When foraging or excepting foraged food one can't be too careful

[Kevin L]

I saw a show on just last night that had a bit about chanterelles. The guy said the true chanterelles don’t have true gills underneath, but the closest poisonous imitator does. He also said that the poisonous one will make you sick, but isn’t deadly. My advice is take all this with a grain of salt. Try to find someone locally that has experience in your area that you could learn from. I do love mushrooms and always thought this would be a skill worth learning.

I know mushrooms can be very tasty and a welcome addition to the dinner table...but I really believe one should take professional classes before harvesting them.

Even if you can identify them perfectly, mushrooms are of questionable food value. They contribute a little fiber, a slight amount of protein, maybe a few traces of vitamins, possibly some recreational hallucinogens...but there are so many other wild foods that have greater food value.

Are the benefits really worth the risks?

 

[Maverick]

I know mushrooms can be very tasty and a welcome addition to the dinner table...but I really believe one should take professional classes before harvesting them.

Even if you can identify them perfectly, mushrooms are of questionable food value. They contribute a little fiber, a slight amount of protein, maybe a few traces of vitamins, possibly some recreational hallucinogens...but there are so many other wild foods that have greater food value.

Are the benefits really worth the risks?

I agree with being trained by someone with experience but I would not discount the mushroom as not being beneficial, they are very beneficial and very rich in nutritional value. they have been used medically and as a food source for 2000 years if not longer. In a survival situation they can be a life saving source I have been picking for 40 or so years and never gotten sick, it is safe if one sticks to what they know, the rule is, if unsure don't touch.

Some info
Antioxidants (selenium) and help boost the immune system. They also decrease the risk of obesity and overall mortality, diabetes, and heart disease.

A handfull contains
15 calories
0 grams of fat
2.2 grams of protein
2.3 grams of carbohydrate
0.7 grams of fiber
1.4 grams of sugar

Rich in
riboflavin (B2)
folate (B9)
thiamine (B1)
pantothenic acid (B5)
niacin (B3)
beta-glucans
potassium
copper
iron
phosphorus
choline

 

[Brent S]

Mav,you lucky one!!
still remeber when I was kid,I disdn't like rooms,now I put rooms in meatballs,meatlofs,just about any place where I use mince.

Shrooms are great but what is mince?

 

[Brent S]

I know mushrooms can be very tasty and a welcome addition to the dinner table...but I really believe one should take professional classes before harvesting them.

Even if you can identify them perfectly, mushrooms are of questionable food value. They contribute a little fiber, a slight amount of protein, maybe a few traces of vitamins, possibly some recreational hallucinogens...but there are so many other wild foods that have greater food value.

Are the benefits really worth the risks?

Even though I really like them I guess that’s why I’ve never tried to hunt for wild ones.

 

[Maverick]

Shrooms are great but what is mince?

any meat minced

 

[DrHenley]

Chanterelles are the only mushroom here that I am 100% confident of identifying correctly. If you look at the various lookalikes, there are simple things that set them apart when you look closely. You don't even have to do a spore test.

I have bought I don't know how many mushroom identification books, and every time I try to identify some white mushroom in the woods, it kinda sorta fits two or three different mushrooms in the book, but none exactly. The chanterelles fit exactly.

 

[Arcticdude]

Shrooms are great but what is mince?

Think hamburger.

 

[Psalm7]

Saw these the other day . What are they

 

[Brent S]

All this talk of shrooms got me hungry. I just brought home a pack of portobellos. I chopped on up into a salad for right now, and will decide what to do with the others tomorrow. I’m thinking a garlic sauce and a bed of rice to go with them.... ok, so it wasn’t foraging, I took the safe way out..

 

[Psalm7]

Last time We grilled I added some Portobello slices soaked in olive oil, salt, blackpepper .

 

[Brent S]

Last time We grilled I added some Portobello slices soaked in olive oil, salt, blackpepper .

I’m not sure what I will do yet, but it will likely involve olive oil, garlic, onions and pepper. I’ll probably just roast them in the oven. Damn, I’m getting hungry again!

 

[Brent S]

Chanterelles are the only mushroom here that I am 100% confident of identifying correctly. If you look at the various lookalikes, there are simple things that set them apart when you look closely. You don't even have to do a spore test.

I have bought I don't know how many mushroom identification books, and every time I try to identify some white mushroom in the woods, it kinda sorta fits two or three different mushrooms in the book, but none exactly. The chanterelles fit exactly.

I guess since they are so easily identified that’s why they are the number one sought after mushroom. I hear the flavor is outstanding too.