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News & Stories / 24th Annual Wine & Mushroom Fest: Edible and Choice! The celebration is over and it was outstanding, with choice edibles abounding. The wild mushroom dishes prepared by the great cooks in our organization went far beyond my wildest dreams! Vernetta McGuire • March 1, 2006 Chocolate fountain at the 2006 Wine and Mushroom Dinner. Photo by Felicity Christenson You could never partake of these truly delicious and diverse dishes in any other place I could name. Attendance was about the same as in years past, despite a change of venue. Those who were unable to attend truly missed a sumptuous feast and an entertaining evening. Phyllis Cole in almost-full fungal regalia (minus her NAMA mushroom tiara) and Lee Yamada. Photo by Felicity Christenson We had many of the best wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winery Association, thanks to Jeff Emery who coordinated this part of the fest. Silver Mountain, Clos Tita, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards, Osocalis, River Run, Thomas Fogarty and Ahlgren poured their best. Jeff puts the wine in the Wine and Mushroom and we couldn’t do it without him. The music by the Chanterelles was truly exceptional, adding a classical touch to our affair. Out in the woods. Photo by Felicity Christenson Then there was Bob Wynn, always on hand to dish out that wonderful appetizer he cooks along with the treats everyone else brings, from appetizers to desserts. Thanks so much to both of them. We had on the spot cooking of blinis by “King Henry”, served hot off the griddle with the assistance of his serving wench Marje. As always there was much enthusiasm; a line formed and it was certainly well worth the wait! Willie Wonka's Mushroom Wonderland at the 2006 Wine and Mushroom (by Deb Johnson and Phred Molnar). Photo by Felicity Christenson The dessert course was one of the best we’ve ever had. It was difficult to choose which one you wanted to partake of, as we had so many to choose from. Some included wild mushrooms in them, such as Candy Cap Crême Brulée and Candy Cap Cheesecake. Deb Johnson and Phred Molnar presented us with a completely edible forest log sprouting saprophytic chocolate mushrooms, surrounded with chocolate leaf duff and wax baggies of munchable mushrooms sitting in the duff. It was a feast for the eyes as well as the tongue. Then came the grand finale: a luscious and well-behaved chocolate fountain! Bridget Binko and Hensl Lise at the 2006 Wine & Mushroom Dinner. Photo by Felicity Christenson Special thanks go to the volunteers for your time and efforts in putting this event together and making it happen. We have such a great and fun group to work with! Each and every one of you made the 24th annual Wine and Mushroom event a delight to attend. Without all your help this could never happen. With my sincere appreciation, Vernetta McGuire, Culinary Minister Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts The Wine and Mushroom Experience was Phenomenal Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

What is Not to Love About The Prince? (Agaricus augustus) Just when you thought the mushroom season was over, “The Prince” may appear, providing mushroom enthusiasts a culinary bounty. Tall, stately, golden-hued and perfumed like almond paste, this royal-sized mushroom often fruits in warm weather. Coming upon the Prince unexpectedly can be an experience to remember. by Cortinarius, Katherine (Kitty) Elvin, Phil Carpenter and Beau Agaricus augustus. Photo by Drew Anderson (from mushroomobserver.org) Mature specimens are thick and meaty growing as broad as a dinner plate. So what is not to love about Agaricus augustus , commonly known as “The Prince”? FFSC members have some stories to tell about their encounters with this magnificent mushroom. Continue reading below for a summary of how to identify Agaricus augustus yourself. Encounters with The Prince Agaricus augustus . Photo by Tim Sage (from mushroomobserver.org) “I have picked lots of Agaricus augustus over the years, some very large, some small, but one episode stands out above the rest. A group of us travelled to Monterey to do a bike ride along the coast. We started our ride at the Asilomar conference center, where there is good parking and easy access to the coastal bike trail. I was quicker unloading my bike than the rest of the group so I jumped on and rode around a bit while waiting. Less than a block from our cars, I noticed an extremely large cluster of mushrooms along the side of the road. Upon inspection, it turned out to be a true cespitose cluster of "The Prince". That is a most unusual fruiting formation for that species. The individual mushrooms were all unopened buttons and each was at least as large as a softball. The whole cluster was about 2 feet across. I recall that there were 16 caps in the cluster while others recall even more. No matter what the count, everyone went home with a lot of tasty mushrooms to cook. As I recall, I fixed my share in a most yummy sauce that evening.” --Phil Agaricus augustus . Photo by V. Berthelsdorf (from mushroomobserver.org) “On May 27th, while hiking in the forests surrounding the Land of the Medicine Buddha Retreat Center, I spotted a group of A. augustus . I was quite surprised to find these delightful mushrooms just off a hiking trail, yet there they were, at the base of a small cliff, underneath large redwoods. The dry summer weather caught me unprepared; I generally carry specimen bags with me while looking for mushrooms, but as I was taking a relaxed hike and enjoying the quiet, I did not have anything to put them in. I left them beside the trail for someone else to enjoy...” --Beau Agaricus perobscurus . Photo by Susan Labiste “My first encounter with the Prince led to some gender confusion. Temperatures were in the 70s. It was steamy after a solid rain and a warming trend in March. There they were, deep in the forest near UCSC, all luminescent gold and rising from the shade in redwood duff and tanbark leaves. I gasped and my heart jumped. Could it be I had encountered “The Prince”? Who else could it be, so regal, so substantial, so golden, and in my hand so sweetly almond-scented. I gathered them greedily, gratefully and utterly besotted. But as this was a first encounter I decided to check this royal out with someone who knew it better than myself. It turned out that my “Prince” was a “Princess” ( A. perobscurus ). I was crestfallen… but in the pan my Princesses were every bit the culinary royal-equal to The Prince.” --Sue "Here are some photos of a Prince ( Agaricus augustus ) near my driveway. Shaggy stem but no bulb or rings near base. Also skirt-like veil still adhering a bit to outside edge. This one has very light colored gills for an Agaricus , though this is typical of this species when young. When spores mature they will be chocolate brown. Its sister mushroom was already dark gilled when I picked it the day before yesterday. Note the tawny fibrils. The ones I've seen have a lot of gold/yellow color. There is a fairly strong almond odor when cut. It smells heavenly. This specimen is fairly small for a Prince." --Kitty with Sue Morphology The first thing one notices when encountering a “Prince” is the size. Twenty-two centimeters (8.66") and larger in diameter is not uncommon. The cap is marshmallow-shaped before it is fully expanded, then becomes domed to flat or uplifted. The flesh is thick. The surface of the cap has many fibrillose scales, brown or golden-brown in color against a white background. It has a large, skirt-like annulus. The stem is often buried deep in the duff. Look for prominent raised fibrils below the annulus, giving a fluffy look to the stipe. The sweet scent of almonds should be discernable. When the cap is rubbed, it will slowly discolor to a golden yellow. (Please see pp. 337-338 in David Arora’s Mushrooms Demystified for a more complete list of characteristics.) Be sure your “Prince” has no cup or volva. The base should not be bulbous, nor should the base have ridge-like rings or signs of any universal veil remnants. Agaricus augustus . Photo by Christian Schwarz (from mushroomobserver.com) The Prince is a gilled mushroom. True to its genus, Agaricus , the mature gills are chocolate-brown as the spores mature. However, like most agarics, gill color in the button stage is pale. And "The Prince” is slow to change color. Though this mushroom is distinctive, it is possible to mistake a non-edible for this prize. When A. augustus is at its best for the table the gill color is still a buffy-white. This might cause some confusion, as many mushrooms, including some very toxic mushrooms , have white or nearly white gills. Be sure all identifying characteristics are present, and take your specimen to an expert for a back-up ID if this is a new species for you. Remember: When in doubt, throw it out! Avoid poisoning yourself or others. Mushrooms covered: Agaricus augustus (The Prince) Agaricus perobscurus (the princess) Previous Description All Featured Fungi Next Description

News & Stories / CEO's Epistle to the Fungophiles: Whats Up I hope March finds you happy, healthy, and imding mushrooms. Deb • March 1, 2000 Lactarius rubidus. © nosillaronnoc (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 326521813) Locally we've been finding Craterellus , chanterelles and candy caps, upon which we all had the pleasure of feasting last night at Blacks Beach Cafe. Chef Robert Morris prepared a multiple dish tasting menu for about 55 FFSC'ers, "old" members and new, featuring wild mushrooms in various delicious guises. The evening was the brainchild of the Culinary Committee, superbly planned and brought about by Bob Wynn and Marjorie Young. We're hoping to make this an annual event - don't miss it again! Two more "don't miss" events coming up are the annual Wine & Mushroom Fest on Saturday, March 11 and the Continental Foray and Picnic on Sunday, April 16th. See details by Minister of Culinary Events Rene Seltzer inside and on the Events roster. If you're looking for general FFSC information or how to contact a minister for further info about classes, forays, etc., check out our website. Ford Johnson obtained the domain name and got us started, Kris Olsen did a wonderful job putting the site together, and we're at Cruzio with quicker loading speed thanks to Barbara Diamond and Mark Hanford. As always, the hotline is the most up to date source of information for local foray dates and times. An updated membership roster will be published with the Duff in the near future so you won't need to juggle all those Post-Its with names and phone numbers on them. Now get out there and find some mushrooms! Best of luck. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Morel, the Magnificent Morel (2013). Photo by Hugh Smith Morel, the Magnificent Morel Hugh Smith This was one of only a few of this type of Morel that I found on this foray. I was in Lassen National Forest. It was a time when the State had no money to open all of the campgrounds. It was actually very late in the season for Morels, but there's always something to find. Morels in the Sierras like disturbed areas as well as burns. I went on a weekday. No one had begun to clean up the campgrounds where I was, and so it was a successful hunt... Camera Canon EOS REBEL T3i Focal L. 18mm Aperture f/13.0 Shutter Sp. 5s ISO 100 Flash Off Photo taken on May 22, 2013 Mushroom(s) ... Previous Photo Back to Gallery Next Photo

News & Stories / 2002 Albion I Foray: Species List FFSC members can login to view the species list from the 2002 Winter Foray at Albion. Bill McGuire • January 1, 2003 Hydnellum peckii. © CC-BY-NC by ajbradley (from inaturalist.org, ID 99409043) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

What are Forays? A foray is an outdoor hike where we explore diverse habitats and learn about fascinating fungi. We identify and photograph the mushrooms we find, and we collect mushrooms where permitted. Braving the California winter on an FFSC local foray FFSC forays are designed to be both educational and a great way to connect with nature and fellow fungiphiles. This is one of the safest ways to learn about hunting and identifying mushrooms! You get to see many different types of mushrooms that others collected (when collection is permitted). Plus, the foray leader and experienced members can help you verify what you think you found. How Do FFSC's Forays Work? After you register for a foray, the trip leader will send you details about where to meet, etc. On some forays, we explore a forest as a group. On others, we each go in different directions and then reconvene at the end of the day to look at what everyone found. If you're still new to mushroom identification, our science advisors and other experienced members can help you identify what you found. Learn more about the different types of forays we offer: Local Forays Long Distance Forays After the Hunt Mushrooms fascinate us, and we love to hear and read tales of the hunt. Here are some ways members share their experiences: Field Reports: We publish field reports on this website. Field reports typically list all the species that we identified, or they recap how a hunt went. Most field reports are only available to FFSC members (with a few exceptions). Personal Stories: Many members post brief recaps of their trips and discoveries in our News & Stories pages, on our Google Group community mailing list, and/or our Facebook Group. Visit our Contact FFSC page for info about how to access our social channels. Photos: We occasionally choose interesting and/or beautiful photos from our members' postings and feature them in our Mushroom Photo Gallery . Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

News & Stories / Stewardship What are You Doing This Summer? Spring in Santa Cruz has few rivals. Here, Spring is the quintessential vernal definition of the season. Spring greens, lupine, California poppies, dogwood in bloom and our first black tail fawns now appear. Wendy Wells • May 1, 2009 Morchella. © Alan Rockefeller (from mushroomobserver.org) The month of May also brings us to the end of our local woodland forays and the beginning of the summer FFSC hiatus. During the months of June, July and August, our monthly meetings and publication of the Duff are suspended. Stay tuned to your email for summer announcements until we return in September. So, back to Spring. As the sun warms us and bakes the earth into a crust that even the mightiest of fungi have difficulty penetrating, we are faced with the daunting task of going to the beach, with friends and picnic basket in tow. There we watch for dolphins and search for the endangered sand fungi, “ Sanderellus wendyii smilealotus ”. Or, if you don’t like sand in your food, you can check out some of our upcoming summer events. If you will be traveling this summer, create your own foray or coordinate with one of our many nationwide clubs. A good place to start looking for clubs in other locales is the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) website, http://www.namyco.org/ . Wendy Wells Duff Content Editor A new voice for the Duff! I’m immensely pleased to introduce Wendy Wells, our new Duff Content Editor. We are the lucky recipients of her enthusiasm about mushrooms, the Monterey Bay, and the forest (she is a docent at Big Basin Redwoods), among many other things. Be assured she will keep the fun in fungi! This is one extraordinary woman — she took the job on before elections!Please welcome her and send lots of good things to her. I look forward to collaborating with Wendy on the Duff . She is seeking out and editing the text, and I’ll be doing the layout. This is Wendy’s first issue, and if, as they say, “the best is yet to come”, I think we have much to anticipate! Debbie Johnson Duff Layout Editor Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports November 2009 Local Foray On Saturday, 22 November, the Fungus Federation held a local foray. Because Sunset Magazine featured FFSC in it’s November issue and publicized the foray, a larger than usual group was expected and realized. Margaret Carpenter • December 1, 2009 Talk at the Nov 2009 Local Foray. Photo by Margaret Carpenter Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2015 January Local Foray Wrap Up Field Reports 2016 February Local Foray Field Report Field Reports Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Stephanie S. Jarvis, MSc Director of Mycology R & D | M2 Ingredients Founder | Pacific Truffle Growers Stephanie Jarvis is an interdisciplinary mycologist and executive cultivator with over 20 years of leadership in solid-state fermentation, fungal biotechnology, and ecological restoration. With a Master of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from San Francisco State University, her groundbreaking thesis on the Lycoperdaceae of California included statewide fungal surveys, DNA sequencing, and the discovery of two new species. Stephanie has since built a career at the intersection of applied science and regenerative agriculture. She is the founder of Pacific Truffle Growers, where she leads orchard restoration, truffle DNA diagnostics, and mycorrhizal cultivation strategies across the U.S.A. Her dual background in taxonomy and field management has made her a trusted consultant for landowners, mushroom farms, and food innovators alike. Additionally, Ms. Jarvis is the Director of Mycology for the largest functional mushroom farm in North America, M2 Ingredients, where she spearheads many R&D projects to improve the efficacy of the functional mushroom industry. A recognized authority in functional mushroom cultivation, Stephanie has developed substrate efficiency protocols for species like Hericium erinaceus , Cordyceps militaris , and Ganoderma lucidum , leveraging qPCR and NGS to validate species purity and optimize biological efficiency. Her passion for sustainable systems includes pioneering the reuse of wine industry byproducts for Shiitake and Oyster mushroom cultivation. Beyond the lab and field, Stephanie is an award-winning educator, keynote speaker, and lifelong mentor. She has led university biology clubs, authored public-facing educational programs, and served as an advisor to the North American Truffle Growers Association. Certified as both an arborist and fermentation specialist, she brings rare fluency in science, soil, and storytelling — cultivating not only fungi but futures. 2026 Stephanie Jarvis in Spain with Tuber melanosporum 2018 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Talks Buy Tickets Truffles: The Egos, Ecology, and Economics of Cultivating and Hunting Nature’s Nuggets of Gold Because these fungi are far more than gourmet ingredients — they’re ecological power players, political lightning rods, and the ultimate test of patience for… Show More Saturday, January 10, 2026 11:05 AM - 12:05 PM Room 3

Fall Mushroom Dinner Join us in celebrating each new season! As Autumn beckons and we await or enjoy the first fungal fruitings, Chef Bob Wynn and the FFSC Culinary Committee welcome FFSC members and their guests to celebrate the season with our much-loved Fall Mushroom Dinner. The 2025 Fall Mushroom Dinner is scheduled on November 8, 2025. See the Members Only section below for time and location details. Fall Flavors The committee typically prepares the main elements of the meal (main dish, salad, and dessert). In some years we prepare a full dinner; and in other years members are invited to bring appetizers and sides to share, plus your own place setting and beverage of choice. The committee chooses a different theme each year, and it's sure to be a scrumptious menu! Price The price changes each year, depending on the cost of the venue rental and other factors. For 2025, we will not charge admission for this event. A donation bucket will be ready to accept contributions to offset rental fees and expenses. $10 per person is suggested. Thanks! Location The Fall Mushroom Dinner is open to FFSC members and their guests. The location varies each year. We usually post the location in the Members' section below by early October. Let’s come together to share food, celebrate community, and welcome the mushroom season with good cheer. We look forward to seeing you at the table! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

News & Stories / Mycology & Art News Dying Oaks: News for Homeowners My niece, Shannon Murphy, is a graduate student under Dave Rizzo, the UC Davis scientist who is leading the investigation into what's killing our oaks. Here is a recent e-mail from her. Phyllis Cole • October 1, 2000 Phytophthora ramorum (sudden oak death). © brock (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 112123956) "I was talking with my prof, Dave Rizzo, about oak mortality (what else do we talk about?) and he was telling me some reasons that homeowners may have or get sick oaks. I thought these tips might be of use to you guys in your yard. First off Phytophthera fungi (the genus of the species causing this mass oak mortality) love water, so never water around your oaks. He also says grass lawns (or anything needing lots of irrigation) should be at least 20 feet if possible away from the oaks (or as far as possible). Thirdly, he says Rhododendrons (which if I'm not mistaken you have lots of in your yard) are a magnet for Phytophthora species and may bring lethal species into your yard. I hope these tips are helpful for you and not too depressing." The news is very depressing to us: many oaks are are within 20 feet of our lawn, and we have more than 100 rhodies. For now, we're going to cross our fingers and hope for the best. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Oak Woodlands: Threatened by a New Fungus Sudden Oak Death — Sensible Measures in the Woods Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Message from Our Outgoing CEO It has been a distinct pleasure and honor to serve our club as CEO over the past four year. I must admit I accepted the job with considerable trepidation. With assurances from the other ministers (Henry Young in particular) that they would assist me if needed, I entered my name in the election. Bill White • May 1, 2009 Bill White It was a runaway victory made possible by the fact that no one else ran. As we come to the end of our FFSC fiscal year I have decided not run again for the CEO position. I think a new CEO can bring fresh ideas and energy to the task and help the club to continue to grow and prosper. I plan to stay involved with the club and will see you at the meetings and events. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and camaraderie. Minister positions are made even more enjoyable by the monthly Minister meetings at each others’ homes for dinner and FFSC business. It creates a fine opportunity to learn more about the club history as well as the other ministers. The food and wine make it even more fun. At the May general meeting the FFSC is holding elections for minister positions. I encourage all of you to attend and consider volunteering as a minister. Step-up and give some of your energy and time to help the club meet its goals for the community by entering your name for one of the open Minister positions. You will enjoy it as much as I have. Several Ministers are due special recognition for their contribution to the FFSC. Vernetta McGuire, our Minister of Culinary Events (with the capable assistance of hubby Bill) for her tireless efforts planning and executing the Christmas potluck and the highly admired Wine & Mushroom Feast. We owe her a debt of gratitude for her years of service to the FFSC. Margaret Carpenter and Richard Lyness are co-ministers taking on the challenges of the Culinary Committee. Monise Sheehan has worked diligently as the Minister of Stores for six years, generating considerable revenue for the club. She is stepping down and I must admit that she will be missed and difficult to replace. This is an extremely important position that provides the main source of revenue for the club. We are seeking a person who can follow her example and continue to coordinate our main finance source. The other Ministers are due their recognition too but I cannot put them all in this short piece. My apologies that I cannot detail the contributions of Marge Young, Richard Rammer, John Brown, and all of the other Ministers who give their energies tirelessly to make this club one of the premier clubs in NAMA. Our April speaker, Dr. Elio Schaechter, commented that the FFSC is different and more dynamic than most other myco-clubs he has visited. I suspected as much but his comments confirmed it for me. And his opinion is shared around the country — the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz is special. This is because of our members and the way the FFSC conducts business. We want you to help perpetuate our image with your involvement in setting goals, policies and activities. Come get more involved and expand your enjoyment of the FFSC by becoming a Minister. Bill White CEO Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Message From Our Incoming CEO 2009 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article