© Symbiosis The newsletter of the Prairie States Mushroom Club
Volume 26:1 Spring 2009 http://www.geocities.com/iowamushroom
Mushrooms and Anti-Semitism Information compiled by Dean Abel Dean Abel noticed the anti-Semitic “Propaganda and Children during the tract Der Giftpilz for sale on eBay Hitler Years”.
(cont. on pg. 7) Auricularia auricula By Dave Layton
Auricularia auricula (Tree Ear or Mildly flavored mushrooms are very Anti-Semitism.” To learn more about Ear Fungus) is quite distinctive and popular in Chinese cooking. They this often under-rated fungus, visit can be easily spotted looking like serve to accentuate the more stronger Tom Volk’s web page: http:// clumps of ears on dead logs. It can be flavored components of a meal. botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/ found any time of year on dead elms Auricularia’s cousin Tremella apr2004.html and other deciduous wood. There mesenterica (Witches Butter) is also or Micheal Kuo page: http:// have been many times when it was the widely eaten in China and called www.mushroomexpert.com/ only edible in my basket. I’ve even White Mushroom. It can be found auricularia_auricula.html found it in an edible state in the winter. commonly in Iowa too. It can still be edible if it has begun to dry. Actually drying it and reconsti- My cooking mistake with auricula tuting it in broth is the best way to eat was the same as my mistake with it. It’s important to know that it is Lyophylum decastes. I tried to cook either fresh or dried while fresh and it with strong mushrooms or in hasn’t become dessicated. If its traditional mushroom recipes and it rubbery or pliant it should be okay, didn’t perform well. I look forward to but if its fragile and crumbly its experimenting with sautéed vegetables probably old and not good. and rice or noodles. Auricularia auricula I’d eaten it many times but was never Auricularia auricula is considered Photo by Jim Frink can be found at too impressed until I tried it in several to have a wide variety of healthful http://iowamushroom.smugmug.com/ dishes in China. The Chinese name for effects. It is also known as it is Yung Ngo or Black Mushrooms Auricularia auricula-judae. (Jew’s because they blacken when dried. Its Ear). This last name speaks to fungi’s mild flavor and gelatinous texture fit strange historical relationship with just right with other vegetables in different cultures. Dean Abel provides Chinese dishes. I even got pretty us with a fascinating insight on this good at sliming it up onto chop-sticks. topic in the article “Mushrooms and
Foxfire Funnies
David Arora with Panus Rudis: “Edible but very hairy. celery, broiled belligerently on a morel mushrooms, You’d do better to brush your teeth skewer with spiced lamb and bell circa 2000. with it than eat it.” peppers, or layered lovingly in a Photo found at Phyllotopsis nidulans: “The odor is casserole with Parmesan cheese, egg en.wikipedia.org/ so disgusting that only a zealot with the noodles and onions, Boletus wiki/David_Arora iron constitution of Charles McIlvaine “marshii” is still inedible.” would consider eating it.” Cryptoporus volvatus: “To tough to Aroraisms Clitocybe nebularis: “Its rank odor be edible, however Alexander Smith David Arora is one of the most doesn’t exactly make you want to rush says that worms (insect larvae) found outspoken mushroom experts in home and throw it in a frying pan.” inside the fruiting bodies can be used America. His comments on edibility Boletus “marshii”: “Sauteed deli- as fish bait. So can worms found are often unique (to say the least) as cately in butter with a pinch of pepper outside the fruiting bodies.” you’ll see in the following quotes from and a clove of garlic, served steaming his book Mushrooms Demystified. hot on toast with cream-cheese and 2 Finding Mushrooms in the Winter
Finding mushrooms outdoors in the seeing when I incorrectly labeled it Okay, I didn’t really find any wild winter can be a challenge for Iowans, Grifola for a picture in the last issue of mushrooms growing, but the Skarth’s but six PSMC members including Symbiosis. Also, a mushroom that I figured out a good way to find fresh myself found ways to do it. For Bob thought might be Poria tubors in that wild edible mushrooms in the winter – and Linda Scarth as well as Sally issue were actually the fat stalks of just take a trip to the Falkland Islands Myers and myself, the ways involved King Trumpets (Pleurotus Eryngii or - DL traveling half-way around the planet. Xing Bao Gu in Chinese). I tried You’ll find stories of what we found several species in a variety of and where we found it interesting. But preparations in restaurants. My I think you’ll find Glen Schwartz and favorites were Dong Gu Roger Heidt’s account of finding wild (Flammulina velutipes ) cooked in mushrooms growing in the winter right hot pots and Shitake (Lentinus here in Iowa just as interesting. I’ll edodes) with Peking duck. begin with how I found mushrooms in northern China when I visited Sally I did find mushrooms outdoors but there in January. that was because TEDA where Sally Vegetable market in TEDA China lives has a a giant outdoor market Actually, I found mushrooms even in the winter. I brought back everywhere I went to eat. Even the some Lyophylum shimeji and little packaged meal on the flight from experimented with cooking it. It is Tokyo to Beijing contained a variety similar to L, decastes but smaller and of Pleurotus that I was unfamiliar with. a bit more flavorful. It was very Upon further study it might be what is interesting that the Chinese make use called “Baby Pleruotus.” Or a of milder flavored mushrooms more diminutive variety close to P. eryngii. than stronger ones like our common That variety of mushroom was button mushrooms, though they use Shimeji www.flickr.com/photos/ broadly available in stores. I learned those too. fotoosvanrobin/3015770092/ that this was what I was actually
Mushrooms in the Falkland Islands Text and photos by Bob and Linda Skarth
After a wind-blown walk to the mushrooms during our visit which cormorant and penguin colonies on appeared to be two species. One Bleaker Island in the Falklands, we species had a smooth cap and the were taking a mid-afternoon break other had flaking on the cap surface. for tea and biscuits. We then noticed Both had brown gills that were free of Elaine Short, accompanied by her pet the stalk and had thin annular rings. bottle lamb, making their way around the sheep paddock stopping to pick We asked people if they knew the up whitish objects. They could have scientific names for the white been feathers from the wild Upland mushrooms we saw in the sheep, Geese which also grazed, keeping the penguin and goose pastures on pastures short. But in fact, Elaine was several of the Falkland Islands. No gathering mushrooms for the delicious one was certain. They just knew the soup we would have for dinner that evening. We photographed several (cont. on pg. 4) 3 Mushrooms in the Falkland Islands Winter Foray (cont. from pg. 3) Text by Glen Schwartz Photos by Roger Heidt ones that made good soup or were The ones Mrs. Short picked were sautéed for breakfast. Very little is probably the Agaricus campestris or written about the fungi, especially the some close relative, described in the mushrooms, found in the Falkland above article, and also enjoyed by Islands. There have been a few mushroom hunters here in Iowa, in scientific papers over the last 100 South America and in Europe. Nauta years, including one about the genus described campestres as a “rather Agaricus in the Kew Bulletin in variable taxon.” The name campestris 1999. Marijke M. Nauta, a is interesting on several levels, researcher from The Netherlands, especially for its presence in the found six Agaricus species on the Falkland Islands. It is derived from islands, including two new taxa which the Latin, campus, meaning field, Winter Lichens were described in very detailed hence the common name, Field Editors note: More text (including a list scientific terms. We believe the photo Mushroom. In the Falkland Islands, of species found) and photos can also be with the flaked cap may be one of the anyone who does not live in Stanley found at the PSMC website: http:// newly described species – Agaricus (Town), lives in Camp, from the www.geocities.com/iowamushroom/ maclovianus. We found it on Spanish, campo. Campo means Saunders Island, one of the locations countryside in Spanish. And the Mushroom foray in the middle of Nauta included in the description. It people we met in Camp (the outlying winter? Are you nuts? Surprisingly, a looks very much like the drawing in island settlements) were often winter foray in the Midwest can be the article. mushroom hunters. quite productive. Sure, you expect to find Ganoderma applanatum By the way, Mrs. Short’s mushroom (Artist’s Conk), and maybe some soup was followed by the best lamb turkey tails, but what else is out there? roast (and trimmings) we have ever On a recent outing to the Wickiup eaten. On another island, one of our Hills area just north of Cedar Rapids, fellow visitors, picked a batch of Roger and I found more than 20 mushrooms and the cook at the guest species of fungi and several species of house sautéed them for his breakfast, lichens. which he ate with gusto. Mushroom hunting in winter is best on A.campestris a warm winter day. Make sure you For some examples of the wildlife and can keep your feet dry and dress to scenery we photographed in the keep from getting too cold or too hot. Falkland Islands, visit our web site: Use snowshoes if the snow in the www.scarthphoto.com/falklands.htm woods is more than 8 inches deep. Take a camera with you, but be careful not to drop it in the snow. There are actually some advantages to a winter outing. First, you don’t need to worry about mosquitoes or wood ticks. Second, you can see the woods A. Sp. without the leaves and brush blocking your view. This is a great way to get to know your favorite area better.
(cont. on pg. 7) 4 Morel Stories
The following tales from PSMC members depict some of the fun, frustration and surprise that can be part of morel hunting. The stories culminate with Don Huffman sharing amazing morel historical information as well as his own stories. Dave Layton
Morels on Sally’s counter top by Dave Layton
Sally and the Mushroom Expert
Sally said, “Let’s take that path”.
“Let’s not. It ends in brambles and I don’t see any mushroom trees.” Image found at mausersandmuffins. blogspot.com/2009_02_08_arc... “No morels would be growing there?” The 8 Point Morel by Arnold Christian “It’s not likely.” My 2007 morel story of interest donated it to the Nahant naturalist to “Well, maybe that’s what all the other began as I walked into a “glory patch” use in his teachings of mammals mushroom experts thought too. and had about 100 in the bag, I inhabiting the Nahant Habitats of Maybe they just passed by them like reached down among some tall prairie fields and bottomland woods. you might do.” She had a point, so we folliage/ground flora for a large It was all I could carry with 200+ took the obscure dead end path specimen of a Morchella esculenta morels and a set of antlers about 1 which, naturally, led to a nice patch of and not 12 inches away was a deer and 1/2 miles back to my parked morels. For the record: there were no skull with a nice 8 point set of antlers. vechicle. Twas a notable “find” to say obvious “mushroom trees” in sight. Since it wasn’t chewed by rodents, I the least-and I still have frozen morels separated it from its skeleton and we eat with venison at home.
5 Morel Stories (cont. from pg. 5) An Interview with Tom and Erma Two Tales, One of Kehoe Frustration and One of Fun by Don Huffman
My biggest morel disappointment: I started a morel/false morel plot southwest of Pella in what I thought was an isolated place. I had a plot 100m x 100m, laid out in 1 m. Dave ~ You folks have been hunting ice chest along to keep any we found squares so that I could record the morels for a while. I imagine you have cold. We ended up dumping the ice fruiting of any of the morels or false a few interesting stories, good or bad. out and completely filling that chest morels in that really good habitat on a with morels. rather flat area sloping off to a stream Tom ~ I guess a 9 headed clump of on two sides. morels was my most interesting find. We began hunting for other kinds of My worst time was when another fella mushrooms 30 years ago when Don I had data from several visits at 2-4 and I got into a big area with no cover Huffman got us to join the Prairie day intervals each year for 7 years in and it hailed on us. Neither one of us States Mushroom Club. what I had planned to make a 10 yr. was wearing a hat. That really stung. study. My hope was to establish Erma ~ Our best time finding mush- rather firm data of the size of We’ve been hunting morels for 40 to rooms was in the Summer when we mycelium supporting each of the 50 years now. We always find enough were camping in Missouri. There species and morels and false morels for a few good meals, but the best were different mushrooms every step present. I had also kept data on hunting was during the 60s and 70s we took. Our two favorite things to developmental stages of spring when the Dutch Elm disease was just do are playing with our great-grand- flowers concurrent with morels, bud starting. We’d pick them by the children and finding mushrooms! (cont. on pg. 8) buckets full. One time we had a big
Interesting Iowa Morel Facts by Don Huffman
1) The largest morel I’ve seen. Lois Tiffany at I.S.U. received a specimen several years ago which weighed in at 4 lbs. 2 oz.! It was the biggest morel I’ve ever seen, and Lois has a photo of it, and so do I if I can find it. It was growing on the dirt floor of a tool shed!
2) The earliest Iowa morel I’ve collected was on March 11 at Keosaqua State Park.
3) The strangest habitat I’ve heard of was reported, I think to Lois Tiffany and George Knaphus, Morchella esculenta growing on a wet, rolled up carpet in an unfinished basement.
Photo: Dr. Tiffany with giant morel
6 Winter Foray (cont. from pg. 4)
Third, the lighting for photography is Without a doubt, the biggest shock of Recipe Corner great in winter. The deep woods can all was finding Armillaria mellea be very dark in summer, requiring a Honey Mushroom. flash or bulky tripod to get decent Creamed photos. Fourth, you will probably have the woods to yourself, and the Mushrooms w/ combination of white snow, blue Cheese skies, and solitude is very therapeutic. There are a few mushrooms that will 2 T. butter pop out whenever the temperature is 1 T. olive oil above freezing for a few days in a 1 lb. firm white mushrooms, thinly sliced row. Flammulina velutipes (velvet 2 T. dry sherry foot) and Galerina autumnalis are 2 That’s right; we found a perfect honey ¼ c. sour cream such mushrooms. Pay attention, mushroom in Iowa in February! This 2 T. grated parmesan cheese because one of these choices is is the kind of find that keeps us going salt & pepper, to taste edible, the other is deadly poisonous. back into the woods once every few Jelly fungi can rehydrate and look as weeks. Melt butter in skillet add oil; add fresh as you might expect in the mushrooms; sauté 2 minutes. Add spring. sherry and cook 1 minute. Mix sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper cook The most rewarding part of winter over low heat until thoroughly warm. mushroom hunting is to find the unexpected. So far this winter, Roger and I have found several species new to us, including the jelly Dacryopinax elegans and the shelf fungi Trametes villosa. Mushrooms and Anti-Semitism (cont. from cover) entire people because the Jew is the Devil in human form. The Jew poses a deadly threat not only to the survival The cover of of the German people but to the Der Giftpilz survival of the world! It is Germany’s obligation to warn the rest of the world about this terrible toadstool and thereby save humanity from Dacryopinax elegans destruction. Thus begins one of the most insidious storybooks ever “Just as it is often composed for children.” hard to tell a toadstool from an A partial translation of Der Giftpilz edible mushroom, can be found at http:// so too it is often www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/ very hard to story2.htm. recognize the Jew Trametes villosa as a swindler and criminal...”
7 Two Tales... PSMC Spring 2009 Happenings (cont. from pg. 6)
PSMC invites members to host PSMC Visits Lake Red Rock size on white oaks, and other Mushroom Forays On May 2nd PSMC will foray at phenological observations. By the 7th We are always looking for new Roberts Creek on Lake Red Rock year it became evident that many patches of woods to explore. Please At 1PM members will provide a hooby hunters had found out my plot invite us to explore your favorite presentation on “Finding, Identifying and it was picked nearly clean from patch. Contact us by email: and Sustainably Harvesting Delicious then on, ending my serious attempt to [email protected] or Spring Mushrooms.” More study the plot. I still have 7 years of phone: Dave Layton (563) 242-0880. information can be found at the data, and think it is helpful, but not as PSMC website: http:// complete as I would have wanted. It PSMC Photo Site now up! www.geocities.com/iowamushroom/ has not been published. If you have not looked at the Club photo site, PSMC Members Teach a Morel One unusual morel surprise came www.iowamushroom.smugmug.com, Cooking Class at New Pioneer when a group of paleobotanists from please take a little time. There are Coop, Iowa City The Field Museum in Chicago came already dozens of photos posted and At 4PM on May 16th Prairie States in early May one year for a return to Glen has been working hard putting Mushroom Club Representatives collect fossil plant material from the information on Jim Frink’s photos. Dave Layton and Marty Augustine strip pits south of Pella. They had Club members are invited to will present a mushroom cooking asked for several “husky students” to contribute to this site. This is a class Morels and More: Magical help carry out the heavy rocks which great resource that Glen has set up for Treats from the Iowa Woods, at were fossil laden. us. Let’s take advantage of it. New Pioneer Coop 1101 2nd Street Coralville, Iowa As we carried loads of fossil material Check out the key words. If you see back to the vehicles parked along the any information that is incorrect or Register and pay on-line at road we walked paths that have been suspect, please let us know so we can www.newpi.com under “classes” there for many years. We looked on correct or remove it. We would like the slopes and saw a huge fruiting of the information attached to be Preregistration required. Class limited Morchella so we unloaded our fossil accurate. email: to 20 students. material, returned to the paths and [email protected] picked our shirts and hats full of fresh Thank You Vicki morels. One of the paleobotanists was Submissions to “Symbiosis” Vicki Coutant has graciously donated a native of England, another from wanted her time and talents as Production China. Both knew of morels, but had We are always looking for your Editor to layout and design never seen them before. We spent a mushroom stories, recipes, pictures “Symbiosis” for the last five issues. nice evening in my home living room and jokes. The more members that She also submitted this issues’ recipe. talking fossils and morels, and eating contribute the more interesting your If you like the way this newsletter many sautéed morels along with some newsletter will be. Submissions can be looks, or have suggestions, you can good cheeses and wine. A great and made to Dave Layton by email let Vicki know by emailing her at memorable evening! [email protected], mail or fax [email protected]. P.S. Dave Layton (She will accept morels as tokens of 542 9th Ave S. gratitude.) Clinton, IA 52732
Fax (309) 793-6807
8 Dave Layton, President Prairie States Mushroom Club 542 9th Ave. S. Clinton, IA 52732
PSMC Web Site: http://www.geocities.com/ iowamushroom/
The name “Symbiosis©” and contents of the newsletter “Symbiosis©, The Newsletter of the Prairie States Mushroom Club (PSMC)” are the sole property of the PSMC and can not be reproduced without written permission of the PSMC Board of Directors.
PSMC Spring 2009 Forays
Complete Foray information found at May 16th at 10 AM June 27th at 10 AM http://www.geocities.com/ Cou Falls Northwest of Coralville Ledges State Park, Boone Mushroom iowamushroom/ Reservoir experts Dr. Lois Tiffany and Rosanne At 4 PM Dave Layton and Marty Healy will be on hand to share their May 2nd at 10 AM Augustine will present a mushroom mushroom lore. Roberts Creek Park on Lake Red cooking class “Morels and More: Rock Magical Treats from the Iowa Following the Foray at 1 PM PSMC Woods,” at New Pioneer Coop Save the dates members will do a presentation on Coralville, Iowa July 19th at 9 AM “Finding, Identifying and Sustainably Amana Nature Trail Harvesting Delicious Spring Register and pay on-line at Mushrooms” www.newpi.com under “classes” August 8th at 11 AM as part of the Preregistration required. Class limited Whiterock Conservancy Bioblitz May 9th at 10 AM to 20 students Palisade Dows Forest Preserve October 3rd at Cedar Bluffs June 13th at 10 AM Southwest of Oskaloosa (Time TBA) Bill and Marlys Brown’s farm on the Maquoketa River