Fungus Amongus: Mushroom Fest
Usually around the last week in July or the first week in August I head up north to visit Mom and SD in Maine traditionally that was the time they took their annual two week vacation but now they live there year round so I can go up and see the lake at different times. This week was the week between summer camp ending at Create a Cook and the new fall classes beginning so I took a few days to drive up and visit.
I left in the pouring rain on Wednesday and it followed me up the whole ride making a few stops along the way to pick up things to cook for dinner (Lancashire Hot pot and pork chops in a mustard cream sauce) Wed and Thur. First stop was to stock up the scotch selecton for those chilly fall nights. This is one of the ones I picked up.
There was also a quick stop for a season ending batch of GF fried clams as a treat so I arrived too late to check the woods, but a quick glance on either side of the camp road in told me the mushrooms were everywhere.
Thursday Mom and I were headed to Bath, Brunswick with some stops at a few farmer's markets on the way back but first First we headed down the north end of the camp road and holy mother lode of shrooms!
Now I only pick the two that I know well, chanterelle and lobster. But I did take photos of some of the others so I could do some research in my mushroom books. If anyone has an insight into any of these I would love to hear. Of course I don't need to give a disclaimer about not eating wild mushrooms unless you are 100% certain about their identification do I? No? Good.
Here are some of the fungus amongus all from the iphone I'm afraid so the quality is not the best.
Someone suggested stinkhorn, but I think they might be tuning fork fungus
Some sort of boletus. Knife for scale and the front shot.
and the underside showing the spongy layer instead of gills and a big old slug snacking away. Could it be boletus edulis? Only in my wildest dreams.
I do not think the cup shaped fungus on the left is poisonous, but whether it is edible or choice edible I'm not yet sure.
The only kind of 'lobster' I seek out in Maine. Technically this is not a mushroom but rather a parasitic asomycete that grows off another mushroom. Delicious and about $15 a pound right now at Russo's.
A better angle of those cup shaped mushrooms.
Surely this MUST be poisonous. Very Alice in Wonderland.
Another snacked on boletus. When you do find mushrooms it's often a battle between you, the worms, the bugs and the slugs to eat it.
Any input on the mushrooms would be appreciated. Right, off to check my books.
AWESOME!! I think the second to last one is a poisonous yellow fly agaric. I saw the same thing here over the weekend. I didn't know you were into 'shrooms. We should walk sometime.
Posted by: Tammy | September 12, 2011 at 07:37 PM
The Alice In Wonderland is Amanita Muscaria...to the best of my knowledge. Yes, poisonous!
Posted by: Karen Doherty | September 12, 2011 at 10:58 PM
I think it's a young fly agaric too. I've never seen one so yellow, and un-open, but I suppose they must go through that stage!
I love my Roger Phillips mushroom book. And, oh look, he has a website now: http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/ and it even has an iPhone app! (http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/apps.asp)
Posted by: Blue Witch | September 13, 2011 at 03:49 AM
I think it's a young fly agaric too. I've never seen one so yellow, and un-open, but I suppose they must go through that stage!
I love my Roger Phillips mushroom book. And, oh look, he has a website now: http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/ and it even has an iPhone app! (http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/apps.asp)
Posted by: Blue Witch | September 13, 2011 at 03:49 AM
Ah! What a great rainy ride! The green pics looks so beautiful! Love it :)
Posted by: Meatloaf Recipes | September 14, 2011 at 02:44 PM
Tammy: Yes! We should indeed.
BW: After a little page perusal I agree with you and Tammy that is a fly agaric. It had to be poisonous. I have a Roger Phillips Perennials book, but I didn't know about his mushroom book.
I have David Arora Mushrooms Demystified http://www.amazon.com/Mushrooms-Demystified-David-Arora/dp/0898151694
The National Audubon Society Field Guide (at the lake we have these for every flora and fauna - hours of fun) http://www.amazon.com/National-Audubon-Society-American-Mushrooms/dp/0394519922/ref=pd_sim_b_2
and Greg Marley Chanterelle Dreams and Manita Nightmares http://www.amazon.com/Chanterelle-Dreams-Amanita-Nightmares-Mushrooms/dp/1603582142/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316035947&sr=1-4
I like having multiple books because you really get a good variety of photos with each one.
Posted by: jo | September 14, 2011 at 05:35 PM
The yellow one is a poisonous yellow fly called Agaric. Be careful when picking up mushrooms! Be sure which are edible and which aren't!
Posted by: Mack Shepperson | November 15, 2011 at 12:03 PM
What a beautiful pictures. I like these pictures so much. Please share some more pictures with us. Thanks for sharing very nice post.
Posted by: Brentwood Nutritionist | February 17, 2012 at 07:48 AM