These are some of the easiest fungi to identify but it's still possible to make painful or lethal mistakes. I was lucky enough to be shown how to identify them by my Swedish relatives. All Swedes are demon mushroom gatherers and it's practically a national sport for them. If you're not so lucky with your family, try to join a mushroom hunting walk with an expert or study your books very carefully.
Things to note from the picture are the beautiful yellow colour, not shaded or patchy in any way, the ridges under the cap which extend down the stem and the solid and sturdy growth. You will read that they have a fruity smell a little like apricots. This may not be apparent while you're gathering them but if you keep them in a paper bag for an hour or two and then sniff the fragrance will probably be there to a lesser or greater degree.
I didn't really have enough for much of a production. Simply sliced, fried in a little oil with just a smidge of garlic (I used one thin slice from a clove with these) and a good sprinkle of pepper made a wonderful breakfast.
4 comments:
Lordy, that time of year again... I didn't know they appeared this early.
Off for a walk this weekend ;-)
I'd like to think it was but I haven't found any more :( Hope you have better luck.
Got a chuckle out of "demon mushroom gatherers." :)
I, on the other hand, would be so scared to eat something I foraged.
Hi Jude,
The best advice for anyone who is nervous of gathering fungi is to tell them not to do it. You can feel awfully sick for no reason at all if you're worried!
But under-confidence is a much better place to start than over-confidence. Join organised groups, take time to search out commercial supplies in reputable markets to learn what you're looking for and start with the easy ones, like giant puffballs. Then all you need is the luck to find one!
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