Fungi in Bulgaria....Гъбите от Гората - Лоша или Добра

[Paul T]

 

(Where is that smiley with a halo when you need one?)

[David Lyttle]

Do the Maoris have any tradition of eating fungi?

Both the Maoris and the Aborigines in Australia did have a wild fungi eating tradition. In New Zealand, the Maori used at least a dozen species. Unfortunately, the early botanists were not particularly interested in fungi and a lot of the information was lost. Andrew Crowe (in Native Edible Plants of New Zealand) refers to a list of 16 Maori names of edible fungi (some duplicates) from 1859, but the identity of most isn't known.

One which was known to be eaten is the Basket Fungus (Clathrus cibarius); the thick shell before it burst open was a delicacy. Beware though - a reference is given to the need to eat this species young saying that “when burst, its curious network is covered with filth, which is indeed the excrement of the thunder god, of Rangi-whenua”  (it appears plentifully after thunderstorms)  http://tinyurl.com/yzwdwkk

Others used included the Flower Fungus (Aseroe rubra) (MUST BE COOKED AS POISONOUS RAW), Fungus Icicles (Hericium  - related to Hydnum repandum, the Hedgehog fungus used here in Norway and elsewhere in Europe; David Lyttle put out a picture of a NZ Hydnum recently); Harore (Pholiota aurivella syn Agaricus adiposus); it is very likely that the Maori also used the NZ Honey or bootlace fungus (Armillaria novae-zelandiae) as it was also probably called Harore (which meant edible mushroom); young puffballs were also eaten.
There are a number of other NZ edible fungi in Crowe’s excellent book!

Otherwise, Ear Fungus (Auricularia polytricha) which grows on Hoheria, Melicytus and Corynocarpus has been exported from NZ to China since the 1800s.

I am a bit sceptical about some of Andrew Crowes information; one reviewer suggested you should eat the book rather than some of the plants the author considers edible. There is nothing appetising about the Basket Fungus (Clathrus cibarius) or the Flower Fungus (Aseroe rubra) as both smell of faeces. The other issue about eating the "egg" of these species is that you would need to be confident that you were not eating the "egg" of Amanita phalloides.

Hericium coralloides occurs in New Zealand and is considered edible as is Auricula polytricha. The latter despite its value in Chinese cuisine has never been eaten to any extent in New Zealand. It is not harvested to any extent these days.The giant puffball Calvatia gigantea which can grow to the size of a football is edible. I know of people who have eaten it who are still alive.

Boletus = Suillus granulatus, Boletus = Suillus luteus, and Boletus = Leccinum scaber are all present in New Zealand having been introduced together with their hosts. They are very common and could be collected in large quantities. There is no cultural tradition of eating them in New Zealand.

I am finding the information that various forumists have posted on edible fungi fascinating. It is obvious that one has to have a good knowledge of what species to collect and how to prepare them. I have meet only one person in New Zealand whom I would consider to be a reliable authority on edible fungi here. (not Andrew Crowe). The edibility or otherwise of the indigenous fungi here is pretty much unknown. We do not have the centuries of experience with our mushrooms that Europeans have. Many species look similar to Northern hemisphere species but are sufficently different that one cannot assume that they are also edible.

Lesley,

if you wish to investigate the culinary virtues of New Zealand mushrooms yourself leave a couple on your bedside table after you have eaten them. That way you will not take the information to your grave with you.

[Lesley Cox]

(Where is that smiley with a halo when you need one?)

Just think of me Paul. I AM the smiley with the halo.

[Lesley Cox]

A good idea David, though I take it you mean to leave a couple from the same batch, rather than those already eaten, as if I heaved them up to leave by my bed, I may well get rid of enough not to kill me after all.

[David Nicholson]

(Where is that smiley with a halo when you need one?)

Just think of me Paul. I AM the smiley with the halo.

 

[Paul T]

I can't really say anything in response to that, Lesley! 

 

[David Lyttle]

A good idea David, though I take it you mean to leave a couple from the same batch, rather than those already eaten, as if I heaved them up to leave by my bed, I may well get rid of enough not to kill me after all.

Yes Lesley, leave a couple by the bed out of consideration to my mycologist friends who prefer not fishing through stomach contents to make an ID. I refer you to and article in the latest edition of the Australasian Mycologist "A near-fatal case consistent with mushroom poisoning due to Amanita species" by Bettye J. Rees, Richard Cracknell, Adam Marchant and David A. Orlovich. Here is the link. It is free access. http://bugs.bio.usyd.edu.au/AustMycolSoc/Journal/Issues2009.html. Enjoy!

[gote]

In Portugal I think that the advice it to let the mushrooms be in the forrest.

This is surprising considering the enormous amounts of fungi collected in Catalonia which is just on the other side of the peninsula. The market in Barcelona looks much the same as the pictures from Stockholm and one of the towns between Barcelona and Andorra is calling itself the fungus town due to the annual fungus market. The most common looked like Lactarius deterrimus or possibly L. deliciosus (which by the way also grows in Australia).

I think most of the posters to this thread exaggerate the dangerousness of fungi. In Sweden we have about three deaths per 10 years which is really insignificant. Of course one should only eat fungi one knows and have a reason to pick. Some are delicious like most wild psalliotas (=agaricus) some of the boletus and of course the chanterelles. Most fungi are just not tasty so why test them?
In my part of the world, most dangerous cases are when people have mistaken Amanitas for Psalliotas. I find the mistakes surprising since Psalliotas NEVER have white gills and Amanitas ALWAYS have white gills. The deadly ammanitas further have a disagreable smell.
I very much doubt that anyone can be harmed by tasting a fungus and spitting it out. They are not that poisonous.
Cheers
Göte 
 

[gote]

It is a late comment I know but Simon's No 10 is one of the ones that people mistake. Actually as it stands there I would bend down and make sure by looking at the colour of the gills. If they are pink - to black I would pick it. If white I would throw it away.
Göte

[Stephenb]

Here it seems to be the Deadly webcap/Spisgiftslørsopp (Cortinarius rubellus) which has most been implicated in deaths in recent years, somehow confused with the Trumpet Chantarelles which I posted pictures of - they do grow in the same habitat and it is important to double check each fungi when you are cleaning what you've collected. However, with basic knowledge it shouldn't be possible to confuse them.....

Incidentally we have a list of "5 sikre sopper" (which means 5 safe mushrooms) - these are Common Chantarelle, Hedgehog Fungus, Inkcap (Coprinus comatus), Lactarius deliciosus and the Sheep Mushroom (Albatrellus ovinus).

Note that neither Trumpet Chantarelle or Agaricus sp. are on this list due to the possibility of confusion with poisonous species, but I use both without hesitation...

[David Lyttle]

Hi Gote,

You are right of course in your comments: if one is knowledgable about mushrooms and recognize the edible ones there is very little danger. I get the impression that people gather a few favoured species and leave the rest alone. I find it remarkable from my viewpoint the popularity and availability of wild mushrooms in Europe. You do not see wild collected mushrooms for sale in the markets in this country though some like Boletus = Suillus granulatus are very common and could be gathered in large quantities, I would be interested to hear your comments on the culinary merits of this particular mushroom.

There are very few cases of mushroom poisoning in New Zealand mainly because very few people eat wild collected mushrooms. There was a case of Amanita phalloides poisoning here a few years ago (not the one I supplied the link to in my previous posting - that was in Australia) where some immigrants collected it mistaking it for something they were accustomed to eating in their home country. Amanita muscaria is also very common here associated mainly with pines. I am not aware of any documented poisonings from this species or any other species in New Zealand. Four species of fungi are  listed as poisonous by Landcare Research in the publication "Plants poisonous to children in New Zealand ". These are Amanita phalliodes, Amanita muscari, Psilocybe sp and Paxillus involutus.

[Lesley Cox]

Enjoy, he said! Not likely. Put me right of fungi almost altogether and I'd certainly leave a couple handy for the paramedics to collect up.

Poor platypus!

[Lesley Cox]

Diverting to a little word derivation momentarily, Stephen, your 5 sikre sopper reminds me of the Scottish expression "mak sikker" (not sure about the spelling) which means "make sure." Presumably in the mushroom context, sikre would also mean sure.

[Maggi Young]

And, Lesley, the German is macht sicher...... all is connected, one way or another!  

[cohan]

i thought i'd look around a bit online to see what's being said about mushrooms/fungi here in alberta..
this page is interesting, and some surprises, to me..
http://www.wildmushrooms.ws/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=b3dc35ae-8493-4058-bbeb-9af3cff056ea&groupId=10128