Witches butter is easily recognizable as it is bright yellow to orange in color and is semitransparent with lobes that appear greasy or shiny when damp. It turns out that there are two types of witches butter, one being yellow that grows on fallen hardwood logs with bark and a more orange version that grows on barkless conifers. It is sometimes found during warm spells in Winter and often after a period of rain. Both “jellys” are considered edible and a year round survival food.

There is some debate about edibility while raw or when cooked with proponents on each side of the argument. It is usually best to cook all mushrooms for consumption as it renders them more digestible and brings out nutritive elements. It is considered a delicacy in the cuisine of other countries and is often used in soups, much like it’s cousin “Wood Ear“.

I encourage all aspiring mushroom foragers to locate an expert in your area to positively identify your finds for safety sake and to assist you in learning more about this enjoyable pursuit!

Corals come in a wide variety of colors and textures. The type shown in the photo grow on dead deciduous wood and in this case the wood was sub-surface so it appeared to be growing on the ground. I was happy to see this coral was fresh and ready for harvesting. I encourage foragers to cut mushrooms vs. uprooting them to allow for future reproduction. Along with that practice I suggest collecting mushrooms in a net or open-weave basket that will allow the spores to fall back to the ground in order to sustain the field of mushrooms for the future.

Like other mushrooms, corals have varied characteristics in taste and texture. Some types if eaten in excess can cause stomach upsets so it is best to eat in small amounts at first to see how your system reacts to it. Although you can sample a small raw portion for taste it is best to cook them for general consumption. I was pleased to fry mine in butter when I returned home.

I encourage all aspiring mushroom foragers to locate an expert in your area to positively identify your finds for safety sake and to assist you in learning more about this enjoyable pursuit!

Bottom View

This is an edible mushroom and can vary it taste with opinions ranging from superior to mediocre however it is sold in rural markets in China, Guatemala, and Mexico. The firm flesh is best prepared by cutting the mushroom in thin slices and you will notice that the blue color disappears while cooking and the mushroom becomes grayish in color.

There are other lactarius species that are found in the deep south of the U.S. with orange, blue or green latex and most of that group are edible. However, you should be absolutely sure of your identification of species before eating ANY mushroom. I am grateful to have friends that have experience and expertise in mushroom identification. I recommend that you find someone in your area with the same credentials or locate a local mushrooming club to learn more and have a source for positive identification.

My interest in mushrooms became a hobby about a year and a half ago and I am fortunate to have two mushroom mentors who have helped me learn which kinds are edible and where to look for them. I present my finds to them for positive identification. I focus on the distinctive edible varieties that are not easily misidentified. Morels fall in this category as they appear as a miniature sponge tree that is completely hollow inside including the stem.

This Spring I was determined to seek out the elusive morel and returned to that orchard. After meeting with the residents they granted permission to search for the morels and sent their young daughter with me on the hunt. Others had gone before us so we didn’t know if any were left. She spotted two that were very small but I was delighted to finally see them in person. I returned a week later to hunt on my own and found those shown in the photograph. My first personal finds!

When I brought them home I soaked them in water for awhile then rinsed them under the faucet… evidently not well enough as they were a little gritty when eaten. Next time, like leeks, I will slice them lengthwise first to facilitate better cleaning. They tasted good none-the-less and I look forward to my next find.

The morels pictured above are yellow morels. Some of my friends have found black morels in nearby areas. Perhaps I will explore farther afield for those. In any case I am glad to have had victory in finding for myself the elusive morel.

As I have mentioned in previous articles about mushrooms I advise that if you pursue this endeavor be sure to contact a local mushroom expert who can positively identify them for your own safety. I am grateful to have knowledgeable forayer friends with whom I share my finds and in turn they share theirs and that has helped me to positively identify edible mushrooms as they appear in each new season.

There are essentially two types of honey mushrooms: one variety (armillaria mellea) with rings on the stem and one without rings (armillaria tabescens). They may be found growing on or near hardwood trees, typically oaks. The ones that I found were in the grass near a dead curly maple tree. You can see the caps in the photo. They may be small and rounded, or flat and fully expanded. One important test to identify a honey mushroom is the spore print. When the cap of a mushroom is placed on a dark surface the spores from the gills are dropped and leave a beautiful pattern. The spore of the honey mushroom is white or light buff.

It is advised to fully cook these “honeys” for about 15 minutes because they can cause gastrointestinal discomfort for some. Another approach is to first par-boil them for 5 minutes before cooking them. Often with new-to-me mushrooms I will eat a very small portion at first and wait a day before consuming more as a precautionary measure because of not knowing how they may effect my system. I recommend this approach as a precautionary procedure when you try a new mushroom.

I’m happy to say that they did not adversely effect me and they were quite delicious… of course butter makes many things taste great! Here is a link for you to learn more about these interesting mushrooms – http://blog.crazyaboutmushrooms.com/ringless-honey-mushroom/ .

Although I am new to this species of mushroom I wanted to share some tips that I’ve learned regarding their identification.

Boletes have fleshy caps with a puffy underside composed of sponge-like pores. They may also have a bulbous stem with a slight surface texture that has been described as netting or reticulation. They come in various colors but the edible boletes tend to be buff or tan in color.

It’s not unusual to find pits in the caps that have resulted from slugs and bugs taking some bites as they are a favored food for them. These spots can easily be trimmed away when preparing to cook. Another feature to be aware of is when you cut the stem, notice if there are holes in it. This would indicate that insects or maggots have entered the mushroom through the stem and may result in damage within the cap.

The first test toward edibility is a visual step. If you cut the cap or scrape the pores, look for a reaction. If you see a sudden discoloration such as a dark blue-to-green color, it indicates that they are bitter and may cause stomach upset. If the cut or bruised parts do not change color after a minute or so you can move on to the taste test.

Pinch a small piece off of the cap and place it on your tongue to taste. Roll the piece around on your tongue without swallowing for half a minute or so to see if bitterness ensues then spit it out completely. Bitter boletes not only are unpleasant to the taste but can have negative gastrointestinal consequences.

The edible bolete will have no bitterness but have a neutral to pleasing flavor and is fine to cook. Boletes can get a little gooey when cooked so many folks like to slice and dehydrate boletes to add to various food dishes. A variety of boletes are also known as porcini or king boletes that are found mainly in the Northwest U.S. and in Europe.

In doing some research I have found that there is much disagreement among mushroom “experts” about toxicity but in North America it is said that none will kill or harm you but who wants to get sick to their stomach? It’s best to avoid Boletes that are orange capped or with Red or orange pore surfaces.

Remember to consult with a local expert who can positively identify them and give advice about edibility and perhaps cooking methods.

Chanterelle Mushroom

Chanterelles can be found close to streams and other low lying damp areas. They appeared after a several bouts of drenching rain that had followed several days of stifling heat, a.k.a. rainy muggy weather. In the Southern Appalachians, chanterelles can usually be found all summer through early fall. July and August are the most fruitful months as evidenced by our find.

Chanterelles are easy to spot in the summer forest, as they usually range in color from yellow to deep orange and grow solitary or in pairs. The cap is wavy and generally funnel shaped. The false gills start at the outer edge and appear as wrinkles that are forked and wavy and run down the stem. They are the same color as the rest of the chanterelle. Chanterelles can also have a fruity apricot-like aroma.

Jack-O-Lantern Mushroom

Chanterelles are meaty and chewy. Although some people can eat them raw, most folks prefer them to be cooked, and one of the best ways to cook them is to slice and sauté them in butter. I’m still learning how to cook mushrooms to their best advantage but longer with lower heat seems to work best for me.

Chicken Of The Woods

The Chicken-Of-The-Woods is so colorful! A friend contacted me with his find so that I was able to photograph it before being harvested. He explained that this mushroom was edible when grown on a hard wood base whereas if it were grown on a conifer it is considered inedible. He also mentioned that a small percent of folks (2-3%) could have gastric difficulties when digesting it so initially it would be a good idea to eat a small prepared portion before consuming more. Fortunately I am not in that category! I sautéed mine in butter and yum!

Puffball

These are two of the classic “Foolproof Four” easily identified edible mushrooms as cited in the article “Mushroom Collecting 101” posted by saveourskills.com. This list includes Puffballs, Chicken of the woods, Morel, and Chanterelle. These 4 mushrooms are named because they are very easy to identify and they do not have many poisonous look-a-likes.

I am grateful to have a friend that has experience and expertise in this field. I recommend that you find someone in your area with the same credentials or locate a local mushrooming club to learn more and have a source for positive identification. It is a fascinating and rewarding field of study and I hope to share more of my discoveries in future articles.