with an emphasis on fungi. The grill was going all day. In fact, pork appeared in at least three forms, inspiring an upcoming event: Porcino, Porcini! on October 15th. Thanks to everyone for your delicious contributions and good cheer! Suds n Shrooms 2011. Photos by Shea and Deb Suds n Shrooms 2011. Photos by Shea and Deb Suds n Shrooms 2011. Photos by Shea and Deb Suds n Shrooms 2011. Photos by Shea and Deb Suds n Shrooms 2011. Photos by Shea and Deb Suds n Shrooms 2011. Photos by Shea and Deb Suds n Shrooms 2011. Photos by Shea and Deb Suds n Shrooms 2011. Photos by Shea and Deb Suds n Shrooms 2011. Photos by Shea and Deb Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Chanterelle Scrambled Eggs We love a good chanterelle scramble. Here's one approach from a member of the Wisconsin Mycological Society (WMS). by Tula Erskine (WMS member) Cantharellus californicus. © Christian Schwarz (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 9401199) Method Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add chanterelles and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes (more or less, use judgment). In the meantime, mix milk with flour. Add the milk and flour to the beaten eggs and seasonings. Mix well and pour over the sautéed chanterelles. Stir till not runny (about 5 minutes) Serve over toast or bagels. Recipe contributed: December 1992 The original recipe is still available in the Winter 1992 issue (PDF) of the Newsletter of the Wisconsin Mycological Society . We reproduced this slightly shorter version in October 1993 for FFSC members. Objective: Main course Total Time: About 30 minutes Yield: About 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 -3 cups Chanterelles, cleaned and cut into 1/ 4" strips 1/2 tsp. sea salt 4 Tbsp. butter or shortening Pepper 1/2 Cup milk Chives, finely cut 1 tsp. flour Parsley, finely cut 6 eggs, well beaten Bread or bagels Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / FFSC Celebrates Twenty Years of Fungal Fun Maintenance In September of 1984, a flyer circulated in Santa Cruz, announcing "The Fungus Federation Wants You!". Mushroom lovers responded, and the FFSC was born. Deb • September 1, 2004 FFSC Patch, December 1985 2004 marks the 20th anniversary of this facetious federation, and celebration is definitely in order! Joseph Schultz, Santa Cruz culinary deity and patron saint of mushrooms, will give a cooking demonstration for the first general meeting of the season on Wednesday, September 15th. Don't miss it! Looking back through twenty years' worth of newsletters, archives, and ephemera to put together a retrospective has been a blast. A small group of quirky individuals, united by their love of fungi, food, and fun, created the perfect vehicle for the enjoyment of all of it. The group has grown in size, but the primary goal of "Keeping the FUN in Fungus" has been resolutely maintained! Many have learned to safely collect wild mushrooms through classes, lectures, and forays, and the community as a whole has been exposed to mycology through our annual Fungus Fairs. Space probes have thus far failed to bring back evidence of better potlucks anywhere in the solar system! It seems common for groups to become insular and stuffy over time, but the Fungus Federation has, happily, resisted that tendency, and I, for one, am proud to be a part of this group. Starting as The Federation Flyer , edited by David Arora and Bob Sellers, the newsletter turned into Ascus and finally morphed into Duff in 1985. Past editors also included Bridget Binko, Ford Johnson, Gregg Ferguson, Flick Christensen, Larry Payne, Madeleine Wyke, and Roxann Hills. We recognize and appreciate their countless hours of effort through the years. You’ll find pictures from the Archives and excerpts from past newsletters sprinkled throughout this issue. Have fun figuring out who's who! Some are labeled, some aren’t. Thanks to Gloria Woodside for maintaining the Archives, our history bank. Thanks also to Bob Sellers, Bill McGuire, Shea and Jerry Moss, Marje and Henry Young, and Phil Carpenter for serving as our "institutional memory" as to people, places, and things! Mark Gillespie, Minister of Membership, keeps up with all the minutiae - address changes, e-mail notification lists, and current lists for events. Thanks, Mark! - Debbie Johnson, Current Propagandist 2026 Editor's Note: The images below are intentionally small, because the original resolution was very low (even Adobe and Topaz cannot recover some of them). Forays Near and Far Albion 1990 Bill McGuire and Gloria Woodside show some of the more tangible benefits of early retirement- mid-we Albion 1989 Great minds carefully considering why the mushrooms weren’t fruiting Phil Carpenter, Gregg Ferguson, Unidentified, Henry Young, Elizabeth Hutchinson, Danny Farber, 1991 Unidentified, Phyllis Cole, Lee Yamada, Jerry and Shea Moss, 1991 Echo Summit Foray circa 1987 The late Gregg Ferguson with a sweet, petite bolete at Echo Summit 1989 Nan Mirr and Lisa Bauer, Echo 1998 ID table, Fungus Fair 1994 at Harvey West Jed & Aren Pageler at a Fungus Fair, closer to the ground than most of us Sue Willis' Column from The Federation Flyer, October 1984 Sue Willis’ column from The FEDERATION FLYER October 1984 Dear Sue: My problem is I've got too much slime on my hands! Slippery jacks are about the most common thing in this neck of the woods. I have fried them and dried them, boiled them and broiled them, stripped them and dipped them, sauteed them and souffled them, but no matter what I do they turn out too %*S"*&I slimy. Yet my field guide labels them "edible and choice!" What am I doing wrong and how can I cook them so they turn out nice and dry like Agaricus ? SLIME TO SPARE New Brighton Dear Slime: Your problem is not one of ineptitude, but ATTITUDE. You are a victim of creeping "slimism," an unwarranted and irrational prejudice against slime. Your first job, therefore, is to purge yourself of this insidious affliction. You can start by realizing that slime is an inescapable and indispensable part of life - you are full of it and so is everyone else! Without mucus, life as we know it would be impossible. Also realize that many of our most exalted foods are slimy, sticky or gelatinous: oysters, escargot, caviar, sashimi, not to mention more mundane fare such as okra, jello, apricot jam and the raw eggs I had for breakfast this morning. Come to think of it, even ice cream has a high mucus content and so do the very best gravies, particularly if they contain cornstarch. Why, then, do you tolerate the slime in these foods but not in slippery jacks? Simple: Because you expect them to be what they are, you accept them the way they are. I repeat: Because you expect them to be what they are, you accept them the way they are! You don't try to make pasta with peanuts and you don't try to sweeten your coffee with salt (at least not on purpose), so why do you persist in trying to remove the slipperiness from slippery jacks? If you want them to be "dry like Agaricus " why not use Agaricus ? (God knows, there's enough of them in our supermarkets and their nauseating stench permeates the air around the 41st Ave. exit on Highway I.) The alternative is to take advantage of their inherent wetness. Make a list of all the slimy, slippery, sticky, gooey, viscous, gelatinous or glutinous foods you can think of. Then choose the ones you like the best and write down your favorite recipes for each one. You now have some excellent ideas for cooking slippery jacks. They make a yummy gumbo, for instance, or a sensuously succulent substitute for escargot! Dear Sue: My name's Knute (not my real name). Once upon a time I despised slippery jacks, but your moving essay on slime (Federation Flyer, Vol. I. No. 1) changed my life. Now I'm addicted to them! ln fact, I can't bear the thought of a cold winter morning without hot steaming slippery jacks. I'm sure I'm not alone among your readership in wishing that you would share one or two of your most succulent slippery jack recipes with us. GLUTTON FOR GLUTEN Corralitos Dear Gluten: 12 empty snail shells (garden variety is fine) 12 young, wet slippery jacks (or 6 larger ones) preferably collected just after a rain vegetable stock (or chicken) parsley sage rosemary butter carrots onions salt baking soda bread crumbs Remove the stems from the slippery jacks and reserve them for stock or catsup. Cut the caps in half if they are large, or leave them whole if they are buttons. Put them in a saucepan and barely cover them with stock (or equal parts stock and white wine). Add small amounts of finely diced carrots, onions (and/or shallots), and a generous bouquet garni of parsley, sage, and rosemary. Season with salt and simmer for 3-4 hours. Remove from flame and allow to cool gradually. Take the empty snail shells, make sure they are free of debris, and boil them in water for 30 minutes with baking soda added. Drain them, rinse in cold water, and dry. Put a dollop of beurre a la bourguignonne (see below) inside each snail shell and then stuff in a slippery jack. Seal with a little more beurre a la bourguignonne. Place the stuffed shells in a casserole dish with a little water and butter and sprinkle with fresh breadcrumbs. Warm in the oven and then serve - an evening to remember! Beurre a la bourguignonne: To 3 cups unsalted butter. add the following: 3/4 cup finely chopped shallots, 2 cloves garlic pounded into a paste, 2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley, 4 teaspoons salt. and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Blend. History of the Continental Picnic The Continental Picnic’s inauspicious beginnings were on Sunday, March 31, 1985, when sixty members of the newly formed Fungus Federation, led by David Arora, joined together at the Gray Whale Ranch. After a short foray on a warm sunny spring day, the novice fungiphiles, fortifying themselves with fine wine, gathered around local forays minister Ed Aguilar and nervously sampled the “day’s catch”: about a dozen Agaricus arvensis , a few Amanita velosa and several chanterelles. Then, while lounging around red and white checkered tablecloths spread on the poison oak infested meadows, we feasted on breads, cheeses and other fine fare, imbibed many goblets of delicious wines contributed by some fairly new and little known local vintners, Jerry & Shea Moss and David Bruce. We basked in the warm glow of comradeship and our common interests of the moment; memories of the poison oak lasted somewhat longer. Much has changed over the years. From those humble beginnings the FFSC has grown from a few curious fungiphiles to around 300 members. This annual event has evolved over the years from a continental style picnic to a sumptuous feast enjoyed by a hundred or more members gathering to share and enjoy mushroom related dishes and fungal fables. First Continental Picnic Announcement, March 1985 Trudging back to your car, tired and bedraggled, with a basketful of blewits, have you ever come across a couple of French or Italian mushroom hunters living it up in a sunny clearing around a red and white checked tablecloth, decked out with an array of breads, crackers, cheese spreads, fruits, goblets and wine? Well, on Sunday, March 31, we will do our best to put on our own interpretation of a Continental-style mushroom hunt. Photos from past Continental Picnics Continental Picnic 1992 Lee Yamada Illustration by Johnny Gruelle Collecting at the First Continental Picnic, Gray Whale Ranch, Sunday March 31, 1985 Members at the First Continental Picnic, Gray Whale Ranch, Sunday March 31, 1985 First Continental Picnic, Gray Whale Ranch, Sunday March 31, 1985 Marje and fuzzy friends at the 2003 Continental Picnic Toni, Jerry, and (who?) at Continental Picnic 2003 Incredible Edibles From the Holiday Potluck 1990 From Wine & Mushroom 1990 Jozseph Schultz cooking at Culinary Foray in 1996 Meal prep at Albion 1990 Fall Fashions for Fungal Foragers circa 1985 Shea Moss Julia Child of the Chanterelles, 1985 Bo Hinricks Night Stalker, 1985 Mother Muscaria with young button Andrea at NAMA Foray in 1998 David Arora, Professor Duff, 1985 Learn more about our history! FFSC History Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts An Evening to Remember – FFSC 25th Anniversary Dinner A Short History of the Fungus Fair Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Wine & Mushroom Event Our annual Wine & Mushroom Fest is a phenomenal early Spring evening of sampling wonderful wines and fabulous homemade food. This member-only event is always fantastic and is the highlight of our culinary activities. Santa Cruz Mountain Winery table at the 2025 Wine and Mushroom potluck The Wine & Mushroom Fest is a matchless co-op gathering alongside several Santa Cruz Mountain appellation wineries, put together by FFSC Culinary Minister Bob Wynn and Jeff Emery of Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard/Quinta Cruz. The mushrooming crowd brings the food (potluck). The winemakers bring their best, and we all have a great time! Where and When This dinner is usually held in April. We announce the date and location to FFSC members (and applicable winemakers) in February or March. The next Wine and Mushroom Fest will be on April 11, 2026! Tickets are on sale now . This event often sells out in advance. Join our Google Group and/or follow our social media and this website to be one of the first to find out when reservations open each year. Cost We charge a modest fee to cover the venue rental, tablecloths, decor and related costs with additional discounts for members. Appetizers table at the 2025 Wine and Mushroom potluck. Photo by Deb Each FFSC member and guest is expected to bring appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, finger food or desserts for at least ten people. Really! We are also feeding the winemakers and we all have healthy appetites. This is an appetizer and dessert extravaganza. The food should be finger food, small items similar to tapas. No main courses, soups, etc. Think something you can nibble with, at most, a fork! Not sure what to bring? Check out our mushroom recipes for ideas, and make one of them your own! The kitchen usually isn't large, so plan to bring your food completely prepared. We can provide last-minute heating prior to service. For those using wild mushrooms, please check the species lists on the Potluck Essentials page for a list of acceptable mushrooms to include in your dishes, as well as labeling requirements, zero waste recommendations, and more. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC