It's October, Time To Go On Mushrooms Picking

            Many people like walking in the woods, picking berries and mushrooms. But not everyone is convinced that the collected berries and mushrooms are edible. If edible berries are easy to remember, you're constantly in doubt with mushrooms: to take it or do not? That is the question. And the answer is always simple: if you do not know this mushroom, you are not sure, in doubt - do not take it! I go not often for mushrooms. They do not grow continuously, the harvest depends on the rain, night temperatures, sunshine and the number of mushroom hunters per square meter.

'When fall time comes, I'm always glad
To go mushroom hunting with my friend
Walking in the woods on a cool, fall day
Taking in the beauty of God's display
It's just like a treasure hunt to me
Searching for those gems amongst the leaves
What a thrill, when one I think I spy
But it's just a leaf, so I pass on by
Then at last, I spot a beauty
And by it's side, three little cuties
A pinch to the stems, then placed in my sack
I hope to fill it till there's no more slack'

Here some edible mushrooms were picked this fall.

First on the list is a cep, or white cep (Boletus edulis or Boletus pinophilus), the most valuable one (in the center). His hat is light or dark brown (if growing in pine forests), light brown foot. How to use it? Fresh ceps can be fried, pickled, dried for winter.

The second one is an orange-cap boletus or aspen mushroom ( Leccinum aurantiacum), beautiful mushroom, conspicuous from a distance, unless of course, it is not hiding in the grass! It has an orange-cap (on the left of this photo). Orange-cap boletus grows in deciduous forests, under the aspens, in the grass. These fresh mushrooms can be fried or boiled, you can pickle or preserve, can be dried for winter.

Here is another boletus that often comes across to mushroom hunters in the woods (top, on the left). 

This is saffron milk cap (Boletus Lactarius). Saffron milk cap mushroom, as well as milk mushroom, belong to the group of mushrooms those are necessary to boil before use, pickling or salting.The mushrooms on the right are honey agarics.

I love honey agarics mushrooms (Armillariella mellea). Funny groups can be found on cutting areas, on stumps and trunks of trees. Honey agarics choose birch stumps, they grow up and destroy the base.

In my garden some years ago an old birch tree was cut down, but not completely, and high stump remained. Over the years, honey agarics mushrooms settled on the stump (how did mycelium get there?). 

Yesterday they were not there; and today the whole stump is strewn with young mushrooms. I fry them or cook soup, but I basically freeze them for winter. Here is a plate of fresh fried honey agarics, dressing with tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley. 

Bon appetite!

'Wild Mushrooms cooked in sauce

garlic, spices and wine

expensive olive oil

adding capers now

simmer until done

Wild food

Great!!'