Mushrooms in the forest

[GrowingCoastal]

Lovely shots of beautiful mushrooms, Randal. Several I have never seen.

[Deborah]

Vladimir, I love mushroom gravy over mashed potatoes, and mushrooms and onions fried in butter over a baked potato. Delicious!

[NewWestGardener]

what is the blue one, Randal? I've seen those here in north shore mountains.

[NarnianGarden]

Originally Posted by NewWestGardener

what is the blue one, Randal? I've seen those here in north shore mountains.

It's Lepdista nuda (also called Clitocybe nuda)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clitocybe_nuda

Aromatic and rich taste that isn't for everyone's palate. I like the yellow Lepista as well, but there are constant changes in recommendations and what's considered safe.
Some delicious varieties are now considered to be toxic to the liver...

[Randall]

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

It's Lepdista nuda (also called Clitocybe nuda)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clitocybe_nuda

Aromatic and rich taste that isn't for everyone's palate. I like the yellow Lepista as well, but there are constant changes in recommendations and what's considered safe.
Some delicious varieties are now considered to be toxic to the liver...

Yes. The common name in N. America is "blewit."

I like to say they have a squeaky crunch, haha. I love them.

[bower]

The Blewit is one we've never found here.
Those are gorgeous pix Randall, and Coastal, your pics are also lovely! Smokin blue mountains...

[MrBig46]

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

Yes - the B edulis is a larvae magnet. It grows here in abundance and is even exported to Southern Italy (Italians don't know they're eating plenty of larvae and maggots with their Finnish mushrooms...)...
I lost my appetite somewhat when an expert said that almost ALL Boletus edulis mushrooms are filled with larvae, even when they're microscopically small.

That's why I much prefer the chantarelle varieties, they usually are left alone by insetcs (but slugs still love them)

Boletus edulis is also the most popular fungus in the Czech Republic, which everyone knows. Yes, the first mushrooms are mostly wormy, but later in the summer the insects do not put so many eggs into the mushrooms. I do not mind what I don´t see.
Vladimír

[coronabarb]

GC, love your photos! I knew you were somewhere in the Pacific NW. We have those mushrooms here too. One of my favorites that a local couple sell at the farmers' market is black trumpets. They make a wonderful earthy broth soup when simmered/steeped in veggie or chicken stock.

[NewWestGardener]

Blewit! Yes, now I recall. It has the glow in the dark quality. We have so many varieties of mushrooms here with the abundance of rain and forest. I often carry a book to id mushrooms when I go hiking or walk my dogs in the trails.

[NarnianGarden]

Black Trumpets, yes!!! They're wonderful, both dried and fresh - they have this anise-type aromatic scent. Mmmmmmmmmm. and - usually free from maggots and larvae.

[NarnianGarden]

Has anyone ever tried those grow-mushrooms-at-home-kits?
They're increasingly available here, and Russian seed sites have so many... (even non-edibles for ornamental purposes!!)

[Nematode]

Took up hunting mushrooms a.few years back. A great way to enjoy the woods, and supper.
Have enjoyed chanterelle, maitake, black trumpet, bicolor bolete, hedgehog, and some others.
Chicken of the woods, and elm oysters were less delicious.

[Nematode]

Gilled mushrooms freak me out a bit. I have grown quite fond of my liver and kidneys.

[coronabarb]

I knew absolutely nothing about wild mushrooms until I started selling at our local farmers' market. I began buying some from a local couple who sell them. The Mushroom People It's fun trying new ones out and finding the best ways to use them in food.

[bower]

Originally Posted by Nematode

Gilled mushrooms freak me out a bit. I have grown quite fond of my liver and kidneys.

I hear you there. One of the groups of gilled edibles that are quite common here are the Tricholomas. Man on Horseback, for example, is common and can be abundant. I have eaten them and they are delicious and the next thing to a matsutake, but easier to come by. The trouble is, all their close relatives that can be deadly poisonous are also as common... if you're not very careful, you could be mistaken in a really bad way.

There have also been reports in recent years, that put some mushrooms in that group into a hazardous category after some poisonings were reported. No one is really sure whether there could be gene transfer from a poisonous relative to a mushroom like Man on Horseback, and cause it to produce those potentially deadly toxins. Or as the wiki says, maybe there are several species that look identical, one happens to be poisonous..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricholoma_equestre

Cortinarius is another group with potentially deadly poisons. The Gypsy Rozites caperata is common here and is the only one related to that group worth eating ever IMO. But it also has deadly lookalikes, so never collect them thinking the ring has fallen off or eaten by a bug.
Anyway the Gypsy is another one that is just riddled with bugs from the get go here. Have to eat them immediately after picking, don't bother to keep for a day you'll just be grossed out and it'll be tossed out!