McDowell is crazy for teeth mushrooms and boletes. When out foraging for teeth, Balfour made the find of the ‘biggest hedgehog ever’ in our foraging, McDowell was thrilled. She returned to Tofino and had celebratory tastings with friends.
Another big find late in the season, bit more wear and tear but still delish!
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