It’s time once again for mushroom foragers to set their sights a little higher once the overnight temperatures consistently reach the freezing mark. This is when you’ll find the fungi trees naturally taking their turn in offering bountiful crops to the creatures in their surroundings. There are plenty of very good and choice edible mushrooms these decomposing trees put forth in the fall as I have mentioned one of these the wild oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) in recent post. Today I’ll show 2 more which I have noticed early this morning.
Here are some wild Velvet foot mushrooms (Flammulina velutipes), these mushrooms when grown commercially are called Enoki and do not look anything like the wild ones due to limiting the light exposure and increasing carbon dioxide levels in the growing area which results in a white small capped mushroom with a long thin white stem. The wild ones I gathered today on a decomposing elm tree will be dried and then powdered to be used as a spice.
This white mushroom seen halfway up the central tree is Hericinum americanum and is considered to be quite choice with a seafood flavor. It has a close relative who is commercially grown under the name Lion’s mane and besides its pleasant taste it also has impressive medicinal properties. This one will be enjoyed tonight. ciao
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