Just so all of you know, I would never, ever eat a mushroom that I picked in the wild. Having read Tom's blog this past week, I have become fascinated with mushrooms and had no idea how deadly they could be. I have had fun this weekend finding new varieties to photograph...not to eat.
I will not touch the fungi.
Don't panic Chania - the mushrooms in the top photo are great - they are Shaggy Ink-Caps. Delicious - eat those ones. There are 2 types of ink caps - shaggy and smooth. You can eat both, but you must not drink alcohol with the smooth ones, otherwise they can have adverse effects. They are only eaten for breakfast, unless you are an alcoholic.
ReplyDeleteThe 'Lawyer's Wig', shaggy ones are best simply fried up when they are young, before they start to go inky and black like in the 3rd photo. You have my permission to eat those!
The ones in the lower photo (club puff-balls) are edible when young, but I don't like them - they are strange textured and tasteless. Eat the young ink caps - I've eaten loads and they are really tasty, just fried in butter.
P.S. The great thing about ink caps is that you usually find them in groups of about 15 or 20 - plenty for all the girls.
ReplyDeleteP.P.S. I ought to add a caveat here: The photos you have shown are definitely Shaggy Ink-Caps, but if you go back in the morning, make sure you look at the same ones, and check on the rogersmushrooms site I have already directed you to, because when they are young, ink-caps can look very similar to some nasty amanitas before they open out. Basically, if they start to go black and inky, they are ink-caps, but - like I said - satisfy yourself that they are through reference and experience. The gills of a closed ink-cap will be a sort of fleshy pink before they open (when you cut them open) NOT white. You will usually see one nearby which is dripping with black ink. Take the plunge, but don't take risks, and your confidence will increase through experience.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos Chania!! I love mushrooms both the wild variety and the culinary kind ;) Hope you are enjoying a fabulous weekend. Hugs as always ~ Tina xx
ReplyDeleteSuch gorgeous photos! I just love wild mushrooms and like you I snap picts, but leave my eating to the ones in the groc store. Kit
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! We have quite a few varieties of mushrooms growing in our yard this year. So cool!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos Chania! And I don't like mushrooms, so I'm safe! ;-)
ReplyDeleteKat :)
I wonder where the fairies and wood elves where when you were taking the lovely photos?
ReplyDeleteI would not dare to eat them either. But they are nice to look at! Reminds me of Wind in the Willows for some reason.
ReplyDeleteSheesh..it's a dangerous world we live in. I love the look of mushrooms but unfortunately (as a vegetarian) I just hate the taste! They are fascinating though :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting article in the Sunday NY Times magazine today about a doctor who ventured into the world of wild-mushroom eating, called The Mistaken Mushroom
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/magazine/26lives-t.html?_r=1
Hi Chania,
ReplyDeleteLove your photos of the magical Mushrooms. I am so scared to try any mushroom unless I buy it at a market :) LOL! I just don't want to chance it!
Those first one's pictured are so beautiful in there shape are they not?
How have you been girl!
xx
Dore