On the 21st of August we had a walk in Hamsterley forest. The forest had all wonderful subdued colours of August with still fresh leathery leaves on the ground. It was obvious that the peak of the mushroom season was over as we passed many rotting mushrooms but still we found a lot of interesting varieties of fungi.
From the Collins guide on mushrooms we lean that fungi are remarkable organisms. They are present everywhere on earth, in all habitats, and are of enormous biological and ecological importance. Most fungi obtain food only from dead plant or animal matter, although they are often very specific in their requirements, living, for example, only on certain kind of dead wood or on decaying leaf litter from a particular kind of tree.
Many fungi, including common woodland toadstools, are important in developing what are called mycorrhizal associations with plants, especially woody plants. The fungi obtain nutrients from the plant via roots but in return providing the plant with water and minerals. These are extremely important and widespread relationships, without which the plant is unable to thrive.
There is no doubt that fungi are of immense ecological significance, and yet there is still so much to learn about them.
Our
approach to fungi was quite pragmatic -- we were mainly interested in
good edible mushrooms with high culinary value. It is important to use a
penknife when mushroom hunting: you have to cut the mushroom above the
ground level and try to do as little disturbance to the roots as
possible.
Do not attempt to hunt for edible
mushrooms without an experienced guide. Even a good book on fungi is not
a solution on its own because for almost every good edible mushroom
there are look-alikes which are not edible or even poisonous. One has to
know also how to cook different mushrooms as for some, cooking time is
crucial and others require pre-soaking.
A mistake can cause a gastric upset, liver failure or severe poisoning. We found Cep, the king of forest mushrooms, but already too old for picking. There were quite a lot of Slippery Jack (or Butter Bolete), beautiful samples of Brown Birch Bolete and Orange Birch Bolete.
We came across Chanterelle (which is unreasonably expensive at M&S) and False Chanterelle which was handy for comparison. We also saw different Milk-caps and many varieties of Russule, including Russula mairei, with a red cap, which has inedible look-alike The Sickener and their identification is difficult.
It was a great fun!
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Cep |
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Boletus edulis Also known as the Penny Bun. The most sought after of the boletes, this is an excellent edible species which can be dried for winter use. Of commercial importance, it is the species that is commonly used in mushroom soups. Sometimes common in coniferous woods, while closely related forms, such as Boletus aerus and Boletus reticulates, grow in deciduous forests.
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Orange Birch Bolete |
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Leccinum versipelle Grown in mycorrhizal association with birch and is a widespread species, still frequent but now less common in some areas than formerly. The orange cap and blackish stem scales are diagnostic. The flesh is white, but discolours vinaceous then blackish when cut, and sometimes blue-green in the stem base. This is a good edible species, having firm flesh with a mild, pleasant taste.
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The Sickener |
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Rusula emetica A common species of pine woods, occurring throughout Europe. The scarlet cap, white stem and gills, and very hot, acrid taste are characteristic, but there are several red-capped Russula species and identification can be very difficult. This species, like others with an acrid taste, is inedible, being a stomach irritant, and causes sickness if eaten raw.
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Chanterelle |
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Cantharellus cibarius This is one of the best edible fungi. It is much sought after and often seen for sale in Continental markets. It has an excellent flavour but is rather tough and should be cooked slowly. There is a white form of this species, and another, with reddish-purple scales, is known as var. amethysteus. The Chanterelle is seemingly less common now in many areas, perhaps due to pollution from acid rain.
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