So many varieties of fungi are popping up all over our garden at the moment. Under the hedges, through the grass and in the vegetable patch. I am strangely drawn to them.
Is it normal to be fascinated by these little treasures of nature? The many, many different varieties. Their peculiar structures, colours and textures. Despite my fascination with all manner of fungi, I know very little about them. I certainly wouldn't chance eating any I had picked from the wild. With my limited knowledge, it would certainly end in tragedy.
I am curious though. Have you ever gone foraging for edible fungi? Do tell if you have any experiences or wisdom to share.
Joining in with the lovely ladies from Wolves in London and Circle of Pine Trees for their series 'grow, forage, cook'.
These are so lovely Bee - I've been doing the same. X
ReplyDeleteI kid you not, I have a fungi scrapbook which I collect photos of fungi I see and then I come back and identify it, then scrapbook the page - I am a visual learner see, so I remember what they are called by the image of the page. I used to go with my uncle 20 years ago to collect field mushrooms, I was keen to pick and eat them - until I had one with a maggot in and ate it without noticing!! That put me off for a while but I am Ok with them now. I have eaten puffball, parasol and field ones. You can eat shaggy inkcaps but the texture always seems too soggy for my liking. Jo xx
ReplyDeleteI have loads in my garden at the moment, but I have to confess that I am actually terrified of getting it wrong with mushrooms and don't think I would ever eat any I found... (Maybe I shouldn't admit that as one of the original Grow, forage, cookers!) Perhaps I should be braver?!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for joining in. xxx
They're wonderful aren't they. I'd love to be able to identify the edible ones, but it's something that must be learned from an expert I think. It would be nice to gather some and make something delicious wouldn't it. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteI am also horribly scared of getting it wrong, I think there must have been some hideous childrens program when I was young that showed someone getting it wrong and then coming down with some horrible poisoning. However the husband is much braver and often goes mushroom hunting. It would be wonderful to figure out which ones can be eaten, they seem to be so abundant. - Annie
ReplyDeleteI have never collected any mushrooms, but I have collected photos of them when they appear in my garden. I rarely if ever seem them "in the wild" but I do find them fascinating! xx
ReplyDeleteNever foraged them! There is an author whose name I've forgotten who went foraging a couple of years ago with his wife and brother - they all almost died and are now v ill because they ate the wrong ones!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMushrooms and toadstools are fascinating to examine and photograph, and my mum used to tell me about childhood mushroom-picking trips in Poland.
ReplyDeleteI did recently listen to a radio programme on the 'middle class trend' for foraging and there were quite a few funghi-related horror stories in there. I know that in much of Europe you can get anything you've picked identified at your local chemist, but not here.
Also there are one or two varieties which make you very ill simply by touching them.
Best stick to the local market (although I bet a course would be fun to go on).
S x
I'm with you, they are fascinating. They remind me of The Flower Fairies. :-) However, I know nothing about foraging fungi and would never try it, it's just too risky. I like eating the ones I buy in the shop with lots of garlic though. xx
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and Gillian, I couldn't eat them , I would be really scared of getting poisoned, but I do love to eat the ones we know for sure are safe... Great pictures.
ReplyDeleteThaanks great blog
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