Mushroom Mania
It all begins with an idea.
Mushrooms Mushrooms Mushrooms. How I love them so. I have become a foraging fanatic. At the first sight of rain I gaze out of the window awaiting signs from my fungi friends. With all of this glorious H20 that we have been receiving in the North East, they are really showing off their blooms.
After forgoing the mowing of my lawn (this is another story - see “Lawnlessness”), chanterelles began popping up in places I’d been disrespecting for decades. Once I really started to pay attention, glorious eats were arriving everywhere.
The thing about mushrooms is, they are the most incredible and complex system on earth. (You must watch: Fantastic Fungi). They are underneath our feet at all times and everywhere. It’s only their fruiting body that we often identify as the mushroom itself. But oh there is a glorious world going on underneath the soil. Interconnected webs that regenerate life and act as a communication/feeding system for all trees, forests and organisms.
But lets talk about foraging them as food…..I think it’s best to narrow down to just four in your geographic area that are edible, easily identifiable and just stick to those. Safety First! I generally avoid any that are white, too many mistakes can be made there.
Identifying factors: Color, Texture, Gills, Stems but it is also very important to identifying mushrooms by the location, where they are growing (on the forest floor, on a lawn, on a tree stump, in a meadow), how they are growing (singular, clusters), and with what they are growing (type of tree, type of moss).
When extracting the mushroom, never pull it. This will disrupt it’s mycelium system or roots and prevent it from coming back in that same location. Always use a small knife and gently cut the mushroom at the stem. This will ensure your foraging spot re-blooms and you can return season after season.
Here are my “go-to” foraging finds:
Chanterelle: Cantharellus, Grow singular, on a lawn or ground surface. Sometimes seen in pairs or trio. Bright orange in color. Does not have a separation from the stalk and cap. Gills that run downward into into the stem. (Caution not to misidentify with the Jack O Lantern that are found in large clusters at the base of trees, on stumps, or on buried wood. They also have a brighter orange color and a smoother surface and are unsafe for consumption.)
Morel: Morchella. These highly coveted beauties appear in early Spring very specifically. They grow in woodlands or woody edges, under or around decaying elms, ash, poplar and apple trees But sadly many property owners miss out on them because of mowing of lawns. No Mow May should help you with this problem. These are are very tasty delicacy and much sought after in the local farm to table restaurant.scene.
Chicken of the Woods: Laetiporus. I am so fortunate to have a nice recurring bloom of this beauty. They are bright orange and grow in a bright bloom on oak tree stumps. They will reappear several times in the summer and fall. These are hearty and dense and are one of the only mushrooms that can be frozen after harvest to eat later because of their meaty texture.
Black Trumpet: Craterellus cornucopioides, or horn of plenty. The upper and inner surface is black or dark grey. The lower and outer fertile surface is a much lighter shade of grey. The surface is smooth but may be somewhat wrinkled. The fruiting body does not have a separation into stalk and cap, but is shaped like a funnel expanded at the top. Black trumpets mainly grow in the woods, under beech, oak or other broad-leaved trees, especially in moss in moist spots.
What a perfect excuse to get out into the woods, and open your eyes to the glorious details of the forest floor. Get to know that fungus among-us!
Fancy a head start to growing your own mushrooms? Try any of these easy starter kits or “how to” guides: MUSHROOM KITS & GUIDES
