March 2018

Puffballs: Polyphyletic group including Calvatia, Calbovista and Lycoperdon.

Published on March 23, 2018September 30, 2018 by MushroomBoozeHound

Giant ones, little ones, brown ones, white ones, spiky ones, smooth ones, hard-shelled ones, even a poisonous one and a look alike.

me holding two giant puffballs — I’ve got big balls.

First, recognize them by their ball-like shape. Cut them in half from top to bottom. If you see gills on the inside DON’T EAT IT, IT’S DEADLY. This is most likely a young Amanita before its stalk has grown. It should

be smooth and white on the inside. If they are brownish on the inside they have passed their prime. Lastly, if its a rich black on the inside, DON’T EAT IT. It’s probably a Poisonous Pig Skin. Although it’s not deadly, your going to have a bad time. Again I reiterate if you have any doubts don’t eat it and check your mushrooms with your local mycologist.

False Puffball Enteridium lycoperdon — False Puffball – Enteridium lycoperdon

If you come across a “False Puffball,” don’t eat it. Although I don’t think you would want to. It is a slime mold and you would notice its slimness right away. I have only come across one of these in all my life of mushroom hunting and the thought of it being a puffball never even crossed my mind. I didn’t even think it was a mushroom. I thought it was an egg sac from an insect or amphibian.

Puffball spores are statismospores, meaning they don’t forcibly expel them so raindrops and wind blow them out slowly over time. I like to help them along from time to time by stomping on them. I’m not sure if this makes a huge difference, but I like to think it does, plus it’s fun.

Most little puffballs grow in clusters making it easier to get a meal from one find. After cutting them in half to check for gills and freshness, they fry up pretty easily. The larger ones can make a good scramble or a good mushroom steak. I find if you blanch them a little, it helps them hold their form. I also find that drying them and crumbling them into a fine powder makes for a good mushroom stock or soup.

Scotch-Irish Red Ale: A Wee Light

Published on March 22, 2018September 30, 2018 by MushroomBoozeHound

St. Patricks day is my second favorite holiday next to Halloween. People get tore up, have fun, make mistakes, blackout, and wake up regretting a lot of things. Whats not to love?

Every year I make an Irish Red beer to help celebrate the holiday. I usually base this beer on a recipe by Jamil Zainasheff from Heretic Brewing. He is also hosting a podcast that I like called Brewing with Style.

This year my local home brew shop (LHBS), Three Stars Brewing Co, was out of WLP004 Irish ale yeast so I used their WLP028 Edinburgh Scottish ale yeast instead.

The beer turned out great and the keg was kicked by the end of the night. Good times! Good friends! Good food!

Laetiporus sulphureus/cincinnatus: Chicken of the Woods aka Sulfur Shelf

Published on March 21, 2018September 30, 2018 by MushroomBoozeHound

Chicken of the Woods is another plentiful choice mushroom that gives and gives year after year. These mushrooms tend to grow so large I usually leave some untouched so they can continue to drop their spore. They grow fan-like shelves and have smooth microporous underside classifying it as a polypore. The species Sulphureus is very colorful with rich orange colors and deep yellow underneath. The species Cincinnatus is usually not as rich of an orange and white underneath. Both are very tasty and worth harvesting when fresh.

Chicken of the Woods comes with a few words of caution. This mushroom can have adverse effects on some people. Most people are fine with it. Though, some people can get nauseous or an extreme headache and can be exacerbated by alcohol. When trying for the first time, I recommend trying a little to see if you have an adverse reaction. I am fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a glass of beer or two and maybe even a shot with my Chicken of the Woods dish.

Dangerous Look-Alike: Jack-O-Lantern Mushroom

Another word of caution comes from a very dangerous look-alike. Although not deadly, the Jack-O-Lantern mushroom is quite nasty and can lead to projectile vomiting, cramping, diarrhea, and vertigo. Not to worry though, It can be easily distinguished by a trained eye looking for gills underneath.

Omphalotus illudens: Jack-O-Lantern

Hericium erinaceus: Bearded Tooth aka Lions Mane

Published on March 20, 2018September 30, 2018 by MushroomBoozeHound1 Comment

pic of me holding a bearded tooth mushroom — Bearded Tooth (Hericium erinaceus)

Bearded Tooth is a mushroom that tends to grow a little later in the fall, at least in the D.C. region. It is easy to spot because all the leaves have fallen off the trees by then and they are usually bright white. When closer examined they are a ball of icicle-like white hairs that turn a little browner with age.
They also can grow quite high in trees which can lead to one acting like a monkey jumping up and down, throwing rocks and sticks, only to walk away disappointed and empty-handed. But, most of the time they are close enough to the ground to grab for a happy serene zenful hike.

The bearded tooth mushroom has kind of a nutty flavor that can get a little bitter with age. It is also easy to prepare. Simply grab a pinch of the hairs and rip them upwards along the fibers. This will make julienne like cuts ready to throw in the pan

If you should come across one, you should have no fear. Its only look-a-likes are other Hericiums that are equally delicious. They are called Comb Tooth (Hericium ramosum) and Bear’s Head Tooth (Hericium coralloides). Their main difference is that they don’t grow into a ball shape, though, this can make them a lot harder to clean.

Bear’s Head Tooth (Hericium coralloides)

mushroom on side of the road near the capitol — Bearded Tooth in rush hour traffic with the U.S. Capitol in the background. This pic is awesome in higher resolution.

People often ask where I find mushrooms and I tell them I find them everywhere I can find a little bit of nature. I don’t recommend picking any mushrooms along heavily traveled roads due to carcinogenic hydrocarbons from vehicle emissions, but I often do spot them while driving.

Grifola Frondosa: Hen of the Woods aka Maitake aka Sheepshead

Published on March 19, 2018September 30, 2018 by MushroomBoozeHound

Maitake is one of my favorite mushrooms that I find in abundance. It comes out in the fall and is easily identifiable. They are a little camouflaged amid the fallen leaves of fall, usually at the bases of hardwood trees and can grow quite large. Often there are several on one tree and when the conditions are right, they pop up all over if you know where to look.

They are a polypore meaning they have no gills on the underside, just a bunch of small tubes for the spore to fall out of. There are no known poisonous polypores and it doesn’t have any poisonous look-alikes so it is a good mushroom to look for as a beginner mushroom hunter.

I mentioned there are no known poisonous polypores, but that doesn’t mean that they are all edible. A lot of them lack any nutritional value and a lot of them, even if they were nutritious, they would be unappetizing and too tough to chew.

Maitake, on the other hand, is a choice mushroom to eat. It is packed with vitamin D, has tumor fighting properties, and is good for the immune system. They have a savory flavor and make for good stir-fry, mushroom and cheese sub, mushroom taco, pasta dish, or even a vegan pate. At $53 a pound dried at Whole Foods, they have curb appeal for chefs.

Frederik De Pue with a mushroom I found.

Don’t forget to check the tree where you found them again next year. They often grow in the same spot year after year. As with all mushrooms, the mycelium in the wood and ground is the mushroom, what you pick is just the fruiting body. Take care picking your mushroom cleanly with a knife at the base as to not disturb the mycelium below.