Topic: picking mushrooms

[mr plasma]

I'm a great lover of mushrooms and would love to pick wild ones,my obvious concern is that i don't poison myself and the wife.anyone know whats the best way to recognise safe from poisonous mushrooms.

[STHLMgreen]

I'd get a book (with good clear colour pictures) from the library. 

I use a Swedish site, but don't know of any mushroom guides online in english. Here's a link to the 'Top 10 Mushrooms for Beginners', with pictures, though it is in Swedish.
http://www.svampguiden.com/10_top.asp

Another tip I've gotten is to leave the white ones unless you know for sure they're edible. I know button mushrooms are white and we think of those as 'good' but many other white ones are poisonous.

Oh and use a basket, not a plastic bag... even in the fridge keep then in a paper bag. They keep better that way.

Happy mushroom picking! It really can be fun!

[Robert_Brenchley]

There are lots that are edible but tasteless, lots that just taste horrible, and very few that are actually poisonous. One thing to watch out for is anything that looks like a mushroom, but has white gills underneath the cap. There are edible ones that fit this description, but people regularly mistake Amanita virosa, the Destroying Angel, for mushrooms. Apart from that, just take a book with you, and don't eat anything till you've identified it.

[supersprout]

take the family on a guided fungi foray first - plenty if you google! at this time of year :D

[Robert_Brenchley]

There's loads of info here: http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/

[mr plasma]

i was thinking of just testing them on the wife,if after she eats them and thinks i redecorated the house purple and green and that rainbows appear in the lounge then i know what they are :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Be sure to insure her life first. Then if you give her the wrong sort, at least you can cash in.