How to Go on a Mushroom Hunt

Mushrooms add a delicious taste to recipes and some types are particularly renowned for their health benefits. While you can buy a variety of mushrooms at your local grocery store if you use a lot of them, it can get expensive. One solution to the high cost of mushrooms is to go on a mushroom hunt. The decision to go on a mushroom hunt isn’t to be taken lightly. It’s critical that you be able to distinguish poisonous mushrooms from edible ones before putting them in your mouth. Adding a poisonous mushroom to a recipe can result in serious illness and even death.

Before undertaking a mushroom hunt, educate yourself about the various types of mushrooms, their characteristics, and their appearance. The best way to do this is to pick up a few mushroom field guides at your local library. Read about each type of mushroom and study the color photos until you’re comfortable identifying commonly seen mushrooms.

Once you have a basic mushroom education, you can start planning your first mushroom hunt. The safest way to do this is to go with a mushroom expert who’s had experience with wild mushroom hunting. If you live in a city of substantial size, your area may have a mycology group who goes on regular mushroom hunts and you may be able to join them. Some areas also offer courses in hunting for and identifying edible mushrooms.

If you undertake your first mushroom hunt on your own, be sure to bring along a photographic field guide to identify each mushroom you collect. If there’s any doubt as to whether the mushroom you find is edible, don’t take it home. Even if you are certain as to the identity of a particular mushroom, only eat a spoonful the first day to make sure you don’t have a reaction to that particular species. You should also avoid mushroom hunting in areas that could be contaminated with chemicals or pesticides.

Mushroom hunting is best done in the fall several days after a good rainfall. Avoid hunting for mushrooms immediately after a rain because the ground and earth are generally too waterlogged. Choose areas with low growing grass adjacent to areas with trees. Mushrooms generally thrive in moderately warm, damp areas. If you choose to go mushroom hunting in a park or on private property, be sure you have permission to be there and that the area hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals.

For your mushroom hunt, bring along a knife for cutting the mushroom along the bottom of the stem. You’ll also need a large, open basket for carrying your mushrooms home. Avoid placing your freshly cut mushrooms in plastic bags since they need open access to the air.

Once you arrive home with your mushroom collection, clean each one carefully and use them in your recipes as soon as possible. If you’re not a mushroom expert, seek out a second opinion as to the edibility of the mushrooms you’ve collected. Again, only eat a small amount the first day to determine your reaction to that particular mushroom species. Over time, you’ll become more and more adept at mushroom identification.

Mushroom hunting can be a fun hobby that can also provide you with tasty fungi for your recipes. Plus, you’re saving money by not buying mushrooms at your local supermarket. Remember to always practice safety first. Only eat mushrooms you have clearly identified as being edible.

by Dr. Kristie

For more information on mushroom identification, collection, and toxicity, visit the Mushroom Expert at:

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/

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