Foraging
Many people enjoy foraging, and this time of year is full of delight for them. Blackberries, sloes, elderberries, hazel nuts, and sweet chestnuts are just some of the bounty that can be collected.
Wild mushrooms are a different proposition. We have seen many people poking around at ground level for delicious treats. One French man we met showed us the basket of chanterelles he had gathered and was going to freeze. Chanterelles are often associated with beech and birch trees, and can be found between May and November.
Unless a person has been brought up to identify fungi, it is wiser to avoid gathering and cooking them. It is far too easy to make a mistake which may turn out to be deadly.
Left to right: Panthercap (Amanita pantherina) Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) and False deathcap (Amanita citrina) from 'Mushrooms' by Roger Phillips
The grey spotted Amanita (Amanita excelsa) grows in mixed woodland and can be seen from July to October. It is edible and very common but must be thoroughly cooked before consumption. It has a strong mushroom smell when cooked.
It is not safe for amateur foragers to attempt gathering is because it is difficult to distinguish from the poisonous Panthercap (Amanita pantherina) Panthercap is not abundant and grows in most types of woodland, particularly beech, from July to November.
Confusingly, the edible Blusher (Amanita rubescens) looks similar to the Panthercap. It is common and widespread, and grows in mixed woodland from May to November. Although it is reputed to be very tasty, it must be thoroughly cooked to the destroy the poison (!) it contains, which is only destroyed by heat.
Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) is the striking red ‘toadstool’ with white spots, often seen in fairy tale illustrations and paintings of the autumn countryside. It is both toxic and hallucinogenic, but not usually deadly, unless a great quantity is eaten (more than ten) It can be found from August to December in mixed woodlands, particularly favouring birch woods.
The common name of Fly agaric comes from the mediaeval practice of breaking off pieces and putting them in milk to kill flies. Reindeer and red squirrels eat them and suffer no ill effects, though maybe that’s why reindeer fly.
Fungi seem to be a recurring theme on my blog. I have written about them here and here and here and here.
When I was doing my volunteer thing on Saturday one of the ladies said that somebody had left with a whole basket of gathered fungi. I don't think I would trust myself to ever know the difference lol
ReplyDeleteI once went on a woodland tour with a mushroom expert called Patrick Harding. Though he knew so much about fungi, he was exceedingly cautious about eating his quarry. And this was after working for many years as a mycologist. It was his life's passion. Sadly, he is now dead - but not from mushroom poisoning!
ReplyDeleteUntil I saw those red spotted fungi growing here after a very wet summer brought out many species, I thought they were just a fairy storybook fantasy thing! What a treat to find they were real.
ReplyDeleteOh lord. Those mushrooms looks scary. Like aliens.
ReplyDeleteI prefer my mushrooms small and brown ones in tesco plastic boxes. Haha!
No foraging for me- I would not trust what I picked-I would be afraid I would poison myself. I'm shopping in the supermarket!! I've seen some pretty unusual mushrooms this year too.
ReplyDeleteI’ve forged wild berries, figs, pomegranates and nuts but never mushrooms. I’m not that knowledgeable and would kill myself. Now in the state of Oregon, psychedelic mushrooms are legal. No thank you!
ReplyDeleteWe had a terrible case in Victoria when three people were murdered with poisoned mushrooms and a 4th was hospitalised for ages. It wasn't an accident.. the woman was gaoled for life
ReplyDeleteBut now I ONLY pick up mushrooms from the supermarket.