Search this site

Risotto di Morchelle A creamy morel risotto, also known as Risotto alle Spugnole (spugnole being the common name in Italian, from spugna , meaning sponge). by Deb Morchella snyderi. © alexgodoy112 (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 213470913) Method Clean, slice, and sauté the morels in a pan with butter or oil, until they release their liquid and brown slightly, then set aside. In the meantime, in a heavy casserole dish, sauté the onion with the olive oil and half the butter until soft. Add the rice and sauté for a couple more minutes. Add the wine. Let the liquid be absorbed and then begin to add the beef broth a little at a time, stirring gently, letting the broth be absorbed before adding more. After 10 minutes add the morels back in. Continue cooking until the rice is ready, a bit 'al dente' (about 20 minutes since wine was added). Remove the casserole from heat and add the rest of the butter, the Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Recipe contributed: May 1997 We found this recipe in a past issue of The Mycophile Quarterly , published by our parent organization, NAMA. The recipe was originally contributed to Mycophile by George Casciero of Washington, D.C. I don't know about you, but spring brings morels, asparagus and strawberries to mind for me. Editor's note: NAMA newsletters older than 2003 are no longer published in the Mycophile archives, so we're continuing to publish this recipe here for our members' enjoyment. Objective: Side or first course Total Time: About an hour Yield: 6 mains or 9 sides 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 1/2 Lb. fresh morels (or 1.5 oz. dried morels, reconstituted*) 1 Lb. Arborio rice 1/2 cup chopped onion 5 Tbsp. olive oil 4 oz. unsalted butter 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup Prosecco (dry Italian sparkling wine) or other dry white wine Beef broth as needed (about 1.5 to 2 cups)* Optionally, if you use reconstituted dried morels, reserve the liquid, strain the gritty bits out, and substitute a portion of the beef broth with the morel liquid. Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / CEOs Epistle to the Fungophiles: April 2000 What a party!! Last night was the annual Wme & Mushroom Fest and it was, by overwhelming consensus, the best ever. Deb • April 1, 2000 Turbinellus floccosus. © aguadinero (CC-BY-NC) (inaturalist.org, obs. 253312082) Well over a hundred FFSC members and their lucky guests brought a great array of delicacies, complemented by wine from Bonny Doon, Ahlgren, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards, Zayante Vineyards, Osocalis, River Run and David Bruce. We were serenaded with recorder music by Ensemble Virelai. Table arrangements and twinkling lights set the mood beautifully. It seems like every year this "do" is a little bit bigger and a little bit better, but this year was a quantum leap! Big thanks and congratulations for a job well done are in order for Culinary Minister Rene Seltzer and the Culinary Committee and Jeff Emery, de facto Minister of Libations. Stop everything right now, get out that exquisite FFSC wineglass you brought home, and raise a glass for them again (on-duty air traffic controllers excepted!) Local forays are still on the agenda - check the Hotline for Ken Sommers' scheduled dates. Bob Sellers is planning further forays for the Jasper Ridge Study. You can call him for details. As the rains taper off locally, we shift our focus to long distance forays. You'll fmd details inside about the Spring Foray on May 5-7, as well as the Lake Tahoe Foray on September 15-17 and the Echo Summit Foray on September 29 - October 1. Clear your calendar and come along! See you at the Continental Foray and Picnic on Sunday, April 16th. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Writings Stories from the April 1, 2008 Issue of Duff It's that time of the year again, when members share their latest towering tales and alternative facts... Rick & Ella Schwartzi • April 1, 2008 Take a walk on the wild side. Photo by Hugh Smith Value of Spring Valley Foray Questioned Boletus rex-veris . © Douglas Smith (from mushroomobserver.org) FFSC Ministers voted to ban the collection of “Spring Kings” at this year’s Spring Foray since the fungus was recently put on the endangered species list. Some members have questioned this decision. Spod Tanier, long known for his passion for Spring Kings, is not deterred by this decision. “I know where there are plenty of kings,” says Tanier. Member Debbie Viess has no regrets, however. “They’re bland. Why bother? I’m so over eating mushrooms anyway,” said Viess. She suggested that instead of picking mushrooms, people should just go have a good snowball fight and get over it. Soquel Demo Forest Closed to Mushroom Hunting and Everything Else Craterellus cornucopioides . © Douglas Smith (mushroomobserver.org) Rumors abound that recent staff cuts in Santa Cruz County Road Maintenance Division led to the demise of access to the Soquel Demonstration State Forest. It is unclear how logging will continue there without a viable road. Tom Sutfin, Forest Manager, says “I’ll rebuild the road if I have to do it one shovel full at a time.” Sutfin has applied for funding for a helicopter pad to be installed near park headquarters. “With the road out, the only way in or out is by air,” says Sutfin. For now, black chanterelles can now grow in peace without fear of being plucked and sautéed. Did Someone Ignore the Suggested Species List?? Extreme behavior was the hallmark of this year's Fungus Fair Reception. Science Advisor John Brown and Minister of Culinary Events Vernetta McGuire mounted an urgent investigation to determine if a mushroom toxicology issue was responsible. “People really need to stick to the suggested species list and fill out their dish tags!” said McGuire, clearly exasperated. Opinions were divided as to cause: hallucinogenic mushrooms, Two Buck Chuck toxicity of the white whiners, or simply good spirits. Brown, an analytic chemist, is still working on the matter. Stay tuned for more. Help Has Arrived. April is here and Craterellus is fruiting furiously in the forests. You all love the challenge of trying to get your eyes tuned to seeing them and the thrill of actually finding them; but then when you arrive at your domicile with your basket bulging with Nature’s bounty you are faced with the daunting task of getting them clean enough to eat. After plowing through plantations of poison oak, many times the cleaning seems to be the toughest part of the whole endeavor. Well folks, fret no more! Now there is an easy way to deal with your gritty load of fungal freebies from the forest. Just bring them by Gary’s Craterellus Cleaning Center . Ale-addled technicians will clean your Craterellus to perfection. That’s right, just bring them to GCCC and I will clean them all; then I get half and you get half . No muss, no fuss. Once you bring your mushrooms to me you will know you have been... serviced. And for a limited time only on all orders over 15 pounds I will deliver the cleaned goods to your door. What more could you ask for? Customer satisfaction is guaranteed! If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with the cleanliness of your “Trumpets of Death,” simply return the uneaten portion to Gary’s Craterellus Cleaning Center and we can just forget about the whole deal. What more could I ask for? — Gary Milburn *Offer void during August and September. Spring Mushroom Cookoff Gyromitra esculenta . © Fred Stevens (from mykoweb.com ) This year’s Mushroom Cookoff will feature Gyromitra esculenta , says foodie Vernetta McGuire. Esculenta is Latin for delicious! Sometimes known as the beefsteak morel, recipes for this fungus abound in mushroom lore, and McGuire and her team of tasters will judge which cook turns out the tastiest dish. Longtime MSSF member Larry Stickney was quick to volunteer as a taster, citing his many years of eating this exotic fungus. “Just don’t stand too close to the cook pot,” says Stickney, “and you won’t inhale the monomethylhydrazine.” As a precaution, exhaust fans have been installed for the stoves where the contest takes place. To read more about this mushroom, visit Tom Volk’s webpage: http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/may2002.html Caution : This is the April Fools issue, and eating this mushroom, if you haven't figured it out by now, is NOT encouraged. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Stories from the April 1, 2009 Issue of Duff Stories from the April 1, 2010 Issue of Duff Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / 2016 March Sierra Report With the warmer weather and rain, it looked like a good time to check out the Sierras. Here are our findings. Sue Labiste • March 23, 2016 Peziza (cup fungus). Photo by Katherine Elvin Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 2013 Sierra Scouting Report Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Take a Closer Look at your Black Trumpets Phil Carpenter brought me a bag of Craterellus calicornucopioides the other day. He’s a really nice, thoughful guy, isn’t he? Deb • March 1, 2010 Craterellus calicornucopioides. © Alan Rockefeller (from mushroomobserver.org) But that’s not all. He placed a lovely little bouquet of Craterellus atrocinereus on top. They’re similar, but not identical. The C. atrocinereus have a veiny underside, like our Golden Chanterelles, whereas the C. calicornucopioides have a smoother hymenium. Check it out in these pictures and keep an eye open for them in the woods. I’ve found them occasionally in the past, and they always get lost in my basket with the dominant species. My comparison: they taste basically the same, but the C. atrocinereus have a slightly softer and more luscious texture. See what you think. Bon appétit! Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / 2023 Outdoor and Virtual Fungus Fair Once more we will not be doing our normal fair at the London Nelson Community Center. Instead we will do a series of local forays with culinary events, Zoom talks, and an iNaturalist project during January 2023, similar to the event we held in 2022. All of these events will be open to FFSC club members and the general public. Santa Cruz Fungus Fair Committee • December 19, 2022 Outdoor Fair Local Forays - Sold out We will offer a series of guided local forays on the weekends of January 7,8 and 14,15. These forays will be led by local mycologists and will have the goal of identifying and learning about our local fungi in their natural habitat. After each foray, our culinary committee volunteers will prepare a tailgate style tasting of incredible mushroom dishes while we discuss the days finds. We will try to keep the group sizes small in order to allow a more personal interaction with our leaders and for covid safety. These will be outdoor events, so be prepared for wet and cold weather and some walking to see our mushroom habitat. The price to attend the walks will be $10 for adults, $5 for full time students and free for children under 12. We are suggesting that participants make a $5 donation if they will be sharing in the treats prepared by our culinary artists. Xerocomellus atropurpureus Mushroom Lecture Series During the week between the forays, Monday-Friday, January 9-13, we will be offering a series of discussions/talks on Zoom featuring talented mycologists covering a range of topics. This is an opportunity to hear about the exiting work of some great amateur and professional mycologists.The talks will also be live streamed to our Youtube channel for anyone unable to attend the Zoom. Tropical Mushroom Collage. Photo by Lauren Re iNaturalist Project During the forays citizen scientists will be encouraged to document what they see on iNaturalist. Observations will automatically be added to the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair – 2023 Mycoblitz Project on iNaturalist. In addition, th e general public are encouraged to record their own fungal observations in the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounding area from January 1-15, 2023 for inclusion in the Mycoblitz. Visit the project page for more information. We hope that this modified format will provide an interesting, educational, fun, and safe event for the whole family, and that next year we can bring back the traditional fair, bigger and better than ever. 2023 Fungus Fair iNaturalist Mycoblitz Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts 40th Fungus Fair: Time lapse of the Island setup A Short History of the Fungus Fair Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

News & Stories / Writings Ending, Beginning Anew Perusing past issues of Duff provides a great retrospective on mushrooming on the Central Coast since the founding of the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz in 1984. We've moved most of the articles to this website, and will no longer publish the PDF. Deb • May 1, 2013 Bob Sellers (from the final issue of Duff, May 2013) During the past 29 years some of the most noted mycologists in the world have addressed our group. We’ve collected oodles of mushrooms on local, long distance and ad hoc forays, dined royally, held fungal fashion shows, tailgate tastings and culinary forays. Excerpts from the first issue of Duff ’s precursor, the Federation Flyer , are included below for the whole alpha-omega experience. I think Bob Sellers would be happy to know he will always make us laugh! Our lectures, classes and workshops have provided tools for better understanding and helped us stay abreast of changes in nomenclature and molecular sequencing technology. FFSC has sponsored countless Fungus Fairs — next year will be the 40th! And we have all enjoyed ourselves immensely and made some very good friends in the bargain. Sincere thanks to the editors of Duff over its 29 year history: Bob Sellers, Greg Ferguson, Bridget Binko, Ford Johnson, Flick Christensen, Larry Payne, Madeline Wycke, Roxane Kitely, Wendy Wells and Debbie Johnson. We are also grateful to all of you who contributed articles, questions, photos and ideas over the years. Your generosity has enriched both the newsletter and our club. We look forward to enjoying your pictures and prose on the new website, which will launch in the fall at ffsc.us ! You’ll receive email notification when everything is up and running. Please send tales and photos of your morel hunts and summer mushrooming adventures to our Google Group! Wishing you fruitful forays, Debbie Johnson Minister of Propaganda Duff's predecessor, The Federation Flyer : Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Demise of the Duff Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article

Black Trumpets and Soy Sausage on Crispy Angel Hair Pasta A birds-nest disk of noodles, layered with savory sausage and mushrooms. by Bo Letos Craterellus calicornucopioides. © caitlin_f (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 335164379) Method Prep Heat ¼ cup of the cream and ¼ cup water in a small pan until steaming slightly. Submerge the dried Craterellus in the cream bath and let them soak until completely soft (15 to 20 minutes). In the meantime, chop the leeks and basil, and start cooking the pasta (below). When the mushrooms are rehydreated, extract and clean any unwanted debris from the reconsituted mushrooms, and chop. Strain the soaking liquid using a paper towel or paper coffee filter and reserve the liquid, discarding any unwanted debris. Prepare the Pasta Cook pasta according to package directions, then drain. Beat or whisk the eggs and the other ¼ cup of cream together, and the basil. Add the drained pasta and blend well so all strands are coated. Cook the Topping Heat 2 Tbsp. of oil over medium heat, add soy sausage and fry until browned and crisp (about 3 minutes). Remove sausage from pan and set aside to stay crunchy. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan and sauté until tender (about 5 minutes). Add the leeks, and saute for another 3 - 4 minutes. Pour in the reserved (strained) creamy soaking liquid, the sugar, soy sauce, five-spice powder and salt to taste. Blend well, making sure the liquid coats all the mushrooms. Turn the heat to low while you create the pasta pancakes (nests). Create Pasta Pancakes Place 2 Tbsp. oil in a large cast iron skillet and heat until a drop of water "dances" on the surface (about medium-high.) With a pair of tongs, pull out about ¼ of the pasta/egg mixture and place in the middle of the skillet, flattening it out to look like a pancake. Fry each side until golden brown (about 45 seconds).* Repeat with the rest of the other three portions of the pasta, creating equal discs. While the "pancakes" are frying, stir the cornstarch-water slurry into the simmering mushroom and leeks pan. Stir constantly until thickened to glossy glaze. The mixture should not be runny. Stir in the crispy soy sausage. Place a crispy noodle pancake in the middle of each serving plate, and ladel the mushroom and sausage mix over the top. serve immediately. * To avoid breaking the pancake, make sure the bottom edges are golden brown to ensure there's no liquid egg left. Right before the flip, give the skillet a gentle shake. If the pancake slides around freely as a single unit, it's ready to turn. If it sticks, run a spatula around underneath to fully free it first. Then place the spatula under the pancake, and hold a spoon or tongs on the top to clamp it in place, flip it, and gently lay the other side down. Recipe contributed: March 1999 This recipe was inspired by one of my very favorite cookbooks, Jack Czarnecki's wonderful A Cook's Book of Mushrooms . The recipes, with a few personal vegetarian alterations thrown in, have produced some of the finest meals I've ever had. (The only caveat is that in order to produce such exquisite meals, I seem to end up using almost every pot in the kitchen!) One of the tricks I've learned from the book is that Mr. Czarnecki uses three ingrediants in almost every one of his recipes: sugar, soy sauce, and salt. Since I started doing the same in my fungal feasts, my meals have improved immensely. In my house, we use a 4 star rating system to judge each recipe. Below is one of our own 4⭑ concoctions. Objective: Main course Total Time: 30-45 minutes Yield: 4 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Black trumpet / black chanterelle (Craterellus atrocinereus, Craterellus calicornucopioides, Craterellus cinereus) 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. angel hair pasta 2 eggs ½ cup half-and-half ½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped Sea salt Olive Oil 2 med. leeks, sliced into 1" pieces (cut on the bias) ½ cup soy sausage, crumbled 1 cup dried Craterellus calicornucopioides 1 tsp. fructose 1 Tbsp. soy sauce 2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, mixed in ½ cup cold water Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Seafood Stuffed Shrimp Russula Caps Young shrimp russulas have a mild, nutty taste, and work well with seafood dishes. by Gregg Ferguson Russula xerampelina. © Natalynn Browning (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 35720366) Method Soften cream cheese by leaving it on the counter until it reaches room temperature (30 to 45 minutes). In the meantime, pat shrimp dry with paper towels, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté shrimp in a skillet with 1 tsp. of oil or butter over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until opaque and pink. Remove shrimp from skillet immediately and set aside to cool to room temperature. Blanch the scallops: Bring a small pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Drop in scallops and cook for 45 to 60 seconds until they turn opaque and firm up slightly. Immediately transfer scallops to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process, then drain well. Preheat oven to 400°F Gently clean shrimp russula caps, and remove the stems. (Save stems to use in other dishes) Arrange caps on baking pan. Finely chop the cooled shrimp, scallops, and crab meat. Squeeze out the excess moisture and discard. Place seafood in a bowl and add the softened cream cheese, eggs, and seasonings. Mix well. Stuff caps with the seafood/dairy mixture. Melt butter in microwave or small saucepan, and drizzle over each cap. Sprinkle each cap with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400°F for until mushrooms are tender and hot, and cheese is browned (12 to 15 minutes). Recipe contributed: October 1986 Objective: Appetizer Total Time: 1 to 1 ¼ hours Yield: 6 to 8 servings Suggested Mushrooms: Shrimp russula (Russula xerampelina) 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 ½ lb. peeled and deveined shrimp ¼ lb. scallops 2 oz. cooked crab meat 3 oz. cream cheese 2 to 3 Tbsp. butter ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or more, to taste) 1 egg ¼ tsp. garlic powder ½ tsp. dry mustard Pinch white pepper ¼ tsp. salt 20-30 small shrimp russulas Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

Become a Fair Volunteer We need volunteers to set up and run the 2026 Fungus Fair. Honestly, we can't do it without you! What Do Volunteers Do? Ready to sign up? Here's how . During the Fair (Jan 9-11) Help with ticket sales and voucher redemption Check hand stamps Set up and/or take down tables and chairs for the After Hours Dinner Help at the FFSC membership table The central island ready to receive the fungi from volunteers. Photo by Katherine Elvin Before the Fair Collect wild mushrooms for the exhibits (January 6-7) Help arrange the mushroom exhibits (January 7-9) Load and unload tables, chairs, equipment, etc. for the Fungi Forest, talks, and craft areas (January 6-9) Help to plan the Fair (June - December) At the End of (and After) the Fair Take down all the exhibits (January 11) Fold and store all the tables and chairs (January 11) Celebrate a job well done at the Volunteer Dinner! (TBA) Ready to sign up? How to Become a Fair Volunteer 301 Center St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA Anyone can help! You do not need to be a member of FFSC to volunteer. To be eligible for a FREE General Admission ticket to the Fungus Fair, you must pre-register as a volunteer, and work for at least one volunteer position (usually for a few hours, depending on the role). If there is an area or task you particularly enjoy, it's a good idea to sign up early to nail it down now. To volunteer during the Fair (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), please visit: https://ffsc.ivolunteer.com/fungusfair_2026 To volunteer for set up before the Fair, or take down at the end of the Fair, please visit: https://ffsc.ivolunteer.com/setup_2026

Oyster Mushroom Bruschetta Bruschetta is always popular at our FFSC potlucks, and this recipe would be no exception! by Deb Pleurotus ostreatus. © Felicia Gershberg (CC-BY-NC) (from inaturalist.org, obs. 326553944) Method Slice the bread 1" thick. Grill or broil the bread on each side until lightly browned. Rub each slice with crushed garlic, and brush with olive oil and salt to taste. Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, cooking until they give up moisture. Add herbs and continue cooking until mushrooms are nicely browned. Top bread with one or two thin tomato slices. Add hot cooked mushrooms, and serve warm. Recipe contributed: November 1996 I had a particularly enjoyable September, which involved at various times mudbaths, hot mineral soaks, massage, wine, food, and, of course, mushrooms. You know, the usual FFSC stuff! Between a trip to the wine country with my big sisters and the Echo Summit Foray, it was a great month. The progressive Saturday potluck at Echo was the usual fabulous decadence; hedonism followed in the spa and casinos! The following recipe is my approximation of a great appetizer I had at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena. The CIA is in the old Christian Brothers winery, offering tours, kitchen viewing and a great restaurant for lunch or dinner. Objective: Appetizer Total Time: 20 to 30 mins Yield: 6 servings 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 Bruschetta 6 slices good bread (chewy, porous textured with a good crust) 2 or 2 cloves garlic Good olive oil Salt, preferably kosher or sea salt Mushrooms A nice pile of fresh oyster mushrooms, sliced if large 1 or 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced Olive oil Fresh rosemary or fresh thyme (or use both or other herbs of choice) Salt & pepper to taste Previous Recipe All Recipes Next Recipe

News & Stories / In Memory of Herb Saylor The mushroom community in the San Francisco Bay Area is feeling the heavy loss of one of the GIANTS in the local mycology scene. Herb Saylor died at work from a heart attack in May. Larry Stickney • May 25, 2000 Ramaria stricta. © Lila (CC-BY-NC) (inaturalist.org, obs. 339502924) He influenced so many amateurs and even spurred many to get a college degree. This includes Dr. Dennis Desjardin and several other Ph.D's in mycology. He spent his spare money buying taxonomy books for the graduate students at SFSU and twice served as President of the MSSF. He was constantly teaching about mushroom taxonomy and microscopy, leading forays and talking about the fungi to anyone who would listen. He was an expert on the corals and hypogeous fungi, but well rounded in all areas and one of the most knowledgeable amateurs in North America. Herb was loved and respected by all and he will be sadly missed. Members Only Content Login Join FFSC Related Posts Previous Article All News & Stories Next Article