Sporadic Press
Journal of The San Diego Mycological Society
February 2006 Vol. 10 # 6
Meeting March 6th.
A presentation by Gary Lincoff on The Mushrooms and Peoples of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Two groups of about a dozen people each in two consecutive years traveled the length and breadth of Kamchatka, the most easterly of Russian provinces.
They went in search of mushrooms and, especially, the mushrooms the shamans (or healers) use there for diagnosing and treating illnesses among the non-Russian ethnic minorities, the Koryaks, in particular.
They visited 7 Koryak villages and had extensive meetings with an Even shaman. This program will discuss and illustrate (with slides) the people they met, the mushrooms they found, how the people there use them, and what value they might have for us.
Gary is a well-known mushroom author, teacher, tour leader and past president of the North American Mycological Association. His books include one of the most widely used mushroom field guide in North America, the Audubon Field Guide to North American Mushrooms. He has also authored Toxic and Hallucinogenic Mushroom Poisoning and other books. One of the few professional mycologists without a degree in mycology, he is a lecturer at the New York Botanical Gardens.
Pre-meeting Dinners March 5 and 6
We will have two pre-meeting dinners this month, to make sure our distinguished visitor is well-fed. On Sunday, March 5th, there will be a classy dinner at the Top of the Market. On Monday, March 6th, we will meet for a casual dinner at 5 at the Blue Water Grill, on India Street.
Dinner Details
Sunday, March 5th, 7:00 pm
Top of the Market, upstairs at the Fish Market, 750 Harbor Drive, San Diego (next to the aircraft carrier). Reservations required, please RSVP to Janet Fraser by Friday, March 3rd at jfraser12atcoxdotnet. The Top of the Market is moderate to expensive, with very good food. For more information, see their web site at: www.thefishmarket.com
Monday, March 6th, 5:00 pm
The Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill, 3667 India Street, San Diego. The Blue Water is casual and inexpensive. It is just south of El Indio, on India between Winder and Chalmers. No reservations needed, just show up, order your dinner at the window, and join the group.
Foray March 6th
We will be taking our guest speaker on a foray on Monday, March 6th. We will start at the San Luis Rey picnic area at 10:00 AM. If hunting is good, we will move on to another location later in the day.
Directions: From San Diego take Interstate 15 north to 76 and head east. The camp grounds are approximately 27 miles down 76 or about 4 miles west of Lake Henshaw. Follow 76 and go past the turnoff to Palomar Mountain, past the La Jolla Indian Reservation on your right and watch for a Texaco gas station on your right. Just a few miles past the gas station you will see the sign for the San Luis Rey picnic area on your right. Turn in here and go right to the lower parking lot.
If you come to a sign on 76 for the east grade to Palomar Mountain, you have gone too far.
You will need a Forest Adventure Pass to park in the picnic area, and there is a small day use fee. Carpool!
Upcoming Meetings
April 3rd
A presentation by Elio Schaechter on how parasites affect the behavior of the host organism.
May 1st
The annual end of season potluck and party. Location to be determined, but we know the food will be outstanding.
A Fine Fungus Fair
Although it was another dry year, followed by rain on the day of the fair, we had a successful fair. Preliminary reports include a door count of 640 visitors, and a profit.
We had a surprisingly large number of mushroom species on display, thanks to the determined collectors who scoured the area on Saturday.
I hope to get a more complete report for the next newsletter, along with a list of thank-yous to all of the volunteers.
Meanwhile, here are a few special thanks:
Our new club T-shirt design was done by Brian Lemke of Lemke Design.
The wonderful fair poster design was done by Christy Hewitt of H&J Graphics
Jean Leighton again provided great decorative entrance displays.
Thanks to all of the members and friends who helped with setup, staffing, and cleanup. The volunteer turnout was very good this year.
Meeting Report
February 2006
The "Cook and Taste" experiment was a smashing success. Thanks to Specialty Produce, we had frozen Boletus edulis, and fresh chanterelles, hedgehogs, and black trumpets to play with. Thanks to Dennis Sharmahd, we had more chanterelles, thanks to Paul Maschka we had dried morels, and thanks to Gene Grizas we had slippery jacks and fresh Boletus edulis. Thanks to all the members who brought goodies and prepared mushroom dishes we had a great array of snacks to nibble while the myco-chefs manned the stoves.
Paul demonstrated a number of uses of dried morels, showing us how to reconstitute them and also how to grind them to a powder to use as a seasoning or a coating for other foods. His fried tofu cubes coated with morel powder were a big hit.
Gene Grizas cooked up crepes filled with mixed boletes and cut into delicious appetizer-sized bites.
Dave cooked up samples of four species plain to show the unadorned taste of the mushrooms, and then with shallots and seasonings to show how they enhance the mushroom flavors.
Dennis made a great dish of chanterelles in sour cream.
I have probably forgotten some details, but you get the idea.
Special thanks to Janet Fraser, who cleaned several pounds of assorted mushrooms, including a pound of hedgehogs, picking (most of) the duff out of the spines.
Thanks to anyone I have forgotten to mention, I was so busy cooking that I did not get to try all of the other goodies.
And finally, thanks to the members who left the kitchen sparkling clean after we were done.
There was general approval for making this an annual event.
Arrests in mushroom poaching
By Mark Baylis/Staff Writer
The Lompoc Record
The arrest of five suspected mushroom poachers in Lompoc highlights an active black market in which thieves troll the Central Coast, using GPS technology, to steal thousands of dollars of delicacy mushrooms from local ranchers.
Unbeknownst to many, mushroom theft is a lucrative operation that skilled poachers have been conducting at Lompoc ranches for at least 10 years, the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department said.
Chanterelle mushrooms fetch $8 to $10 a pound wholesale, and have been sold to markets and restaurants for up to $15 a pound, authorities said. Retail prices can hit $25 a pound.
“This is a major cash crop for these ranchers,” said Sgt. Rob Wright of the Rural Crime Unit. “Some of these ranchers are making 10 to 15 grand a year off this.”
Poachers had eluded ranchers and authorities until last week, when authorities happened upon several poachers and uncovered thousands of dollars of mushrooms and records documenting $10,000 worth of fungi theft.
Ranchers say three of the poachers are the same Czech men from Washington state and Vancouver, B.C., whom they've spotted on their property for years.
Josef Vychodil, 52; Maxim Mikhailytchev, 24; and Lucas Vrana, 29, were arrested on suspicion of grand theft. Vychodil also was booked on a trespassing charge, while Mikhailytchev and Vrana were also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy.
“They're very good harvesters,” said Jose Baer, who works at La Vina ranch on Santa Rosa Road and Rancho Arbolado on the South Coast. “These two guys can pick a couple hundred pounds in a couple hours.”
The men allegedly had journals that listed several Central Coast ranches, and GPS technology they used to relocate the mushroom patches from previous years.
Authorities were still investigating the alleged poachers' network and to whom they were selling the mushrooms. Poachers typically sell to middlemen who in turn sell to restaurants and markets, said Deputy John McCarthy.
Investigators think a small percentage of the mushrooms stay in the county, while most are shipped across California and out of state. The mushrooms have a shelf life of seven to 10 days.
On Feb. 1, authorities also nabbed two Lompoc residents allegedly caught collecting a much smaller amount of mushrooms in Miguelito Canyon. Authorities said they will pursue petty theft complaints against Eugene Anthony Segura, 42, and Kasey Elaine Amick, 40.
No one knows how to cultivate Chanterelle mushrooms, so they aren't specifically grown and harvested by ranchers. The fungi grow in the wild near oak trees in the wet months, typically November through February.
Ranchers say they don't have enough employees to patrol their acreage for the occasional poacher, and that their main recourse is to try to harvest the mushrooms as soon as possible.
Mushroom poachers are known to hit several counties in California, including Humboldt, Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
It's been several years since the last mushroom poacher was arrested, which McCarthy attributed to the stealthy nature of the crime.
New Forest skirmish over the chanterelle picker
By Stewart Payne
Telegraph.co.uk
A specialist in wild mushrooms took the Government to court yesterday to defend her right to pick them in an ancient forest. The Royal Family has in the past sought the advice of Brigitte Tee-Hillman, who sells the delicacies she collects in the New Forest to leading hotels and restaurants.
She had been picking edible fungi in the woods for more than 30 years but was ordered to stop by the Forestry Commission, which administers the area for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The commission said that because she was picking for commercial gain her activity was illegal.
Mrs. Tee-Hillman, 63, ignored the warning and was arrested in possession of 14lb of mushrooms, which were confiscated. Yesterday she challenged the legal right of Defra to ban her from picking mushrooms from public areas of the 145-square-mile forest, which was a royal hunting ground in Saxon times and enlarged by William I.
In a case before a judge at Winchester county court, Vivian Chapman, representing Mrs. Tee-Hillman, argued that she should be allowed to continue her custom and practice of picking mushrooms because she had engaged in the activity without objection for more than 20 years.
"Her evidence is that she has always picked mushrooms completely openly," he said, adding that she had acquired the right to continue doing so.
She had not been challenged over her activity until recently and, under the Prescription Act 1832, she could continue, as she had not picked them by "stealth".
Mr. Chapman told Judge Iain Hughes, QC, that Mrs. Tee-Hillman, who was born in Germany, started picking mushrooms in the Hampshire forest in the summer of 1973. But she received a letter from the Forestry Commission in September 2001 informing her that picking fungi for commercial purposes was illegal.
In November 2002, she was arrested after a commission worker called police and £27 worth of brown chanterelles were confiscated.
"In the use of an edible fungus, it is part of the land, it is something that grows out of the land like grass or fruit," said Mr. Chapman. "It is capable of ownership because an edible fungus, once picked, is owned by the person who picks it."
He said there was no law stating that mushrooms cannot be picked in the New Forest, which was recently made a national park.
Julie Anderson, representing Defra, said it was "common knowledge" that taking products from the forest for commercial use was not permitted.
She said the interpretation of the law on which Mrs. Tee-Hillman relies was the same as someone arguing they had the right to take fruit and vegetables from another person's allotment.
Mrs. Tee-Hillman, who trades as Mrs. Tee's Wild Mushrooms, lives with her husband John, a retired lawyer, in Pennington, Hants.
She describes herself as Britain's leading expert on wild and gourmet mushrooms and was hired to give a seminar for two of the Queen's chefs.
They were taught identification and preparing mushrooms such as hen-of-the-woods, beefsteak, ceps, girolles and pied bleu. Mrs. Tee-Hillman maintains a year-round supply by importing varieties from around the world. In her seminars people learn identification, seasons, and preparation of edible mushrooms.
She said she offers this service because kitchen staff are rarely taught about mushrooms since few people have detailed knowledge.
Judge Hughes will rule later on whether the case can be taken to a full civil court hearing.
Alaska's Wild Mushrooms
August 26–28, 2005
with Chris Riggio
www.tentandbreakfastalaska.com/workshops/mushroom/
This workshop, taught by Chris Riggio, will focus on field identification of Alaska's wild mushrooms in the temperate rainforest area of Kachemak Bay, across from the town of Homer. The course covers identification through drawings, visual guides, macroscopic features and spore prints. Included in the workshop are collecting and preserving techniques, identification of edible vs. non-edible species and traditional uses of mushrooms. The environmental impact of mushroom collecting, risk assessment in regard eating, and other considerations will be discussed.
Chris Riggio is a knowledgeable amateur mycologist and naturalist. He has taught a course at the University of Alaska Anchorage and has led several workshops and outings on fungi.
The price of the workshop is $280 plus tax; a deposit of $25 is due at registration and is non-refundable unless the minimum number of 6 participants is not met. The maximum number is 15. The balance the fee is due by August 15, 2005.The workshop fee includes instruction, transportation across Kachemak Bay, meals, rustic accommodations in wall tent cabins and class materials.
For reservations call 907-345-2571 or 907-235-3633. VISA and MasterCard accepted.
Come a day early or stay after the workshop to hike, bike or take a sea kayak trip. Additional charges will apply.
What’s Cooking?
Fungi as Food
By Dave Grubb
Here are the recipes from the cooking demonstration at the fair. I have given the ingredients on a per-serving basis, you can easily scale this up to make as much as you can fit in your pans. Quantities are approximate. Precise measurement is not important, the recipes will work fine if you just use whatever looks about right, and go heavy on the mushrooms. If the mushrooms seem too dry at first, you can add a little more butter.
Steak Dave
This is my favorite recipe for plain old white buttons. It would also be good with any of the wild Agaricus species. I have never seen it in a cookbook, but it was served to me many years ago in a restaurant where they prepared it on a cart at the tableside. It was so good that I went home and duplicated it, and have been making it ever since.
I have tried adding various seasonings, but have not found any that improved on the basic recipe. This combination seems to blend very nicely without any additions.
Per serving
2 or 3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 to 1 Cup chopped shallots
2 to 3 Cups thinly sliced mushrooms
a few grinds of black pepper
1/4 to 1/3 pound filet mignon, sliced about 1/2 inch thick
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon good cognac
Once you start cooking this, it only takes a few minutes, so have the rest of the dinner ready. I like a colorful vegetable like carrots or beets, and some buttered egg noodles to soak up the juices.
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan. You need a large enough pan to hold all of the steak slices in one layer, with room for the mushrooms around them.
Add the shallots and cook over medium high heat for a minute. Add the mushrooms and cook quickly. The mushrooms will give off liquid at first. Cook and stir until the liquid is evaporated and the butter starts to sizzle. Add a few grinds of black pepper.
Add the steak slices and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Turn the slices over and cook for half a minute on the other side.
Reduce the heat, pour on the cognac, and ignite. Take care, or use a long match, it will make a big flame.
When the flame burns out, serve immediately. Lift the slices onto plates, preferably on a bed of noodles or rice, and pour the mushroom mixture and juices over them.
Mushroom-Salmon Scramble
This was created one Sunday morning when I had some chanterelles on hand, and it is particularly good with them, but you can substitute any available mushroom. At the fair, I used king oysters from Golden Gourmet. You may increase the quantity of mushrooms, but cook down the liquid before adding the eggs.
Ingredients - Per Serving
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon chopped shallots
½ cup diced wild mushrooms
1 Ounce smoked salmon
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
a pinch of dill weed
Salt and Pepper to taste
Melt butter in a sauté pan. Add shallots. Cook over medium heat for a minute or two, then add mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are about cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated. Crumble the smoked salmon and add to the pan.
Meanwhile, mix together the eggs, cream, and dill in a bowl, and stir well. Add the egg mixture to the pan and scramble to your preferred degree of firmness.
Fettuccine al Fungi
This is particularly good with robust-flavored mushrooms. One of the best variations I have tried used a combination of hedgehogs and fresh black trumpets. It was also very good with Hericium. At the fair, I used Maitake (Grifola frondosa) from Golden Gourmet, also a very good choice.
Ingredients - Per serving
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons chopped shallots
1 Cup diced wild mushrooms
1/2 Cup heavy cream
1 Ounce grated parmesan
1 serving of Fettuccine
Nutmeg
Chopped parsley
Heat the water for the pasta, add some salt if you like. If using dried pasta, cooking time will usually be about 10 minutes. Check package directions. Some very thin dry pasta, and most fresh pasta will cook in under 5 minutes. Time the start of the pasta so it will be done when the sauce is ready. Do not overcook the pasta, as it will cook a little more when you add it to the sauce.
With dried pasta, and some practice, you can do the prep while the water gets hot, and make the sauce while the pasta is cooking.
Melt the butter in a sauté pan, add the shallots, and cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are cooked through, about 5 minutes or so. Reduce the heat and add the heavy cream. Simmer for a few minutes until the cream is thickened and picks up the flavor of the mushrooms.
Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the sauté pan. Toss to coat with the sauce, then sprinkle on the parmesan and toss again. If the mix seems too soupy, cook for a minute or two more so the pasta will take up the moisture.
Add a light sprinkle of nutmeg and serve. You can also sprinkle some chopped parsley and a little extra parmesan on each serving.
Mushroom Crop Trials
NewsRoom, New Zealand
Trials are underway to see if high value mushroom varieties such as saffron milk-cap, porcini and matsutake can be grown as cash crops in pine and other plantations.
Crop and Food's Graham Smellie says a client is supporting the organisation's work on this, planting trees with the varieties of mushrooms on them.
"And they're looking at a range of technology options with us right now to see if we could get that industry started in New Zealand.
"They've got many thousands of hectares set aside to do this - they've made a huge financial commitment, and so have we, and it looks like from the trial plots we've put together that we'll crack this one and that'll be another big export industry for New Zealand," he says.
Mr. Smellie says they are hoping to have commercial production of some of the mushrooms in two years.
Morel Foray in May?
Reading about the Morel festivals and forays around the country prompted thoughts of our annual trip to the San Bernardino Mountains.
It will soon be time to decide if we want to try one this year, and start the planning.
Even when we do not find many morels, we have a good time, eat well, and enjoy the mountains.
A volunteer or two to plan and organize would be much appreciated.
Mushroom Events
SDMS Events
March 5, 2006
SDMS Dinner
Sunday Dinner
March 6, 2006
Foray at San Luis Rey
March 6, 2006
SDMS Meeting
April 3, 2006
SDMS Meeting
May 1, 2006
SDMS Meeting
Other Events
April 28 to 30, 2006
Mountain Mushroom Festival
Irvine, Kentucky
April 29 & 30, 2006
Morel Mushroom Festival
Mansfield, Indiana
May 5 to 7, 2006
26th Annual Morel Festival
Richmond, Missouri
May 20 & 21, 2006
24th Annual Morel Festival
Muscoda, Wisconsin
August 26 to 28, 2006
Alaska Mushroom Workshop
See page 3 for details
SDMS Information
The Sporadic Press is published monthly during the mushroom season, from September to May, by the San Diego Mycological Society.
Membership in the society is open to all who are interested in mycology. Membership dues are $20.00 per year, and include a subscription to The Sporadic Press.
If the date on your mailing label is highlighted in yellow, your membership has expired. Please renew promptly.
To join or Renew, send a check for $20.00 with your name, address, phone number and email address to:
Janet Fraser
1010 W. Upas Street
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 260-8420
We meet once a month from October to May on the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in Room 101 of the Casa Del Prado in Balboa Park. Meetings are free and open to the public.
Web Site: the SDMS Web
site is:
http://SDMyco.org
Mushroom Hotline: upcoming events and spontaneous forays are announced by email. To get on the list, go to this link and enter your email address.
lists.igc.org/mailman/listinfo/sdmyco
Newsletter Submissions Welcome
Send To:
Dave Grubb
2233 Manchester Ave # 1
Cardiff, CA 92007
(760) 753-0273
davegrubb at ispwest dot com
Officers:
President, Paul Maschka
Vice-president, Elio Schaechter
Secretary, Charlene Atkins
Treasurer, Janet Fraser