I’ve been off the scene for a while these last two months and feel deservedly ashamed of myself. But Christmas and New Year was a busy time for all, so I can blame it on that – and the fact it’s pretty baron out in the world of mushrooms. Roll on Spring…

This post is just an update of my future plans with ‘The Mushroom Diary’ this year, and also to look back and summarise 2011 on what it had to offer.

I will be continuing to add all my best fungal findings, most of which will be the ones I didn’t have time to include earlier in the year. With this in mind I will be labelling them with the relevant date, but also plan them show on the first page of the website until I add another.

Last years’ experiences is that 2011 wasn’t all that bad in delivering the goods. Earlier in the season, Morels had eluded me once again (much to my annoyance!), but there was plenty of other choice discoveries. The main season was an odd one indeed. September was a slow starter, and most of October was as dry as a bone! It was as if we were out of season! But November came to the rescue with perfect conditions – delivering a late, but bountiful season.

Who knows what the weather will get up to this year, so far it has been mild and slightly damp. It could encourage some early starters. I read somewhere last year that Shaggy Inkcaps (in some part of the UK) had shown themselves as early as May! We’ll just have to wait and see.

Additions to the website this year (I hope) will include an introduction to mushroom hunting for newcomers, a seasonal calendar chart showing the most common species throughout the year and an extended gallery to show the more detailed pictures I’ve taken but not included in my posts. Hopefully this will make the site a little more interesting for everyone. Thanks to those who have already shown an interest to the website/blog, it makes my work on it all the more rewarding and enjoyable. Thanks again.

And for anyone interested, I have several downloadable documents here showing all the species discovered from a selection of three great forays with the Leicestershire Fungi Study Group. Select from the list below and click to download. The files are in .doc format – the lists are pretty self explanatory.

• Lists for Cademan Wood and Cademan Moor – 13th Nov. 2011
• List of Fungi for Cropston Waterworks – 30th Oct. 2011
• List of Fungi for New Lount Nature Reserve – 6 Nov. 2011

Have a happy mushrooming year everybody and just for a bit of fun, I thought I’d include this picture of a very rare species I found earlier in the year. I think it may be Agaricus adidasicus! Very strange…

A rare species indeed! It's strange what you can find while out foraging.

The Bolete genus (and those closely related) are some of the largest and most exciting mushrooms to be found out there. From a culinary point of view there is one in particular that very much stands out as ‘best of the rest’.

So let’s get it’s name sorted out. Most people will definitely recognise common/local names, a couple of which are not English in origin. Our common tongue has described this as the ‘Penny Bun’ for obvious reasons (although probably not to todays generation), many also know it as the Cep (French) but then most cooks and chefs will often know it from it’s Italian translation as the ‘Porcini mushroom’. But at the end of the day, science has kept things in order, strictly labeling it as Boletus edulis – the latin name ‘edulis’ simply meaning ‘edible’. Very apt, as usual.

Excluding Truffles, the Cep (as I’ll call it from now on) is one of the most highly prized edible finds, especially in mainland Europe. Some foragers only have this one mushroom on their list, such is their passion for it.

It is a very distinctive looking mushroom with it’s stout, chunky stem and small ‘out of proportion’ cap (common to younger examples – shown opposite). They can sometimes pop up in abundance or smaller groups, but are often solitary near/under broad-leaved and coniferous trees.

The picking season can be as early as June or July, but often show up from August to September. With this year’s season being mostly dry, only November has been reliable in dishing out the goods – for me this year anyway!

Young specimens are usually favoured over older specimens (often maggot-ridden) and will be cooked or  pickled whole, or even dried for later consumption. They freeze extremely well too.

The pores in older ‘middle-aged’ specimens change from white to a dull yellow-green colour (as the spores are olive green/brown). The tubes are usually removed and the cap is thinly sliced along with the stem (peeled first) to add to the pan. Overall, it’s good to know there are many ways to store, cook and eat this mushroom. I’m no top chef , but there’s lots of ideas out there. A great selection of recipes with the cep mushroom can be found on the BBC website here.

There are a couple of edible ‘look-a-likes’ often confused with the Cep, such as the The Dark Cep (Boletus aereus) and maybe the Bay Bolete (Boletus badius). But beware the Bitter Bolete (Tylopilus felleus), although not posionous, it’s a recipe for disaster when served up at dinner time. As the name suggests they have a very bitter, unpleasant taste. Don’t make the same mistake I did! Yuk!

So a useful feature to note in identifying the Cep is looking for the raised ‘white’ network/pattern on the stem (reticulation) as shown in the picture below. None of those mentioned above share this feature.

Good hunting…

What a difference! A large middle aged/mature specimen next to a younger example. Notice the 'white' raised network on the stem and how the pores age 'yellow/green' compared to the paler white colour of younger ones.

This mushroom is one of, if not ‘the‘ most common of all the Waxcaps (known as the Hygrocybes) which I recently discovered on the 30th October. By posting on the first day of November I realise I’ve missed the Halloween deadline (excuse the pun) and I’m sorry. But Halloween ‘is’ the eve of ‘All Saints Day’ – making my error simply forgiven! Or something like that…

Although it has been a relatively bad season for mushrooms and fungi alike due to the dry weather, this last week has proved fruitful, especially in relation to Waxcaps.

Because of the excellent timing, I had to feature the ‘Witch’s Hat’ or ‘Blackening Waxcap’ (Hygrocybe conica) to be my latest post.

As the common and scientific name suggests, the cap of this very common grassland mushroom is ‘conical’ in shape, usually broadly conical or bell-shaped (often irregularly lobed). The texture, common with all Waxcaps, is slimy and waxy and although quite small, is very noticeable in the grass due to it’s bright and striking colours. In this case, the colour can vary somewhat, but mainly you can see yellow/orange (sometimes with scarlet shades) – even hints of green can be present.

But the main feature you will recognise (again, shared with some other Waxcaps), is the ‘blackening’ effect (sounds very seasonal and horrific!). The older the mushroom is – the blacker it will get – although it does not auto-digest and turn to ink like the gills of the Inkcap genus.

Very old specimens turn completely black and appear to be decayed or burnt out. If picked, you will also notice it will bruise black upon handling. But if left alone, the blackening process will slowly take effect, starting mainly from the cap edge (see image above).

Keep a look out this (late) autumn and you may find some along with it’s more colourful friends. It can be found mainly in grassland in fields and woods, but is also common in ornamental lawns, waysides and even plant pots (as my mother discovered!) due to it being less sensitive to nitrogen enriched soil.

It is classed as edible and sometimes as inedible or poisonous from different references. But it is not deadly, and I’m guessing – not very palatable. It’s just best for looking at, which is good because it’s so good looking…

Very common Waxcap, found in field or woodland grass. Bright orange/yellow (sometimes with red or green hues) that blackens with age (see far left).

See Kew gardens conservation news on the British waxcap  family here.

Although present mainly from June through to December this fungus is much more noticeable throughout the winter months, which unfortunately for the mushroom hunter, is well on it’s way! And to note, we have especially had a dry summer/autumn which has robbed us of many wonderful woodland finds, but that’s the way it goes sometimes…

The commonly named Yellow Stagshorn (Calocera viscosa) can be found always growing on dead and rotting coniferous stumps and logs, or appearing to grow from the soil, but this is due to underground rotting wood.

Although this fungus looks suspicious due to its bright yellow colouring, it is in fact harmless. But it’s not really a gourmet treat either! It has a rubbery texture with a ‘non-existent’ flavour. Never mind! But that besides, because of it’s pretty appearance, it is sometimes used to garnish salads and foods.

The Small Stagshorn (Calocera cornea) is a very close relative but much smaller and grows on deciduous rotting wood. Unlike the Yellow Stagshorn it has no forking branchlets at it’s tip but instead tapers out to a single, thin tip.

Look out for Yellow Stagshorn this autumn and winter time. They usually tend to be a grand and pretty decoration to any lone conifer stump…

Yellow Stagshorn Fungus - Found in mixed woodland on rooting coniferous wood and stumps.

The words ‘Mushroom’ and ‘Toadstool’ are not truly scientific names, but general common usage describes these as edible or inedible (and poisonous) fungi respectively. But there is a grey area, (internationally speaking) regarding this mushroom or should I say toadstool?. It is still sold in eastern Europe markets, where-as here at home in the UK, it is strongly advised to be avoided. Over time, this fiendish toadstool can release it’s toxins and seriously poison you…

The Brown Roll-Rim (Paxillus involutus) is a very common toadstool found throughout the UK and Europe. I have come across it many times in mixed woodland. If picked for eating it can lose it’s toxicity once thoroughly cooked, but over time and if eaten on a regular basis, it’s toxin will enter the bloodstream and systematically cause the destruction of the red blood cells. Not very pleasant and definitely not worth the risk. There’s no real timescale for when and if this will happen, but I think it’s best described as a ticking time-bomb!

The common name helps describe this naughty toadstool quite well. Naturally a brown toadstool, it’s rim remains ‘inrolled’ although less so when expanded as it grows – see picture on the left – excuse long fingernails!). The texture when younger is finely felted and later becomes smooth (slimy when wet).

Size-wise, it can grow from 5 – 15cm in diametre when fully mature and has a distinct hazel brown colour (tawny brown / olive when younger) often dotted with darker orange/brown blotches.

The crowded, decurrent gills are a reliable feature for identification also. They ‘bruise’ dark brown on handling are easily separated from the cap flesh.

Being very common in broad leaved and sometimes coniferous woodland (even parks and gardens), you will most likely stumble across these toadstools during late summer to late autumn. They have been classed as deadly poisonous and therefore, to repeat myself again, just avoid them. Several deaths have been reported from Europe. Better the devil you know – to coin a phrase!

The Brown Roll-Rim Toadstool - Viscid when wet and brusing dark brown on the gills (top). Younger examples are more finely felted when young before becoming smoother.

PS. If you want to get scientific – check out this eco-news on the study of this very mushroom (and related species): http://www.jgi.doe.gov/sequencing/why/99182.html