Mushrooms - can I eat 'em?

[swee'pea99]

I've been on 'forays' where you're supposed to learn which ones will kill you and which ones are OK - but I can never trust my memory enough. Anyway the edible ones mostly aren't worth it, unless you cook them with half a ton of butter, salt and garlic and then you risk dying of a heart attack.

You've just reminded me of an incident from my cretinous youth when a friend and I went magic mushrooming, sadly without any precise knowledge of what they look like, but fortified by preparatory complementary appetizers, ended up wandering the hills, gobbling just about any 'right looking' mushrooms we came across.

 

[swee'pea99]

Apparently...

 

[RedRider]

I've just remembered standing in a queue to see The Specials in Coventry before they became well known outside of the city ...

Somebody in the queue had a huge bag of magic mushrooms from which he offered a handful to a couple of students ahead of me in the queue.

The students ate about 20 mushrooms each, waited a couple of minutes, but nowt much was happening so they decided that they hadn't eaten enough. They cadged another 20 each, wolfed them down; still nothing.

They ate 20 more each. By then we were getting close to the door.

Suddenly, one of the students started to get really agitated, followed shortly afterwards by his pal. They fled in terror, and were not seen again that night. It turned out that they were too scared to go home and spent half the night hiding inside a large bush, waiting for the hallucinations to stop!

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME, FOLKS!

I know someone who picking and eating their way through a field one afternoon met a shifty-looking stranger doing the same. They set to climb a wooded hill together for the view at the top but it was evens whether they, the mushrooms or dusk would make it first.

Then about halfway up the pair realised they were being tracked by beasts. The husky, heavy purring from amongst the trees implied a pride of mighty lions because what else could make that noise? God only knows where their heads were at but far from being afraid of a mauling the adventurers almost died laughing at the thought of becoming Whiskas on a Scottish hillside.

Composure semi-restored they pressed on accompanied by this intermittent growling noise coming in five-second bursts, filling the air and surrounding them. The mushrooms were working hard but they checked with each other and it was really happening.

No lion could make that sound, they knew that now but it wasn't until they put their hands to the ground and felt it falling and rising they realised what was truly going on. Softly for a planet, as though drifting into sleep, the Earth was breathing.

Excited, they reached the top of the hill and made for a clearing in the trees where for the first time they could look across the plain below for further evidence of their geological discovery.

There was none to be found but sunset a celebratory sight nonetheless: Half a mile away was a field of hot air balloons readying for flight. Each time an aviator let go with their burner they illuminated their craft (Chinese lantern-style) and the Earth breathed again.

 

[captain nemo1701]

DO NOT EAT OR TOUCH
Could be a 'Destroying Angel' - POISONOUS!!. If you have touched one, was hands thoroughly - toxins can be in the pigment.

 

[swee'pea99]

I know someone who picking and eating their way through a field one afternoon met a shifty-looking stranger doing the same. They set to climb a wooded hill together for the view at the top but it was evens whether they, the mushrooms or dusk would make it first.

Then about halfway up the pair realised they were being tracked by beasts. The husky, heavy purring from amongst the trees implied a pride of mighty lions because what else could make that noise? God only knows where their heads were at but far from being afraid of a mauling the adventurers almost died laughing at the thought of becoming Whiskas on a Scottish hillside.

Composure semi-restored they pressed on accompanied by this intermittent growling noise coming in five-second bursts, filling the air and surrounding them. The mushrooms were working hard but they checked with each other and it was really happening.

No lion could make that sound, they knew that now but it wasn't until they put their hands to the ground and felt it falling and rising they realised what was truly going on. Softly for a planet, as though drifting into sleep, the Earth was breathing.

Excited, they reached the top of the hill and made for a clearing in the trees where for the first time they could look across the plain below for further evidence of their geological discovery.

There was none to be found but sunset a celebratory sight nonetheless: Half a mile away was a field of hot air balloons readying for flight. Each time an aviator let go with their burner they illuminated their craft (Chinese lantern-style) and the Earth breathed again.

And people wonder why people do drugs...

 

[nappadang]

I've picked and eaten wild mushrooms for years now and never took a wrongun yet. I was fortunate enough to spend time with a micologist when starting out but the majority of my knowledge comes from getting out into the field. As others on this thread have stated, caution is the key. If unsure leave well alone, a good stick is useful to remove a specimen from the substrate rather than touching it or a clear plastic bag used a la poop scoop method is also a sensible approach.
there are many excellent field guides and reference books out there but here is a link (below) to what I consider the mushroom pickers bible...It is sensible to use a couple of books together when starting out as even the best books will not pin point every identification feature. Most of these books give excellent advice on safety and if the advice is followed you should come to no harm.
One thing I was told which seldom appears in books is to avoid any species with white gills until you are suitably experienced. There are one or two edibles with white gills (St Georges and some of the russula family for starters) but all of Britain's most deadly species have white gills, most notably the Amanita family of which the Death Cap and Destroying Angel (see excellent pic earlier in thread) are both members. Don't let gill colour fool you though there are some pretty nasty fungi with gills, pores and spines of all manner of colours.
It's the perfect time of year to examine the fungus in any piece of woodland, be safe and sensible and who knows you may find yourself a patch of beautiful ceps/ porcini (bolutus edulis) or chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius) which will grace any meal and good chefs will pay serious money for.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Mushroom-Book-Thomas-Laesse/dp/0789410737


Keep safe but get out and give it a go,

Mick

 

[robjh]

I was sooo tempted by these yesterday near Brecon, but without my big mushroom book I erred on the side of caution and rode on. I'm still pretty sure they were good ones.....

 

[laurence]

the answer to the OP is YES.

however, you may die.

you can eat most things, but it doesn't mean you should or that you will survive.

best mushroom story i heard was of a scout master (or similar) telling his troup that a certain one was safe to eat as he'd eaten it before. he ate some more and promply died. little did he know that the toxin accumulated, so once was ok... after that, you'd die. still, bet the scouts had a great story for their parents when they got back from camp.

 

[Arch]

I know someone who picking and eating their way through a field one afternoon met a shifty-looking stranger doing the same. They set to climb a wooded hill together for the view at the top but it was evens whether they, the mushrooms or dusk would make it first.

Then about halfway up the pair realised they were being tracked by beasts. The husky, heavy purring from amongst the trees implied a pride of mighty lions because what else could make that noise? God only knows where their heads were at but far from being afraid of a mauling the adventurers almost died laughing at the thought of becoming Whiskas on a Scottish hillside.

Composure semi-restored they pressed on accompanied by this intermittent growling noise coming in five-second bursts, filling the air and surrounding them. The mushrooms were working hard but they checked with each other and it was really happening.

No lion could make that sound, they knew that now but it wasn't until they put their hands to the ground and felt it falling and rising they realised what was truly going on. Softly for a planet, as though drifting into sleep, the Earth was breathing.

Excited, they reached the top of the hill and made for a clearing in the trees where for the first time they could look across the plain below for further evidence of their geological discovery.

There was none to be found but sunset a celebratory sight nonetheless: Half a mile away was a field of hot air balloons readying for flight. Each time an aviator let go with their burner they illuminated their craft (Chinese lantern-style) and the Earth breathed again.

I told this story to a couple of workmates and they enjoyed it very much.

Then, one of them told the story of some mates of his who lived in a village near a motorway service station. One evening, finding themselves rather peckish under the influence of something or other, they decided to go and buy food at the services, accessing the place on foot via the service roads, which was forbidden.

Half way there, they saw a police car leaving the services via the same road. As one, they decided that the best way to escape discovery was to lie down and stay very very still. So they did. The police car pulled up, and a weary copper got out and examined each prostrate body with his torch. Then he sighed, got back in the car and drove on. Afterwards, they all agreed how lucky it was that they'd all managed to stay so still that the policeman couldn't see them....

 

[nappadang]

I was sooo tempted by these yesterday near Brecon, but without my big mushroom book I erred on the side of caution and rode on. I'm still pretty sure they were good ones.....
View attachment 30125

they look like Larch Boletes (Suillus grevillei) , the association with and proximity to Larch trees is a key ID feature. They aren't a true Bolete but are edible. Pretty bland in comparison with the Cep or Bay Bolete etc but still a worthwhile addition to any mushroom dish.

Please do not just accept my word that they are what I think they are. the old saying of "if in doubt, leave out" applies as much here as with all fungus.
Collecting a spore print would be another indicator of ID but I'd collect in a plastic bag rather than handle an unknown fungus.

hope this helps,

Mick

 

[robjh]

Please do not just accept my word that they are what I think they are. the old saying of "if in doubt, leave out" applies as much here as with all fungus.
Collecting a spore print would be another indicator of ID but I'd collect in a plastic bag rather than handle an unknown fungus.

hope this helps,

Mick

No worries, I wouldn't give a firm recommendation over the internet either. But thanks for the info - I had it down as a bolete, and was working on the principle that almost all boletes are edible, but a lot hangs on that almost.... so as I said, I left it this time. Unfortunately I won't be back that way for a long time, so have probably missed the chance of a good meal!

 

[numbnuts]

Here are some good websites
http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/chooser.asp
http://www.foragingguide.com/