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Quick Red Pepper Tomato Soup with Hummus and Smoked Chanterelles Richard Lyness shares another of his ongoing culinary experiments with us... by Richard Lyness Red Pepper Tomato Soup with Hummus and Smoked Chanterelles. Photo by Richard Lyness Method Blend in blender. Microwave 2 minutes on high. Garnish with a sprig of tarragon and a few sautéed chanterelle slices. Enjoy! Pereparing Red Pepper Tomato Soup with Hummus and Smoked Chanterelles. Photo by Richard Lyness Recipe contributed: November 2011 Objective: Soup Total Time: Quick! Yield: Varies by bowl size 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 C of boxed tomato/red pepper soup 1/2 C garlic humus 1/4 C smoked, sautéed chanterelles (save a few for garnish) Smoked and fresh chanterelles. Photo by Richard Lyness Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Photography for ID Purposes When you can't bring in actual mushrooms for our taxonomists to ID, shown below are some tips on photographs and observations to send us, which will help the identifier answer your "what is this" question. Clitocybe odora. Photo by Christian Schwarz Perhaps you’ve noticed some mushrooms growing in your yard, or while you were on a hike? Maybe you were foraging for chanterelles and ended up with a few mystery mushrooms in your basket? Whatever you’ve found, our taxonomists will be happy to help you identify them, where possible. In the past few years, instead of bringing specimens to us in person, a growing number of people are taking cell phone photos for the purposes of mushroom identification. In general, it's more difficult for us to identify mushrooms solely from photographs. Often the taste, odor, staining reactions, tactile and/or other features and tests (as well as habitat details not visible in close-up photos) are often needed to correctly identify many species. Here are tips on how to take photographs for mushroom ID purposes, as well as observations to include with your photos. (These observations are also helpful when you bring certain specimens to us in person!) Photographs to Take in the Field When you first see a mushroom in the wild, even before you dig up the mushroom (or if you're in an area that doesn't permit collection), here are a few photos and observations to capture. Note: Your photos don't need to be beautiful. For identification, the more details we can see, the easier it will be for our taxonomists to identify distinguishing features. It may help if you support your camera on a tripod or a rock, or brace your body against something solid. Consider using a flash or a flashlight to illuminate darker areas if possible (without blowing out the image). If you'd like more tips on how to take better quality photos, check out our "Tem Tips for Taking Better Mushroom Photos" in our free FFSC Online Learning area. Show Us the Habitat Many mushrooms grow on or near specific trees or plants, at certain elevations, in certain temperatures, etc., or they tend to fruit at the same time as certain other plants. Take a few photos of what the mushroom is growing on, and the immediate area surrounding the mushroom(s), such as: The leaves, twigs, grass or dirt immediately surrounding it, or the log or tree (or leaf or bug) it's growing on Nearby trees (including burned or charred trees) One or two photos of the broader habitat, such as trees and plants in the general area Examples of immediately surrounding and broader habitat Try to photograph multiple examples of the same mushroom species that are nearby (or look-alikes if you're not sure). Show different age groups (some old-looking ones, some young-looking ones, etc.) Show us nearby mushrooms that seem similar, of different sizes If you're in the area for a few days, another option is to photograph the same mushroom(s) over time to show how it ages. Examples of the same mushrooms photographed over time Show Us Different Angles If you can't collect the mushroom, take close-up photos of it, and then move your camera to get shots of different sides of the mushroom. Set your camera on the ground to get low angles too. This helps our taxonomists examine the underside of the cap and the features of the stem. Low angles help the taxonomists see cap and stem features Show Us the Entire Mushroom If the area permits collection, dig up a specimen of the mushroom so that you can take photos of the entire mushroom. Take close-up photos (as clear/sharp as you can) showing: The whole top of the mushroom cap The bottom (underside) of the cap. Features of the stem, including the very bottom of the stem. Scratch or cut through the cap, to see if there are any color changes, and photograph what you see. Show Us the Mushroom's Size To help the identifier understand the size or dimensions of the mushroom, you can include another object, such as nearby pine needles, your shoe (keep it on), hand or fingers, or anything (or anyone) else with a recognizable size near the mushroom. (This can be done in the field or after collecting the specimen.) Photos that convey the relative size of a mushroom Observations to Include with Your Photos Many county and government-managed parks and forests do not permit mushroom collection, or you'll need to buy a collecting permit. Be sure to check the location's policies before digging up any mushrooms. Take Detailed Notes If you're not able to collect a specimen (or it won't survive until you're able to bring it in), write down (or photograph) the following details while in the field, and include them when you send in your mushroom photos: The habitat where your mushroom is growing. Is the mushroom on wood or the ground? If on wood, what kind? What tree species is it growing on (or what’s nearby)? (Nowadays many naturalist apps, websites, and even your phone's AI can help you identify trees based on their leaves.) Write down any distinctive aroma you notice while the mushroom is fresh – “mushroomy” is NOT a good descriptor! Create a spore print if time permits. It's easy! The sooner you can start the process, the better. See Part III of our free Learn about Wild Mushroom Identification tutorial for how to create a spore print, or search the Internet for similar tips. Do not eat an unidentified mushroom. If a mushroom ID specialist asks you to taste a mushroom to help them ID it remotely, just take a tiny bite and then spit it out and do not swallow any of it. Some people also prefer to rinse their mouth after tasting a mushroom for ID purposes. Bring Specimens in Person if Possible The most reliable way for our advisors to identify a mushroom is to see, touch, smell, and potentially taste it in person. If you’re coming to an FFSC event in person, we recommend that you store your specimens in a loose, breathable container, such as paper or wax paper bags (not plastic or glassine bags). You can place them on an ID table in a wicker basket, cardboard egg crate, or on a paper plate. People often bring specimens to our Monthly Speaker events , which are free and open to the public, and to our annual Santa Cruz Fungus Fair in January. Photos of specimens in baskets, on paper, etc. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

Sparassis americana (American cauliflower mushroom), Pisgah, North Carolina. Photo by Judy and Bobb Lipp Sparassis americana in North Carolina Judy Lipp Roaming the East Coast in our RV. Pretty dry out here until we went into the Pisgah National Forest near the North Carolina Arboretum. It's practically a rain forest there. Must have seen over 50 species without looking hard and literally thousands of mushrooms. It was hard to ever be out of sight of at least 5 species at a time. Fun to see so many different species that are different or uncommon to the West Coast. Used the Audubon Guide on my iPhone and kept popping up familiar names on the photos such as Debbie Viess and Noah Siegel. Thanks guys! (David Rust helped with the ID.) Learn about this mushroom: Cauliflower Tales , NAMA Camera (Not provided) Focal L. Aperture Shutter Sp. ISO Flash Photo taken on August 15, 2016 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

To Brush or to Wash? Generally speaking, the best mushrooms are fresh mushrooms. Refrigerate as soon as you get home, and don’t wash until you’re ready to prepare or process them. by Sue Willis Brushing a mushroom Keep fresh mushrooms in the fridge in paper or waxed paper bags, never plastic, as they need to breathe. Plastic bags will yield mush rather than mushrooms. Objective: Storage/Prep Total Time: Varies Suggested Mushrooms: No mushrooms listed. Equipment and/or Ingredients May you be fortunate enough to find sufficient mushrooms for dinner and then some! (Found bucketloads while on a foray? See Collection Ethics and Etiquette .) Method Brushing: One school of thought is that one must never get mushrooms wet, as this will dilute their flavor. Advocates instead carefully trim and brush their fungi clean. This can be achieved with a pristine bolete, but you’ll be crunching on grit if you try it with a mud puppy chanterelle! Washing: Another perspective is that fungi absorb a negligible amount of water from washing, and that subsequent cooking will drive off the moisture along with that already present in the mushroom (they’re 90% water). Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking , a wonderful exploration of food chemistry and taste, did an experiment: He weighed 252 grams of fresh mushrooms, submerged them in water for 5 minutes, then removed them, blotted dry and weighed again. They then weighed 258 grams, 23 mushrooms having absorbed less than half a tablespoon among them. So he now rinses for 5 or 10 seconds with no compunctions. You can make up your own mind. Previous Technique All Techniques Next Technique

Crab and Parmesan Stuffed Morels There are so many ways to stuff morels! Here's an approach we enjoyed at one of our Wine & Mushroom dinners. by John Lang Morchella snyderi. © RHMorrison (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 359683855) Method Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice morels in half vertically, and clean out any grit inside. In a medium bowl, gently combine the precooked crab meat, mayonnaise, and Parmesan cheese to taste, being careful not to break up the crab lumps much. (Feel free to add lemon juice, chives, or seasonings.) Fill morel halves with the crab filling. Place the stuffed morels on a rimmed baking sheet, then bake at 375°F for about 12 to 15 minutes. The morels should be fully tender, piping hot all the way through, and the filling should be lightly browned on top. Let cool for a minute, and serve. Editor's Note : Alternatively, you can try steaming the morels before stuffing them, and then baking them after stuffed. Just ensure the morels are fully cooked before serving them. Recipe contributed: March 1995 Objective: Appetizer Total Time: About 30 mins Yield: 12 stuffed morels 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 12 large fresh morels (or 12 dried morels, reconstituted and patted dry) 8 oz (1 cup) precooked lump crab meat (picked over for shell fragments) 3 to 4 Tbsp. mayonnaise (to bind the crab) 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese (plus a little extra) Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Sand Rock Farm Fungi Dinner was Exquisite! Our first Fungi Dinner of the season was on November 1 at Lynn Sheehan's Sand Rock Farm Bed & Breakfast . The dinner was exquisite. The company was superb. Rene Seltzer • December 1, 2001 Western Bellybutton Hedgehog (Hydnum oregonense). © Peter Vahlberg (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, ID 339838251) I absolutely love the ambiance, the fireplace, overstuffed chairs, long dining room table, the right background music. Oh, and did I mention the wines brought by Jerold O'Brien and David Bruce and the Riesling from Lynn's cellar. We started with the Silver Mountain 1998 Chardonnay; next a 1998 Vin D'Alsace Riesling Domaine Zind-Humbrecht; then my favorite of the evening a 1969 Domaine Docteur Marion Chambertin Clos de Beze; a 1972 Clos De La Roche Domaine Ponsot and finishing with a 1998 Pinot Noir David Bruce Russian River Valley. Thanks for the members and non-members who participated in the kick-off dinner of 2001-2002. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Collection Ethics and Etiquette We share these pointers to promote fungal fruiting and maintain harmony in the mushrooming community. Agaricus campestris. Photo by D. DeShazer Respect private property: One person can cause collecting privileges for the entire mushrooming community to be revoked. Don’t pick every mushroom you see: Leaving very young and very old mushrooms, along with a few in their prime may allow them to sporulate and reproduce. Don’t leave trimmings and broken mushrooms around: Bury your trimmings in the depression in the duff and cover with more duff. This keeps the mycelium healthy, prevents that “ravaged” look and vastly improves the aesthetics of a walk in the woods. (Cutting mushrooms and leaving the bottom exposed does not help the mycelia to regrow a mushroom as some people think.) You’ll know you’ve done a good job when you stumble across the area again and hunt it twice! Respect personal space: When collecting with a group, be respectful of your neighbors’ personal space. That said, if you found a huge bonanza, share a few of your findings with those less skilled or fortunate. It will come back to you! Review event policies: Each FFSC event includes a few policies for the safety and well-being of all participants, cancellation policies, and/or policies defined by the facilities we use. Be sure to read the policies carefully before registering and before attending each event. For long-distance forays, please also read Must Know to Participate in Long-Distance Forays . Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

Aureoboletus (Boletus) mirabilis, Puget Sound. Photo by Yevgeny Nyden Aureoboletus mirabilis Yevgeny Nyden Aureoboletus (Boletus) mirabilis , commonly known as the admirable bolete, the bragger's bolete, and the velvet top, is an edible species of fungus in the Boletaceae mushroom family. ( Wikipedia ) I took this photo in the Olympic National Park, Washington when I was visiting the Puget Sound Wild Mushroom Show. Camera Samsung SGH-M919 Focal L. 4mm Aperture f/2.2 Shutter Sp. 1/700s ISO 1000 Flash Off Photo taken on October 13, 2013 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

Purple Mycena at FFSC's Santa Cruz Mycoflora Foray (2018). Photo by Michelle Torres-Grant Purple Mycena Michelle Torres-Grant Michelle C. Torres-Grant took this picture attending our 2018 Santa Cruz Mycoflora Foray. We had some rain so we were focused on the small and tiny. Glad we did. Camera (Not provided) Focal L. Aperture Shutter Sp. ISO Flash Photo taken on December 15, 2018 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

News & Stories / Species List for February 2000 Local Foray We recorded 29 species during this local foray. Ken Sommers • May 1, 2000 Omphalotus olivascens. © Emma (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 196145770) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Oyster Mushrooms, Red D'Anjou Pears, Fig Balsamic Vinegar on Toasted Brioche This delightful dish was prepared for us by Jeff Kramer at a 2003 Fungus Fair Culinary Demonstration. by Marje Young Pleurotus ostreatus. © Debbie Viess (from mushroomobserver.org) Method Brioche Slice the brioche into 1⁄4 inch thick sections, then take a round cookie cutter (about the size of a silver dollar) and cut about forty rounds (or however many you would prefer). In a sauté pan heat the oil slowly, add the cut round brioche slices and toast them lightly golden brown. Place them on paper towels to absorb the oils and keep them in a warm place, covered. Oyster Mushrooms In a large sauté pan, slowly sauté the oyster mushrooms with butter until the mushrooms have caramelized. Add the pears, cook for a few minutes and then deglaze the pan with the fig balsamic vinegar. Reduce until almost thick then add some more butter to finish the sauce. Add chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Assembly On top of each toasted brioche round, place a small amount of the carmelized oyster mushrooms and slice of pear with some of the sauce. Arrange around a platter and serve! Recipe contributed: March 2003 This recipe will serve up to 10 people as a first course, or more if served as an hors’ d'oeuvre. Objective: Side or first course Total Time: About an hour Yield: 10 or more Suggested Mushrooms: Oyster / king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus) 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 loaf brioche or other good-quality white bread olive oil 1 to 2 lbs oyster mushrooms 1⁄2 C fig balsamic vinegar 1or 2 red D’Anjou pears 1⁄2 lb butter 1 bunch parsley salt & pepper to taste Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Mycophagy Challenge: Ten Edibles to Find this Year People come to the love of mushrooms for various reasons, but for most in this club, the main reason seems to be that they are good to eat! By focusing on learning just a few mushrooms really well, you can “pick up” a few new species each year almost effortlessly. by Douglas Smith Mushroom collecting basket. Photo by Susan Labiste Visit our free Online Learning section to start this challenge: FFSC Online Learning Mushrooms covered: Agaricus campestris (lawn mushroom, meadow mushroom, field mushroom) Boletus aereus (queen bolete) Boletus edulis (porcini, penny bun, king bolete, cèpe) Cantharellus californicus (California golden chanterelle, mud puppy, oak chanterelle) Cantharellus cibarius (golden chanterelle) Cantharellus formosus (golden chanterelle) Cantharellus sp. (chanterelle) Cantharellus subalbidus (white chanterelle) Coprinus comatus Craterellus calicornucopioides (black trumpet, black chanterelle, horn of plenty) Hydnum repandum (hedgehog) Hydnum umbilicatum (depressed hedgehog) Lactarius rubidus (candy cap) Morchella elata (black morel) Morchella esculenta (yellow morel) Morchella sp. ( morel) Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster) Tricholoma magnivelare (American matsutake, white matsutake) Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description