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2010 No.2 The Newsletter of the Alberta Mycological Society

NAMA Toxicology NAMA receives on average following up on the Leccinum case one report a year of a human Committee Report as well as in a case of mixed death from and rarely unknown mushrooms probably receives a report of a liver for 2009 containing some Amatoxins. Any transplant due to time a family member is lost to poisoning. This year there were at premature death it is a tragedy for least eleven and possibly 17 people the family. Reading the obituaries who consumed mushrooms of the individuals made one realize containing amatoxin including North American the loss to their communities as four people who died. One well. death each was attributed to a Mushroom Other cases reported on 57 Destroying Angel (Amanita people with some form of GI bisporigera or a look-alike), a distress, one person where Western Destroying Angel Poisonings mushrooms were an unintended (Amanita ocreata), Amanita sleep aid and one case of contact phalloides and Lepiota dermatitis. As usual the leading subincarnata (josserandii). The cause of poisoning was person who died from Amanita Michael W. Beug, PhD, Chlorophyllum molybdites and bisporigera or a look-alike had some of those poisonings were very received a liver transplant, but Chair NAMA Toxicology severe, resulting in blood in the died a couple of weeks later of an Committee stools and vomitus. Aspergillus infection in her lungs. Also, as usual, Marilyn Shaw One person who consumed stayed available 24/7 via phone would have NCT00915681). Injectable silibinin and contributed roughly 50 % of died, but received a successful is a well established and approved the reports, with human incidents liver transplant. There is no treatment for amatoxin poisonings from all reporters totaling 76 proven antidote for amatoxin and in . Oral milk thistle people. in regions where good hospital preparations are poorly absorbed We received the first report care is not available, about 60% of and thus impractical for clinical of a poisoning from Gymnopus cf the victims will die. But it is clear use in amatoxin poisoning (see villosipes and a question has been that excellent supportive care in a www.bayareamushrooms.org/ raised by the victim as to whether hospital can reduce the death rate poisonings/index.html for more on or not the mushroom could have to less than 15%, with the death this subject with photos and caused certain ongoing problems. rate falling well below 10% when information by Debbie Viess). This case, a similar one involving a liver transplant is possible. In addition to the deaths morels, and other puzzling In the summer of 2009 from Amatoxins, there was one symptoms will be discussed in a Madaus Pharma initiated an FDA death where the ingestion of a “Mushroom Mysteries” article to be sanctioned open clinical trial of Leccinum sp (broadly in the published separately. intravenous silibinin-Legalon-Sil aurantiacum complex) caused a In two cases individuals extracted from the common milk serious enough reaction to be a discovered their susceptibility to an thistle (Silybum marianum) contributing cause of death. Bill edible by multiple (http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/ Bakaitis did truly heroic work in (Toxicology ...continued on page 3) www.wildmushrooms.ws Summer 2010 No. 2 1 President’s Message 2010 Executive Alberta Mycological GetGet outout therethere Society President: Martin Osis President: Martin Osis andand pickpick somesome [email protected] The tremendous Vice President: weather has given us Robert Rogers [email protected] a wonderful crop of mushrooms!!!mushrooms!!! mushrooms. It Secretary: appears we are Deberah Kearns getting one of those one in ten Chad has been pumping out with [email protected] years mushroom fruiting so take his able assistant Thea, such as advantage of it. One species after duck-confit-stuffed morels. At the Treasurer: another are coming up including Bow Valley Parks Day display Michael Avenati [email protected] some that are not supposed to be Chad served up “red tops in a fruiting till the fall like the black tea cream sauce”. One of the Newsletter: epicurean Shaggy Parasol Parks people commented that this Sonja Lukey (Chlorophyllum rhacodes, the was the tastiest by far of all the [email protected] mushroom formerly know as Provincial Emblems and he was macrolepiota rhacodes). It was out right on. It was a shame that our Media Relations: in June this year and is still own members were scarcely to be Melanie Fjoser [email protected] fruiting now. Amazing! In the seen; what’s up with that? river valley and associated So get out there and pick Membership: ravines, I have been thrilled to some mushrooms and take in our Rosemarie O’Bertos find all kinds of mushrooms; some other events such as our [email protected] rare for Alberta such as the Sulfur Exposition “City of Shelf or Chicken of the Woods – Champignons” at the Devonian Foray Coordinator: laetiporus confericola in two Botanic Gardens. And especially Pieter van der Schoot [email protected] separate locations, the delicious the “Great Alberta Mushroom Bloody Agaricus (A. Haemo- Foray” in the Kananaskis Valley. Web Master: phoidarius), and the choice edible Just like the amazing year of Alan Fleming and medicinal Umbrella Polypore mushroom fruiting we also have [email protected] (polyporus umbellatus). an amazing year of mycologists Those of you who made it out coming to Alberta. To honour one Directors-at-large: to the Thompson Creek burn near of our Founders, Leni Schalkwijk, Lee Crowchild Saskatchewan Crossing we have a truly all-star faculty of experienced another rare mycologists. These are world class Katlin Kiss phenomenon, picking morels till mycologists that are coming and Robert Simpson you hurt. Each of my three visits lending us their time and Tyler Pell added 40 to 50 pounds of morels to expertise. Even if you have only my larder. Those of you who the smallest passing interest in attended the Solstice roast got a mushrooms, there is seriously no ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ MAILING A DDRESS: chance to sample some of these other place to be but in the morels prepared in a variety of Kananaskis Valley on the Alberta Mycological Society P.O. Box 1921, 10405 Jasper Avenue ways. Just thinking of it makes September long weekend (except Standard Life Building me hungry. Which makes me maybe Estonia). Don’t let this year Edmonton, AB T5J 3S2 think of all the delicious flavours pass you by. WEBSITE ADDRESS: our culinary chair and super chef Martin Osis www.wildmushrooms.ws

2 Summer 2010 No. 2 www.wildmushrooms.ws NAMA Toxicology Committee result of direct Amanita phalloides direct evidence that any Report toxicity. One was due to colic as a mushrooms had been consumed (continued from page 1) result of ingestion of Chlorophyllum by either of the horses. When Dr. molybdites. In her email about the Joe Ammirati forwarded me an consumptions, each time with a Chlorophyllum molybdites horse unusual report which involved a faster and more violent reaction. If death, Sherry Kay pointed out that horse getting high on you have developed sensitivity to a since horses cannot throw up, mushrooms (a humorous video of mushroom you previously mushrooms can pose a special the horse “under the influence” consumed with pleasure, we would problem for them. Sherry also was posted on the internet), and especially like to hear about it as mentioned that cattle frequently eat learned of the other horse an article about mushroom Chlorophyllum molybdites but with poisoning reports, he declared sensitivity is in development. One their many stomachs, seem to deal this the “year of the horse”. From or more people may want to have with it. photos sent to him in the horse their personal story published so Two horse deaths were inebriation case, he was able to we also welcome those reported in one incident where identify and submissions. mushrooms were strongly suspected Panaeolus (not a likely suspect) For dogs, there were 13 and the paddock was observed to from the paddock. poisonings reported with three, contain Agaricus cf crocodilinus, a possibly four deaths attributed to Gymnopus and unidentified (Toxicology Tables mushrooms. One dog death was Ascomycete material). There was no ...continued on page 9-13) probably due to ingestion of an Inocybe and these are known to kill dogs. One death was attributed to an Amanita in the muscaria/pantherina complex, though the symptoms do not fit well, and the mushrooms the owner presented as suspects were . A third dog death and a case suspected of resulting in a dog death involved liver damage, suggestive of amatoxin but no mushrooms were available for study. While mushrooms have long been suspected in some unexplained horse deaths, this is the first year that mushrooms have been clearly tied to deaths in horses in any reports forwarded to NAMA. This year we received two confirmed reports of horse fatalities resulting from mushroom ingestion. One was the

www.wildmushrooms.ws Summer 2010 No. 2 3 The Great Alberta Mushroom Foray – Leni Schalkwijk Memorial Foray

It is getting closer! 2010 Faculty Dr. David Malloch (New ○○○○○○○○○○○○○

The best mushroom event of ○○○○○○○○○ Brunswick), Professor Emeritus, the year. This year we are especially University of Toronto, Research Dr. Sean Abbott, (Nevada) – Foray excited for a couple of reasons. Associate with the New Mycologist, founder and Firstly, we have the best faculty of Brunswick Museum, first experts coming from all over North President of Natural Links Mold became acquainted with Leni America to honour our founder and Lab, Inc., is a specialist in fungal Schalkwijk in 1973 while he was mentor, Leni Schalkwijk. As past identification and received his working for Agriculture attendees can attest, all the Ph. D from the U of Alberta, for in Ottawa. Dr. Malloch spent mycologists are genuinely his work with biology and many years as the Scientific approachable, helpful and so systematics of microfungi. Over Advisor to the Toronto knowledgeable. 15 years experience in the field Mycological Society. He will Secondly, we have tremendous of Indoor Air Quality and present an interesting lecture on habitat for picking in the , Dr. Abbott has Kananaskis Valley. Alberta Parks why, in spite of similar tree published over 30 publications. species across Canada, are very excited to have us here to Sean has held previous positions survey these sensitive and beautiful mushrooms differ from region to at the U of A microfungus areas. With such a wide variety of region. foray sites from the alpine to collection and herbarium. His riparian areas along the presentation will be on Dr. Scott Redhead (Ontario), Kananaskis River choosing the sites Ascomycetes of Alberta. Curator of the National will be a challenge. A diverse area Mycological Herbarium, Ottawa. with a variety of forest stands will Dr. Jim Ginns (British Columbia), Dr. Redhead is one of the provide excellent picking Past curator of the National leading mycologists in North opportunities. Mycological Herbarium, former America. The Alberta President of the Mycological Mycological Society has invited Don’t forget the mushrooms! Society of America and North This area has seen lots of rain him every year to attend our America’s top polypore expert. so we can expect to find a bounty of forays. This year, due to a long fungi, both familiar and some new He worked on many of the relationship with Leni ones that many of us will not have specimens that Leni Schalkwijk Schalkwijk, Dr. Redhead has seen before. collected, documented and agreed to join us. Along with Our base at YMCA Camp Chief painted. Dr. Ginns will be doing lending us his identifying Hector, is a facility that has hosted an evening talk on Leni’s expertise, he will be giving a talk many outdoor conferences in the contribution to mycology. on “Mushroom systematics – past. The lodge facility will hold our molecules versus morphology”. meals, lectures and classes. Paul Kroeger (British Columbia), Mushroom ID will be adjacent to the is joining us again after being our Dr. Christine Roberts lodge. The dorms have washroom Foray Mycologist for our 2007 (). Russulas are one facilities in every pod, but you need foray in Lac La Biche. Paul’s of the favourite edible to bring your own sleeping bags or work with the UBC Herbarium mushrooms of forest animals, no linens, as well as shampoo/toiletries. and on fungal biodiversity Campers have lots of room to set up matter how many legs they have. surveys throughout B.C. Paul’s These mushrooms are one of the near the lodge and for those of you expertise is extensive but he looking for upgraded hotel/motel easiest mushrooms to identify to especially loves LBM’s (Little facilities, they can be found nearby but one of the most at Deadmans Flats or Canmore just Brown Mushrooms, the bane of difficult to identify to species. 15 minutes away. most all mushroom pickers). Dr. Roberts did her PH. D work

4 Summer 2010 No. 2 www.wildmushrooms.ws at the University of Victoria on this genus. She is also an Tentative Schedule accomplished artist and will be demonstrating her craft as well FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 as presenting a lecture on the Arrival registration and set-up. (supper on your own) “History of Mushrooms in Art”. 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. - Welcome reception John Plischke III (Pennsylvania) is SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 7:30 – 8:30am. Breakfast one of the founders of the 8:30 – 9:00am. Orientation Western Pennsylvania 9:00 am First forays depart. ( Several of these are all day forays, Mushroom Club. He is the pack your lunch - provided) editor of two mushroom 9:00 am Introduction to Mushroom Identification – Class and cookbooks and the author of Field Session Morel Mushrooms and Their Poisonous Look A Likes. John has 12:00 noon Lunch won over 75 national and regional awards for his 1:00 pm Afternoon forays depart mushroom photography. He is 1:00 pm Introduction to Mushroom Identification – Class and also Chairman of the Field Session continued Section of the PA Biological 4:00 – 5:30 Beginners course continued -Hands on Identification, Survey. He has delivered working with field guides and keys mushroom programs from the East Coast to the West Coast SATURDAY EVENING BANQUET and across Canada. He is the – DEDICATED TO LENI SCHALKWIJK vice president of NAMA. John is Lecture Dr Jim Ginns, “Leni Schalkwijk’s contribution to a NAMA Knighton Award Mycology” winner and their Photography Slide presentation and stories from Friends. Chair. He has contributed to Lecture Dr. Christine Roberts, “A History of Mushrooms in Art” many mushroom books and 9:00 pm Socializing and identifying mushrooms projects across . SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 John will be giving a workshop 7:30 – 8:30am Breakfast on Mushroom Photography. 8:30 – 9:00am Brief AMS special meeting 9:00 am Morning Forays Depart Martin Osis (Alberta) is one of the founding members of the Alberta 12:00 Lunch (Edmonton) Mycological Society, an honorary life member in the 1:00 pm Afternoon forays society, holding various 5:00 pm Mycophagy ( Cook and taste) positions throughout the years, 6:00 pm Dinner. including President, Program 7:00 pm Lecture – Dr. David Malloch, “Biogeographical look at Director, Foray Coordinator, etc. Canadian mushrooms ” Martin also acts as the Canadian 8:00 pm Lecture – Dr. Sean Abbott, ”Ascomycetes in Alberta” trustee in the North American 9:00 pm Socializing and identifying mushrooms Mycological Association and is a member of the Pacific Northwest MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 Key Council. His strong interest 9:00am Lecture – Dr. Scott Redhead, “Mushroom systematics – lies in medicinal mushrooms and molecules versus morphology” mushroom photography. Martin 10:00 Brunch will be giving the Introductory Mushroom Course. 11:00 Walk around the tables with Mycologists Registration form on page 6 1:00 – 3:00 pm Open House for the public

www.wildmushrooms.ws Summer 2010 No. 2 5 Name(s): 1) ______

2) ______

3) ______

4) ______

Address: ______

City: ______Province / State: ______Postal Code: ______

Phone: ______Cell: ______Email: ______

Option 1: includes all foray events, all meals, accommodation at the Camp, and foray T-shirt $195.00 per person x ____ persons = $ ______

Option 2: includes all foray events, all meals (but not accommodation*), and foray T-shirt $140.00 per person x ____ persons = $ ______

Option 3: includes all foray events and foray T -Shirt, no meals or accommodations. $85.00 per person x ____ persons = $ ______

AMS Membership (due to liability reasons the foray is open to Society members only) $25.00 per individual x ____ persons = $ ______$35.00 per family x ____ families = $ ______Total enclosed: $ ______

Or NAMA membership: $35.00 per individual x ____ persons = $ ______$40.00 Canadian membership x ____ persons = $ ______

T-shirt size(s): S ___, M___, L___, XL___, XXL___

* Camping, no services, is available onsite with costs included. Campgrounds are available across the highway at Bow Valley Provincial Park with full services, reserve early with the Park. Hotel / motel are available nearby, again reserve early due to the long weekend.

Note: There will not be a meal served on Friday night.

Visa or Mastercard: ______. For security please do not include expiry date & your 3 digit code, you will be contacted to confirm that information.

Please send your registration form(s) and cheque(s) no later than August 18 to: Alberta Mycological Society P.O. Box 1921 Standard Life Building 10405 Jasper Avenue. Edmonton, Alberta. T5J 3S2

Great Alberta Mushroom Foray 2010 - Registration Form Since this is a catered event, registrations after August 18 cannot be accepted.

6 Summer 2010 No. 2 www.wildmushrooms.ws City of Champignons Wild Mushroom EXPO 2010 We need your help!

EXPO is Alberta All this needs to be ready Mycological Society’s to go for 11:00 am, so we do showcase for the public appreciate all volunteers. At and our members. As The 4:00 pm, we wind it up, clean mycological Alberta Mycological Society up the site and away we go. ambassadors, this is It’s not all work – there our opportunity to strut presents are slow times during the day our stuff, and astound when members will have a visitors and members chance to see the (usually) with incredible and extensive array of all the fungi edible displays of found. Even though I’ve fantastic fungi! This is attended the EXPO for many one of the best learning years, I’m always surprised to experiences, as most of “City of Champignons” see a few specimens that I’ve the fungi displayed will never seen before. Volunteers have names put to Mushroom Exposition 2010 will also receive a meal ticket, them. so you don’t have to pack or On Saturday, Sunday, August 15 (11 am – 4 pm) buy a lunch. Coffee is August 14 all AMS available. members go to their Devonian Botanic Garden After our EXPO is over, favourite ‘shrooming you may wish to browse the spots, and gather any Highway 60, North of Devon Garden to visit the other and all fungi they can offerings too! find, complete with DIDISPLAYSPLAY TTABLESABLES habitat features, such See specimens of WILD mushrooms – WouldWould you like to know which are edible, poisonous, medicinal? More info will be as , logs, Check out the displays, photgraphs, field guides, forthcoming by email as this cones, etc. Pieter van cookbooks, and sample mushrooms in the Wildmushroom cafe event draws closer. Robert der Schoot would Rogers has graciously agreed appreciate some pickers AACTIVITIESCTIVITIES to be the Project Manager this with him on his land – SlideSlide Shows:Shows: year – please give him lots of it’s a great place to Common Alberta Mushrooms - 12:00 Medicinal Mushrooms - 2:00 help! foray – contact him directly if you’d like to Mushroom Walk - 1:00 go there. www.wildmushrooms.ws Melanie Fjoser Saturday evening (5:30 - 7 pm) will find kitchen, etc. A some of us beginning to prepare “Wild Mushroom our site at the Pine Pavilion in the Café” will be set beautiful Devonian Botanic up, whereby Garden – setting up tables, delicious displays, etc. mushroom dishes will be sold. An Then, on Sunday, August 15, area will be set the mushroom madness begins – apart for a slide we all arrive at 8 am or so with our presentation mushrooms, and help out with the twice during the various tasks that will need to be day. Visitors will done: assist the identifiers with be invited to a mushroom and label placements; scheduled “Walk organizing and manning various in the Garden” to tables: sales, edible, medicinal, search for fungi. poisonous, visitor comments, Some of the many displays that appeared at Expo ‘09. www.wildmushrooms.ws Summer 2010 No. 2 7 Enoki Mushrooms RecipeRecipe - Flammulina velutipes The cultivated variety of crisp, Haricots Verts & Mushroom Salad delicate mushrooms comes in clumps of long thin stems with very Yield: 10 servings tiny, white caps. However, the wild Ingredients: form ranges from orange brown, shiny caps) They are generally ½ tsp. chopped Shallots milder, almost fruit-like in flavour, Pinch Salt than most mushrooms as we know Pinch them. Pinch fresh ground Availability is year round in 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil Asian supermarkets and some 1 Tbsp. Tarragon Vinegar regular box stores. Choose fresh ones that are firm and white. They 1 lb. Young fresh Green Beans can also be purchased canned. ¼ lb. Enoki Mushrooms When refrigerating, wrap in a paper towel then in a plastic bag for As desired Red pepper for garnish up to 5 days and before using cut away the mass at the base of the Procedure: stems. · In boiling salted water blanch the green beans until just cooked These little mushrooms are but yet firm particularly good in raw salads or · Drain immediately and shock in ice water until cold and cooking as a garnish in , stews and has stopped other hot dishes. If used as part of a · While the beans are cooking mix together shallots, oil, vinegar, cooked dish always add at the very sugar, salt and pepper end just before service. Heat tends · Toss the mushrooms and beans in the marinade and let sit in to toughen them up! Nutritionally the refrigerator for ½ an hour, covered they provide a good source of · Garnish if necessary with pepper D and small amounts of B- complex . ** An excellent salad that will last up to three days covered well They go by other names such in the fridge. Also is great to take along for lunches and picnics as snow puff mushrooms, golden mushrooms and velvet stems.

Doug Overes Safety Vests

Have you heard about our Safety Vests Project? We have several safety vests that will be available to our experts/volunteer at functions. These go-to people will be highly visible and will help visitors spot who we are sending them to in a crowd. The Executive knows that many of us will want to have one of these multi-pocketed good-looking garments so we have decided to make them available to individuals who qualify. To qualify to get one of these you will need to take a test - no, it is not going to be really hard - to prove that you can identify the common edibles, etc. and that you will be available and willing to wear it and help out at functions. Watch for upcoming details as we are applying for an education grant to do this.

8 Summer 2010 No. 2 www.wildmushrooms.ws NAMA Toxicology Committee Report (continued from page 3)

www.wildmushrooms.ws Summer 2010 No. 2 9 10 Summer 2010 No. 2 www.wildmushrooms.ws Table IV continued from page 10

www.wildmushrooms.ws Patrick Tackaberry Summer 2010 No. 2 11 Table IV continued from page 11

12 Summer 2010 No. 2 www.wildmushrooms.ws Table V continued from page 12

* Dr. Beug’s permission to use this report is gratefully accepted and acknowledged. It can be found online at Mcllvainea (found at the NAMA website) www.namyco.org

www.wildmushrooms.ws Summer 2010 No. 2 13 YC Bow Valley Foray M OL and Parks Day 2010 A O T G

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C S Y I T never stop to O E Y amaze and CIET humble me. Every year we have been out Hurray! in the Bow Our new logo was Valley area in unveiled on July 14, 2010. mid July has been hot and List of Identified Mushrooms It is lovely. dry, if not parched. In spite of that Thank you everyone who we have always found a Albatrellus ovinus respectable amount of mushrooms Bjerkandera adusta worked on making this a to put on display. This year with Clavucorona pyxidata reality. all the rain I was looking forward Collybia confluens to a bumper crop. Too wet, too Collybia dryophila cold, who knows, but they just Collybia maculate seem to have mostly stayed in bed. Coprinopsis, atramentarious Newsletter In spite of that the dozen Cortinarius spp. ( 3 species) plus members that came out had a Fomes fomentarius Contributions Box lovely walk through some Fometopsis cajanderii beautiful habitat and picked just Fometopsis pini This is your newsletter, over thirty different species of so feel free to submit ideas, mushrooms. What the display at Gleophyllum sepiarium an article or some other way to Parks day lacked was made up by Gomphidius glutinosus enjoy mushrooms, Chad & Thea Moss, our crack Gymnopilus liquiritiae to culinary team, providing tasty Inocybe sp. Sonja Lukey, Editor, samples of a bunch of different Laccaria laccata at 780-481-7230 mushrooms. This included a bit of Lycogala epidendron or by email at an experiment with Laccaria Marasmius epiphyllus [email protected] laccata, one of many mushrooms Phaeolus schwienitzii whose edibility can be called Phellenus tremulae ambiguous at best. Some field Pholiota spp. guides list them as poisonous, Pleurotus populinum others as edible, while others list Polyporus varius OVERDUE them as “edibility unknown”. In Suillus granulatus the name of science, after a taste Some of us have forgotten to pay test, Chad and I can attest that Tremates suaveolens our membership dues for this year. while not poisonous they should Tremella mesenterica Please do so, at your earliest not be listed as edible either. Trichaptum abietinum Trichaptum biforme convenience, to maintain your Xeromphalina campanella membership.

14 Summer 2010 No. 2 www.wildmushrooms.ws Cochrane Foray June 12 &13, 2010 At the Kerfoot Ranch, June 12, 2010. Thanks to Hamish for Day Two of the Cochrane Foray moved allowing us access. northwest to the burn site at SK Landing. For those members who missed the foray and Species list: the delicious food, see the recipes below. Anelaria semiovata Bjerkandera adusta Collybiua dryophia Coprinopsis atramentarius Coprinus spp. (Cf lagopus) Fomitopsis pinicola Ganoderma applanatum Heliocybe sulcata, Lenzites betulina Peniophora rufa Phellinus tremulae Pleurotus populinum Polyporus cf alveolaris Psathyrella ulignicola Morels in Tea Cream Sauce Tremates hirsute From Thea and Chad Moss Tremella foliacea Serves 6 Tremella mesenterica Trichaptum biforme Ingredients: ¾ cup water, boiled Tubaria confragosa 5 tea bags or 5 teaspoons of Earl Grey tea 1 pkg.(200 g) sliced Almonds Warm Oyster 2 Tbsp Butter Mushroom, Palm 1/4 Onion, finely chopped 18 morels Heart and Mustard 1 cup whipping cream Green Salad 100g Camembert, cubed From Chad and Thea Moss Salt and pepper 1/2 loaf Brown Bread Serves 4-6 Ingredients: Method: 1/2 pkg.(200 g) sliced almonds 2 Tbsp Canola oil Steep tea in 3/4 cup of just boiled water for 5 minutes. 3 cups Oyster Mushrooms Remove tea. 1 ½ Tbsp Ketjap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) Place a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add 3 cups Mustard Greens, washed and roughly chopped almonds and toss until lightly browned. Remove 1 cup , diced almonds from pan and set aside. Add the butter to the fry pan. When butter is bubbling, add the onion, and Method: stir until they are soft but not brown. Add whole morels to fill pan. Cook the morels for 2 minutes, stirring Place a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add constantly. almonds and toss until lightly browned. Remove almonds from pan and set aside. Stir in the tea and cream. Bring to a simmer and let it cook until it thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Season Add the oil to the pan then add mushrooms and stir fry with salt and pepper. for one minute. Stir in kejap manis and mustard Stir in the diced cheese. greens and keep stirring until greens are just starting to wilt. Adjust seasoning to taste. To Serve: In a large bowl, combine the mushroom mix with palm heart and almonds. Serve warm or chilled. Spoon over toasted bread, garnished with the almonds. www.wildmushrooms.ws Summer 2010 No. 2 15 supplied the 5-gallon cream can or the Editor’s 5-gallon canner in which to cook the morel cream sauce for the roaster of perogies, etc. I don’t remember who Introduction did the cooking, but I strongly suspect it was my Grandmother (GM) who next foray was and what the process brought and added the dill and green for details was. Within 24 hours, a onion because she did it the drop-dead wicker basket and a sturdy backpack best in our whole family. What I holding the outfitting list contents distinctly remember is us lining up stood side by side. I was ready! pretty much shoulder to shoulder and going up a north-facing hill. I was on Newsletter Editor: Sonja Lukey I went back to the website my GM’s right, shoulder to knee. She printed and read all the newsletters I am Sonja Lukey, a dedicated was in charge to ensure I did this starting with 2009, working mushroomer. I have offered to lend a right. hand on a trial basis at least, so that backwards. I noted immediately we can get out a newsletter this several roles seemingly vacant and/or They were EVERYWHERE!!! summer. I hope you enjoy my self- in need of someone to help out a bit... I They were unbelievably easy to see introduction as written. Please know got a good sense of what the Society and the lesson went like this: Every I look forward to meeting those of you did/how it functioned. few morels, I’d pinch one off and be holding it looking it over for dirt - GM whom I have not yet met. The first two forays did not yield did not abide dirt in the pail; they a basket of mushrooms for me or Several months ago I read the were all so big in my little hands. anyone else and were fun anyway. mushroom article in the Journal, tore GM would peer at it, confirm it was a Here I was a member of a group who out the article to use the information morel and tell me to smell it. Well had no ‘shrooms and still were to follow up and maybe join the before noon of course I knew what a enjoying themselves and each other’s Society. As little pieces of paper do, morel looked, felt and smelled like. company. I have never belonged to a this one slipped away somewhere, By the time I was 6, I learned why group/club. Know why? I think you stuck to something, disappeared... I she really wouldn’t abide pailed dirt - have to find the group’s reason for forgot about it. By May, aka Morel yea mycelium. Do I remember how being is really important to you too. I season I was in my usual anticipatory many baskets/pails we picked? No! like everything about mushrooms state to get out into the bushes, book Do I have pictures? Yes, I think so. a flight to Michigan or...something except that you can’t eat them all had to change; I did not have enough without being sick/dead. I can So imagine 50 years hence when morels for Christmas dinner for God’s exercise looking for them, be our President, Martin says at the sake. I have been hunting this enchanted with how they poke up foray, “We are cancelling planned beasty for more than half a century through the leaves/dirt in dappled foray for burn site foray.” I read the and the last few years have been sunshine, dream about them (this email - no email in 1955, “...bring two dismal. The best I have been able to starts in Feb.), stay alert and learn baskets”. ‘Hmmmm, there must be do is laugh as I say, “We have eaten something new (observant and more than usual...’ research potential). Thanks Rae and some of the most expensive morels Thanks for your scouting known to man because we drove so Alan for explaining why morels can’t be found in Edmonton proper. You Martin, Ernie and I have been to this far to get so few”. I could/would not site three weekends running, were face another year like that; I had to have saved me many hours of tramping about wondering what the never more than 100 feet from the find us a solution. I am on a one-year vehicle and if you walked the length leave of absence from work and so I heck I was missing. Thank you for not laughing at me because I did this of these adjacent areas it was about 1/ have extra time for fun; find lots of 4 of a mile (100 x 1300 feet max.) mushrooms! persistently for 11 years and thank you also for asking about Morels were EVERYWHERE!!! So off to the Internet I went to Chanterelles. This is what we Martin’s prediction of continued hunt up Society-type information members like -mushroom talk/ growth into July also proved correct ‘..because they go on forays and I learning activities /making plans for and based on our last visit rain needed to learn from my errors..’. forays. showers, rain overnight and Whose Society should pop up like a When I was 3 or 4, there was a temperatures, I would expect another mushroom? Yes, ours. Within the flush at least. Especially because up hour, I had scanned the website, forest fire not too far from our farm in SK. The next spring, half of my until the beginning of July there were downloaded and completed the no morels where there was only ash - membership and foray application mother’s siblings, parents and our family loaded up 26 of us and many deeper burn. First weekend in July forms, written the cheques and signed we found one heavily burned area - no the liability waivers. I knew when the containers of food to sustain us on our foray day. I don’t know which family needles - where new, very fresh good- sized specimens were not huge yet.

16 Summer 2010 No. 2 www.wildmushrooms.ws Although I had had two picks of fine ‘shrooms (we would not have to Morel Count Foray draw straws to see who got the sauce on the spuds and stuffing), we went back once more to pick only the Culinary masters at work at the Morel Count in stuffing kind (Can you imagine a Edmonton, May 24th at Hawrelak Park mushroomer leaving all except the really properly-shaped big ones? To me too until this year..). We had to devise a way to dry them whole, etc. I had never done this before because I had never had enough that I thought I could waste any. Ernie helped me with two more field experiments of eating the stuffed fresh ones and we declared it was worth the effort. It is one thing to eat and enjoy Brad’s cooking on forays, but could/should I do it? Yes! You can ask me about the bear... Is Michigan still on my Bucket A duck-stuffed morel on a List for next April? No, God willing, I mushroom risotto ... an will be packing up with more unbelieveable taste treat! innovative equipment to go to the David Thompson Provincial Park area for at least a month. We will dine with abandon, without gluttony and Volunteer Needed try some new things. As we drove away on July 7th, I realized I missed a Will a volunteer please write an EXPO article for the newsletter and golden opportunity for research. I was take some photos as I can’t be there to do it this year? there a week, why hadn’t I staked out a spot and returned daily to count #’s Please submit it to me when EXPO is done and I will ensure it gets into of ‘shrooms, measure how much each the next newsletter ([email protected]). had grown, taken pictures, etc.? Why did so many of these morels throw yellow spore prints each week? Thanks in advance for your help with this. –Sonja In closing, I am pleased to disclose my delight in joining a like- minded group, my gratitude for being there when I needed to belong and my need to be involved doing my share of the group’s work. I am a lousy cook so I won’t be sharing too many recipes, I listen and forget to write so I am a lousy secretary, I like to go out but I have no idea where to go yet. I have ideas of how we can be better; I am observant, creative re equipment and getting things done, an old school marm and can edit in my sleep - hubby says I do it aloud. I am a reasonable woman; I will not beg or hound you for articles or anything else. Know why? Because, like me, you are in this group for fun. We will all do our roles well and on time Twenty-four to thirty people participated in the Mill Creek because we want to share all news, Ravine Foray and “shroom ID session. Approximately 40 learn and grow. We will remind and different species were found and identified. Several of these help each other if/when needed. were edibles. www.wildmushrooms.ws Summer 2010 No. 2 17 Please Join Us!! All forays are undertaken at your AMS Calendar of Events for 2010 own risk. You are responsible for trans-portation and accommoda- March June tion. August Annual General Meeting Daytime: Foray 20 Location: Royal Glenora Evening: Lecture by Edmonton Daytime 05 Martin Osis Pre-EXPO Foray Topic: Where to Find 14 Variety of specimens President’s Dinner Morels Cochrane Area Location: Your favourite Location: Royal Glenora pickin’ spot 20 Club Evening (Pre-register)Done Summer Mushroom 2010 AMS EXPO CourseDone with Mike Schulz 15 Display and Events April 19 Pre-registration with DBG Location: Devonian Location: Devonian Botanic Garden Regular Meeting Botanic Garden 28 Topic: Morels Evening Foray Midsummer’s 25 Location: McKinnon Done Night Foray at Ravine, Edmonton 19/20 Peiter van der May Schoot’s near Breton Foray Poplar Creek Natural Area September 15 Morels Location: TBA Great Alberta Foray Regular Meeting 23 Topic: UsingDone Keys Pre-registration Spring Mushroom Speaker: Martin Osis 3-6 required Course with Mike Schulz Location: Kananaskis 22 Pre-registrationDone with DBG Country Location: Devonian July Botanic Garden Weekend Foray Location: Weald Morel Count & Potluck Bow Valley Foray 10-12 Campground 24 Location: Edmonton River Location: Bow Valley Valley 17 Prov. Park Regular Meeting Lecture by Martin Osis Speaker: TBA Regular Meeting Topic: Into MedicinalDone 22 FrancoisDone Teste Mushrooms 26 Topic: TBA Mushroom Display Alberta Wild 18 October during the day at Bow Regular Meeting Mushrooms - Field Valley Prov. Park 27&29 to Plate (HOS88) Speaker: TBA Martin Osis 27 Pre-registration with NAIT Evening Foray NAIT Hospitality ProgramDone 28 Mill WoodsDone Ravine,

General Member Meetings Fourth Wednesday as listed above - Time: 7:00 pm Location: Riverbend Library

18 Summer 2010 No. 2 www.wildmushrooms.ws