Fores

pD el ic a c i e s

30

Photography by Mike Dvorak

A. Kallok

by Michael

From late summer

until the first
frost of autumn,
foragers seek a
bounty

of edible mushrooms.

31

Like many people, I once allowed my

fear of potentially toxic wild mushrooms
to overshadow my curiosity about edible
mushrooms. But after acquiring some basic
knowledge, my perception has changed. To
day I regard mushrooms as another path to
the simple joy of procuring ones own food.
Make no mistake: Eating wild mushrooms
can be dangerous. Every mushroom field
guide is sure to note that words and images
are no substitute for learning proper identifi
cation firsthand from an expert. Fortunately,
finding experts is as easy as attending a Min
nesota Mycological Society mushroom for
aging excursionknown as a foray.
First-time mushroom hunters quickly
learn that foraging is a sensory experience.
In addition to a mushrooms appearance,
its feel and its scent can be important attri
butes for discerning a choice edible from a
poisonous lookalike.
As a rule of thumb, all edible wild mush
rooms should be cooked because it makes
them easier to digest. Most wild mushrooms
also contain small amounts of toxins, which
readily break down with heat. So it is back at

home in the kitchen where culinary adven

tures await the successful forager. Harvested
mushrooms that cant be eaten within a few
days should be preserved. The flavor of some
mushrooms, such as black trumpets, is in
tensified by dehydrating them. Other mush
rooms, such as chanterelles, maintain their
flavor best if they are sauted and frozen.
Unlike the cultivated, white-button
Agaricus mushrooms found in most gro
cery stores, the flavor of wild mushrooms
rarely elicits indifference. When people
say, I dont like mushrooms, I always ask
what kind of mushrooms theyve tried, says
John Lamprecht of the Minnesota Mycologi
cal Society. If they say the white ones from
the grocery story, I point out that is like say
ing you dont like vegetables when all youve
ever tried is broccoli.
April and May are for hunting the
morelMinnesotas state mushroom. But
myriad choice edibles appear in Minnesota
from late summer through fall. In the field,
under the tutelage of an experienced forager,
beginners can easily learn to find and
identify the following species of wild fungi.

FORAGER ADI PRESS HARVESTS A CHICKEN OF THE WOODS MUSHROOM DURING A MINNESOTA MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY FORAY.

On this sweltering August day in the hardwood forest, the mosquitoes are biting and
the shade of the oak canopy provides no relief from the humidity. But I can easily overlook these
discomforts when each step holds the promise of more wild mushrooms. I raise my basketful
of golden-hued chanterelle mushrooms to my nose and breathe in their delicate apricot scent.

Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius)

Chanterelles are among the most widely sought and consumed mushrooms
in the world. They are found growing in soil near oak trees, and never on
decaying wood. Foragers often find many in one area. While chanterelles are
occasionally found in small clusters that grow from a common base, foragers
should exercise caution: The toxic jack o lantern mushroom, which always
grows in large clusters, can be mistaken for a chanterelle.
The cap of the trumpet-shaped chanterelle varies from bright yellow to
yellow-orange. The underside of the cap and the stem are slightly paler.
Chanterelles have a distinctly fruity, somewhat peppery taste. They are
sumptuous simmered in soups or simply sauted with onions and butter.

Black Trumpet (Craterellus fallax)

Black trumpets (pages 3031 and above) grow in hardwood forests, es

pecially around oaks. The mushrooms irregular shape and dark color
make it easy to overlook amid leaf litter, but this elusive delicacy is worth
searching for. The earthy, somewhat floral flavor of the black trumpet is
sometimes compared to truffles. One popular preparation method is to
saut them in butter and roll them into an omelet.
SeptemberOctober 2012

33

King Bolete and Noble Bolete (Boletus spp.)

Both of these mushrooms are choice edibles and are often harmlessly mistak
en for one another, but their location is key to their identity: The king bolete
prefers coniferous forests, while the noble bolete (above) grows in hardwood
forests. Boletes as a group can be identified by their spongy underside.
Instead of gills, they have a mass of tiny, vertical tubes containing spores.
The king bolete, known as the porcini in Italy and the cpe in France,
is one of the most prized edible mushrooms. The caps of these meaty
mushrooms can be sauted or even grilled.

Hedgehog, aka Sweet Tooth (Hydnum repandum)

The hedgehog shows up in hardwood and coniferous-hardwood forests.

One might mistake this dark-orange to brown mushroom for a dried-up

chanterelle, but a closer look will reveal toothlike growths beneath the cap.

It has a wonderful nutty flavor, which can be enhanced by sauting it with

hazelnuts or almonds.

34

Minnesota Conservation Volunteer

Sulfur Shelf, aka Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus spp.)

Found primarily in hardwood forests, this bright orange mushroom is easy

to spot, plentiful, and difficult to mistake for anything else. Its usually found
growing on a tree or sprouting from downed timber. Like the bolete, the sulfur
shelf has a mass of tiny pores on the underside. Its base is often tough, especially
as it matures. However, the tender outer margin can be cut off and consumed.
This meaty mushroom can be pickled, sauted, or boiled in stock and
used as a substitute for chicken.

Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa)

Found at the base of oak trees, this parasitic mushroom causes a white
rot of the root system and trunk base. Known as the maitake in Asia, its
treasured as both an edible and a medicinal mushroom. Its purported
health benefits include anti-tumor properties, enhancement of the immune
system, and reduction of glucose levels.
Hen of the woods is great sauted in butter or battered and deep fried. It
can be preserved by dehydrating, parboiling and freezing, or pickling.
SeptemberOctober 2012

35

Foraging tips
, When in doubt, throw it out
, Never pick more than you can
eat or preserve
, Dont eat a mushroom that is not
in good condition or that smells bad
, Eat wild mushrooms only when
cooked thoroughly and only in
moderation, especially if youre try
ing one for the first timeoverin
dulging can cause symptoms similar
to mushroom poisoning
, Public lands in Minnesota open
to mushroom picking include state
parks, wildlife management areas,
and state forests
, Always ask permission to pick
mushrooms on private land, and
always check to make sure it is
legal on public land
, Join the Minnesota Mycological
Society to learn from experienced
foragers. Sign up for a foray at
www.minnesotamushrooms.org.
Minnesota Mycological
Society members gather
for an identification
session following a
summer foray.

The mushrooms pictured above represent a mere fraction of the species present from
summer through fall in Minnesotas woods. The edibility of mushrooms is as varied as their
appearance. Some are choice edibles; many are unpalatable or may cause gastrointestinal
distress; others are deadly poisonous. Learning to identify deadly mushrooms and those
that might make you sick is just as important as learning to identify edible ones. n
V

SeptemberOctober 2012

37