Shrooming on Saturday

Jennie@ifish · 10-12-2003, 06:17 AM

We went here, we went there, and all we found at first was several Chicken of The Woods:

Then, finally, deep in the heart of a big old growth area, we found them! WHOO HOO! It's like an Easter Egg hunt! When I finally spotted them, I was so happy! :smile: :smile:

I can't eat anything solid for two days, because of some tests I have to have done on Monday. So last night, I cooked a dinner that I won't forget soon!

Smj · 10-12-2003, 06:38 AM

Mmmmm wonderful! The wife and I will go Monday I think, down your way. Last year I stumbled on one spot about 20' in diameter that I got about ten lbs. of white chants from, hope it's the same this year.
I tried those chicken mushrooms once, the book said to just slice off the tender edge and cook it. I cooked it rather slow and longer as the book suggested, boy they were awful, did you try yours?

Smj

Jennie@ifish · 10-12-2003, 06:53 AM

Yes~ and they weren't bad. Not great, just not bad. I can see them cooked in a white sauce or something, and served over toast. Just not as good as chants. Don't really taste like mushrooms, as far as I can tell!

Jen

Jennie@ifish · 10-12-2003, 08:33 AM

BTW, good way to find your patches... take your GPS along and set shroom points. :smile:

Jen

letsfish · 10-12-2003, 10:41 AM

I love chicken-of-the-woods!!
Try them with some of the shelf boxed pasta dish(ie Chicken alfredo).
I want chanterelles I think I am going,,,Now.

letsfish · 10-12-2003, 08:12 PM

Well, got back from from shrooming up at Brown's Camp area off Hwy 6. I got a fair number and also got shrimp mushrooms -they are in prime shape right now. Quite tasty!
A good recipe a friend tried with the chanterelles: olive oil, butter, and a1-2 Tbsp of hazelnut liquer.The alchol burns off and adds a subtle but sweet,nutty flavor.

Jennie@ifish · 10-13-2003, 06:15 AM

Yum! Coming right up, after I get out of the hosp! Chants and hazelnut liquer! YUM YUM YUM!

Why can't I even have one sip of water? HUH? What's wrong with one sip of water? :depressed:

Jen

steelhead22 · 10-15-2003, 01:12 PM

I have a question for all you shroomer's out there. How did you get started? I'm really interested in learning about this, but I really don't know where to start and I don't feel like taking my chances and slipping into kidney failure. Did you have someone to "show you the ropes"? Where can I go to get more info?

steelhead22 · 10-15-2003, 01:16 PM

Oops! I just saw the post by letsfish. Thanks for the info, I think I'll go to that.

Fishfeet · 10-15-2003, 02:16 PM

:grin: Dont forget to wear your deer antlers when you go out there.

All Wet · 10-15-2003, 06:16 PM

I would strongly suggest that first timers go with someone that does this regularly. Get very familiar with one species and just do one mushroom for awhile, then slowly add to your menue. The wrong plant will make you very sick or maybe dead.

letsfish · 10-15-2003, 06:32 PM

How I got started,and why I got started are a story that explains alot. I was coming back skunked from salmon fishing too many times and noticing the shroomers. The idea of harvesting from the wild had always interested me. But the realization that I could go salmon fishing and shrooming in one trip suddenly add more incentive-I could get skunked fishing, but still bring home something good to eat if I knew how to shroom.I signed up at the Fall mushroom show and started going on society field trips, and seriously studied up.I didn't spend much time at it, just enough to feel comfortable with what I am doing and to kill the curiousity.

Steelhead Hound · 10-15-2003, 11:16 PM

I went shrooming once...... :grin: ......

Smj · 10-16-2003, 06:02 AM

steelhead22, You need to get you a couple of books. One of the best books out there is the

The Audubon Society
Field Guide to
North American
Mushrooms

It's a great book with pictures of over 700 mushrooms and how to ID them. I would also suggest one or two other books that cover Northwest mushroom also.

I started mushrooming with my dad back in Utah when we found a giant puffball in the middle of a dirt road while we were riding our trail bikes. Since then I've hunted shrooms where ever I've gone, and the Northwest is a great place for an amature mycologist! I wouldn't worry too much about heading out as a greenhorn, AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW THE BASIC RULES!

Don't eat any mushroom you not absolutely sure of!

Only eat a very small portion the first time to make sure you don't have a problem with it.(I wouldnt worry too much about chantrelles though)

Read Read Read every thing concerning identification, habitat and everything else on any particular mushroom you want to try.

There aren't alot of mushrooms out there that will kill you, but there sure are alot that may make you wish you were dead for a few days, if you know what I mean.

Have fun, it can be like a fairy land out there in the forest!

Smj

Labsforme · 10-16-2003, 06:38 AM

Probably the best field guide for our area is "All That The Rain Promises".Lots of pictures etc.Keep in mind that if you can't identify an edible mushroom for sure it's poisonous.Then no lilys(for the casket). :smile:

letsfish · 10-16-2003, 08:22 AM

SS22, All That Rain Promises and More(Arora) is a great book but Arora's Mushrooms Demystified I consider "the bible" ... loads of info, great color plates and west Coast specific.Though a bit large for the field.If you make it to the show they will have the best literature and the latest and be able to point you in the right direction. Also if you sign up as a member you get a 10% discount.

[ 10-16-2003, 09:24 AM: Message edited by: letsfish ]