Let's go foraging

[TopCat]

Nice one TC!

It’s a really interesting experience. You feel the effects, unlike anything else then just when you think it might be wearing off it goes up by 100 fold.
It does this several times. I was climbing trees and bellowing.

Smoking it is really mild however.

 

[Hassan I Sabha]

Any ideas what these may be? Plenty growing in back garden

 

[gentlegreen]

Lawyer's wig / shaggy ink cap - reputed to be tasty when picked very young and carefully cooked.
Don't just take my word for it though.

Coprinus comatus

 

[Chilli.s]

Yes, ink cap

 

[nogojones]

Any ideas what these may be? Plenty growing in back garden

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Like gentlegreen says. Try and catch them early when they look like this:

Fry straight away in a little butter and garlic and they're lush. The ones you have have gone over and will just turn into an inky mush

 

[weltweit]

Great to be so knowledgeable about fungi - I only know a few types and tend to steer well clear of others lest I poison myself.

 

[nogojones]

Great to be so knowledgeable about fungi - I only know a few types and tend to steer well clear of others lest I poison myself.

There's only about 10 or so edible/medicinal ones that I'm confident about ID-ing. And yeah, the rest are just for looking at and hopefully learning about

 

[TopCat]

Any fly agaric sightings?

 

[platinumsage]

Any fly agaric sightings?

Loads.

 

[platinumsage]

Only in ones and twos though, mind you it has been mild. Some cold nights might have brought on decent groups of them.



iPhone autofocus really sucks for mushrooms. Seems to look for grass.

 

[TopCat]

Im going for a long walk tomorrow before lunch with offspring and parents. Finding some will liven up lunch conversation.

 

[Callie]

My price for fungi foraging in The Highlands was finding a tick attached to me when I came out of the shower this morning. Now just need to watch the bite for signs of Lyme disease.

A mate has talked me into doing something with Rowan berries (I have access to loads). Most sources say they are a faff, but I guess I should have a go at least once...

Might be worth discussing with a Dr about the tick as you might not get the classic bullseye reaction and might be safer to have some abx anyway

 

[platinumsage]

No deaths caps two weeks ago. Loads last week:

 

[TopCat]

No deaths caps two weeks ago. Loads last week:

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You have to wonder what has been nibbling them.

 

[platinumsage]

You have to wonder what has been nibbling them.

Squirrels - they have a special gut lining that inactivates amatoxins.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Might be worth discussing with a Dr about the tick as you might not get the classic bullseye reaction and might be safer to have some abx anyway

Seems like a long time ago now and no issues!

 

[Fez909]

From top-left, clockwise: Fly Agaric (only saw one all day TopCat, very unusual), parasols, stump puff balls, clouded agaric.

Turns out the clouded agarics can make 20% of people seriously ill, so gonna give them a miss. And the Amanita, of course. Gonna try the rest though.

 

[Callie]

Seems like a long time ago now and no issues!

Yeah sorry I was catching up on the thread and didn't realise it was so long ago

 

[Kevbad the Bad]

No deaths caps two weeks ago. Loads last week:

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I'm told that death caps are Tony Blair's favourite. They keep him so looking so young and vibrant.

 

[Fez909]

Im going for a long walk tomorrow before lunch with offspring and parents. Finding some will liven up lunch conversation.

Saw lots today! Maybe 10 in a 30 minute walk near my house. If you're looking for 'em, it seems like they're out.

 

[seeformiles]

Got a lb of blackberries this morning. Just when I think the season’s ended it surprises me with a bag of fat rascals!

 

[Fez909]

Found some amethyst deceivers, but might be too dry?

 

[seeformiles]

Found some amethyst deceivers, but might be too dry?

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They’ll rehydrate and be a lovely aniseedy addition to a creamy sauce with pasta

 

[heinous seamus]

Sweet chestnuts look pretty good this year!

 

[Chilli.s]

Looks good, my trees had a load down this last week too, picked up a bagful
I have these down to a fine art now, wash them then just chuck in a big pan and boil (add a bit of lemon juice) for about 25 minutes, cut into them with a sharp knife towards the pointy end and they peel easiest by hand. Freeze in portion size amounts and you'll have the stuffing of the gods ready to use when doing a show off roast bird.

 

[Fez909]

Puffballs and more deceivers

 

[Funky_monks]

Hook them with a walking stick from as far away as you can. Peel all the red skin off immediately and retain. Dump the rest.

Either smoke the dried red skin in a bong for an experience similar to cannabis or heat the red skin in milk then drink for the full Valhalla.

Why do you need to hook them from far away?

Also - Roger Phillips describes a "death like sleep" before the fun begins, which has always put me off - does that actually happen?

Shedloads of them about this year, I could have easily picked a binful from my local xmas tree plantation.

 

[TopCat]

Why do you need to hook them from far away?

Also - Roger Phillips describes a "death like sleep" before the fun begins, which has always put me off - does that actually happen?

Shedloads of them about this year, I could have easily picked a binful from my local xmas tree plantation.

The mycelium that connects each and everyone of them is sensitive to pressure. You walk right up to the mushroom and it will send toxins upwards and make the experience er very unpleasant.

Hook it with a walking stick and be quick at getting the red skin off.

No death like sleep. He must have partook of a bit of the whole thing.

 

[Kevbad the Bad]

Anyone tried King Oyster mushrooms? I foraged some from my local Waitrose, reduced for quick sale. Fried them and ate them. Tasted quite nice, but sooooo chewy. Any ideas on reducing the chewiness?

 

[seeformiles]

Took a diversion due to roadworks on the way back from the shops today. Saw an Apple tree with windfalls beneath so gathered what I could. Went home, milled the apples and squeezed exactly one gallon of juice that’s been turned into a late autumn cider bonus plus kept 2 apples aside for a German style Apfelkuchen. Must take diversions more often