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News & Stories / Ramaria rasilispora When foraying in the mountains next spring, you might make this mushroom a part of your collection. John Brown • September 1, 2002 Ramaria rasilispora var. scatesiana. © Dean Lyons (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, ID 164655987) Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Hungarian Mushroom Soup Jim brought this spicy soup to an FFSC Holiday Potluck. It was outstanding! by Jim Maley Hypomyces lactifluorum. © samzanita (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 188533088) Method Sauté onions in 2 Tbsp. stock, and salt lightly. Cook until translucent and soft (add stock or water if needed, so the pan doesn't go dry). Add mushrooms, 1 tsp. dill, ½ cup stock or water, garlic, paprika, and the cooking sherry. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly until the roux turns a light golden color and develops a nutty aroma (2 or 3 minutes). Add milk. Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). Stir in mushroom mixture and remaining stock. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes. Just before serving, taste and adjust with salt, pepper, lemon juice, sour cream, and if desired extra dill (1 tsp). Serve garnished with parsley. Recipe contributed: January 2006 Hungary is the focal point for peppers in Eastern Europe. In Eastern and Central Europe, dried red pepper powder is called paprika . Like most Eastern Europeans, Hungarians also love wild mushrooms. Hungary is one of the few countries that traditionally mixes sweet paprika with wild mushrooms. I have used various Hungarian paprika varieties in the soup, but Pride of Szeged Hot Paprika works out well and is readily available. This powder allows you to carefully upgrade heat at the end to provide a lot of zest, but at a level adjusted to prevent overpowering the mushrooms. I have learned (the hard way) that many do not like the spice in this soup, or in any recipe for that matter. Stirring in paprika powder in individual cups to suit tastes seems to work well and puts the onus on the user to get the right level of heat. Too much heat wipes out the flavor of the mushrooms. Lately I also let people add their own room temperature sour cream to the soup, as many want to avoid excess fat. Remember though, strong mushrooms, heat, sour cream and lots of dill are key to this recipe variation! Use strong and earthy mushrooms to stand up against hot paprika. I like to use mushrooms with good texture, like lobsters, and some nice strong ones such as boletes. Honey mushrooms work well, shiitake mushrooms are a good bet, too. For this recipe, I was originally inspired by a Hungarian Mushroom Soup recipe in Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen, which is also quite good. Objective: Soup Total Time: 1 hour Yield: Serves 4 Suggested Mushrooms: Lobster mushroom (Hypomyces lactiflourum) Porcini (Boletus edulis, Boletus regineus, Boletus rex-veris) 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 12 oz. lobster or porcini mushrooms, sliced 2 cups onion, chopped 2 to 4 tbsp. butter (as needed) 3 tbsp. flour 1 cup skim milk 1 - 2 tsp. dried dill weed (or ½ cup fresh) 1 Tbsp. paprika (see note above) 1 Tbsp. crushed garlic 1 tsp. salt 2 cups stock (e.g., vegetable broth and/or strained liquid from rehydrated mushrooms, if using dried mushrooms) 2 Tbsp. cooking sherry 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish) Fresh ground black pepper to taste ½ cup sour cream Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Notes from the Outgoing CEO To the truly wonderful membership of the FFSC: This is my last article as CEO of the Fungus Federation. In my two-year term it has been a privilege to work with such a dedicated group of people. Deb • May 1, 2001 Debbie Johnson, CEO The ministers have put much time, effort and inspiration into their own duties as well as assisting one another, and I thank them all heartily. They made my job an easy one, and without that unique bunch of humans it wouldn't have been half as much fun! My appreciation also goes out to the members who contributed so much to our many events, taking care of tasks large and small. We couldn't do it without you! Our Culinary Committee has improved and expanded our food-related events and coordinated with restaurants for special dinners. ID classes and local forays continue to further our knowledge of fungi. The FFSC has established a website and is working on functional improvements. Groundwork is being laid to have the Duff posted on our website to eliminate postal delays, and an e-mail list will facilitate communication. Please keep Andrea Webster, Minister of Membership, apprised of your current e-mail address. Elections will be held at the general meeting on May 16. Ministers are elected for a two-year term. The proposed slate of officers is listed below, and any member in good standing may add their name to the ballot for all positions but that of CEO, which requires prior Ministry experience. Should you wish to add your name to the slate, please contact me before May 8. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts From the Incoming CEO, 2001 Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Chanterelles and Mussels, Alive, Alive O This recipe idea started at Lion’s Market on Saratoga Boulevard in San Jose. Walking along a frozen seafood case, I saw a package of New Zealand Green Mussels, half shelled and pre-cooked at $3.99 a pound. by Richard Lyness Cantharellus californicus. © Alan Rockefeller (from mushroomobserver.org) Method Start with a stove-top casserole pan and melt a half stick of butter on medium heat. Add 6-8 quartered large shallots and 1or 2 teaspoons of minced garlic. Once that’s beginning to simmer add a bottle of lager. Or, knowing the FFSC audience, something you’ve brewed yourself – again supporting the “eato-loco” movement). Sauté all. Chop your chanterelles (or, in a pinch, use King Oyster mushrooms) into large pieces comparable to the shallot pieces. Add to the mix and sauté for 5 – 10 minutes. In the meantime, toast sourdough bread to create croutons. Add cheese melted on top and then add the croutons to the mix in the casserole dish. Stir to incorporate the simmer juices into the croutons. Toss the thawed, cleaned mussels into the simmering liquid and heat through for 1-2 minutes (no longer, as frozen green mushrooms are pre-cooked). Remove the mussels from the shells at this point (they should just slide off the half shell). Continue to simmer for a few minutes before serving. Enjoyably tasted with a cold dark beer! Possible Variations The second time I made this I found it interesting to omit the croutons, add 2-3 tablespoons of Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce and serve over rice or noodles. More broth is probably helpful (perhaps requiring a little more beer). I also wonder about using chopped or whole garlic cloves rather than minced garlic. Or possibly other root vegetables like small finger potations or carrots. Fennel is another possible variation that blends well with mussels. Recipe contributed: December 2009 I’m sure variants of the recipe that follows would similarly work with fresh green mussels or fresh local mussels (the latter adding to a sense of the foray and “eato-loco” discipline — to which I subscribe when possible). But the frozen Green Mussels (24 to a package) made this a remarkably easy dish. Objective: Main course Total Time: Under an hour Yield: Varies by preference Suggested Mushrooms: Chanterelle (Cantharellus californicus, Cantharellus formosus, Cantharellus subalbidus) 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 package of green mussels (24 pack) on the half shell, thawed and rinsed 1/2 stick of butter 6-8 quartered large shallots 1or 2 teaspoons of minced garlic Bottle of lager or Oktoberfest beer Chanterelles or King Oyster mushrooms (about the same amount as the shallots) Loaf of sourdough bread* Your favorite tasty cheese * When I cheat I use pre-sliced Trader Joe’s Four Cheese or Trader Joe’s Cheese and Cheddar Sourdoughs, and toast before chopping into large croutons. If I were doing this for you, I’d certainly use a homemade sourdough from my 100-year old sponge, with appropriate cheeses and herbs, baked a few hours before your arrival and toasted. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / Field Reports Report from the Mendocino Coast Black Trumpets: $12.00 per pound; Hedgehogs: $5.50 per pound; Yellow Feet: $1.00 per pound... With prices like that, you know Black Trumpets are scarce. We hiked two entire mountains where I know I can find them. Nothing! Hugh Smith • February 16, 2014 Albion II foray (Feb. 2008). Photo by Hugh Smith Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2013 Sierra Scouting Report Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Come to the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair to learn fascinating and fun facts about beautiful and diverse species of mushrooms! View remarkable mushroom arts and crafts, taste unusual and exceptionally good fungal fare, and experience FFSC's overriding mission: "We keep the fun in fungus!" Fungus Fair Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Fungus Fair General Information Did you know that without fungus, we’d have no bread, cheese, beer, or wine? Or that anti-cholesterol medicine was developed from mushrooms? Come to the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair to learn fascinating and fun facts about beautiful and diverse species of mushrooms! View remarkable mushroom arts and crafts, taste unusual and exceptionally good fungal fare, and experience FFSC's overriding mission : "We keep the fun in fun gus!" This unique Santa Cruz area tradition draws thousands of visitors each year. These pages provide details for the 2026 Fungus Fair, which was held in January. The next Fair is scheduled for January 8-11, 2027. Check back in November for tickets and the new schedule of speakers! A Forest of Fungi One of the highlights of the fair is the Great Hall, where visitors explore the shapes and scents of wild mushrooms in a recreated woodland habitat. Fair volunteers collect hundreds of species of local fungi in the days leading up to the Fair, and carefully identify and label each one. Science advisors and experienced FFSC members are available to answer questions about the mushroom exhibits throughout the event, and to identify any wild mushrooms you’ve found yourself. Found a mushroom but can't bring it with you? Visit our Photography for ID Purposes page for tips on taking photos that will help us answer your "what is this?" question. Expert Speakers Nationally and locally renowned speakers present talks on a wide variety of topics each year. Sessions sometimes also include short hands-on workshops. Many talks are FREE with your purchase of a Fair Admission ticket, and you can also purchase tickets to larger sessions (Room 3 headliner talks) for a modest additional fee. Check out the schedule of speakers for the 2026 Santa Cruz Fungus Fair. Make, Eat, and Shop Create fun mushroom art, sample gourmet foods made with mushrooms, and take home beautiful mushroom-themed crafts, books, and more. Create your own mushroom art at the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair! Try dyeing fabric swatches, get your face painted and more. Fun for all ages! Make Fungi Art Tasty food, beautiful artwork, mushroom-dyed silks, jewelry and more can be found throughout the venue on Saturday and Sunday. Vendor Areas Presented By The Santa Cruz Fungus Fair is organized by the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz The Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz actively promotes the study of mushrooms, and is dedicated to encouraging an avid interest in the fungal kingdom. We hunt mushrooms for scientific interest and for the table. We encourage a sense of wonder with regard to one of the least understood segments of our global environment. We are fungiphiles, and you just might be one, too! See our mission page and member benefits for more information about FFSC. Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors. It was the first museum in Santa Cruz, dating back to 1905 with the founding collection of Santa Cruz lighthouse keeper and naturalist, Laura Hecox. The museum has been connecting people to the wonders of nature for over 100 years. The museum served as one of the original locations of the annual Santa Cruz Fungus Fair. See the museum's About page for more information about its mission.

Pairing and Cooking Mushrooms with Wine Everyone knows drinking wine with wild mushroom dishes is a delight beyond compare. Can we go a step further and think about pairing styles of wine with a particular mushroom genus? by Shea Moss Wine glasses at the Wine & Mushroom dinner. Photo by Katherine Elvin Pairing Mushrooms with Wine Good wine is a careful balance of fruit and acidity. The alcohol has to be in balance with the fruit and acidity to give that rounded yummy taste. California white varietals tend to be a little less acidic, so winemakers sometimes add acid during fermentation for balance. That's where you get that nice clean crisp feel in your mouth. Red wines in general are slightly higher in alcohol content. That’s where you get that nice glow in your head. White wines give a lighter lift to food, while red wines, because of their complexity, lay a heavier interest to dishes. Now lets think about wild mushrooms. Are morels light or robust? Chanterelles are light. Lepiota spp. are heavy. Coccora and Amanita velosa are light. Chocolate is heavy. You can think about the balance you want to create between the wine and the mushrooms you're serving. Objective: Complementary Total Time: N/A Suggested Mushrooms: Amanita calyptroderma (coccora) Boletus sp. (bolete) Cantharellus sp. (chanterelle) Morchella sp. ( morel) Equipment and/or Ingredients Your favorite mushroom dish and a variety of wines to choose from. Method Cooking Mushrooms with Wine When cooking, too much wine can overwhelm the dish and you lose flavor. As an example, people who dump half a bottle of red wine on a 5 pound roast have to add a lot of salt and fat to compensate for the acidic taste from the reduced wine. If you are going to cook a mushroom dish with wine, add the wine during the last ten minutes of the cooking cycle. The more acidic the wine, the more oil or fat you can add. Suggested combinations are: Boletes with butter and 1/4 cup Sauvignon blanc Cream of chanterelle soup with 1/4 cup of Chardonnay (per 2 quarts) Morels sautéed in olive oil, a dash of tamari, a pinch of brown sugar and a sprinkling of Zinfandel Sliced coccora wrapped in 1/4 strip of bacon, broiled and brushed with a mix of Pinot Noir, tarragon and a little arrowroot (for thickening). You get the idea. Taste taste taste. When you are cooking with wild mushrooms and wine, think about what you are combining and how the ingredients will play on one another. Remember to only cook with wine you would drink. A so-so wine will result in a so-so dish. Think about sampling and enjoying the complexity of each bite, sipping thoughtfully. Ahhh…Life is good. Previous Technique All Techniques Next Technique

News & Stories / Stewardship Culinary Diva Steps Down After 4 years of dazzling FFSC members with outstanding culinary events, René Seltzer is relinquishing leadership of the culinary committee (not to be confused with any insider mushroom trading scandal)! Patria Brown • November 1, 2002 Full crowd at a Holiday Potluck. Photo by Debbie Johnson René's enthusiasm and culinary talent will not be missed however, as she will continue to support the committee in it's quest to further the fungal feast. Thank you René for all the time, energy and inspiration you give to us all. The culinary committee is beginning its new year under the artful leadership of Vernetta McGuire, with the assistance of Patria Brown and Marilyn Fenn. Patria will be writing the culinary page for the Duff. If you have any information or recipes you wish to contribute please send it in! If you have ever considered participating on the culinary committee now is a great time to get involved. Our first event is the Annual Holiday Potluck. There are many ways to help make the evening a magical holiday event. The set up and decorating starts at 3:30 PM. Anyone interested in helping can contact the Culinary Minister. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Propagation of Propaganda Perpetuated... Stewardship Letter from the Outgoing CEO Stewardship Message from Our Outgoing CEO Stewardship Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Hmmm... We couldn't ID that link (If this were a mushroom, we'd go back to our field guide and start over.) Try a Search Report a Broken Link

Hmmm... We couldn't ID that link (If this were a mushroom, we'd go back to our field guide and start over.) Try a Search Report a Broken Link