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Mushroom Basics By Dan Gill Photos compliments of
Wildman Steve Brill http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com
Though I
have found edible mushrooms in every month of the year, the season really begins,
at least psychologically, in early spring with the emergence of morels, or
merkles as they are known by many mushroomers. Start looking around apple
blossom time when wild asparagus and May Apples are up and oak leaves are the
size of squirrels ears, or about mid April. Morels are sometimes found in
unusual places, such as mulch piles and lawns (especially near elm trees),
but they often inhabit old apple orchards, Tulip Poplar stands and burned
over woodlands. If you find more than you can use right away, call me –
I will even help you pick them! Otherwise dry them. Morel flavor actually
intensifies with drying. There are
many excellent edibles, besides morels, that grow in abundance throughout
Virginia and are easily identified, once you know what to look for. The
differences and points of distinction are characteristic and quite obvious:
Is the cap of a certain color, texture or feel? Does it have gills, pores or
spikes underneath? What color are the gills and spore print? Does it grow on
the ground or on trees, in the woods or on lawns? Once you have seen,
touched, smelled and tasted a specific mushroom, it is like telling the
difference between an apple and a tomato. [To make a spore print, place
your mushroom, gills down on white paper. Cover with a glass or saucer to
block drafts, and leave for several hours. The pattern and color of the
resulting print is indicative of the genus.] Mushrooming
can be a rewarding hobby, but there is one cardinal rule: be absolutely sure
of the identity of each mushroom before you eat it. Start by getting a couple
of good field guides. I recommend North American Mushrooms, A Field Guide
to Edible and Inedible Fungi by Orson K. and Hope H. Miller. The late Dr.
Orson Miller was a professor at Virginia Tech for over thirty years. Hope has
also authored an excellent mushroom cookbook titled, interestingly enough, Hopes
Mushroom Cookbook. Another classic guide is Mushrooms Demystified
by David Arora. Both of these field guides have keys, pictures and
descriptions to make mushroom identification easy and safe. Consult with
other mushroomers. They will help you identify your finds, tell you about the
kinds of mushrooms that they collect and generally where and when they find
them – but dont expect them to show you their secret spots. Become
familiar with the terminology. Mushroomers tend to speak in Latin, but are
not showing off. Common names can be confusing and imprecise, so to be sure
we are talking about the same mushroom, we often use scientific names as well
as common names. First learn
to identify and avoid the really dangerous mushrooms, especially Amanitas.
Most of the mushrooms classified as poisonous will just give you an upset
stomach or flu-like symptoms but a handful, notably some Amanitas, are deadly
– and I do
mean deadly! You will get sick initially then think that you are recovering,
but Amatoxins
are slowly destroying your liver and kidneys. Death is slow, painful and
(usually) inevitable. Amanitas can be beautiful, abundant and deceiving.
Though there are some excellent edibles in the Amanita family, there are also
a lot of variants and look-alikes; therefore it is a good idea just to avoid
them completely. Look for white gills with a white spore print and some
evidence that the mushroom came from an egg-like sack or universal veil.
Use a stick or knife to unearth any suspected Amanitas and look for the
remnants of a cup at the base.
Once you
have found some mushrooms that you want to collect or test, put them in paper
bags or a basket, keeping unknown mushrooms separated from known edibles with
waxed paper or individual bags. Never keep fresh mushrooms in plastic, as
they need to breathe. Moisture collects on the plastic, hastening
decomposition. It is even a good idea to remove store-bought mushrooms from
plastic wrapping before storing them in the refrigerator. After a new
mushroom has been identified as safe to eat, you should still go through a
testing procedure. Some people have individual reactions to some wild
mushrooms. Taste a small portion on the first day and a small serving on the
second day. If there is no
adverse reaction, you should then be able to eat all that you want. With a
few exceptions, such as Pink Bottoms and some of the inky caps, wild
mushrooms should be cooked before being eaten. The best way to test a new
mushroom and evaluate its flavor is simply to sprinkle lightly with garlic
salt and saut in a little butter or olive oil. Mushrooms
worth knowing: The wild
Oyster Mushroom (Pluerotus ostreatus) is one of my favorites and can be found
any month of the year, but is most common in late summer and fall. They grow
from dead or sick trees and are often found on downed Tulip Poplars. The Meadow
Mushroom or Pink Bottom (Agaricus campestrous) is closely related to the
commercial button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) but it tastes much better. As
the name implies, the gills are pink on young specimens, turning a dark brown
as they age. Be sure to check each one as small Amanitas sometimes grow in
the same areas. Pink Bottoms are often abundant in lawns and pastures in late
summer following a rainy spell. If you pick more than you can eat, make
Duxelles with the rest and use it to flavor soups, gravies, sauces and egg
dishes.
The
brightly colored Sulfur Shelf
(Laetiporus sulphureus) is one of the foolproof four. It grows on
injured trees or stumps in the fall and has bright bands of yellow and orange
on top and pores underneath. Trim off the tender margins to eat and it will
grow more. It is meaty and tastes like lobster to me – saut in butter
and serve with eggs. Other
mushrooms of interest that I have found and eaten include the Blewitt,
Hen-of-the-Woods, Honey Mushrooms, Chanterelles, Lions Mane, Beefsteak,
toothed mushrooms, coral mushrooms and various Lactarious species. Recipes: Mushrooms
have a natural affinity for rich, earthy flavors, such as onion and garlic, and
lots of butter and cream. Do not substitute! If you are worried about it, cut
back on something else. We are allowed only so many sins in this life, so be
selective and make the most of your indulgences. Duxelles:
Simply chop up a bunch of mushrooms fairly fine (I pulse in a food
processor). Lets say a pound is about right for the average (#8 to #10) cast
iron skillet. Melt some butter – about 3 Tablespoons. Add a couple of
tablespoons of finely minced onion, a clove of garlic, a good sprinkling (1
to 2 Tablespoons) of chopped parsley and a pinch of nutmeg. Cook down until
all of the water is evaporated. Heat slowly at first to release the water,
then increase heat to brown at the end, but be careful not to burn. Duxelles
can be used as a flavor base for just about anything: soups, sauces, gravies,
omelets, or whatever. They will last for a couple of weeks in the
refrigerator, or freeze them in ice cube trays then transfer to Zip-Locks and keep in the freezer for later
use. Simply thaw a couple of the cubes and use to top steak, or mix with
hamburger, or scramble with eggs. Cream of
Mushroom Soup! At the store, we use Duxelles made from commercial mushrooms
for the flavor base and cut up Shitakes for texture. I use dried Shitakes
because they have more flavor than when fresh. Unfortunately, regulations
prohibit us from using wild mushrooms; but if you have them, use them. Start
with a good stock. I prefer homemade turkey stock, but you can use bullion or
canned or whatever. For the average three-gallon stock pot, start with about
a gallon of stock. Prepare a pound or so of mushrooms. I would saut them in
a little butter first to bring out the flavors. While you are at it, throw in
about a half of an onion (a few shallots would be better) and a couple of cloves
of garlic. A rib or two of celery would not be out of place. Cover and sweat
until the celery is tender and the onions are clear. At the same time, cook
up a light roux – smell it to make sure you are past the raw wheat
stage. Whisk the roux into the stock and bring to a low boil to thicken. Add
the mushroom mixture and simmer for a while. Deglaze your frying pan with
about a cup of white wine – Pinot Grigio is nice. Taste and adjust the
seasonings as you please – a little salt and pepper and a pinch or two
of nutmeg. I would also add the juice of a lemon, a tablespoon or two of soy
sauce and about the same of oyster sauce. When you are happy with the base,
reduce the heat and add about 3 pints of milk and cream in any combination of
skimmed, half and half and/or heavy whipping cream to result in about 10-15%
butterfat. Heat but do not allow to boil. Garnish with chopped chives,
parsley or chopped Leek-Flower stems and serve with toast points. Invite me
over. Dan Gill - Published
in Pleasant Living March – April 09 Printer
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