Introduction Navigating the spectrum of mushroom edibility and toxicity presents a complex challenge. Even widely accepted edible mushrooms can cause adverse effects in some individuals, while certain mushrooms known for their toxicity, such as Gyromitra esculenta, have been eaten safely after specific preparation techniques. The determination of a mushroom’s safety for consumption varies from mushroom…
In January 2023 I stumbled upon a log of fresh Deer mushrooms in the Anacortes Community Forest in Northwest Washington. Deer mushrooms are broadly distributed around the world and are fairly common west of the Cascades. January can typically be a strange time to find such fresh mushrooms. After a brief freeze in mid December…
As we pass the winter solstice and look back on a fungi-filled autumn, here’s a fun reimagining of the 12 days of Christmas for all of you mycophiles.
The Milk Caps can be a fascinating and sometimes overwhelming genus to observe. Scientifically known as Lactarius, the name indicates one of the genus’s unique characteristics: a strongly-colored juice known as latex or ‘milk’. Dozens of Lactarius species grow in the Pacific Northwest and the characteristics of any one species can vary significantly from mushroom…
Candy Cap Mushrooms Candy Cap mushrooms are mushrooms in the milk cap genus Lactarius. They are small, orange mushrooms that can be found on or near rotting wood, and soil. There are multiple species that have the characteristic maple scent when dried. Lactarius rubidus is known from Baja to BC. New Lesson: Candy Caps Free Key…
I have only made this dish once, and that time I used a powdered soup mix. I only had a tiny backpacking skillet and a jetboil. This recipe is adapted from this egg flower soup recipe. Ingredients – 4 cups chicken stock– 1 cup matsutake mushroom (thinly sliced)– 1/4 cup sliced salami/sausage (optional)– 1-2 teaspoons…
As I learn more about mushrooms and spend more time observing them in the forest, it’s fun to find ways to incorporate them at home. In addition to annual cooking traditions, such as creamy chanterelle soup in the fall and spring king bolete tapenade, I’m starting to explore other ways to incorporate mushrooms at home…
*cover photo by Jason Hollinger CC-BY This started as a page that listed poisonous mushrooms in our region however ‘poisonous’ is loosely defined, and this could be an enormous list with scientific names and few useful photos. There are well over 1000 mushroom species in our region and identifying many of them correctly can be…
Region Covered The Kitsap Peninsula Trees :by estimated aboveground carbon: Source: US Forest Service DIA Database Public Land on the Olympic Peninsula