The Foragers' Thread

[Legs]

Blushers. These are edible and quite good but not really a beginners mushroom, as they closely related to deadly things.

When my long-departed grandparents found and ate blushers, my grandmother left one on the kitchen worktop with an explanatory note ‘to help the coroner, if need be’!

 

[Reynard]

Still furkling for walnuts. I now have four full trays (the green cardboard ones they have in supermarkets) drying in the sun.

 

[Chromatic]

I foraged some hazelnuts the other day, probably about 20, I have eaten them all.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I foraged some hazelnuts the other day, probably about 20, I have eaten them all.

I got 2 full baking trays.
The still green ones are ripening, all the brown ones I've cracked so far were empty

 

[Ian H]

Walks are slower when the brambles are ripe.

 

[Reynard]

all the brown ones I've cracked so far were empty

I fear that may be the case with most of the ones I picked, too...

 

[Chromatic]

I got 2 full baking trays.
The still green ones are ripening, all the brown ones I've cracked so far were empty

Luckily none of mine were empty.

 

[slow horse]

Am enjoying this thread, though I've never foraged and am not about to start.

One thing I do remember is that the proven largest living thing on earth is a fungi, it was over 2 square miles

I can't imagine a gentler giant, but that's still a bit... scary.

 

[gbb]

I'd love to get back onto the old airbase we lived on in the 1970s, I used to pick mushrooms the size of dinner plates. Flesh so thick it was almost like streak, wonderful things...never seen them like that since.

 

[Witzend]

First ceps of the season for me (and a Slippery Jack with the tubes removed). Not many but a good size and quite a bit later than usual. Could have had four times the amount but the badgers and slugs got there first. There were countless Russulas that had suffered the same fate, plus a very large number of poisonous species.

The best bits are already sliced and drying, and I always make a risotto from the offcuts of the first haul of the season.

 

[Witzend]

In case anybody missed it yesterday, let's be careful out there:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g93rlxwklo

In case you might miss it tonight:
https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-looz8j/the-magic-of-mushrooms/
More about the lifecycle and vital ecological contribution than identification and edibility, but still worth a watch for the mycologically curious.

ps - drawn a blank today other than some pavement mushrooms growing at the edge of the tarmac that were too caked in road grime to be worth it.

 

[HMS_Dave]

In case anybody missed it yesterday, let's be careful out there:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g93rlxwklo

In case you might miss it tonight:
https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-looz8j/the-magic-of-mushrooms/
More about the lifecycle and vital ecological contribution than identification and edibility, but still worth a watch for the mycologically curious.

ps - drawn a blank today other than some pavement mushrooms growing at the edge of the tarmac that were too caked in road grime to be worth it.

It don't help when sellers in association with Amazon are churning out utter rubbish A.I generated sheet which could kill people...

 

[slow horse]

Foraging for reading material...
https://aeon.co/essays/an-escape-from-industrial-foods-foraging-nourishes-soul-and-body

 

[Mo1959]

The cafe in our local park are going to be holding a Scottish tapas meal with some foraged ingredients. Looks quite good.

 

[Witzend]

Three decent-sized Ceps; some Common Puffballs; Amethyst Deceivers and lastly, a Witches Egg.

I see dozens of these, but have never plucked up the courage to try one - mainly as I am reluctant to eat anything that is described as 'an acquired taste'. Until now. I sliced it and fried it in butter and olive oil (I admit I cut off the layer of 'jelly').

The texture was similar to whelks/squid, and the flavour like raw potato - it is not something I am going to acquire a taste for.