There's something about amanitas that seem to tempt people. There is an expert who is convinced that fly agarics should be considered edible, as with complex preparation the toxins can be removed (unlike with the death cap). But that's like saying karaka kernels are edible - in fact it's less justified, as there is no culture which traditionally ate fly agaric as food. Debbie actually wrote a rebuttal of the "fly agaric is edible" argument.
This post was fascinating. I love attempting to identify mushrooms. The number of people who come online to post a photo of their dinner in order to ask for identification amazes me though. "Just confirming these random mushrooms are edible?" Such misplaced confidence!
Thank you, I'm glad you found it interesting. I'm also amazed by the misplaced confidence people sometimes have that wild plants and mushrooms won't poison them. Like some of the early New Zealand settlers who just started picking tutu berries to eat even though they'd never seen them before.
Thanks, yes, t's not something you want to make a mistake with, especially as the US has not only death caps but quite a few native species with the same toxins.
You've probably realized I'm catching up on back issues of The Turnstone, but after making the comment above I read your issue on morels -- it helped me realize I wasn't exactly truthful in my previous comment because my brother picked morels for me last month that I eagerly sauteed in garlic and butter. I'm quite relieved to see that false morels are fairly easily distinguished from the tasty ones. Thank you for your always-helpful information!
I’d known of poisonous mushrooms, but I didn’t know how they poisoned the folks who ate them. AUGH!!!!!
It's pretty awful. It stuns me that people eat random mushrooms without properly identifying them.
Bloody frightening the way they act so slowly
When I read about them as a child I found them absolutely terrifying. It's really an awful poisoning.
We’ve got a fabulous fly agaric in our front yard. About 25cm across. It’s been fascinating watching it develop. They *should* be edible!
There's something about amanitas that seem to tempt people. There is an expert who is convinced that fly agarics should be considered edible, as with complex preparation the toxins can be removed (unlike with the death cap). But that's like saying karaka kernels are edible - in fact it's less justified, as there is no culture which traditionally ate fly agaric as food. Debbie actually wrote a rebuttal of the "fly agaric is edible" argument.
This post was fascinating. I love attempting to identify mushrooms. The number of people who come online to post a photo of their dinner in order to ask for identification amazes me though. "Just confirming these random mushrooms are edible?" Such misplaced confidence!
Thank you, I'm glad you found it interesting. I'm also amazed by the misplaced confidence people sometimes have that wild plants and mushrooms won't poison them. Like some of the early New Zealand settlers who just started picking tutu berries to eat even though they'd never seen them before.
Love this! Reminds me of the foraged chicken of the woods mushroom recipe I made inspired from my Appalachian Trail thru hike. check it out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com/p/what-my-great-grandfathers-memoir
Thanks, interesting!
Fascinating and terrifying read! I've eaten mushrooms foraged by elders when I was a child, but I don't trust myself enough to identify them now.
Thanks, yes, t's not something you want to make a mistake with, especially as the US has not only death caps but quite a few native species with the same toxins.
You've probably realized I'm catching up on back issues of The Turnstone, but after making the comment above I read your issue on morels -- it helped me realize I wasn't exactly truthful in my previous comment because my brother picked morels for me last month that I eagerly sauteed in garlic and butter. I'm quite relieved to see that false morels are fairly easily distinguished from the tasty ones. Thank you for your always-helpful information!
I've never tried morels but hope to one day find them. I've found false morels fairly often and so it's one I've definitely learned.