As a foodie, I have an avid fascination for mushrooms. Local foragers ring my doorbell several times a week to tempt me with the forests latest offerings which often make their way onto the nightly menu and generate conversation and rave reviews from our guests.

I have been foraging mushrooms in the Maine woods for many years for what a mycologist (a biologist that studies fungi) would consider “choice edible” mushrooms. Choice edible mushrooms are those that are most sought after by chefs and are somewhat easily identifiable such as: morels, chanterelles, hen of the woods, black trumpets, puff balls, chicken of the woods and oyster mushrooms.  Beyond this list of edible mushrooms, I have difficulty identifying anything else I find in the woods, which is a shame since there is a whole world of edible mushrooms out there that I should be part of. Thus, I have signed up for a mushroom identification class “Mushrooming for the Serious Enthusiast” with local mushroom expert Greg Marley. Now, into my third class, I am feeling more comfortable with my fungi friends and learning the proper techniques to positively identify mushrooms. This is the cardinal rule of edible mushrooms – “Never eat a mushroom unless it is positively identified as edible” (source: Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America) or you could get very sick and even die. So stick to the mushrooms you know, or educate yourself if you would like to dive into the unknown.

In the next few months I will be blogging about my mushroom experiences, sharing information about different species and sharing recipes, techniques and tips on preparing mushrooms. So stay tuned and happy (and safe) foraging. Also, Greg Marley publishes a great  mushroom email newsletter so Email him and request to be put on his list.