Topic: Field Mushrooms Glut

[glow777]

Came across a few mushrooms this morning, picked for three minutes and filled a carrier bag and left the rest for someone else. Must of been this years weather but there were thousands!

However been as we have a glut of everything else at the moment what do people recommend is the best storage method. Drying freezing soup etc

[supersprout]

Oo lucky you! Dry them! ;D

[glow777]

And the next question will be how - there seems a lot of conflicting views when googling.

Just tested (for safety reasons) a few in garlic with the cook at work  ;)

[supersprout]

LOL important to take H&S seriously ;)
I used to cut them into thick slices (1/4") and thread them through a thick cotton thread (with darning needle), then hang them in festoons around the kitchen like washing line, and very fetching they looked dangling there too. The odd one will fall off into whatever you are cooking, never mind ;D
Now I have a wonderful dehydrator - but no mushroom glut :'( count your blessings glow! :)

[glow777]

Ta SS

I would recommend visiting areas that used to have mushrooms then. These shrooms have sprung up where I hadnt seen any for 5+ years - but the weathers been perfect 4 em.

and if not its a good walk!

[Lazy Daisy]

I must be a down and out coward, have never had the guts to go mushroom picking eventhough I love them. How do you find the courage to go picking and where would be the best type of place to try ??

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you're that nervous, take a fungus identification book with you. I've had loads of fun in the past collecting wild fungi. My favourite used to be honey fungus, but I haven't seen it for years.

[glow777]

field mushrooms are fine they live in fields aren't red with white spots and don't have gnomes sitting on top of them with fishing rods. Everything else should be considered dodgy IMO. Get a good book and only pick if 100% confident that what you are picking has been correctly identified.

Saw an amazing chicken of the woods the other day but bottled out of getting it as I was only 98% certain, that and the fact it was high up and non of the kids would go up for it :o

Best places to find mushrooms are well kept secrets however find somewhere a little of the beaten track and you'll increase your chances of being the first one to a site

[prink13]

I have lots of mushrooms, growing in the garden, but does anyone know of a good website or book for identifying the different varieties, as I don't really want to poison myself or OH!  :D

[greyhound]

Try

http://www.rogersmushrooms.com

Roger Phillips's book is apparently the best guide.  I have the Dorling Kindersley Pocket Nature: Fungi, which is also pretty good.

[natasha]

I've heard that warms only infest edible mushrooms and avoid poisonous. Not much of a clue, but... might also help.

[MikeB]

I've heard that warms only infest edible mushrooms

What sort of warms??

Sorry couldn't resist ;D ;D

[prink13]

Thanks all  ;D

[Rosa_Mundi]

Sauce is another very good way to use up a glut - add onions, seasoning and a bit of milk. When de-frosted, a touch of cream and you have an instant pasta sauce.

[Truffle]

Just a word of caution for anyone thinking about picking wild fungi, you need to be really sure its the right species. There are some poisonous species that look just like a field mushroom to the untrained eye......be careful.

Having said that, it does seem to be a bumper year for field mushrooms- we harvested a bag full at the weekend ;D

Truffle

[natasha]

What sort of warms??

Sorry couldn't resist ;D ;D

Oh God, I know it sounds awful and I can't explain it properly ... but a wild edible mushroom is a source of food for all sorts of creepy crawly and while it is still young it stays clean from them, as it grows older and bigger, it gets nibbled by maggots. So if you come across a family of wild mushrooms and some of them are nibbled from inside, it means that the little clean ones are good too eat.

[Obelixx]

Several years ago we had a crop of puffball mushrooms growing in part of our grassed area.   They were delicious and we left some to explode and spread their pores for future years but haven't seen one since.

Can anyone explain their cycle or does it depend on weather conditions?

[Hyacinth]

Sauce is another very good way to use up a glut - add onions, seasoning and a bit of milk. When de-frosted, a touch of cream and you have an instant pasta sauce.

I've only ever bought 'gluts' - usually when the open market's been closing down on Saturday 8) and I've made lots of curry & frozen it....a useful base to add other veggies to or to add to chicken.

[Robert_Brenchley]

that's how I get mine; I've finally convinced the family that the big open mushrooms are tastier than those horrible little button things.

[Lazy Daisy]

Well have taken the plunge and ordered some kits to grow my own at home, Chestnut and Shitake. Hope I have more luck indoors than the logs I have outside. Will keep you all posted