The Edible and the Inedible – Part II

by Fred Rhoades

A previous article in June 2024 discussed some edible mushrooms and their look-alikes that occur mainly in the spring and summer months. Also, I discussed the whole realm of edible mushrooms (http://whatcomwatch.org/index.php/article/the-edible-and-the-inedible/). This installment will look at the best edibles and look-alikes found mainly in the fall months, our main mushroom season.

Since hundreds of other species occur during the season, a dedicated mycophagist (one who eats fungi) will find many more. The following discussion covers those species that I feel are our best and easiest to know. If you are truly interested in learning to recognize these and others and want to learn how to prepare them, join the local mushroom group (Northwest Mushroomers Association) and hang out with other, like-minded souls.

A number of species covered previously might just as well be featured in fall as they are also common now, at least early in the season. These would include the prince and meadow mushrooms (Agaricus species), oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus) and the king bolete (Boletus edulis). See my June article for further information.

As temperatures begin to drop in September, all mushroom organisms need to make mushrooms is some water. A rule of thumb: wait two weeks after the first soaking rains. This can be anywhere from the middle of September to (more often) the beginning of October. Some years (like year before last), it doesn’t rain until November, which puts a real damper on our mushroom season. Exactly which environmental cues are important depends on the species: the active part of a mushroom (the mycelium) is the part that “decides” when to “fruit” (mushrooms aren’t really fruits, but we use the term). Temperature and moisture are important, but, for mycorrhizal species (that have mutual relationships with the roots of trees), fruiting will also depend on what has happened to the tree hosts during the previous year. Also, things that grow from wood may well fruit earlier because their substrate holds some water throughout the year.

Boletes

There are several boletes (fleshy pored mushrooms) that are gathered in the fall. I mentioned Aureoboletus mirabilis (“admirable bolete”) in the June column when I was describing spring/summer boletes. This species is one of our most attractive and is quite easily identified with a soft, maroonish purple cap, yellow pores and streaked purplish stem. And, it is one of the best fall edibles. It is mycorrhizal with western hemlock trees and is often found on well-decayed conifer logs in the deep woods where it forms mycorrhizae with nurse-log seedlings of hemlock. It can also grow from soil under more mature trees. There are a couple of other boletes, eaten by some, that might be confused with Aureoboletus, all in the genus Xerocomellus. They aren’t quite the same quality but are still good edibles. We really don’t commonly see poisonous boletes here (there are a few): these have bright red tube mouths and/or stain blue when bruised.

“Shaggy Mane”

The “shaggy mane” (Coprinus comatus) often occurs early in the season after heavy rains have soaked lawns or sides of roads in the woods. These distinctive mushrooms fruit very rapidly (literally overnight). In England, they are known as lawyers’ wigs. Their elongate, oval, shaggy, white caps rapidly rise up horizontally to expose black gills whose spores digest the cap away into a dripping mess. One eats only the young, firm mushrooms, and, even then, they are very runny when cooked and best incorporated into omelets or other dishes. One distant relative (the “inky cap,” Coprinopsis atramentarius) is more squatty, usually growing in broad clumps in the woods and has smooth, gray caps. It is a good edible, but poisonous when consumed with alcoholic beverages (either before, during or after the meal).

There are other potentially toxic, dark-spored species that may occur in lawns in the genera Panaeolus, Psathyrella and Psilocybe. But these do not have the feature of melting gills. Coprinellus micaceus (“mica cap”) is another edible. It is a distantly related gill melter that is much smaller and occurs in large troops, usually under trees. Attractive, but perhaps not one to gather, until you know things better.

Pacific Golden Chanterelle

In my experience, the “Pacific golden chanterelle” (Cantharellus formosus) is our best edible. These distinctive mushrooms are mycorrhizal with several conifers, including western hemlock, Douglas fir and sometimes spruce. Best forests are those that include middle-aged hemlock and open ground cover (making it easier to see and collect these). They are also often available in local grocery stores, but unfortunately usually found under expensive price tags.

Unlike the truly gilled mushrooms, which have very narrow, paper-like gills, chanterelles have a broadly ridged, (perhaps thick-gilled) spore-bearing surface under their caps. The caps are smooth and the overall color of the cap and stem is dull yellow to orange and they bruise darker. There are a couple of other similarly colored Cantharellus that are less common and occur in different habitats. Also, the “white chanterelle” (C. subalbidus) is an excellent edible if you can find it: similar habitat but usually much larger and lighter, almost white yet still bruises yellow-brown when handled.

Poisonous Look-Alikes

Two groups of poisonous mushrooms might be confused with chanterelles. The “false chanterelle” (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) has true gills but is less robust and “meaty.” These can often be found in habitats similar to those frequented by true chanterelles.

Finally, the “woolly chanterelles” (Turbinellus floccosus and T. kauffmanii) are poisonous look-alikes: they are generally larger, still ridged rather than gilled, but have deeply funnel-shaped, very scaly caps. I ate one of these as a novice mushroomer years ago, thinking all chanterelles were edible. Actually it was quite tasty, but it did make me very sick to my stomach for a day and a night!

Excellent Edibles

Two genera, Russula and Lactarius, are easy ones to learn: both have a crisp, breakable texture. Snap the stem of a fresh specimen and it breaks like a piece of chalk. In addition, the milk mushrooms (Lactarius) exude a latex-like liquid when cut. Both these genera form mycorrhizae with conifers and trees in the birch and oak families. The vast majority of these are inedible and even toxic.

But, there are a couple of excellent edibles and their crisp texture fries up nicely in butter and they are crunchy and tasty (and also hold the butter well). One of my favorites is the “shrimp mushroom,” Russula xerampelina. This is a relatively large Russula with a brownish red to purple, smooth cap, a cream-colored stem with a bit of a pinkish blush and a yellowish spore color (and gills — most of the poisonous Russulas have white spores). As the mushroom dries, there is a distinct fishy to shrimpy odor. When cooked, the odor disappears.

One species of Lactarius, Lactarius rubrilacteus (the “bleeding milk-cap”), is the best edible of their genus. It is medium-sized with light reddish brown flesh and uniquely dark red-brown “milk.” Often there are greenish stains on some of the older caps. Another related species is Lactarius deliciosus, which is particularly abundant in wetter habits. This mushroom is orange with bright orange milk. It is edible, but, despite the name, this species is not as delicious as L. rubrilacteus. Another unique Lactarius is Lactarius rubidus, the “candy cap.” This is a small, rusty brown species with watery-white milk and an incredibly sweet odor, something like maple syrup, particularly as the mushrooms dry. This sweetness remains when cooked so these can be incorporated into other dishes (and cookies!). It is not common in our area, but has been found south of here.

Pine Mushroom

A late season highly sought mushroom is “pine mushroom” or “American matsutake” (Tricholoma murrillianum). This is a relatively large, somewhat rooted, dense mushroom with overall white coloration and some brown scales or discolorations. When fresh, there is a distinct ring zone on the stem. It is mycorrhizal with pines and other conifers, particularly at mid-elevations. But it does occur with coast pine and here in the lowlands of western Washington. The most distinctive character is the odor, which is somewhat spicy but hard to describe (some say cinnamon with a hint of old socks). Once one knows this smell, the lack of it will eliminate any possible look-alikes. It can be confused with a large edible (but blah tasting) Russula, Russula brevipes (“woodland russula”). But perhaps the most critical distinction should be made with the very poisonous “western woodland amanita” (Amanita silvicola and similar relatives). This is a powdery white mushroom with a similar stature. But both the Russula and these Amanitas lack the distinctive odor.

Beware

General caveats: Do not use this article alone to identify mushrooms. See my earlier article for a recommended resource. People vary in their sensitivity to different species. Even species that are known to be edible by many may cause problems in some people. They won’t kill you, but you might react to them. Try one new thing at a time. Eat a small amount the first time. Don’t eat old, ragged, or rotten mushrooms or mushrooms that have been collected where there are nasty things like pesticides, unknown types of lawn treatments, the dust of well-traveled roads, etc. Cook all mushrooms well. There will be some regional differences in how good a known edible might be: different versions of the same thing may vary, and different cooks may know the secrets to bringing out the best in different species.

From 1977 to 2009, Dr. Fred Rhoades was an instructor of biology at Western Washington University.