Monday, September 26, 2016

Mushrooms Hunting

Leccinum aurantiacum

Mushroom hunting is one of activities with physical exercise and with the bonus of incredibly satisfying results. It’s a great way to get outdoors  and to catch the best reward. I love pretty mushrooms, although they always try to hide under grass, old leaves, tree branches, moss.
Boletus edulis and boletus pinophilus  (or White fungus) is the most-coveted mushroom among mushroom hunters because they’re meaty and aromatic and are easy to identify and safe to eat. It often grows in pine, deciduous  and mixed forests. (source:http://mushroom-collecting.com)


Boletus edulis (Boletes)
Boletus edulis (Boletes)
This one wants to look like any other thing but not a mushroom!

Leccinum aurantiacum (Orange Oak bolete)
Leccinum scabrum (Rough-stemmed bolete)

Leccinum aurantiacum and Leccinum scabrum often grow in aspen and birch forests. Leccinum aurantiacum is large, attractive and easy to spot. They are very colorful and I love hunting them but don't like to use these mushrooms because of a sponge that these mushrooms have  below a cap.

Ananita muscaria (Fly agaric)
Ananita muscaria  grow in woodland, or beside trees especially of birch and pine. Contains the toxin muscarine, which causes sweat-inducing poisoning. It is a common and widespread fungus, commonly depicted in children’s books and on Christmas cards around the world. (source: Kew Science)
I'm delighted to spot Fly agaric near a tree but I never put in my basket :D

Armillariella mellea (Honey fungus)

Some people don't hunt Honey fungus that sometimes look like Fly agaric. Their color varying from yellowish-brown to reddish-brown, the disc darker with fine hair or scales. I always boil and them fry Honey mushrooms with onion and species, I love eating them in soup too.


Leccinum aurantiacum (Orange Oak bolete)
Boletus edulis (Boletes)
Boletus edulis (Boletes)


The Bolete is a very popular, delicious, meaty mushroom that grows all over the world. It has many names such as king, cep, porcini, steinpilz, penny bun, white and many others. Especially the king bolete is a favorite and familiar mushroom drawn, painted or sculpted by artists. The king is often very large and stately with a thick club shaped stem, thick cap and an impressive appearance. (source:http://mushroom-collecting.com)
I'm not very lucky in boletes or white fungus hunting and when I catch it, I' m happy! I cook soup, fry with potatoes, dry them for winter time.
 
 Cantharellus cibarius (Chanterelle)

The Chanterelle is found and enjoyed by people all over the world. It has many names, pfifferling, girolle, gallinacci, fox. It is fairly common and easy to spot and grows in great profusion some years. (source:http://mushroom-collecting.com)
To me it is very easy to hunt foxes because I can perfectly see them between grass or low blueberry bushes. When I find Chanterelles I sit and catch fungus around me :D. I fry them and cook soup or eat with veggies.

The photos of mushrooms were made in the woods near my summer cottage, Saint Petersburg.

Did you ever go to mushroom hunting? What did you catch? How do you use fungi?

51 comments:

  1. Muy interesante Nadezda. Por aquí también tenemos Boletus Edulis y una gran variedad. Tengo varias entradas de setas. Un beso.

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    1. Oh, tu recoges las setas, Teresa. Creo tu haces la comida muy rica de setas.

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  2. Fungi are fascinating but I would never trust myself to correctly identify edible ones.

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    1. It's true, Sue. If you're not sure what a mushroom is do not put it in a basket.

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  3. You have a large variety of mushrooms/fungi in that area. They look very attractive, but I don't think I could identify the poisonous from the others! You know which to choose and the taste must be good:)
    Hope all well with you Nadezda.


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    1. Betty, sometimes I'm not sure as well so I have an identification book and I always check in it.

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  4. Such a wonderful series of named mushroom photos Nadezda. I love to see, photograph and identify them but I´m not that expert on fungi, so I never eat my own found mushrooms. You are a real mushroom hunter, so interesting.

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    1. Oh, there are many kinds of fungi, Janneke. To know all of them is impossible:D) so I'm not a real hunter. But these ones on my photos I know well and always eat them.

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  5. They are beautiful! I don't know much about them but your photos are fantastic!

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  6. Lovely photos, Nadezda! Boletus edulis and Cantharellus are our favourites too. There's plenty of woodland around us but I have never seen a spot with as many chanterelles as in your photo. Our favourite recipe with both of them is a sauce (with cream) eaten with potatoes or pasta. Another favourite is a salad made with salted mixed wild mushrooms and chopped onion with (whipped) cream.
    Have a great new week!

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    1. Your recipes sound delicious, Sara. I'd cook sauce of mushrooms to boiled potatoes. Thank you!

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  7. Hello Nadezda.
    Awesome.
    In your forest mushrooms growing so much? Envy.
    This year I was twice in the forest. I have not found a single fungus.
    There is also a bargain. I need to be forest mushrooms on Christmas Eve.
    Have a nice week.
    Kisses.
    Lucja

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    1. It's a pity that you haven't found fungi in the woods, Lucja. Perhaps it was very dry soil.
      Have a nice week!

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  8. Nadezda Hello! Wow, what a lot of chanterelles. You have a good place for mushroom picking :-))
    We only used chanterelles, it is our view, the best makuisia.Terkkuja

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    1. Yes, Anne, chanterelles are delicious, I love them tried with veggies.

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  9. Ma che spettacolo!!! Sono un po' geloso, qui per via della siccità non ce ne sono molti!

    Un saluto e goditi i funghi :)

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    1. I think you're right, Pontos, if it's drought mushrooms grow very bad.

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  10. I have never been mushroom hunting and probably won't because I have no idea which is good for you and which is poisonous. I certainly admire those who can tell the difference. :-)

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    1. Thank you Judy, I only know these ones I described. There many other varieties.

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  11. Never been on mushroom hunting! Just for pictures only. Lovely varieties ! Groetjes Hetty

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  12. Interesting! The only few varieties of edible fungus here that I know. I like cook edible fungus

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  13. I simply love to go pick mushrooms. And I pick almost everything that is edible. In late summer, chantaerelles and boletes are favourites ofcourse, eaten fried and in sauce with fresh potatoes. Autumn milk-caps are also favourites of mine, either salted, pickled or soured.

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    1. I'm not sure picking milk-caps, Tistou, it seems to me like poisonous fungi. I see you know very well edible mushrooms!

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  14. Buena colección Nadezda. Por aquí tendrá que llover para que salgan. Sólo conozco los parasoles y los boletus. Los he buscado y comido, me gustan. De los demás no me fio y no los cojo.
    Besos.

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    1. Y aqui Laura tendra que ser +10...+12 que esos salgan. Porque si temperatura se baja en September- Octubre las setas no crecen.
      Buen domingo!

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  15. You are very knowledgeable about mushroom identification. I love to eat mushrooms but don't know which ones are poisonous so usually buy them from people smarter than I. You have found some beautiful and delicious fungi!

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    1. I love mushroom hunting and eating them Peter, but I find mostly boletes which are very delicious boiled or fried and with sour cream.

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  16. I have never seen so many wild growing mushrooms, the Leccinum scabrum (Rough-stemmed bolete) looks huge.

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    1. Rough-stemmed bolete may be huge and small and the smaller ones are the tastier, Alistair, because of a sponge.

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  17. Boa tarde, a fotos dos variados cogumelos são excelentes, assim como, informação partilhada dos mesmos.
    Bom fim de semana,
    AG

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    1. Es bueno que te gusta la informacion sober las setas, AG
      Buen domingo!

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  18. You know your mushrooms! I love mushrooms in soup or sauteed or raw in salad. However, I wouldn't trust myself to pick them. Have you ever had Morel mushrooms?

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    1. Morel mushrooms are very rare here I think because the climate is cold for them or soil doesn't suit them, who knows? I mushroom saute as well Jason.

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  19. wow, what a variety of mushrooms. I was out on the forest trails this past week and will publish some of the mushrooms I saw. However I doubt if I will ever try eating any of them - I never know what is poisonous and what it safe to eat.

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    1. Jack, it's interesting what fungi grow in your forest near Michigan lake. I'm sure there are many edible of them. Good luck!

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  20. It is so nice that you have those mushrooms close to you. I used to go mushroom hunting when I lived in France because our house was near a great forest. So I know their names in French, like the cèpe, morille, girolle, Chanterelle, bolet, petit gris, le pied de mouton, trompette de la mort. But in the US I have not been mushroom hunting because I don’t know where to find them and am afraid that I may get the poisonous ones. We do get some in our yard but I don’t know what type they are, but they don’t look edible.

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    1. I'm sure I know "cèpe, morille, girolle, Chanterelle" they are in English: Boletes, Morel and chantaerelles, we call them: white fungi, smorchok and foxes. Actually the fungi grow in different woods and depend on types of trees grow there. Mushrooms are tied with trees very much.Happy new week, Vagabonde!

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  21. Super selection of mushrooms, so much variety. Foraging for mushrooms is something I have always wanted to do but so far have not had the experience.

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    1. Perhaps you don't live near large woods, Nezumi. It's autumn tradition to go mushroom hunting in the nearest or farthest woods and to cook some delicious meals with mushrooms.

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  22. Great photos of all the mushrooms--you certainly have quite a variety! I've never really gone mushroom hunting, but I know many people who do. The only wild mushrooms that are found in our area, though, are morel mushrooms. I'd have to go with an expert like you, or I'm afraid I'd pick something poisonous!

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  23. Great photos! I loved!
    Greetings!:))

    xxBasia

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  24. Beautiful photos of mushrooms! It is a great joy to walk through the woods and find mushrooms!
    Greetings

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    1. I agree, Ela it's a joy to go mushroom hunting. Have a nice new week!

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  25. What a wonderful collection of mushrooms. I've only ever gathered the one kind, never sure about which are poisonous or not. But you have good knowledge.

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    1. Thanks, Juliet, my knowledge is not enough because there are many other species of fungi. I eat only these that I know are edible.

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  26. You know-I love eating mushrooms and one of these days I'm going to find someone who can teach me which wild ones are safe to eat. Nice photos by the way!

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    1. I like Larry you love eating mushrooms and sure one day you'll catch good edible ones and have nice dinner.

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