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News & Stories / Mycology & Art News King Stropharia Cultivation Success How Sweet it is…. The King Stropharia grown in our San Jose research garden, that is. We finally achieved success with the Garden Giant, Stropharia rugosoannulata after attending several lectures by Ken Litchfield of the MSSF. Jim Maley • September 1, 2010 Jim Maley with a cultivated Stropharia Now, Ken cultivates mushrooms in the damp weather of SF and the East Bay, but our San Jose summers are warmer and drier. After some meager attempts to cultivate various mushroom types in the summer garden, we asked “Why not grow mushrooms in a Winter Garden?”, and that we did. Stropharia bed. Photo by Jim Maley In November of 2009, we started a winter garden using a raised bed in one of our Master Gardener research facilities, which included cauliflower, cabbage and lettuce. In December, we acquired a 6 lb. bag of King Stropharia grain spawn from Mushroom Harvest of Athens, Ohio and were off with reckless abandon using memory notes from Ken and some phone consultation with the supplier. The first thing we did was to dig a trench in the center of the bed about two feet deep and about five feet long. In the bottom of the trench we added a layer of pasteurized alder wood chips and straw. Stropharia cultivation process. Photo by Jim Maley This pasteurization approach (90 minute water bath at 160°F) was indicated to be not absolutely necessary by our supplier, but was thought to give us an initial “leg up” on mold competition. We then added a layer of about 1.5 lbs. of spawn and covered it with more warm straw and chips. Two weeks later, we added another substrate layer of chips, straw and some leaf compost (unpasteurized), and another 1.5 lb. layer of spawn. Two weeks later still another layer of substrate was added, this time with no spawn. At this point we could see expansion of white mycelia. An estimated total of three pounds of spawn was in our trench. From then on we just waited, letting the ample rains of Santa Clara County keep the mushroom winter garden hydrated. With eager eyes, in March we looked for fruiting bodies to no avail. It was beginning to look like we would have a fine garden of winter vegetables, but no mushrooms. On April 10th it happened! Some small wine colored caps were appearing and it was an exhilarating feeling after previous fail-ures. They soon started getting bigger and coming up over the entire trench. I had heard of these getting up to three pounds or so. Maybe in moist climates, but we have harvested most of our mushrooms at between a half and three quarter pounds. They proved quite popular and delicious with a mild, sweet taste. At this point, we continue to feed “the giant”, this time with oak shavings and hydrating with drip irrigation. These mushrooms are very meaty and clean and well worth the effort. The King Stropharia is one of the most beautiful mushrooms I have seen. These mushrooms certainly live up to the name Wine Cap Stropharia, as they sometimes call it in the Midwest. King Stropharia (wine cap stropharia). Photo by Jim Maley Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts A Tale of Ozark Shiitake Growing Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Super Immune Soup A special request from the flu-inundated doctors of Santa Cruz Naturopathic Medical Center. by Chef Zachary Mazi Coprinus comatus. Photo by Cass Fuentes Method Sweat the Mirepoix Place coconut oil in heating stock pot Add leek, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger, turmeric root, and lemon grass. Sweat (do not brown) until vegetables are soft and aromatic. Add mushrooms, and stir quickly to coat with vegetable juices and coconut oil. Prepare the Tea-soning Meanwhile, combine echinacea root, tea bags, and licorice root on low heat and brew for as long as desired. (This will be added to the reduced soup later.) Add the Stock Add all stocks, lime, and vinegar to the stock pot and increase heat to bring soup to a boil. When boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for many hours until the liquid has reduced (up to 12 hours). Finish the Soup When soup is reduced to desired flavor (this will intensify), add herbal tea. You may reduce the soup even more at this time, or you may remove from heat. Add the coconut milk and bok choi, and season to taste with salt and pepper, and coconut aminos. Immediately before serving, add green onions. Additional Tips: The longer this soup steeps, the better (up to 12 hours). You can remove the reishi mushroom, lemon grass, lime and any firm ingredients before serving, for ease of eating (sick people will appreciate this effort). Over time, the soup may separate, but a good shake in a sealed container will bring it back together. Note : This recipe was originally posted alongside "Relishing Medicinal Mushrooms" by Chef Zachary Mazi in the May 2013 issue of Duff . Recipe contributed: March 2013 Inspired by Tom Kha soup concepts, this recipe combines herbs, mushrooms, and several broths, fresh vegetables, and coconut milk for a delicious soup. Many of the ingredients are sold as immune-boosting foods. Note from the Editors : FFSC is not a medical organization, and thus we are unable to confirm whether or not this soup would have medicinal benefits. Enjoy the flavors! Objective: Soup Total Time: Many hours Yield: 1 gallon Suggested Mushrooms: Lingzhi (reishi) (Ganoderma lucidum (syn. G. lingzhi)) Oyster / king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus ostreatus) Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) Join FFSC or renew your membership to access the rest of this content. Join FFSC Login as an FFSC member to access the rest of this content. Login Ingredients Mirepoix (pronounced "meer-pwah") 2 –3 T Coconut oil 2 small leeks, cleaned and chopped 1 large carrot, chopped small 4 ribs celery, chopped small 6 garlic cloves, broken and bruised 6 inches ginger root, minced 6 inches turmeric root, minced 2 lemongrass stalks, broken and bruised Mushroom Blend 1.5 lb. shiitakes, sliced and chopped 6 oz. fresh oyster mushrooms 1 small dry reishi mushroom, chopped 3 oz additional mushrooms of choice*, chopped Stock and Seasoning 1 lime, quartered 1 qt. mushroom stock 1 qt. chicken broth 1 gallon vegetable stock 2 T Apple Cider Vinegar Finishing Ingredients 2 cans Coconut Milk 3 bunches baby bok choi, chopped 1 bunch green onion, diced 3T Coconut Aminos (like Bragg’s, but coconut; Coconut Secret) Salt to taste Herbal Tea-soning 2 oz. Echinacea root 6 inches licorice root, broken 3 cold and flu tea bags 1 qt. water Editor's Note: The original recipe suggested 3oz of turkey tails; however, as Trametes versicolor are not currently on FFSC's Permitted Species List , we recommend you only use turkey tails if you know how to safely prepare them for consumption. Alternatively, you could try another popular soup mushroom, such as Coprinus comatus (shaggy mane). Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Risotto con Fungi "Diablo" Richard Kozicki was our Minister of Archives when he shared this devilishly spicy dish. by Richard Kozicki Boletus edulis. © Ethan Ramsey (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 321976982) Method Sauté the mushrooms until fully cooked and browned (5 to 8 minutes). Melt butter in a heavy 3 quart pot. Dice onions, garlic, and chili peppers and add to the melted butter, along with 1 Tbsp. freshly ground pepper. Sauté lightly for 3 minutes. Add dry Arborio rice and continue to sauté for 3 more minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the sautéed mushrooms. Add one cup (or ladle) of chicken broth (or chicken broth plus reserved mushroom liquid). Wait for the rice to absorb the liquid and begin to thicken, then add the next cup of broth, continuing this process for about 25 minutes. Stir the rice frequently and taste for doneness. When done, the texture should be creamy with some broth still present. Fine wine (such as Black Diamond Run Zin or Cab) will enhance this dish greatly. Homemade ale or porter wouldn't hurt either. —Richard Recipe contributed: January 1996 You can use any mushrooms for this, though some may work better than others. For example, porcini is a classic pairing with risotto, and highly recommended. Chanterelles provide a lovely color contrast. Agaricus augustus can also hold up well in risotto. On the other hand, portobello may turn the color a darker grayish-brown and some feel it tastes a little metallic. More delicate or nuanced species like morels, black trumpets, or yellowfoot may have their flavors drowned out by the garlic, butter, and peppers in this dish, and be better served elsewhere. Objective: Side or first course Total Time: 45 mins Yield: 2 mains or 4 sides Suggested Mushrooms: Chanterelle (Cantharellus californicus, Cantharellus formosus, Cantharellus subalbidus) Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) The Prince (Agaricus augustus) 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 Tbsp. unsalted butter* 1 medium yellow onion 3 cloves of garlic 6 fresh Thai chili peppers** Fresh ground black pepper 3/4 lb. Arborio rice 1/2 lb. fresh wild mushrooms (or 1 oz. dried mushrooms rehydrated in water for one hour prior to use, reserving the liquid) 6 Cups low-sodium chicken broth*** * Do not substitute margarine for butter — it will change the entire flavor of the dish. (If you do, then don't use my name in context with your aberration.) ** Jalapeño, serrano, or arbol peppers (chile de árbol) will light your fire also. ** If you rehydrate dried mushrooms, reserve the liquid and strain it, which should leave you around 1 to 1.5 cups of the flavorful liquid. Use this liquid in place of the equivalent portion of the chicken broth. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Eggs Benedict with Morels Morels add both flavor and color to this dish, and are a great complement to other egg dishes as well. by Vince Viverito Morchella snyderi. © Laura and Thomas Marlowe (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 28660 Method Prepare the Morels Clean and chop the morels. Sauté in 2 Tbsp. butter until they release their liquid and brown slightly (5 to 15 minutes, depending on how you chop them). Set aside. Prepare Hollandaise Sauce Separate 3 of the eggs. Place the yolk, lemon juice, and cayenne in blender. Cover, and then quickly turn the blender on and off. Heat 1/2 cup butter till melted and almost boiling. Turn blender on high speed, and then slowly pour in the butter, blending till thick and fluffy (about 30 seconds). Keep mixture heated by placing bottom of container in or over a bath of hot water till ready to serve. Poach the Eggs Melt 1 to 2 Tbsp. butter in frying pan. Add milk to about 1/2" depth, and bring to simmer. Crack 4 eggs, keeping them whole and intact, and drop into simmering milk, keeping eggs separate from each other. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, spooning some of the simmering milk over the eggs occasionally, until the eggs reach your desired doneness. Loosen eggs from bottom of pan with a large spoon.* Assemble and Serve In the meantime, preheat broiler. Split English muffins and butter them. Toast under broiler until they start to brown. Place Canadian bacon on top, and continue broiling until bacon is hot (follow the bacon's instructions). Place the poached eggs on the Candian bacon, spoon sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the sautéed morels. * Zero-waste note : The cup of milk you used for poaching the eggs will now taste like milk and egg, and it will have absorbed some of the protein from the eggs. You can discard it if you wish, or you can strain and reuse the milk as a savory, high protein ingredient in other dishes (as long as the egg was cooked through and you kept the milk bath clean). For example, use it as an ingredient in waffle dough, béchamel sauce, chowder, egg nog, or one of the creamy mushroom soups listed on this website. (It might taste odd in sweeter foods, but feel free to experiment.) If you save the milk for later use, just be sure to store it properly. Recipe contributed: September 1997 This dish is really great served alongside honeydew melon slices covered with peaches, blueberries and strawberries. Objective: Main course Total Time: 1 to 1.25 hours Yield: 2 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 7 eggs 2 English muffins 4 slices Canadian bacon 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp. butter Dash of cayenne pepper 1 cup (approx) milk 1/2 cup fresh or reconstituted morels Blender Frying pan Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Stewardship Another Year, Another Great Wine and Mushroom Gala! Our 22nd annual Wine and Mushroom Gala, held on February 7, was a noteworthy affair. Those who were unable to attend truly missed a sumptuous and entertaining evening. Vernetta McGuire • March 1, 2004 Agaricus bisporus. © Darvin DeShazer (from mushroomobserver.org) We can never say enough about the wonderful dishes prepared by the federation members, and are fortunate to have such wonderful cooks in our organization who are willing and able to try wild mushrooms in so many different ways. Jeff Emery coordinated the seven wineries, representing some of the best of the Santa Cruz Mountains. In effect, he puts the wine in Wine & Mushroom, and we couldn’t do it without him! And then there is our chef extraordinaire Bob Wynn, always on hand to dream up those fabulous mushroom dishes coming fresh from the kitchen to tantalize our taste buds. Our thanks go to both of them. The music by The Chanterelles was truly exceptional, adding a classical touch to our affair. Thanks to a donation from Pat Fitz of Fitz Fresh Mushroom Farms, we had fresh Portabellas for Bob’s creations in the kitchen, as well as for a decorative touch on the tables. Mushroom cooking demonstrations this year included Henry Young’s Mushroom Blinis, which were were consumed so fast I didn’t even get a taste. Fred Chin made a fabulous Many Mushroom Mu Shu that was also gone in a flash, and Vicki Kuhlman served up some great Mushroom Crostini, also prepared on the spot. I did get a taste of these and they were wonderful. It seems our members and guests like these on-the-spot cooked foods a great deal! We plan to offer more of this for next year. I must include the beautiful chocolate (honorary and honorable) mushrooms brought by Phred Molnar in the list of wonderful fungi that appeared this year. They were incredible! A special thanks to the Culinary Committee and volunteers for long hours spent putting this event together. We have such a great and fun group to work with! Each and every one of you made the 22nd Wine and Mushroom a delight to attend. Without all your help this could never happen With my sincere appreciation, - Vernetta McGuire, Minister of Culinary Events Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Culinary Kudos to the 2005 Wine & Mushroom Volunteers The Wine and Mushroom Experience was Phenomenal Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Stewardship CEOs Epistle to the Fungophiles: State of the 1999 - 2000 Season Happy New Year to you all. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season full of family, friends and, of course, fungi. Deb • January 1, 2000 Boletus edulis var. grandedulis. © James Maughn (CC-BY-NC) (inaturalist.org, obs. 19542802) Boletes! Lots of them! If the last year of the 1900's isn't memorable enough for other reasons, we'll certainly think of it as the year of the poroid fungi. Our house is redolent with drying Boletus aereus (CA species is now regineus ) and edulis as I write. It's a gratifying fragrance, but 1t does require an explanation to the occasional ("what's that ... odor?") visitor ... Our holiday potluck, held on December 15, was a great event. The culinary Committee, led by Rene Seltzer, put on a notable feast. The fabulous chefs of the FFSC brought their best efforts, which were served in the midst of greens, poinsettia, candlelight and twinkling white lights, courtesy of Vernetta and Inez. Rene brought sparkling wine and we toasted to a fine year past and another ahead, and had a wonderful evening. Many thanks to Rene Seltzer, Vernetta and Bob McGuire, Inez and Ray Kitely, Bob & Doreen Wynn, Marje Young, Monice Brown & Peter Sheehan, Phyllis Cole & Lee Yamada, Barb Hanson and Shea Moss for all their efforts. This will be a tough one to top! The Fungus Fair is again upon us, Jmuary 15 & 16, with setup the week prior. If you have a few hours to spare we can use your help! Knowledge of fungal taxonomy is not required. We can put your willing body and mind to work collecting. setting up, helping with Stores, Membership, Kids' Room, Myco-Photos or cleanup. If you have questions or wonder where you could best help, please call Lee Yamada. In additional to our usual culinary events, a number of new events are in the works: a 'Tapas" hors d'ouvres evening at Blacks Beach Cafe, a Haute Cuisine sit-down mushroom and wine dinner, an earlier Continental Picnic (perhaps in April) at a new location. See the Events listing and articles here for further information. Local Forays and ID Classes are in full swing. Don't miss these opportunities to learn about mushrooms and meet new foray partners. ID Class is held at 7:00 PM on the first Wednesday of the month at the Museum of Natural History on E. Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz. Local forays usually take place on Saturdays, with the schedule updated here. Further information is available from Ken Sommers. Bob Sellers is taking small groups out as part of an ongoing study again. See you at the Fair! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

FFSC Bylaws FFSC's Bylaws encapsulate our organization's purpose and goals, and provide the structure needed to accomplish it all. You may not find the details as engaging a read as a good novel, but the document gives insight into how we're organized. Pilobolus. Photo by Judith Ogus The club voted on and approved a new set of bylaws on April 21, 2026. Take a look, especially at the descriptions of the Ministerial duties! Perhaps you'll find an area where your interests and talents can find a home, either as a future minister or as part of a ministerial subcommittee. FFSC Revised Bylaws 2026 .pdf Download PDF • 238KB Members Only Content Login Join FFSC

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

Mushroom and Potato Tart This savory tart is rich with butter and cream, making a filling side dish or appetizer. Use cremini, porcini, morel, or other robust mushrooms. by Bo Letos Boletus edulis. © invisible (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 323752319) Method Make the Top Crust In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter cubes (rub the butter cubes into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter left). Sprinkle 4 Tbsp. ice water over the mixture, and stir with fork until the dough begins to hold together. Only add another tablespoon of water if the dough is too dry. Shape the dough into a flat rectangle about 1/2" to 3/4" thick, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Prepare the Mashed Potatoes Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a pot, cover the potatoes with 1" water, and a little salt. Boil for 12-15 mins until fork-tender. Drain completely, then return to the pot and let sit for 2 minutes to evaporate steam. Mash with a fork or potato ricer. Melt 6 Tbsp. butter and coat the potatoes. Warm 1/3 cup of heavy cream and whip it into the potatoes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Prepare the Filling Sauté mushroom caps (or slices) in butter. During the last 2 minutes of the sauté, dust 2 Tbsp. of all purpose flour over the mushrooms, and then stir it in to coat the mushrooms. Splash in 1/4 cup of veggie stock, dry sherry, or white wine. Simmer until it forms a glaze and binds*** the liquid (about 1 minute). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Line a 9" x 12" shallow rectangular baking dish with the mushrooms. Spread the mashed potatoes over the mushrooms. Cool the mushrooms and mashed potatoes to room temperature (or chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes). Note: Alternatively, you can place the mashed potatoes underneath the mushrooms. However, this sometimes causes the layers to slide around, making the pie a little messier to serve. Assemble and Bake the Pie Beat the egg yolk with 3 Tbsp. of cream, and set aside. Roll out the pastry dough to fit the top of your pie, and lay it over the cooled filling. Make a vent in the top of the dough, and brush with the egg and cream mix. Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, allowing the pastry to bake all the way through. (Or, if you use a store-bought pastry sheet or dough, follow its instructions.) The pastry should puff up evenly across the entire surface (the center should not be lower than the edges). You can tell the filling is hot when you see it bubbling in the vent. *** Optionally, you can omit the flour and sherry. The binding process is mainly to keep the mushroom liquid from overflowing the edges of the pie while baking. Recipe contributed: November 1993 Objective: Side or first course Total Time: About 2.5 hours Yield: 6 to 8 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Black trumpet / black chanterelle (Craterellus atrocinereus, Craterellus calicornucopioides, Craterellus cinereus) Chanterelle (Cantharellus californicus, Cantharellus formosus, Cantharellus subalbidus) Morel (Morchella sp.) Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) Portobello/portabella, champignon, cremini, button (Agaricus bisporus) Join FFSC or renew your membership to access the rest of this content. Join FFSC Login as an FFSC member to access the rest of this content. Login Ingredients A 9" x 12" rectangular baking dish (typically 2" deep). Filling 3 medium russet potatoes 9 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided into 6 and 3 Tbsp. 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream 3/4 tsp. fine sea salt (adjust to taste) 1/4 tsp. black pepper (adjust to taste) 2 lb. mushroom caps (or slices)* 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1/4 Cup vegetable stock, dry sherry, or white wine 1 egg yolk chopped parsley (garnish) * Feel free to use cremini or portabello if that's what you have on hand. Alternatively, chanterelles can hold their shape nicely and retain their bright flavor amidst the butter and cream. Black trumpets, while thin, should still stay chewy, and add a darker color to the pie. Porcini provide a satisfying bite and natural umami. Morel ridges may deliciously trap the butter and cream, while adding the deep, woodsy flavor of a meat pie. Puff Pastry Crust** 1.5 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup unsalted butter, ice-cold and cubed 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt 4 to 5 Tbs. ice water ** Or use a store-bought puff pastry sheet or dough, sized to cover the top of your rectangular baking dish. If your baking dish is a different size, you may need to recalculate the crust ingredients accordingly. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Field Reports Albion I Report — Dec 2000 A wonderful time was had by all at the Albion I Foray. The Mushrooms were plentiful, everywhere you looked they perked up their little caps for us to discover. The weather was good, the company exuberant, and everyone had truly a great time. Horst Kuhlmann • January 1, 2001 Ramaria cartilaginea. © Taye Bright (CC-BY-NC) (inaturalist.org, obs. 255731725) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2002 Albion I Foray: Species List Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Field Reports Adventures in Austria This summer I was fortunate to have the opportunity to join a group of 4 other people to accompany Daniel Winkler on one of his MushRoaming tours. Phil Carpenter • October 16, 2015 Phil with a patch of chanterelles in Austria (2015) If you are unaware of this company, Daniel leads multiple mycological eco-tours to many areas of the world. Check out his website at mushroaming.com . This summer was the first time he organized a trip to his homeland, Munich, Germany. Daniel's family owns a 300+ year old farmhouse (Severenhaus) in St. Johann, a small town in the beautiful Tyrolean Alps a short drive from Munich. Growing up, he spent a lot of time there with his family and developed his interest and knowledge about mushrooms in the spruce and beech forests of the area. After meeting up with the group in Munich and doing some great sightseeing in the ancient capital of Bavaria, we loaded up the rental van and drove to St. Johann through the picturesque Tyrolean Alps. The area is well known for its many ski areas and unique wooden architecture. Our destination was Severenhaus where we were most comfortably housed. A unique feature of this very old but very sturdy building was the low doorways. The bottom of the heavy beams forming the top of the doorway was right at the middle of my forehead, and I’m not a tall person. Needless to say, there were a number of encounters with those most solid beams, especially for the taller people in the group. The Severenhaus was located outside of town at the base of the Niederkaiser, a low limestone mountain range in the shadow of the much taller and more rugged Wilderkaiser range. Of course, as soon as we unloaded our gear, we set off behind the house on our first little mushroom foray. Unfortunately, the area had just experience record high temperatures for a while before we arrived so conditions were pretty dry and few mushrooms were found. Mostly, we found some small Marasmius species. Chanterelles in the Viktualien market in Munich (2015) The next day, however, we drove to an area nearby where there were extensive sphagnum moss beds and notably more moisture. We hit the jackpot there filling our baskets with the small European chanterelles. A “big” one was maybe and inch and a half across, many being smaller. They were certainly tasty, though! Since we ate most of our meals at Severenhaus, we had them fixed in many different dishes. On those occasions when we sampled the very tasty local restaurant cuisine, there were always chanterelle dishes on the menu. They were also found in many of the local open-air markets. Dried boletes in the Viktualien market in Munich (2015) Over the next week, we alternated sight-seeing and collecting forays to various regions in the area. One day we went to Salzburg and visited Mozart’s place of birth as well as the imposing castle high on the central hill. After reaching St. Johann, we had much cooler and rainy weather which was great for the Dried boletes in the Viktualien market in Munich. We did much better towards the end of the trip and were able to put together a species list of nearly 100 species. I was very surprised to find that I was able to not only recognize the mushroom genera but also many species. Daniel had a number of field guides for the area but they were all in German. With Daniel translating and the color photographs for all the mushrooms, we were able to positively identify nearly everything we found. Daniel Winkler with a cluster of Lyophyllum decastes (fried chicken mushrooms) The trip was over much sooner than we’d have liked but we went away having seen the incredibly beautiful scenery of the area, experienced some great habitats and mushroom fruitings, had some long and exhilarating hikes in the steep local mountains, ate some delicious meals, both at restaurants and the Severenhaus, and of course, sampled quite a few of the numerous local beers. I even took the opportunity to visit the world’s oldest continuously operating brewery (Weihenstephan, brewing since 1040!) in Freising, about an hour train ride outside of Munich. I’d like to add that this trip with Daniel was very well organized, relaxed but efficient and thoroughly enjoyable. The group was friendly and of varied and interesting backgrounds. It was a real pleasure to be able to share the Winkler family house in Austria and experience the comfortable feeling of being in a home instead of a hotel. If you have a chance to join Daniel on one of his trips, I highly recommend going! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Field Report - 2021 NAMA Foray Grandby CO Phil Carpenter receives Knighton Award at Appalachia NAMA 2023 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Orzo Pilaf with Boletes Chopped boletes provide the base flavor for this orzo dish. by Vernetta McGuire Boletus edulis var. grandedulis. © Debbie Viess (from mushroomobserver.org) Method Reconstitute the dried boletes in 2 cups of water. Strain the liquid from the reconstituted boletes, and set the liquid aside. Chop the reconstituted boletes (which will become part of the base flavor). Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add your onion and the (freshly picked) bolete slices, sautéing until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Add the 2 cups of broth and the chopped (reconstituted) boletes, and bring to a boil. Stir in orzo. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the orzo is tender and has absorbed all liquid (about 15 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove the pilaf from heat. Stir in the pine nuts and parsley. Season to taste with salt & pepper, and serve immediately. Recipe contributed: February 2006 Objective: Main course Total Time: About 1.5 hours Yield: 2 - 4 servings 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 8 oz. sliced fresh boletes (or substitute with your favorite fresh mushrooms) ½ oz. dried boletes 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 chopped onion 1 Cup of your favorite orzo pasta 3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley 2 cups of chicken or veggie broth (or strain the liquid you'll have after reconstituting the dried boletes and combine it with chicken or veggie broth) Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe