Mushrooms

Eating wild mushrooms scares the heck out of me. I know that there are some mushrooms that are toxic and will kill you (and doctors can do nothing about it).

I figured that I would ask you folks. These mushrooms look like they are yummy, but need expert advice before I even think of eating them...

Are these edible??? Here are the top and bottom views...

JohnT, that is something I just don't mess with. Lots of downside to a bad decision. My father-in-law used to pick wild mushrooms but he knew what he was looking for, I don't. He also used to put a dime (silver back then) in contact with them and if it turned black, the mushrooms were either good or bad, I don't remember which. I find all the mushrooms I need at Giant Eagle and Kroger.

I contacted the NJ Mycological Society. They said that it was Suillus Luteus and was edible provided that you peel them.

JohnT said:

but need expert advice before I even think of eating them...

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John, serioulsy? You are asking a winemaking message board for "expert advice" on a wild mushroom?

You did the smartest thing by contacting the NJ Mycological Society.

wineforfun said:

John, serioulsy? You are asking a winemaking message board for "expert advice" on a wild mushroom?

You did the smartest thing by contacting the NJ Mycological Society.

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Hey, we deal with fungi all the time

Seriously, I posted this while waiting for the NJMS to get back to me. You never know if there is a person that is very familiar with mushrooms on this forum....

JohnT said:

I ...provided that you peel them.

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Sounds like a lot of work to me.

JohnT said:

I contacted the NJ Mycological Society. They said that it was Suillus Luteus and was edible provided that you peel them.

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Thanks for reminding me, John. I just learned about the Wisconsin Mycological Soc., and intended to join. (They do frequent forays and mushroom-themed dinner gatherings.) Prompted by you, I just joined them!


Do you understand why I am posting this smilie: ?

Mushroom cloud? Is there more to it than that? Wine makes you gassy and want to smoke?

wineinmd said:

Mushroom cloud? Is there more to it than that?

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Nope, that is all there is to it! I guess I am a simple man.

sour_grapes said:

Nope, that is all there is to it! I guess I am a simple man.

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Haha. No one would ever accuse me of being deep, so I can commiserate.

Who knew there was a really long drinking/smoking/mushroom cloud smilie?

SG,

I, for one, found that appropriate and funny!

Mushroom hunting is almost as enjoyable as making wine. Great exercise. Great table fare.

As was noted, the mycological societies and mushroom clubs are a must for the beginning mushroom hunter. Even with a good introduction to the hobby as through club forays, it is a good idea to check your finds with an expert.

Never eat a mushroom that you aren't 100% sure of the ID. It is far better to overcook than undercooked mushrooms, and, for a lot of people, it is good to refrain from alcohol consumption with mushroom meals. Always test a small sample of the mushroom even with positive ID.

Given that, it is an incredibly enjoyable hobby. This autumn has absolutely sucked for harvest on the dry side of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, but the mushrooming has still been fun.

newBendOrfanatic said:

Always test a small sample of the mushroom even with positive ID.

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Thanks for the response. How would you test a small sample?

JohnT said:

Thanks for the response. How would you test a small sample?

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Feed it to a small child! ::

I do a simple frying pan cook of a small portion, and eat a tablespoon sized sample the day prior to my planned meal even though I am already certain of the ID with any new type of mushroom.

I do stick to the basic edibles such as matsutake, chanterelles, hedgehogs and boletes. My favorite mushrom, the morel, no longer agrees with my digestive system at all. On occasion, I will bring home some other edibles, but I target just my basic favorites.

The final rule of mushroom hunting is that one never gives up the secret hunting spots. Lol. Twenty years ago it was a productive rule. Now there are so many mushroomers out there that secret spots don't exist. I have been asked to lead forays by the local club, but I still can't give up my hunting areas. Lol.

This weekend we attended the NJ Mycological society's fungus fest. It was very informative, but now they have scared me away from the hobby..

They had a lecture on techniques use to ID a mushroom. the differences are amazingly subtle. The lecturer also said that you should never eat a mushroom that you are not 100% positive on.

I do not believe that I would ever be 100% positive on any mushroom given how subtle the differences can be!

To cap things off, the lecturer explained that overconfidence is a problem with even experienced shroomers. He told the story of one expert that picked a whole bunch of mushrooms and miss one that was actually a "Destroying Angel" mushroom (one of, if not the most toxic mushrooms in North America). They say that the funeral was nice.

I think that, instead of mushrooming, I will look into cultivating my own mushrooms. This way, I can be 100% sure that I wont die!

I do feel totally safe harvesting a targeted mushroom such as a golden chanterelle. Going on a foray with a mycological society or a mushroom club with experts and targeting specific types of mushrooms should be safe.

I would not feel safe cultivating my own mushrooms unless I had perfect control over the cultivation environment particularly with a couple of the commonly cultivated species. Strange, but true from my perspective.

For myself, there is a comparison between winemaking and mushroom foraging. I am totally confident picking a Boletus edulis from a mushroom hunt. On the other hand, I am totally paranoid of shattering a carboy or bottle bombs. The pasteurization of bottled cider is something that scares the holy crap out of me. Lol.

When I lived up North, I hunted mushrooms every spring. These are the only ones I would hunt or eat. Morels, or sponge mushrooms. There is no mistaking them for something poisonous and they are delicious fried up in butter alone or with a light breading. Perfect with a nice steak and a glass of red.



JohnT, I know you are in New Jersey, so...

http://www.morels.com/forums/forum/new-jersey/

They are much harder to find down South and hit or miss. I have never seen one here. I miss them!

It used to be that the only way you could get these was to hunt them. Now I understand they have had some success cultivating them as a crop. But they are extremely rare commercially.

So what is the morel of this story?

(Sorry, just couldn't resist. I'm just happy I feel good enough today to enjoy a glass of blackberry wine and actually taste the blackberries!)