Mad about Mushrooms . . .

Fantastic Fungi, the Movie, and Paul Stamets

It must have been at least 35 years ago that we first were introduced to Paul Stamets.  Steven and I were part of a small group of members of the Puget Sound Mycological Society who drove over to Shelton, Washington on a field trip to meet with this legendary founder of Fungi Perfecti and to view his operation.

It was something around an hour drive from our then residence in Redondo Beach to Paul's place in the Olympia area.  We took it slow and leisurely, adding to the adventure by stopping along the way to mushroom in forested areas off Highway 101 South.  When we finally arrived, as I recall,  we were mightily impressed with his vision and vowed that we'd keep an eye on him - he was bound to bring a lot of energy to further enhancing mushrooms in the lives of ordinary citizens.

This lovely Admirable Bolete (Aureoboletus mirabilis) caught
caught our attention when we were wandering on Mt. Hood.

Now, what am I going to do with all these mushrooms?

Foraging is fun, really fun.  Discovering the mushrooms, filling the basket, returning home to share the find with others ... all that is fun.  Now, what are you going to do with those mushrooms that you didn't bestow upon your friends?  That really is the dilemma!

First, take a deep breath.  Turn on your favorite sounds, pour yourself a beverage, and simply work thru a very straightforward process.  No need to be stressed.  Preserving the bounty is an honor and a joy.

My recently foraged white chanterelles came with a lot of litter.

Start by cleaning the mushrooms.  In my case, a paper bag full of white chanterelles can be quite a numbing sight.  My preferred way of tackling this chore, especially with mushrooms like white chanterelles which tend to be quite dirty with litter from the forest floor, is by placing a couple of handfuls of the mushrooms into a colander with small perforations in its bottom. 

Using a 2 colander system can make the
cleaning easier.

This colander then is lowered into my sink directly under the faucet.  With the water gently flowing out of the faucet, I can easily run a small brush (such as a toothbrush) over the mushroom, catching pretty much all the litter in the colander rather than allowing it to pass into the sink's drain.  As the mushrooms are washed, they are then set into a colander with larger holes to drain.  

What a difference washing made in these mushrooms.

When all the mushrooms have been processed and placed in the colander to drain, I spread several layers of newspaper on the kitchen counter and place towels on top of the papers.   The drained mushrooms are then laid in a single layer on the towels overnight to allow additional moisture to leave the mushrooms.  In the morning the mushrooms can be further processed.

The mushrooms that I will be gifting to others or using for my own consumption are placed in paper bags.  In order of preference, the remaining mushrooms will be (1) dehydrated, (2) pickled, (3) frozen.

(1) Dehydrating is my personal favorite preservation technique because it is the least labor intensive and tends to enhance the umami flavor of a dish in which they or their soaking liquid are included.  I am unaware of any mushrooms that are not suitable for dehydrating.  In fact, I've found several types of dehydrated mushrooms whose aroma and flavor tend to be enhanced during storage. 

After labeling the jar and adding a small container of desiccant (seen in the top, left portion of the jar), I place it in the freezer for about a week, believing that freezing kills any microscopic bugs that made it through the dehydration process.  Remove from freezer and store in a dry place. To re-hydrate, soak in warm water for 15 minutes. This soaking liquid is flavorful and can be added to soups or incorporated into other dishes. 

Keep in mind that my experience has shown that 1 pound of fresh wild mushrooms dehydrates down to about 1.5 ounces.

Every container is labeled as to the type of
mushroom, the collection date and location.

(2) Pickling is another choice for preserving the bounty.  Remember that wild mushrooms should always be cooked so be sure that your pickling recipe involves cooked mushrooms. 

I like to refrigerate pickled mushrooms
and to include an expiration date on the label.

(3) Freezing is another good choice, although it's never mine because it does require more prep time and storage space than dehydrating. 

It should be noted that home canning of wild mushrooms is not generally recommended.   According to the publication PNW172, which is published by Pacific Northwest Extension, "There is no research-based processing time for wild mushrooms. Since wild mushrooms have a different texture from commercially grown mushrooms, the processing time for purchased mushrooms does not apply to wild mushrooms." 

For more information on preservation and other options for preserving, please see the "Preserving the Bounty" page on this website

 

 

Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Mushrooming in the snow...can you believe it?  It's not even October, and the snows are blanketing the landscape, wrapping Mt. Hood in a lovely white shawl.  Awesome!

Still, even though beautiful, the snows present a particular challenge to mushroomers, even dedicated ones like us.  Do you go to your favorite, usual spots which normally would fill your basket with fall fungi?  Or, do you sit in that easy chair, warmed by a fire in the wood stove, and dream of previous autumns when you were able to fill the freezer with freshly gathered mushrooms? 

The answer was quick and easy for our small band of enthusiastic mushroomers.  Pile into the Subaru girls, and let's head up the mountain for another perspective on fall mushrooming!

All I can say is, let it keep snowing if an abundance of
white chanterelles and matsutake are what come with snow.

October, 2019's Recipe of the Month: www.FungusAmongUs.com, Jack Daniel's Spectacular Sauce

It's always comforting to have a "go to" recipe in your back pocket for those occasions when you need to upgrade a weeknight meal for unexpected company.  This month's recipe is just such a treasure.

Why this recipe?  It brightens up boring grilled chicken, turning an ordinary meal into something extraordinary.  Many thanks to FungusAmongUs.com for this delectable contribution to our recipe file!

 

Don't overlook oyster mushrooms - they make
a great dried product.