Thread: I went hunting yesterday

Originally Posted by Cowboy

Saxguy. Want to educate us on what to look for on the edible fungi front. Would interested in pics and what not to do. I went across the paddocks with my kid a couple of days ago but only found a random selection, none of which were field mushrooms, so left them alone.

Oh, I wouldn't class myself as an authority on these things.... my wife is better than me at it, even spotting them. She's like a truffle hound! LOL
You need to google and do some research. The deadly ones are easy to pick out, but you just need to make sure you know what to look for (Google Death Cap mushroom). We've been getting a fair few "Slippery Jack" mushrooms recently. They grown in pine forests, near the edge where the sun gets through. You will usually find them around the same place as "Fly Agaric" mushrooms. These are the pretty red ones with white spots (the Fly Agaric that is), and should NOT be eaten unless you want to be deathly sick, shits and fly to the stars! Slippery Jacks look slimy, and are brown tops with a yellowish sponge underbelly. The smaller ones are best, as the may not have yet got worms in. By the way, many wild mushrooms have worms! You best cut out the bad bits, and any left over will be harmless after cooking.
Now, the KING of mushrooms is the Porcini (pronounced Poor-chee-nee). These are prized above all others, and are sought/bought by Chef's for their taste and appeal. These can grow to huge dimensions. This season, sadly, we have found only one so far, as it is has been too dry where we are. Second to this is the "Birch Bolete", which can be found believe it or not, close to birch trees! Guess the name gives it away. Again, a VERY nice mushroom indeed.
A tip for you, after you have definitely identified your 'shrooms, don't be tempted to cook up a whole mess of them and scoff down the lot. Tempting as it may be. We like to slice them thinly (I'm talking about if we try a "new" mushroom), and fry them with a little butter and garlic. A glass of white wine as an accompaniment, taste a few slices and enjoy. If you have no bad effects later, ie stomach ache, or other reactions eg sudden death (kidding), next time you know that they suit you, and you are good to go. One word of caution here however, some species are great... unless you consume them with alcohol, then they become poisonous! Yeah, I know, intriguing huh! Bit like playing Russian Roulette. But seriously, there are some absolutely astounding mushrooms out there, a far cry from the tasteless button mushrooms that you get in the shops! I guarantee you, if you get hooked on this, your kid will love "hunting" them down. Oh, paddock mushrooms are usually all okay. Pure white tops with a light pinky-brown set of open gills underneath. Just make sure you google "Death cap, or Destroying Angel mushroom" first. These have some the worst toxins in the natural world. You can die days or even weeks after consuming them, and I believe there is no known cure. Next of course, there is the "trippy" 'shrooms, but, this needs a chapter all to itself I guess. To be honest, if I had the nerve, I would like to try them just once... but, I'm just to much of a coward when it comes to such things! I hope some of this helps. But please, do some research, and include your kid. I'm sure they'll love you for it. Cheers, and good luck hunting.