The Mushroom Guide and Identifier

THEMU S H R O O MG U I D EA N DI D E N T I F I E RThe ultimate guide to identifying, picking and using mushroomsPETER JORDAN



THEMUSHROOMG U I D EA N DI D E N T I F I E R



T H EM U SH R O O MG U I D EA N DI D E N T I F I E RThe ultimate guide to identifying, picking and using mushroomsPETER JORDANmHERMESHOUSE

DisclaimerThe publishers and authors cannot accept responsibility for any identification of any mushroom made by users of this guide. Although many species are edible for many people, some species cause allergic reactions or illness to some people: these are totally unpredictable. Therefore, the publishers and authors cannot take responsibility for any effects from eating any wild mushroom.This edition published by Hermes House an imprint of Anness Publishing Limited Hermes House 88-89 Blackfriars Road London SEl 8HAAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retriewd system, or transmitted in any way or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British LibraryPublisher: Joanna Lorenz Project Editor: Glare Nicholson Designer: Michael Morey Illustrator: Adam Abel Indexer: Alex CorrinPreviously published as The New Guide to Mushrooms© Anness Publishing Limited 1995, 1996, 2000 1 3 5 7 9108 6 4 2

ContentsI N T R O D U C T I O N6Foreword8What are mushrooms?10The different parts o f mushrooms12Where to collect mushrooms14When to collect mushrooms16How to collect mushrooms18Storing mushrooms20E D IB L E M U S H R O O M S22P O I S O N O U S M U S H R O O M S96G L O SS A R Y122IN D E X124B IB L IO G R A P H Y127A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S128







ForewordI was introduced to wild mushrooms by mygrandfather who was a farmer in Norfolk,England. From the age o f four I would go out inthe fields with him to collect not only what hedescribed as field mushrooms, but also someweird and wonderful looking toadstools which Ithought were poisonous - they certainly lookedmenacing to a child. However, he taught me onevery good lesson: so long as you can identifyabsolutely accurately what you are picking youwill be safe. From these early beginningsdeveloped a lifetime’s interest in wild mushrooms.The excitement of walking along a woodlandpath in the autumn, and finding in front o f youtwo or three perfectly formed ceps is wonderful.During fifty years as a mushroom hunter, I havegraduated from the relatively common horse andfield mushrooms to the more exotic chanterellesand ceps. 1 am still excited when 1 find the firstmorels o f the spring, or the year’s first patch o fchanterelles hidden in the leaf litter; o f course, themore elusive the mushroom, like the horn ofplenty or the winter chanterelle, the greater theexcitement. Imagine the ultimate triumph o ffinding your first truffle - o f beating the pigs andsquirrels to them! But, as well as providingexcitement and good eating, mushrooms can bedangerous; correct identification is the key tosuccessful mushroom collecting.The fruits, nuts and mushrooms o f autumn areobvious and most are easy to spot. But have youever realized that the winter, spring and summercan be as productive - at least as far as mushroomsare concerned? Mushrooms are one o f the fewwild treasures available nearly all the year round.Even on a crisp winter’s day you can find abouquet o f silver-grey oyster mushrooms or thewonderful velvet shank growing out o f a treestump and it is so much more satisfying to pickthem like this than from a supermarket shelf.Because, o f course, the excitement of finding themushrooms is closely followed by the satisfactiono f cooking them within hours if not minutes o ftheir harvest.Identifying mushrooms, utterly essentialthough it is, can be frustrating if you have to wadethrough hundreds o f illustrations, many o f whichlook the same. This book is designed to make thattask easier. It illustrates the best o f the ediblemushrooms, and so will help you pick your waywisely through the year’s mushrooms, alertingyou not only to a season’s treasures, but also to thepoisonous lookalikes and really deadly fungi thatall too often grow alongside innocent anddelicious mushrooms. The section that deals withthe poisonous species will help identification andgive the faint-hearted confidence to take theirfinds back to the kitchen. But do follow the advicegiven in this guide carefully. If clear identificationis not possible from this book, consult others - thebibliography lists some o f the best. Andremember that the best advice o f all is: if in doubtdo not collect a mushroom and never, ever, eatanything you cannot identify with certainty.Peter Jordan

NTR0DUCT1ONIWhat are mushrooms?The terms mushrooms, toadstools and fungi (singular fungus) are often us?d loosely and interchangeably. However, this can be misleading.The fungi are a very large group of organisms and include moulds, yeasts, mushrooms and toadstools. None of these organisms contain the green pigment chlorophyll, so they cannot make their own food by the process known as photosynthesis. So, although you may encounter some mushrooms with a distinctly greenish tinge, none are green in the way that a tree or a flowermg plant is.Mushrooms are usually defined as the edible, spore-producing bodies of some fungi. In contrast, the term toadstool is commonly applied to the spore-producing bodies of those fungi that are not only inedible but may also be highly dangerous. From this you will realize that while the terms fungus and fungi have a very precise scientific meaning, mushroom and toadstool do not. In this book mush­room is used whether, or not, the fruit body of that particular fungus is edible. It is used to cover a large number of different types of fungi such as mushrooms, boletes, bracket fungi, puffballs and cap fungi.AscomycetesThe cup fungi circle shows details o f the spore-bearing surface.BasidiomycetesThegilled mushroom circle shows the enlargement o f the gill edge.Tuber aestivum, the summer truffle,an example o f an ascomycete fungus.The fungi in this book divide into two main groups: the Ascomycetes and the Basidiomycetes. The Asco­mycetes produce spores that are spread by the wind. Among this group are many of the cup fungi, including the common morel and Gyromitra escu-lenta.Because the wind spreads the spore of many of these mushrooms, it is worth remembering when you find some morels, for example, to check downwind and you will almost certainly find some more.10

The second group, and by far the largest as far as the collector is con­cerned, is the Basidiomycetes, which includes the large and well-known Agaric and Boletus families. These two families, in fact, form sub-divisions within the group.A mushroom of the Agaric type is illustrated here with the various parts clearly identified. This is a gilled mushroom and sometimes grows from an egg-shaped volval bag. Care must be taken when dealing with any mushroom that grows from a volval bag, because this is how the A m a n i t a s ,the most deadly of all mushroom species, grow.Parts of the Agaric-type fungifragments ofveiluniversal veilT h e u n iv e r s a l v e il en closes th e w h o l e m u s h r o o m a n d th e p a r t i a l v e il co vers th e g i l l s . As th e m u s h r o o m g r o w s th e u n iv e r s a l v e il ru p tu re s to l e a v e a v o l v a a n d f r a g m e n t s on th eca p , a n d th e p a r t i a l v e i l ru p tu r e s to l e a v e a rin g o n th e s te m .NTR0DUcT1оNIParts of the Boletus-type fungiA second sub-division is the Boletes. Instead of having gills, mush­rooms in this group have tubes and pores which vary widely in colour. Boletes, like Agarics, are fleshy and decay readily. This separates them from the Polypores. It is important to note their colour because this can be a clear indicator of the mushrooms you have found. The cep is the best- known member of this group.A third group of fungi illustrated in this book is Aphyllophorales. This group includes the polypores and chanterelles and a number of othermushrooms that have irregular shapes. A number of fungi fall into this group, for example, the hedge­hog fungus, which, instead of gills, has tiny spines from which it gets its name. Another member of the group is the cauliflower fungus. It may look odd, but it is a wonderful find from a culinary point of view. Other un­usual types are the beefsteak fungus and the sulphur polypore or chicken of the woods. Both are excellent for cooking as well as being quite spec­tacular when you encounter them in the wild.E x a m p l e s o f th e t w o t y p e s o f f u n g i w h ic hf o r m s u b - d iv is io n s o f th e B a s id io m y c e te s .T h e h orse m u s h r o o m ( a b o v e ) a n d th e cep( r ig h t) .C a u l i f l o w e r f u n g u s is an e x a m p l e o f th eth ir d m a jo r g r o u p o f f u n g i , th eA p h y l l o p h o r a t e s .11

NrR0DVcT1oNIT he different parts of mushroomsWhen collecting wild mushrooms it is important to consider carefully what it is that you are collecting. The mushroom itself can be divided into various parts. From both the collect­ing and culinary points of view the cap or fruit body is the most impor­tant part. The shape, size and colour of the cap can show tremendous variation within a species, which is one of the reasons why mushrooms are so difficult to identify accurately. It is also important to note whether the cap has gills or pores, what the colours of these are and whether they are crowded or open.Stems can also vary considerbly and they, too, can often be an impor­tant indicator of precisely which mushroom you have discovered. Does the stem have a veil or not? The base of the stem is a vital means ofidentification, particularly if you have any doubts about the specimens you have found. If you are not sure what it is, carefully dig out the mushroom so that you can see the base of the stem. If there is any sign of a volval bag have nothing more to do with the mushroom. Incidentally, whatever the mushroom that you are digging up proves to be, do be care­ful not to do too much damage to the mycelial threads that connect it to the rest of the underground part of the fungus.The colour of the mushroom’s flesh is another important means of identification. Not only should you look at the whole mushroom, you should also cut it through in cross- section. Some important details, such as whether the stem is hollow, can of course, only be seen in cross-section.In some species the stems change colour quite dramatically when they are cut. Take note of any such changes, because they can be a reli­able identification feature in certain types of mushroom.Spore prints are also a good means of identifying mushrooms and are very easy to do. Take a cap or fruit body of a mature specimen of a mushroom and place it on black or white paper on top of a container, so that air can circulate around it. Leave in a warm place for up to three days so the mushroom sheds all its spores and you will have a very clear spore print. If you do not know what colour the spore will be, put down a piece of black paper and overlay part of it with white paper. Then place the cap so that it is half on the black paper and half on the white.Examples of different shapes of stems

LEFT T o t a k e a s p o r e p r i n t y o u w i l l n e e d am a tu r e s p e c im e n , w h i t e , o r b la c k a n d w h i t ep a p e r a n d a c o n ta in e r to p l a c e it o n .LEFT BELOW L e a v e th e m u s h r o o m in aw a r m p la c e f o r a f e w d a y s .LEFT BO TTO M D o u o t u se j u s t blackp a p e r becau se it w i l l n o t s h o w u p i f thes p o r e p r i n t is a d a r k colour.NTR0DUCT1ONI13

/NTR0DUCT1oNWhere to collect mushroomsAlways take care when you are out mushroom collecting that you do not trespass. Always get the permission of the landowner before you go on to any land that is not open to the public. When you are mushroom collecting be careful of the surround­ing countryside and its animals, otherwise not only will you soon get a bad reputation, but you will give other collectors a similar reputation whether they deserve it or not.Most people limit their mushroom hunting to meadows, but these have suffered from being over enriched with nitrates, which have denuded many previously good mushroom­hunting territories. If you want to find meadowland mushrooms it is best to examine those meadows and marshes that have been treated with natural organic fertilizers and not nitrates. But why restrict yourself to meadowland species when eighty per cent of fungi grow in associationwith trees? Woods, forests and copses are the' places where you should really be looking for mushrooms, but only, of course, once you have established you will not be trespassing.Established woods and forests con­taining a wide variety of species provide the very best places for mushroom collecting and it is in such areas that the vast majority of species are to be found. Many of these fungi have a symbiotic relationship with trees and their roots, with some fungi growing only with a particular species of tree, while other fungi can be found in association with a number of different trees. For example, many boletes grow only with one type of tree such as the species of S u i l lu s which only grow with conifers, or the species of L e c c i n u m which are very specific; L e c c i n u m v e r s i p e l l e grows with birch and L. a u r a n t i a c u m with aspen. Chanterelles on the other hand can effectively grow with birch.pine, oaks or even beech trees.Soil type is also important. Al­though many trees grow on a variety of soils, you will find that some fungi will only grow with a particular tree on a particular soil, rather than across the whole range of soils on which the tree grows. For example the bay boletus grows under beech trees or under conifers on acid soils, and the panther cap grows under beech trees on chalk.14

A BO V E T h e e a r ly m o r n in g is p r i m em u s h r o o m h u n tin g tim e .O PPO SIT E D o n o t restrict y o u r m u sh r o o mh u n tin g to m e a d o w s a n d w o o d la n d s :m a rs h e s a n d h e a th la n d can be s u r p r is in g lyp r o d u c t i v e to o .LEFT M a n y m u s h r o o m s g r o w in rin gs,s o m e o f w h ic h reach s e v e r a l m e tre s w id e .

1NTR0DUcT1oNWhen to collect mushroomsMost people associate mushrooms with the autumn, but, in fact, they grow throughout the year.The spring brings morels and the St George’s mushroom C a l o c y b eg a m b o s a . The fairy ring champignon, M a r a s m i u s o re a d e s, also appears quite early in the year. The first of the summer mushrooms is usually the field mushroom, A g a r i c u s c a m p e s t r i s .Another mushroom to appear fairly early in summer is the chicken of the woods, L a e t i p o r u s s u l p h u r e u s , indeed it often catches collectors unawares with its early appearance. When, or indeed if, there is a spell of hot weather, there is usually little to be found, but these conditions are, nevertheless, important, because they help the mushrooms’ under­ground mycelial threads to mature before the autumn’s great burst of growth. If the weather is mild, the autumn can extend into early winter. The first touches of frost may heraldthe coming of winter, but they can often bring exciting finds of both the field blewit, L e p i s t a s a e v a , and the wood blewit, L e p i s t a n u d a . Both these species will continue until the weather turns quite frosty.When winter takes hold, mostpeople give up and just look forward to the next mushroom season. But don’t be fooled: on mild winter days go out searching and you will be surprised at what you find. Oyster mushrooms, P l e u r o t u s o s tr e a tiis , will continue to grow almost right through the winter, together with the Jew’s ear, A u r i c u l a r i a a u r ic u la -j u d a e a , and the velvet shank, F l a m m u -lin a v e l u t i p e s . Finding these can make a cold winter walk tremendously ex­citing, and shows that even in the depth of winter you can enjoy a dish with ingredients freshly picked from fields and woods.The mushroom collector’s year never ends and even when you’re not actually hunting, always be on the look-out for new spots. Use winter walks to examine pastures and woodlands that you have not been to before, to see if they give any clues as to what they are likely to produce when spring comes again.It may seem surprising, but time of day is most important to the mushroom collector. This is because mushrooms grow almost exclusivelyi6

during the hours of darkness. As a result, the best specimens are picked when they are fresh in the early morning before the rising tempera­ture of the day has brought out the flies to lay their eggs, so giving rise to maggot infestation, or the animals of the woods and fields have had their pickings of the overnight growth, which can be quite amazing in its quantity.It is also worth revisiting a place you have picked after two or three days, because the mushrooms will usually have regrown. Ceps are known to regrow to a weight of ¥4 kilo (1% lb) within two or three days of the first growth having been picked — an enormous rate of growth by any standard.It is useful to keep a diary of what you find, when and where you found it, and what the climatic conditions were, as this will give you a key to subsequent seasons and help you de­velop a knowledge and understand­ing of your local area. Noting clima­tic conditions is also interesting as well as useful. Good fungal growth needs periods of damp, but also periods of dry and cold, as the myce­lial threads seem to benefit from a degree of stratification which, in turn, gives rise to better fruiting, and thus to better collecting.NTR0DUcT1oNIO PPO SIT E A BO V E Chicken of the woodsgrows from late spring to early autumn.O PPO SIT E BELOW Oyster mushroomscontinue to grow through the winter.A BO V E The poisonous Clitocyherivulosa appears in summer and autumn.LEFT Wood Blewits.17

/NTR0DUcT1oNH ow TO COLLECT MUSHROOMSVery little equipment is needed for mushroom collecting. Tough out­door clothes and a strong pair of boots are essential and you should make sure that your jacket or anorak has a pocket large enough to carry a small field guide. It is not an exag­geration; some mushrooms are just too dangerous to take home. You may find a wide-brimmed hat usefulto wear in the autumn, as the days shorten and the sun is low. It is easier to spot those interesting little humps and bumps that could well prove to be an exciting find if you are not having to shade your eyes with your hand all the time.One or two baskets are, of course, essential. They should be light, easy to carry and not too open in weave.A sharp knife and brush are also important, the knife to cut the mushroom’s stem through cleanly and the brush to remove obvious dirt and debris such as pine needles and leaf litter. Cleaning your specimens as you pick them will mean there is less to do when you get home. Sever­al polythene bags or disposable gloves are also essential items to takei8

OPPOSITEResultso f a success­fu l morning’smushroomcollecting.RIGHT A selectiono f hand-madebaskets.w ith yo u . Y o u can put these o ver y o u r hands w h en h and ling an y speci­m ens about w h ich y o u are doubtful. D o n ’t fo rget to th ro w them a w a y after y o u h ave used them . A packet o f tissues or a cloth w ill also be useful as y o u r hands can get quite d irty. Y o u w ill also need them to clean y o u r kn ife, as y o u should clean it each tim e y o u use it.T h e final item o f equip m ent is a g o o d stro n g stick or th um b-stick. Y o u can use it to part bracken and u n d e r g r o w t h t o s e e i f a n ym u sh roo m s are hidden there. It w ill be h an d y to turn o v e r any specim ens y o u m ay not w ish to touch, as w ell as b ein g u seful as a tool to d ig out specim ens so that yo u can check i f th ey h ave v o lv a l bags or not.W hen y o u find a specim en that y o u w an t to collect, it is best to cutBELOW A good knife is an essential part o fany mushroom collector’s equipment. Twoo f the knives double up as a brush as well.th rough its stem rather than d ig it up. W hile it is p o ssib le to use the stem s o f m u sh ro o m s such as ceps and chan­terelles, there is a d anger o f disturb­in g the m ycelial threads i f the entire m u sh ro o m is re m o v e d fro m the grou n d . T h e o n ly p ossible exception to this rule is i f y o u are co n fro n ted b y w h at yo u think m ay be a poison ous m u sh roo m . T h en dig it up w ith y o u r stick, being careful not to d am age it. I f there is an yth in g that lo o k s even rem o tely like a v o lv a l b ag at the base o f the stem , leave the w h o le speci­m en v e ry w e ll alone.H a v in g cut th ro u g h the m u sh ­ro o m ’s stem , w ip e or brush clean the m u sh roo m b efo re pu ttin g it in y o u r basket. A s the basket starts to fill up, a layer o f bracken fron d s w ill preven t the b o tto m m u sh ro o m s fro m be­co m in g dam aged.NTR0DUcT1oNI19

NTR0DUcT1oNISt o r i n gm u s h r o o m sT h ere are certain tim es o f the year w h en m u sh roo m s g ro w in great p ro ­fusion . It is im p ortan t, th erefore, to find w a y s to preserve this abundance fo r th ose tim es w h en fe w m u sh ­ro o m s g ro w . P rese rvin g fo o d is as old as tim e itse lf and lo n g b efo re refrigerato rs, salting and d ryin g w ere used as m ethods o f p reservation . T h ere are m an y d ifferen t w a y s to store m u sh roo m s and som e species are m o re suited to a certain typ e o f p reservation than others. In fo rm a­layin g them on musHn trays in the sun can be quite sufficient. In cooler, less su n n y region s, m u sh ro o m s can be dried on open trays in a w arm sto re, airin g cu p b oard and on w in d o w ledges. It is im p ortan t to rem em ber that the m u sh ro o m s m ust be dried th o ro u g h ly, w h ich m ay take several d ays and w h ile d ryin g is in progress an intense m u sh roo m y sm ell w ill per­vad e w h ereve r y o u are d ryin g them .In recent years, fruit d ryers and d ry in g m achines h ave becom e avail-tant to rem em ber, h o w e v e r, that m u sh ro o m s such as m orels could w ell h ave creep y-craw lies h id in g in­side so p artially d ry them so m ew h ere before h an gin g them in y o u r kitchen. T h is w ill p reven t any w ild life drop ­ping into y o u r food . W hen the m u sh ro o m s are d ry, carefu lly lay them on a sheet and pick the ind i­vid ual specim ens o v e r before placing them in airtigh t containers fo r stor­age. D o n ’t w aste an y p o w d e r that m ay rem ain on the sheet, it can betion as to the m ost suitable m ethod fo r each species is g iv en in the rele­vant en try.W h atever m ethod o f sto rage yo u are g o in g to use, it is im p ortan t to select the v e ry best o f the m u sh ­ro o m s y o u h ave collected. D o be careful to m ake sure that th ey are co m p letely free o f m agg o ts and other insects because there is nothing w orse w h en recon stitu tin g dried m u sh ­ro o m s to find y o u h ave m agg o ts flo atin g on the top o f the w ater in w h ich th ey are being reconstituted. A lso m ake sure there are no tw ig s, leaves o r other debris am o n g them .D ry in g preserves the fla v o u r and co lo u r quite w ell, alth ou gh u n fo rtu ­n ately it often destro ys the shape o f the m u sh roo m . T h ere are several m ethod s o f d ryin g. In w a rm e r cli­m ates, slicin g the m u sh ro o m s andable. So m e can take up to ten trays and are capable o f d ry in g a large q u an tity o f w ild m u sh roo m s v e ry effectively o v e r several h ours. T h e ad van tage o f this is that it prevents the w h o le house sm ellin g o f m u sh ro o m s fo r d ays afterw ard s, and y o u can also be to tally con fid en t that y o u r dried m u sh ro o m s are com plete­ly free o f m oistu re. W ith this acceler­ated fo rm o f d ryin g it is p ossible to d ry even sh a g g y ink caps, so lon g as y o u use v e ry y o u n g specim ens. O rd in a ry d ryin g m ethods are m uch too slo w and th ey w o u ld collapse into an in k y m ess and p ro b ab ly ruin any other m u sh roo m s yo u w ere d ry in g w ith them .A n o th er effective w a y o f d ryin g m u sh ro o m s is to thread them w ith a needle and cotton and h ang them up in strin gs in the kitchen. It is im p o r-stored separately and used to fla vo u r soup s and stew s.D ried m u sh roo m s can be used straigh t in soup s and stew s, but for other dishes it is best to reconstitute them in lu k e w a rm w ater fo r around tw e n ty m inutes. D o not use b oilin g w ater as this w ill im p air the final flavo u r. T h e w a ter in w h ich they h ave been reconstituted can be used as stock o r to m ake g ra v y , but, be­fo re y o u do so, p o u r it th ro u gh a sieve to re m o ve any extran eou s m at­ter o r grit that m igh t h ave been con­tained w ith in the m u sh roo m s.A n alternative to d ryin g , is freez­ing. Perh aps su rp risin gly, this is not a v e ry g o o d m ethod o f p reservin g m u sh roo m s. F o r best results, m ake up the m u sh roo m dishes and then freeze the finished dish o r m ake up m u sh roo m butter. T o do this, slice20

RIGHT Mush­rooms that havebeen dried andpreserved fo rlater use.OPPOSITE FAR LEFT AND MIDDLE It isessential to brushand wipe cleanmushrooms beforethey are dried orstored.OPPOSITE NEAR RIGHTA mushroom drier.NTR0DUcT1oNIy o u r m u sh ro o m s, add them to m elted butter and freeze the result. P reserved like this y o u h ave the m u sh ro o m s and the butter fo r use w ith sauces, to fla v o u r vario u s dishes and to add to y o u r m eat o r fish dishes as a toppin g.Saltin g is one o f the oldest m ethod s o f p reservin g food . It w o rk s ex tre m ely w e ll fo r m u sh roo m s. T h e m ost im p ortan t th in g to rem em ber is to h ave clean, fresh m u sh roo m s. T h e quantities required are one part salt to three parts m u sh roo m s. It is im p o r­tant to layer the m u sh ro o m s and salt alternately, and m ake sure the final layer o f m u sh ro o m s is co m p letely co vered w ith salt. U se containers that the salt w ill not corrode. A lth o u g h a sterilized ja r is best, y o u could also use polyth en e ice-cream containers. W hen p reservin g m ush ­ro o m s in this w a y y o u w ill even tu al­ly h ave a lot o f seasoned ju ic e and yo u w ill n ot need to use salt in any dish y o u m ake u sin g salted m u sh roo m s.M u sh ro o m s can be pickled in either oil o r g o o d vin egar. It is m o st im p ortan t w h en u sin g this m ethod to clean the m u sh ro o m s w ell and then blanch them . I f y o u are p ick lin g them w ith vin egar, rem em ber that the better the vin egar, the better the results w ill be, so it is not w o rth putting g o o d m u sh ro o m s in in ferio r vin egar. T h e sam e applies i f y o u are p ick lin g m u sh ro o m s in oil. It is also a g o o d idea to put p eppercorn s and h a lf a dozen clo ves o f garlic into each ja r, togeth er w ith tw o or three bay leaves. M ak e sure the containers yo u use h ave a g o o d seal, and w h en th ey are filled, seal tigh tly.O n ce the seals h ave been broken , use the contents fairly q u ick ly. A n d it is a go o d idea to keep the container in the frid g e w h ile yo u are d o in g so. E v e n w h en y o u h ave finished the m u sh ro o m s, the oil o r vin egar in w h ich th ey h ave been stored w ill m ake a w o n d e rfu l d ressin g. I f yo u p reserve m u sh ro o m s b y p ick lin g, y o u m ust rem em ber to sterilize ev eryth in g y o u use. Y o u can 'd o this b y im m ersin g all y o u r utensils in b o ilin g w ater, o r b y u sin g a steriliz­in g solu tion . B o ilin g w ater is p ro b ­a b ly best as there is a lw a y s a d anger that the sterilizin g solu tion m igh t affect the taste o f the m u sh roo m s. R em em b er, too, to keep a w atch fu l eye on y o u r pickled m u sh ro o m s fo r an y sign o f m ouldin ess. I f there is, discard the top fe w m u sh ro o m s and use the rest fairly q u ick ly.21







In t r o d u c t i o nT h is section illustrates and describes the best o f the ed ible m u sh roo m s that g ro w in o u r fields and w o o d s. T h ere are in fact o v e r a thousand edible species and but o n ly a sm all p ro ­p o rtio n o f these are prized fo r their fla v o u r and textu re, and alth ou gh personal taste w ill v a ry m any consider the finest to inclu d e the cep Boletusedulis, b ay b o letu s Boletus badius,m o rels M orchella data and esculenta,chanterelle Cantherellus dbarius and chicken o f the w o o d s Laetiporus sul­phurous. T o enable identification each en try has a descrip tion o f the m ush ­ro o m in question, in fo rm atio n on its habitat and season o f g ro w th , as w ell as hints on sto rage and co o k in g pre­paration fo r w h en y o u return hom e.A s yo u learn about m u sh roo m s y o u w ill becom e m o re respectful o f the rules o f identification. N o m ush ­ro o m lo o k s e x a ctly like another, and som etim es the differences are greatw ithin the sam e species. M an y species h ave p o iso n o u s lo o kalik es, w h ich are also m en tion ed here. T a k e particular care w ith such m u sh ro o m s. It is also essential that yo u never pick im m ature specim ens, because o n ly w ith m ature specim ens can y o u be sure o f an accurate identification.M u sh ro o m s are q u ite rich and even ed ible ones can cause stom ach upsets. Som e people seem m ore prone to these than others, so be careful i f yo u are servin g a m u sh roo m dish to guests.A lth o u g h so m e m u sh ro o m s can be eaten ra w , others m ust be co o ked first. A m o n g this gro u p are h on ey fu n gu s Armillaria mellea, w o o d ble- w it Lepista nuda, field b lew it Lepistasaeva, and the m o rels M orchella dataand esculenta. T h ese all contain a sm all am ou n t o f po iso n w h ich is re m o ved b y co o k in g .O ne o f the best w a y s to learn aboutm u sh ro o m s is to g o on a fo ra y led b y an exp ert. N o t o n ly w ill y o u h ave the chance to question the expert abou t the lo cation , typ e and size o f the various m ushroom s-that you find, but, at the end o f the fo ra y , y o u w ill h ave a chance to exam ine w h at every­b o d y else has foun d and h ave them id entified b y the expert. In this w a y y o u w ill h ave an o p p o rtu n ity to see far m ore species than y o u w o u ld if y o u had ju s t go n e out co llectin g on y o u r o w n .F o rays are run b y m an y organ iz­ations, in clu d in g m y c o lo g ica l so ci­eties, local naturalists trusts and local exp erts w h o organ ize th em on an ad- hoc basis. D etails o f forays can usually be foun d in y o u r local lib rary and th ey m ay also be advertised in the local paper.E n jo y y o u r m u sh ro o m co llectin g, but d o n ’t take any risks w ith m u sh ­ro o m s y o u cannot id en tify.DIВLEMUSHRООМsEPREVIOUS PAGE Beefsteak fungus,Fistulina hepática. Although thesemushrooms are usually found at the base o ftree trunks they can grow high up on thebranches.LEFT Field blewit, Lepista saeva.OPPOSITE Amethyst’s deceiver, Laccaria am cthystea, is a tasty mushroom that hasa long season from late summer to earlywinter.25

DIBLEMUSHROOMs£Agaricus arvensisHo r s e Mu s h r o o mT h is is one o f the larger varieties o f m u sh roo m . It is quite m eaty in tex ­ture and has a v e ry d istin ctive aniseed sm ell. H o rse m u sh roo m s are best picked w h en they are y o u n g because not o n ly are they soon attacked b y m aggots, but also the flesh becom es dark b ro w n w ith age and w ill turn any co o ked dish m u d d y b ro w n in colou r.mature gillsturn dark brown,immature gills are pinkish26ring still attachedto cap margin

T h ese m u sh ro o m s tend to com e up in the sam e fields year after year, so h avin g once fo u n d a go o d g ro w th keep w atch in g in future years.T h e h orse m u sh ro o m often has y e llo w is h m a rk in g s on th e cap. W hen yo u find one like this, check it particu larly carefu lly to ensure that it is n ot, in fact, the y e llo w Stainer, Agaricus xanthoderm us, w h ic h w ill m ake y o u v e ry ill i f yo u eat it. T h is m u sh ro o m is dealt w ith in detail in the section on p oison ous m u sh roo m s so y o u can co m p are the tw o . U n lik e th e y e l l o wS t a i n e r ,t h eh o r s em u sh ro o m does not co lo u r w h en pressed or cut; the y e llo w co lo u rin g b f the cap is its natural colou r.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap can be fro m 10 - 2 5 ciri (4 -9 % in) across. It is d om ed at first, but even tu ally expands to a fu lly c o n v e x shape. It is w h ite but y ello w s w ith age. T h e stem is 8—10 cm (3-4 in) and has a large double ring. It m ay b ecom e h o llo w w ith age. T h e gills, w h ich are w h ite at first, turn a delicate p in k and ev en tu ally dark b ro w n in m atu re specim ens. T h e flesh is thick and w h ite but darkens w ith age and can becom e a little w o o lly lo w e r d o w n the stem . It has a distinct sm ell o f aniseed. T h e spore print is dark b ro w n .HABITAT AND SEASONH o rse m u sh ro o m s fa v o u r grassland and pasture, p articu larly, as the nam e su ggests, that w h ere cattle o r horses h ave grazed . C h a lk m e ad o w s are often g o o d places to lo o k . T h e season is fro m m id su m m er to quite late autu m n and th ey often g ro w in quite large rings.STORAGET h ese m u sh ro o m s d ry w e ll, but it is im p ortan t to check th o ro u g h ly that th ey are m a g g o t free. Slice and then d ry either w ith open driers o r w ith an electric drier.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTST h ese m u sh ro o m s m ake w o n d erfu l m eals, p ro vid ed , o f course, that they are n ot infested w ith m agg o ts. R e ­m em b er, too, i f y o u are u sin g older specim ens w h en the flesh has turned d ark b ro w n , that th ey w ill change the co lo u r o f y o u r dish.ABOVE The yellow Stainer.ABOVE LEFT The horse mushroom prefersopen meadows and woodland edges.BELOW The mature cap may turn brassyyellow with age or when wet.DIBLEMVsHRooMsE2 7

DIBLEMUsHRooMs£A^iJaria4s augustusTh e Pr i n c eT h e prince is a go o d m u sh roo m to find, not o n ly does it lo o k attractive, it also has a lo v e ly fla v o u r and m akes excellen t eating. T h ese m u sh roo m s tend to g ro w in deciduous and con­ifero u s w o o d la n d , and in clu m p s rather than rings.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap is 10 -2 5 cm (4 -9 % in) across. B u tto n -sh ap ed at first, it opens to a co n v e x fo rm and is often irregu lar in shape. It is ligh t b ro w n in co lo u r and has clearly m arked rin gs o f b ro w n fibrou s scales jo in in g in the centre. T h e stem is 10 -2 0 cm (4 -7 % in).o ff-w h ite w ith sm all scales and a large flo p p y rin g. T h e gills are o ff- w h ite at first, turn in g dark b ro w n w ith age. T h e flesh is thick, w h ite and sm ells m u sh ro o m y. T h e spore print is b ro w n .HABITAT AND SEASON T h e prince g ro w s m ain ly in conifer­ous and d ecid uous w o o d s, often in clum ps. T h e season is late su m m er to late autum n.STORAGEA s these m u sh ro o m s g ro w fairly larg e, m ake sure yo u h ave g o o dspecim ens b efo re slicin g and d ryin g them in the usual w a y . T h is is a go o d m u sh roo m to store fo r w in ter use as it has an in tensity o f fla vo u r w h ich w ill enhance any m u sh ro o m dish.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSA nice m u sh ro o m that needs very little preparation. T h e stem tends to be quite fibro u s, so is best discarded. T h e cap does not need peelin g, ju st w ip e lig h tly w ith a dam p cloth be­fore slicing. T h e prince m akes an ex tre m ely go o d addition to o m e­lettes, but is also nice on its o w n .ca p s u r fa c ea lw a y s w i t hJ l a tte n c d sc a le sABOVE The prince is usuallyfound at the edges o f woods,clearings orpathsides, rarelyvery fa r from trees.la r g e f l o p p yr in gt-s te m u s u a llys tr o n g ly s c a ly28

Agaricus hisporusAgaricus bisporus sm ells and tastes v e ry sim ilar to the field m u sh roo m . It is b elieved to be the species from w h ich m ost o f the cultivated varieties com e. It can g ro w in quite large quantities and is m o stly foun d on w asteg ro u n d and com p ost heaps. It is quite com m o n .IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap is 5 - 10 cm (2-4 in) across, b u tton -sh ap ed b efo re op en in g alm ost flat. It is w h itish to m id -b ro w n in co lo u r w ith fla k y scales. T h e stem is3 -5 cm (i'/4 -2 in) and w h ite, w ith a distinct ring b elo w the cap. It has pink gills w h ich becom e darker w ith age. T h e flesh is w h ite, b ru isin g sligh tly reddish and it has a distinct m ushroom y sm ell. T h e spore print is b ro w n .ABOVE AND BELOW A garicus bisporus is the species that cultivated varieties comefrom . The button, cup and flat mushrooms,that are widely available, are the differentstages o f growth o f this mushroom.HABITAT AND SEASONIt g ro w s on co m p o st heaps, in gar­den w aste and beside roads, occa­sio n ally on the edges o f hedges and sm all plantations, but v e ry rarely in grass. T h e season is quite early in the sp rin g th rou gh to late autum n.STORAGET h is m u sh roo m tends to be quite sm all and dries w ell, either w h o le or cut. It is full o f flavo u r.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSB ecau se this m u sh ro o m often g ro w s o n c o m p o s t h ea p s o r in ro u g h gro u n d , it is best to w ip e the cap v e ry th o ro u g h ly, cutting o f f the b o tto m o f the stem and slicin g th rough.DIВLHMUsHRООмs£29

DIBLEMUSHROOMsEAgaricus campestrisFi e l dMu s h r o o mT h e field m u sh ro o m is p ro b ab ly the best k n o w n o f all w ild m u sh roo m s. Y e a rs ago fields w e re often carpeted w ith these sm all w h ite m u sh roo m s, but due to changes in farm in g tech­n o lo g y and the greater use o f h erbi­cides, p esticid es and, p articu larly, nitrates, m an y o f the w o n d erfu l pas­tures w h ere field m u sh ro o m s g re wh ave disappeared. I f y o u are lu ck y en o u gh to h ave so m e old m ead o w s and pasture near yo u , keep an eye open fo r a w o n d erfu l feast that can co m e at an y tim e fro m quite early in the su m m e r th ro u g h to autu m n . T h ese m u sh ro o m s are best picked early in the m o rn in g , n ot o n ly to beat other m u sh ro o m collectors, but alsoto ensure that th ey h ave n ot yet been attacked b y m agg o ts.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap is 3—12 cm (1V4—qYr in) across. It retains its d om e shape for som e tim e b efo re op en in g ou t fu lly. It is silky white, ageing to light brow n. T h e stem is 3—10 cm (I'/t—4 in).Jr in g is f r a g i l ea n d o fte n m is s in gg i l l s a rep i n k w h e ny o u n gLEFT Anexample o f atypical cultivatededible A garicus species.30

RIGHT Note that the gills are not attachedto the stem, this is common to all A garicus.BELOW The gills are brown in maturespecimens.w h ite, taperin g to the base, and has a thin rin g w h ich is often torn a w a y. E v e n in unopened field m u sh roo m s the gills are deep pink, an excellent id en tification feature. T h e w h ite flesh bruises slig h tly pink. It has a pleasant sm ell. T h e sp o re print is b ro w n .HABITAT AND SEASONField m u sh ro o m s g ro w in m ature pasture and often favo u r ch alk y soils. T h e y can g ro w an y tim e fro m early su m m er th ro u gh to late autum n.STORAGEA n excellent m u sh roo m fo r sto rin g dried as it retains its fla vo u r extrem e­ly w e ll. T h e sm aller specim ens can be threaded on strin g and dried w h o le, but larg er ones sh ou ld be sliced.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTST h ese do n ot need peelin g, a w ip e w ith a dam p cloth is sufficient, but do check th em carefu lly to m ake sure there is no m a g g o t infestation. T h e best w a y to do this is to trim the stem carefu lly and slice th ro u gh the centre- any m a gg o ts w ill then be easy to see. T h e older specim ens are best used fo r ketch u p, sauces and stew s, as these g iv e a quite intense, dark b ro w n co lo u r to the dish. Y o u n g specim ens can be used as yo u like. T h e y are deliciou s fo r b reakfast w ith bacon and eggs.DIBLEMUSHROOMsE3 1

DIRLEMVSHROOMsEAgaricus macrosporusT h is is q u ite a co m m o n autum n m u sh roo m . It g ro w s in rin gs and is ex tre m ely g o o d to eat. S o m e care o v e r identification is necessary, be­cause it can lo o k like the p oison ous y e llo w Stainer. H o w e v e r, the shape o f the cap and, in particular, the sm ell are reliable aids to en su rin g y o u h ave the righ t m u sh roo m .IDENTIFICATIONT h e d o m ed cap is 8 - io (3 -4 in) acro ss. It is o ff-w h ite w ith ligh t b ro w n scales. T h e scaly stem is 5 - 10 cm (2-4 in) lo n g, o ff-w h ite and quite thick, w ith a sligh tly pointed base. T h e gills are pale pink at first, turning d arker b ro w n w ith age. T h e flesh is w h ite and has a fairly distinct sm ell o f alm onds. T h e spore print is b row n .HABITAT AND SEASONG ro w s in rin gs in m ature pastures that h ave not been treated w ith che­m icals. T h e season is fro m late su m ­m er to autum n.t h i c k r in g w i t hs c a ly u n d e r ­s id eRIGHT Oftenvery large, thewhite cap maydevelop fin e scaleson the surface,as here.32STORAGET h is m u sh ro o m is v e ry g o o d to eat. It is best dried fo r storage, but speci­m ens can be quite large so it is im ­portant to slice them first.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSC lean the stem carefu lly and brush the cap: peelin g is u su ally unneces­sary. C h e ck y o u r specim ens carefu l­ly, especially the larg er ones, w h ich m ay h ave becom e m a g g o t infested.

Agaricus silvaticusT h is is a m u sh ro o m o f m ain ly con­ifero u s w o o d la n d , w h ich g ro w s in the sam e places year after year. It is also ex tre m ely g o o d to eat.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap is 5—10 cm (2 -4 in) across, c o n v e x and co v e re d w ith b ro w n scales w h ich g iv e it an overall broken pattern. T h e stem is 5-8 cm (2 -3 in), w h itish , b u t striated w ith b ro w nm ark in gs; it has a b ro w n rin g. T h e gills are pale cream at first but turn quite red w ith age. T h e flesh is w h ite and stains b righ t red w h en cut at the base o r len g th w a ys. It has v e ry little sm ell. T h e spore p rin t is b ro w n .HABITAT AND SEASON T h e u su a l h a b ita t is c o n ife r o u s w o o d s and the season is fro m early su m m er to late autum n.STORAGET h is m u sh ro o m has quite an intense fla vo u r. It is best dried, but as it is often large, it should be sliced first.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSB ecau se this m u sh ro o m g ro w s m ain­ly in co n ifero us w o o d s, the top w ill need b ru sh in g and any pine needles re m o v in g . C u t o f f the lo w e r p o rtio n o f the stem and slice. It w ill g iv e a w o n d erfu l fla v o u r to y o u r dishes. It is also g o o d on its o w n , lig h tly fried w ith a little butter and basil, and served on toast.r in g w i t hs m a l l s c a le s ^o n u n d e r s id eDIBLEMVSHROOMsE33

DIBLEMUsHROoMsEAgaricus silvícolaWo o dMu s h r o o mT h e w o o d m u sh ro o m has m a n y sim ilarities to the larg er h orse m u sh ­ro o m but, as the n am e su ggests, it g ro w s alm ost e x c lu sive ly in w o o d ­land. T a k e care, h o w e v e r, not to confu se it w ith either the y e llo w Stainer, Agaricus xanthodermus, or som e o f the d ead ly Amanitas. C h e ck iden­tify in g features carefu lly. It does not g ro w out o f a v o lv a l bag, so there w ill be no sign o f one, and i f y o u turn the m u sh ro o m o ver or cut it y o u w ill quite clearly see the id entification fea­tures. I f in any doubt, leave it alone.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap is betw een 5—10 cm (2-4 in) across, d om ed at first before op en in g out to be alm ost flat. It is a cream y y e llo w w h ich darkens w ith age. T h e stem is 5—8 cm (2-3 in), quite thin and w ith a clearly m arked rin g. T h e gills are m id -p in k b efo re tu rn in g dark b ro w n . T h e flesh is w h ite and has a d istin ct aniseed sm ell. T h e spore prin t is dark b ro w n .HABITAT AND SEASONT h e w o o d m u sh ro o m is quite co m ­m o n in co n ifero u s and deciduous w o o d s. Its season is the autum n.STORAGET h ese m u sh roo m s do not store w e ll, so use and en jo y them as soon as p ossib le after y o u h ave p icked them .PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTST h e y o u n g specim ens are p articu larly tasty. T r y coating the caps o f y o u n g m u sh roo m s in seasoned flo u r, dip­p in g th em in a batter m ade w ith beer or lager and then deep fry in g them : delicious.ABOVE Always a graceful slendermushroom, the wood mushroom growsexclusively inside woodlands.34

Aleuria aurantiaOr a n g e Pe e l Fu n g u sT h is w o n d e rfu lly brigh t fu n gu s has a nice taste and texture. It is a useful addition to all w ild m ushroom dishes.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap is sm all, ju s t under o. 5 -5 cm ('/4-2 in) across; it is cup-shaped and becom es quite w a v y at the edges. T h e inner surface is b righ t oran ge in co lo u r. T h e underside is m uch ligh t­er and alm ost v e lv e ty to the touch.HABITAT AND SEASONT h e oran ge peel fun gus g ro w s in fairly large clu m p s on alm ost bare earth in ligh t grasslan d, alon g roads and in law n s. It is quite co m m o n and the season is fro m autum n th rou gh to early w in ter.STORAGED ry in g is the best m ethod o f storage.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSA p art fro m cleaning it carefu lly, the o ran ge peel fu n gu s needs v e ry little d o in g to it. It is fairly tou gh , so can be lig h tly rinsed in w ater, then sliced th in ly an d a d d e d to y o u r w ild m u sh ro o m dishes, to w h ich it w ill add both fla vo u r and colou r.ABOVE RIGHT Often growing in largeclusters, the orange peel fungus prefersdisturbed soils along paths and trackways.RIGHT The inner surface (the hyménium)contains the spore-producing cells which arecalled asci.DIBLEMusHROOMsE35

DIBLEMUSHROOMsEArmillaria melleaHo n e y Fu n g u so r Bo o t-l a c e Fu n g u sT h e h on ey fun gus {Armillaria melleaand clo sely related species) is the dreaded en em y o f the gardener. T h is m u sh ro o m g ro w s fro m black cords k n o w n as rh izom orp h s w h ich can travel en o rm o us distances. T h e y kill the h ost tree and infect large areas o f w o o d lan d s. It is, w ith o u t doubt, the m ost d an gerou s o f all the tree para­sites, cau sing intensive rot and a v e ry u n tim ely death. I f y o u find h on eyfun gu s g ro w in g in y o u r garden take specialist ad vice fast. H o w e v e r, h on­ey fun gus is e x tre m ely g o o d to eat and g ro w s in v e ry large quantities d u rin g the autum n.ID E N T IFIC A T IO NT h e cap can range fro m 2—20 cm(%-7-y4 in) across and is also variable in shape and colou r. It starts b y being co n ve x, then flattens and is centrally depressed. T h e co lo u r varies fro m alm ost h on ey to dark b ro w n . T h e stem is 5 - 1 5 cm (2 -6 in) and can v a ry quite con sid erab ly in w id th , so m e­tim es b ein g quite tuberous and at36s te m b a s e s f u s e dto g e th e r

others v e ry slender. T h e rin g is al­w a y s clearly visib le. T h e gills vary fro m o ff-w h ite to dark b ro w n . T h e flesh is w h ite w ith a sm ell that is quite stro n g and sw eet. T h e spore print is o ff-w h ite . It is n o w thought that there are fiv e or six different fo rm s o f h on ey fungus in E u rop e. T h e y u sually g ro w in large clum ps, either on dead tree trunks, tree stum ps or livin g trees.HABITAT AND SEASONH o n e y fu n gu s is fairly w id esp read indecid uous and con iferous w o o d s, in-ABOVE The scales o f the cap рагуconsiderably, ranging from almost smoothas seen here to quite coarse.BELOW When old, the gills can be quitebrownish but the spores are pale cream.fectin g liv in g trees as w e ll as dead trun ks and stum ps. T h e season is fro m early su m m er to early w in ter and th ey can appear several tim es at the sam e place d u rin g a season.STORAGED ry in g tends to tough en this m u sh ­ro o m , so it is best to m ake up dishes first and then freeze them .PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSO n ly the caps are edible - the stalks are v e ry tough . B o il the caps fo r tw o or three m inutes in ligh tly salted w ater, w h ich m ust then be discarded as the m u sh room m ay contain a m ild toxin . T h en cook as yo u w ish . A fter the initial co o k in g the caps are parti­cu larly g o o d sauteed ligh tly w ith on­ion, garlic and basil, thickened w ith a little cream and served w ith pasta.D/ВLEMUSHRООмsE37

DIBLEMUSHROOMS£Auricularia auricula-judae (sy n . Hirneola auricula-judae)Je w’ Esa ro r Tr e e Ea rA co m m o n fu n gus w ith a v e ry lo n g g ro w in g season. It has som e lo o k a - likes, so take care w ith id entification.IDENTIFICATIONT h e fru it b o d y is 2 - 7 cm (% —2 % in) across w ith a je lly -lik e textu re and an ear-sh aped appearance. In d ry w eath ­er it becom es hard. It is tan -b ro w n w ith sm all greyish hairs on the inner surface.HABITAT AND SEASONG ro w s on a w id e v a riety o f trees and is p a rtic u la rly c o m m o n o n eld ertrees: it gets its nam e fro m Ju d a s Iscariot w h o w as said to h ave been h anged on an elder tree. It has an ex tre m ely lo n g g ro w in g season and th erefore can be collected th rough ou t the year.STORAGEB e st dried. In fact i f th ey are picked d u rin g d ry w eath er w h en th ey are h ard , th ey can be stored straight a w a y. B e fo re u sin g, reconstitute b y pu ttin g in lu k e w a rm w ater.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSW a s ht h o r o u g h l yw i t hs e v e r a lchanges o f w ater. A s they h ave quite a gelatin ous texture it is im p ortan t to co o k them w ell. A v e ry nice w a y to serve them is to m ake a sauce w ith onions, garlic, basil and fin ely sliced J e w ’s ears, th icken ing it w ith a little cream , and u sin g it to fill sm all v o l- au-vent cases or to spread on croûtons.inner surface appearssmooth and rubbery38

LEFT I f in doubt o fyour identificationo f this species, trystretching itbetween yourfingers, it should beelastic and rubberyrather than brittle.BELOW Thecolour can varygreatly. Thesespecimens are veryyoung and freshand so are quitepale: they may bequite purple-brownwith age.DIBLEMusHROOMsE39

£DIBLEMUSHROOMsBoletus badiusBa y Bo l e t u sB a y boletu s does not becom e infested w ith m a g g o ts as m u ch as so m e o f the other boletus, but it is still best to p ick o n ly clean specim ens. T h e fla v o u r is excellent.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap is 4—18 cm (1V2—7 in) across, it is u su a lly pale to m id -b ro w n , alth ou gh ligh ter specim ens m a y be foun d . It has a polished appearance, and feels tacky w h en w et. T h e stem is 4 .5 —12 .5 cm (iTa—5 in) and sim ilar in co lo u r to the cap. T h e pores are ligh t y e llo w , but stain blue i f pressed o r cut, w h ich is one o f the principal id e n tifica tio n featu res o f the b ay boletu s. T h e w h ite flesh has a faint m u sh ro o m y sm ell, and also stains blue w h en cut, but the stain soon fades. T h e spore print is ligh t b ro w n .HABITAT AND SEASONIn all types o f m ixed w o o d lan d . T h e season is early sum m er to late autum n.ABOVE Bay boletus found under conifers(left) are usually darker, smoother andSTORAGEA v e ry versatile m u sh roo m . Sm all specim ens m a y be stored in ja rs o f extra virg in oil, or in w in e o r cider vin egar. L a rg er specim ens, h o w eve r, are best sliced and dried after theblue-grey stainsA.-v. when bruised,more maroon-bay in colour than those foundin deciduous woods(right).pores h ave been rem o ved , because these w ill be quite w e t and w ill not d ry satisfacto rily. T h ese pores can be used in a m u sh ro o m ketchup o r sauce i f y o u are m ak in g one at the tim e.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSB a y boletus are best picked w h en th ey are d ry. W ipe the caps o f any w et specim ens and let them d ry be­fo re d e a lin g w ith th em . T h in ly sliced, th ey are delicious eaten raw . H o w e v e r, fresh o r dried, the bay boletus is v e ry versatile and can be used in m an y soup s, stew s and w ild m u sh ro o m dishes.fleshmay stainpale blue\"‘ \"\"»■ ■%.40

Boletus chrysenteronRe d-c r a c k e d Bo l e t u sA lth o u g h the fla v o u r o f this boletus is n ot as g o o d as that o f the bay boletus or the cep, yo u n g specim ens are g o o d in m ixed m u sh roo m dishes.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap is 4—10 cm (1V 2-4 in) across, sn u ff b ro w n in co lo u r, but cracks in the su rface o f the cap often reveal a slig h tly reddish hue b elo w . H o w e v ­er, the red m ark in gs on the stem are the real g iv e a w a y o f this boletus. T h e stem is 4—8 cm (1V 2-3 in) w ith a distinct reddish tinge fo r m ost o f its length . T h e pores are y e llo w and m u ch m o re open than those o f the b ay boletus; th ey stain a ligh t green­ish colo u r. T h e flesh is cream to y e llo w and does n ot bruise on cut­ting. T h e sp o re print is ligh t b ro w n . T h e o verall textu re o f this m ush ­ro o m is m uch less dense than either the b ay boletus o r the cep.HABITAT AND SEASONF o u n d in association w ith all b road ­leaved trees. T h e season is th ro u gh ­out the autum n.STORAGED ry this m u sh ro o m before add ing it to y o u r other dried m u sh roo m s.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSO n ly pick y o u n g specim ens, w ip e or brush the cap to rem o ve an y loose particles o f earth and slice th in ly be­fore cooking. H o w ever, because it can be a little m u sh y, it is best used in soup s, stew s and m ixed dishes w ith other m ushroom s and not on its ow n.T O P As the cap ages, particularly in colderweather, the entire surface may take on areddish flu sh.red flush incracksDIВLEMVSHRООМSE41

D1BLEMUSHROOMSEBoletus edulisCe po r Pe n n y Bu nM ush room hunters regard this m ush­room as a great pnze; it has a w onder­ful nutty flavo u r and is extrem ely versatile. It can also g ro w v e ry big and w eigh as m uch as i k g (2 lb 2 oz). It g ro w s o ver a num ber o f days and flies enter at the base o f the stem and the m aggots w o rk their w a y up to the cap and tubes so it is im portant to pick onl y those in prim e condition. W hen collecting large specim ens cut the cap in h a lf to m ake sure there is no m agg o t infestation before putting it in y o u r basket.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap ranges fro m 6 -30 cm {2V2-iiV i in) across. Its ligh t b ro w n col­o u r lo o ks rather like fresh ly baked bread, hence the nam e ‘P en n y B u n ’ . T h e co lo u r darkens as the cap opens, and it is at this stage that y o u should exam in e specim ens fo r m a g g o t in­festation. In w et w eath er the cap can h ave a slig h tly stick y appearance, but in d ry w eath er it has a nice v e lv e ty sheen. T h e stem varies fro m 3—23 cm (1V 4 -9 in). It is v e ry bulbou s and has a fine n etw o rk , w ith m ark in gs thatw h i t e u n c h a n g in gf l e s hLEFT Ceps are agreat culinarydelicacy and theyare considered attheir best fo r eatingwhen they are smalland tight.cap. T h e pores are w h ite at first, tu rn in g ligh t y e llo w w ith age. T h e flesh is quite w h ite and does not ch ange as the m u sh roo m ages. T h e spore print is ligh t b ro w n .HABITAT AND SEASONC o n ife ro u s, b ro ad -leaved and m ixed w o o d lan d ; also beside grass path­w a y s. It can also be fou n d in associa­tion w ith heather, alo n g w ith d w a r f w illo w s. T h e season is su m m er to late autum n and it is quite co m m o n .42

RIGHT A very variable species, some haveswollen stems with much darker caps,particularly when found under conifers.STORAGEC u t into thin slices this is p ro b ab ly the m o st im p o rtan t co m m ercia lly dried m u sh ro o m in the w o rld . T a k e y o u r cue fro m this - d ryin g is the best m ethod o f h om e storage. Sm all specim ens can be kept in extra virg in o live oil, but it is really best to leave th em so that th ey can g ro w on to m o re m ature, and larger, specim ens.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSC lean the caps w e ll and cut in h a lf to ch eck fo r m a gg o ts b efo re pu tting th em in the basket. B ru sh the stem , cu ttin g o f f the b o tto m or scrap in g it to rem o ve an y earth o r fibres at the base. T h is is one o f the m ost versatile m u sh ro o m s and it can be used in m an y co o ked dishes.DiBLEMUSHROOMsE43

HDIBLHMUSHROoM5Calocyhe gambosaS tGe o r g e’S Mu s h r o o mA s its nam e su ggests, St G e o rg e ’s m u sh ro o m tends to appear around 23 A p ril, St G e o rg e ’s D a y . It has a great variety o f uses and is p articu larly w e lco m e because it appears early in the year, at m uch the sam e tim e as the co m m o n m orel. It freq u en tly g ro w s in rin gs w h ich can be v e ry larg e, alth o u gh b ro k en in places. T h e largest rin gs m ay be several h undred years old.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap is 5 - 1 5 cm (2 -6 in) across w ith a slig h tly in rolled m argin . W ell ro u n d e d w h e n y o u n g , la rg e old specim ens develop an irregular, w a v y cap. It is w h ite to cream in colour. T h e stem is 2 - 4 cm {V — Va ii in) and w h ite . T h e g ills are n a rro w and cro w d ed . T h e flesh is w h ite and soft. It has a m ealy sm ell w h ich is pleasant and stro n g. T h e spore print is w hite.HABITAT AND SEASONT en d s to g ro w in rings in grassy locations and around w o o d edges w ith u n d erlyin g chalk. T h e season is fro m the b egin n in g o f A p ril and into M ay . F o r go o d g ro w th St. G e o rg e ’s m u sh ro o m relies on w a rm th and m oisture so i f the spring is cold it w ill not appear until the w eath er becom es w arm er. K eep ch eckin g areas w h ere yo u h ave seen it b efore.flesh very thick,firm and whitegills very crowdedand shallow44s te m to u g h a n d f i b r o u s

RIGHT The caps varyjroin white to acreamy yellow colour.BOTTOM III these mature specimens notehow the caps are irre^qular and w avy.STORAGESt G e o r g e ’s m u sh ro o m dries e x ­trem ely w ell. It can also be stored in virg in o live oil o r in vinegar.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSB ru sh the caps w ell because th ey can be quite g ritty and d irty and there m ay be chalk particles on the under­neath. W hen p ick in g this m u sh ro o m a lw a y s cut the stem to avo id d am ag­in g the m ycelial rin gs. It goes parti­cu larly w ell w ith chicken and fish. T r y St. G e o rg e ’s chicken, an o rd i­n ary chicken casserole g iv en extra zest b y the addition o f som e o f these tasty m u sh roo m s.fDIBLBMusHROOMS45

DIBLEMusHROOMsECantharellus cibariusCh a n t e r e l l eT h e excitem en t o f fin d in g this m ush ­ro o m is, fo r m an y, the h igh lig h t o f the m u sh ro o m season - not o n ly does it lo o k beautiful, it tastes w o n ­derful. M o st collectors are secretive about their chanterelle patches because these m u sh roo m s g ro w year after year, often in abundant quantities. Itca p d e p r e s s e dw h e n o ld e ris, h o w e v e r, im p ortan t to ensure yo u h ave foun d the true chanterelle and n o t s im p ly th e false ch an terelle, Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca.IDENTIFICATIONT h e cap is 2 - 1 2 cm (^/4-4% in) across. Flat at first w ith a broken m argin , itlater becom es quite fluted w ith a central depression. T h e co lo u r can range fro m v e ry pale to deep y e llo w , fad in g a little w ith age. O ccasio n ally specim ens are alm ost oran ge. T h e stem is 3—8 cm (I'A —3 in), v e ry solid and tapered to w ard s the base. T h e y e llo w g ills are b lu n t, n a rro w .th i c k p a l e - y e l l o wf l e s hblunt forking'gills’ or ridges46

LEFT The ‘gills’run down the stemand are the samecolour as the cap.DIBLEMusHROOMsEirregu lar and run d o w n the stem . T h e y e llo w ish flesh has a lo v e ly faint fragran ce o f apricots - another im ­p o rtan t id en tificatio n feature. T h e spore print is pale cream colou r.HABITAT AND SEASONIn all kinds o f w o o d lan d w h ich h ave open m o ssy clearings. T h e season is early su m m er to late autum n.STORAGEA ll fo rm s o f sto rage can be reco m ­m ended fo r the chanterelle. It is a p articu larly in terestin g one to store in spiced alcoh ol because o f its v e ry fragran t flavo u r, but it is equ ally g o o d stored in extra virg in o live oil o r vin egar, or else dried.PREPARATION AND COOKING HINTSIt is im p ortan t to clean chanterelles w e ll w h en y o u pick them . B ru sh the caps, and w ip e them w ith a dam p cloth i f necessary. C u t the stem to a vo id any earth gettin g into y o u r basket. T h e chanterelle has a go o d shelf-Hfe: specim ens can be kept freshfo r so m e tim e either in a refrigerato r or in a co o l, airy place. T h e y taste exq u isite and are w o n d e rfu lly versa ­tile, w h eth er on their o w n , in m ixed m u sh ro o m dishes o r w ith m eat or fish dishes. T h e y also g iv e a w o n d er­ful co lo u r to sauces and the overall appearance o f a dish. T r y m ix in g all different typ es o f Cantharellus: this w ill com bin e the different flavo u rs and textures and m ake a w o n d e rfu lly co lo u rfu l dish o f w ild m u sh roo m s.LEFT Observe howthe ‘gills’ o f thisspecies are veryshallow, blunt andfrequently forked,more like deepwrinkles or veinsthan true gills.47

DIBLEMUsHROOMsECantharellus infundibuliformisWi n t e r Ch a n t e r e l l eT h e w in ter chanterelle is so called because it u su ally appears m uch later than the o rd in ary chanterelle. It is quite an ach ievem en t to fin d these tin y little gem s hidden under fallin gautu m n leaves. B u t once y o u get ID E N T IFIC A T IO Ny o u r eye in y o u w ill find troop s o f T h e cap is 2 - 5 cm (Ta-a in) across,th em g ro w in g w h ere b efo re y o u had h ard ly seen an yth in g. T h e y tend to g ro w in the sam e place each year, so note w h ere y o u find them .c o n v e xatfirst, so o n b e c o m in g funnel-sh aped w ith a fluted edge. It is dark b ro w n on top, v e ry m u ch the sam e co lo u r as the le a f litter under w h ich it g ro w s. T h e stem is 5 -8 cm (2 -3 in), y e llo w and h o llo w . T h e gills are n a rro w and quite irregu lar.greyish-lilacforked gills orwrinkles48