Our second cauliflower of the season and where did we find it – in the Garden of the Chanterelles, where we found no, say it with us, no freaking chanterelles.

This little cutie-pie lifted McDowell out of her depression of spending an afternoon hiking up to the Garden and not seeing one chanterelle. Balfour was not amused. But back to the story: Right along the path was sitting this lovely cauliflower mushroom and McDowell scooped it and smiled for the rest of the day even through the buckets of rain.

What a lovely gift. Our second of the season.

And a shot with McDowell’s finger in so you get an idea of the baby.

 

About the Cauliflower Mushroom (Sparassis radicata)

Sparassis (also known as cauliflower mushroom) is a genus of parasitic and saprobic mushrooms characterised by their unique shape and appearance. This appearance can be described as similar to a sea sponge, a brain, or a head of cauliflower, from which it has been given its popular name.

They are increasingly cultivated and being sold in Korea, Japan, USA and Australia.

The generic name comes from the Greek sparassein meaning to tear.

The best-known and most widely collected species of Sparassis are S. crispa (found in Europe and eastern North America) and S. radicata (found in western North America). These species have a very similar appearance and some authorities treat them as conspecific. Their color can range from light brown-yellow to yellow-grey or a creamy white cauliflower colour. They are normally 10 to 25 cm tall, but can grow to be quite large, with reported cases of fruiting bodies more than half a meter tall and 14 kg in weight. Because of their unique look and size, they are unlikely to be mistaken for any poisonous/inedible mushrooms. They grow as parasites or saprobes on the roots or bases of various species of hardwoods, especially oak, and conifers, and hence are most commonly found growing close to fir, pine, oak or spruce trees.

 

More information: Sparassis: Wikipedia

This is one happy polypore. Couldn’t resist it’s smile. A large Fomitopsis pinicola rockin’ on up Field Road.

I’m a happy polypore. What are you?

Raindrops keep falling off my lips and that makes me smile because I get live in the forests of Mount Elphinstone.

 

 

About Fomitopsis pinicola

Fomitopsis pinicola, is a stem decay fungus. Its conk (fruiting body), known as the Red-Belt Conk, is a polypore mushroom of the genus Fomitopsis. The species is common throughout the temperate Northern hemisphere. It is a decay fungus that serves as a small-scale disturbance agent in coastal rainforest ecosystems. It influences stand structure and succession in temperate rainforests. It performs essential nutrient cycling functions in forests.

Cap is hoof-shaped or triangular with a hard and tough texture. Its surface is more or less smooth, at first orange-yellow with a white margin, later dark reddish to brown and then frequently with orange margin. It grows as thick shelves on live and dead coniferous or (less common) deciduous trees.

The fruiting body of Fomitopsis pinicola is called the conk. It is a woody, pileate fruiting body with pores lined with basidia on its underside. As in other polypores, the fruiting body is perennial with a new layer of pores produced each year on the bottom of the old pores. The pores are whitish when young and become somewhat brownish in age. This mushroom is inedible due to its woody texture, but it is useful as tinder.

More information: Fomitopsis pinicola : wikipedia

You’ll see these cool and poisonous mushrooms throughout the forest. This is the first time we saw them on an old log and they were so orange (rather than the usual sunny egg yellow) that we both remarked on them. And where were we – in the Valley of Giants where mushrooms are… somehow just a little different!

Much more orange that the usual sulfur tufts we adore, these caught our attention in the Valley of Giants.

Definitely stems on these kids. The Valley offers mushrooms to blow your mind.

 

About Hypholoma fasciculare

Hypholoma fasciculare, commonly known as the sulphur tuft, sulfur tuft or clustered woodlover, is a common woodland mushroom, often in evidence when hardly any other mushrooms are to be found. This saprophagic small gill fungus grows prolifically in large clumps on stumps, dead roots or rotting trunks of broadleaved trees.

The sulphur tuft is bitter and poisonous; consuming it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and convulsions. The principal toxic constituents have been named fasciculol E and fasciculol F.

More information: Hypholoma fasciculare : wikipedia

To get to the BenofDares one must pass through the Valley of Giants.

After the sighting of the Phellodon melaleucus, which already made it a successful outing for McDowell, Balfour continued leading the trek to the BenofDares. The air was thick with anticipation. Entering the Valley of Giants they climbed over and under trees that had fallen in the latest storm, through the green undergrowth of moss and ferns and stopped in amazement. Everywhere they looked were big, bold chanterelles with stalks so thick they must have had a bolete Mom.

Check out the stalk on that beauty.

This way to the Valley of Giants. Be careful where you step the forest floor is full of mushroom villages.

A little nest of pines and no bugs! Often the small pines are buggy but these were white all the way through.

Huge, gorgeous chanterelles were glowing throughout the forest floor in groups and villages.

McDowell would have taken more photos but it took all her time just to keep up to the chanterelles that appeared in groups, then in villages and then towns. So many perfect chanterelles. Later that night McDowell had one for dinner – one! What an adventure. And we haven’t even made it as far as the BenofDares yet. Will we ever?

 

 

About Cantharellus cibarius

Cantharellus cibarius, commonly known as the chanterelle, golden chanterelle or girolle, is a fungus. It is probably the best known species of the genus Cantharellus, if not the entire family of Cantharellaceae. It is orange or yellow, meaty and funnel-shaped. On the lower surface, underneath the smooth cap, it has gill-like ridges that run almost all the way down its stipe, which tapers down seamlessly from the cap. It emits a fruity aroma, reminiscent of apricots and a mildly peppery taste (hence its German name, Pfifferling) and is considered an excellent edible mushroom.

More information: Cantharellus ciborium, Wikipedia

 

About the Matsutake Mushroom (Tricholoma matsutake)
and the White Matsutake (Tricholoma magnivelare)

Matsutake (Japanese: 松茸, pine mushroom, Tricholoma matsutake = syn. T. nauseosum) is the common name for a highly sought-after mycorrhizal mushroom that grows in Asia, Europe, and North America. It is prized by the Japanese and Chinese for its distinct spicy-aromatic door.

In the North American Pacific Northwest Tricholoma magnivelare is found in coniferous forests made up of one or more of the following species: Douglas-fir, Noble Fir, Shasta Red Fir, Sugar Pine, Ponderosa Pine, or Lodgepole Pine. In California and parts of Oregon, it is also associated with hardwoods, including Tanoak, Madrone, Rhododendron, Salal, and Manzanita. In northeastern North America, the mushroom is generally found in Jack Pine forests. T. magnivelare is typically called White Matsutake as it does not feature the brown coloration of the Asian specimen.

More information: Tricholoma matsutake: Wikipedia and Tricholoma magnivelare: Wickipedia

 

Teeth, teeth and more teeth! McDowell loves mushrooms with teeth. This Phellodon melaleucus, aka Grey tooth, was just hanging out by the path on the way to the BenofDares on Mount Elphinstone. And McDowell could just make out the beat of Little Red Corvette as she approached. Of course cool teeth mushrooms would listen to Prince.

Healthy and rockin’ to Prince, these Phellodon melaleucus know how to party.

Beautiful teeth on the underside. What a cool scene: The teeth, the ooze, the drama!

This was a joyous beginning to the start of the day. Balfour was urging me to hurry because we were heading to the BenofDares and she was excited. But first we travel through the Valley of the Giants..

 

About Phellodon melaleucus

Phellodon melaleucus, commonly known as the grey tooth, is a species of tooth fungus in the family Bankeraceae. It was originally described by Elias Magnus Fries in 1815 as a species of Hydnum. In 1881, Petter Karsten included it as one of the original three species in his newly circumscribed genus Phellodon. The fungus is widely distributed in Europe and North America, where it associates mycorrhizally with a wide range of host trees.

More information: Phellodon melaleucus: wikipedia

September 206 was dry and we were really searching hard to find a mushroom. September 15 is McDowell’s parents anniversary and usually she celebrates with a day of foraging chanterelles. This year she managed to find one in the forest on Lower Road. Well, even one chanterelle is enough to celebrate with. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad.

Happy Anniversary to my Mom and Dad and to everyone in the mushroom world kicking off another fall season!

 

About Cantharellus cibarius

Cantharellus cibarius, commonly known as the chanterelle, golden chanterelle or girolle, is a fungus. It is probably the best known species of the genus Cantharellus, if not the entire family of Cantharellaceae. It is orange or yellow, meaty and funnel-shaped. On the lower surface, underneath the smooth cap, it has gill-like ridges that run almost all the way down its stipe, which tapers down seamlessly from the cap. It emits a fruity aroma, reminiscent of apricots and a mildly peppery taste (hence its German name, Pfifferling) and is considered an excellent edible mushroom.

More information: Cantharellus ciborium, Wikipedia

As we all know McDowell loves studs from her punk years. She may even still have a few hidden here and there so she feels a kinship with anything rockin’ studs. When the puffballs show themselves is always a happy time. McDowell found these gorgeous tiny beauties and with names like gem-studded puffball or the devil’s snuff-box what’s not to like!

 

The young gems are white with a jewel covering of shiny spikes.

Considered edible when young and the inside is still white. But McDowell hasn’t tried them yet so we’re not listing them in the edible category until she does. If you decide to eat them be sure that it’s a puffball and not an immature amanita species.

Take it from the top. McDowell could stare at these beauties all day from every angle.

As the puffball gets older it darkens.

Eventually a hole will open at the top and the spores ail be released through there when pressure is applied from a touch or even falling raindrops.

Oh puffballs, big or small you are enchanting!

 

About Lycoperdon perlatum

Lycoperdon perlatum, popularly known as the common puffball, warted puffball, gem-studded puffball, or the devil’s snuff-box, is a species of puffball fungus in the family Agaricaceae. A widespread species with a cosmopolitan distribution, it is a medium-sized puffball with a round fruit body tapering to a wide stalk. It is off-white with a top covered in short spiny bumps or “jewels”, which are easily rubbed off to leave a netlike pattern on the surface. When mature it becomes brown, and a hole in the top opens to release spores in a burst when the body is compressed by touch or falling raindrops.

More information: Lycoperdon perlatum: wikipedia

Woods have been so dry this summer that mushrooms were hard to find.

McDowell was traipsing around finding nothing when she heard Balfour cry Oh Jayun. And behold a little family of chanties of which one was massive. McDowell immediately called out Biggest Summer Chanterelle Ever! Balfour, who is not as excitable, declared it the Biggest August Chanterelle.

 

McDowell would have been happy finding the two little ones. But that Balfour always pulls a chanterelle out of a hat… And then McDowell puts it into a frying pan!

 

So even though the mushrooms haven’t started popping, it’s the dog days of summer and McDowell has figs to harvest, firewood to split, deer hanging in the backyard, a new skateboard and late nights of kayaking and howling at the moon. Happiness abounds.

Every August McDowell has 100s of figs to harvest and holds Figlapalooza. Just look for the big fig tree, listen for the music and come on by!

 

About Cantharellus cibarius

Cantharellus cibarius, commonly known as the chanterelle, golden chanterelle or girolle, is a fungus. It is probably the best known species of the genus Cantharellus, if not the entire family of Cantharellaceae. It is orange or yellow, meaty and funnel-shaped. On the lower surface, underneath the smooth cap, it has gill-like ridges that run almost all the way down its stipe, which tapers down seamlessly from the cap. It emits a fruity aroma, reminiscent of apricots and a mildly peppery taste (hence its German name, Pfifferling) and is considered an excellent edible mushroom.

More information: Cantharellus ciborium, Wikipedia

What happens when McDowell goes into a hot dry forest holding out her (surfing) hat?

Balfour fills it with summer chanterelles and a few hedgehogs!

The chanterelles remind McDowell of the mushrooms she picks in Ontario: Firm, perfect texture and bold concentrated taste. We just gathered a hatful because the dogs were whining about not getting a decent walk in with us stopping to ooo and ahhh over these babies.

The hedgehogs (not shown because they were first picked and in the bottom of the hat) are a mystery to us, usually they don’t appear until fall. We’ll have to ask them.

Just look at the ridges standing proud. Yes bit dry on the ends. What a beauty.

 

About Cantharellus cibarius

Cantharellus cibarius, commonly known as the chanterelle, golden chanterelle or girolle, is a fungus. It is probably the best known species of the genus Cantharellus, if not the entire family of Cantharellaceae. It is orange or yellow, meaty and funnel-shaped. On the lower surface, underneath the smooth cap, it has gill-like ridges that run almost all the way down its stipe, which tapers down seamlessly from the cap. It emits a fruity aroma, reminiscent of apricots and a mildly peppery taste (hence its German name, Pfifferling) and is considered an excellent edible mushroom.

More information: Cantharellus ciborium, Wikipedia

Hot dry forest, middle of summer and what do we see – what the fruitcake – hedgehogs???

What’s the meaning of hedgies mid-summer? Well, you might as well ask what is the meaning of life. Just one big mystery that we’re happy to be a part of!

And we don’t even have to mention the joy on McDowell’s face to find mushrooms with teeth.

Hedgehog dreaming. Happy McDowell. Thank you Balfour.

 

About the Hedgehog Mushroom (Hydnum repandum)

Hydnum repandum, commonly known as the hedgehog or sweet tooth mushroom, is an edible mushroom with no poisonous lookalikes. A basidiomycete fungus of the family Hydnaceae, it is the type species of the genus Hydnum. The fungus produces fruit bodies(mushrooms) that are characterized by their spore-bearing structures—in the form of spines rather than gills—which hang down from the underside of the cap. The cap is dry, colored yellow to light orange to brown, and often develops an irregular shape, especially when it has grown closely crowded with adjacent fruit bodies. The mushroom tissue is white with a pleasant odor and a spicy or bitter taste. All parts of the mushroom stain orange with age or when bruised.

A mycorrhizal fungus, Hydnum repandum is broadly distributed in Asia, Australia, North America and Europe where it fruits singly or in close groups in coniferous or deciduous woodland. This is a choice edible species, although mature specimens can develop a bitter taste. Mushrooms are collected and sold in local markets of Europe, Mexico, and Canada.

More information: Hydnum repandum: Wikipedia