Samantha Grayson
Faerie and Fantasy Writer & Researcher
New Book Coming Soon - PYSTRIA - Its
Halloween night and a sacred glen is being auctioned off as a property developer
vies to get his hands on it a storm breaks causing people to scatter. As
the storm sweeps through the town people are faced with their darker aspects
of their personalities as the fairies seek to teach them the lessons long
forgotten in time
Fungus
Toadstools is derived from the German “Tod Stuhl” meaning the stool of death
Beafsteak Fungus|
Botanical Name |
Fistulina hepatic |
|
Habitat |
On old oak or chestnut |
|
Description |
August – October. Large red fungus 20-40cm/8-16in. Fruit: tongue shaped, rough, sticky becomes drier and smoother with age. Yellow pores exude blood like juice |
|
Culinary Uses |
Stew repeatedly, fried |
|
Dry |
Blewit Field
|
Botanical Name |
Lepista saeva |
|
Description |
Grassy pastures October – December. Medium sized 4-10cm/1 ½ in –4in tall. Stem stout tinged with blue and occasionally swollen at base. Cap flattish with incurving marginal edges 5-12cm/2-5cm across dry to touch but slightly jellyfish and translucent pale brown to grey. Flesh white and firm Gills crowded white/grey/pink. Ring :none |
|
Culinary Uses |
Fry |
|
Other Notes |
Often grow in rings |
Blewit Wood
|
Botanical Name |
Lepista nuda |
|
Description |
Similar ro field blewit. Cap 5-10cm/2-4in across turning reddish with age. Sweet smelling. Gills crowded stem stout a little swollen at base. Ring: none |
|
Culinary Uses |
Do not use raw |
Cauliflower Fungus
|
Botanical Name |
Sparassis crispa |
|
Other Names |
Brain fungus |
|
Description |
At the base of pine stumps or living trees August – November. Looks like a cauliflower heart, 10-20cm/4-8in tall colour varies with age. Pleasant smell. Fruit body 15-40cm/6-15in across with flat twisted and very divided branches |
|
Harvesting |
Young only |
|
Culinary Uses |
Cooked |
|
Caution |
Can be confused with Ramaria Formosa which grows under beech and other broadleaf trees and is a purgative |
Cep
|
Botanical Name |
Boletus edulis |
|
Habitat |
Woodlands with oak, beech, birch and pine |
|
Description |
August- November. Brownish. 5-25cm/2-10in tall with a short bulging pale brown stem streaked with white. Cap smaller than the stem at first older caps brown dry and smooth 8-30cm/3-12in across Gills white at first then yellow-olive brown Ring: none |
|
Culinary Uses |
Remove stems and scoop out pores. Eat raw or cooked |
Chanterelle
|
Botanical Name |
Cantharellus cibarius |
|
Habitat |
Woods mainly pine, beech and birch |
|
Description |
July – December. Egg yolk yellow, slight apricot smell. Cap shaped like a funnel 2.5-7.5cm/1-3in across. Gills like fan vaulting or veins shallow much forked and continuous around the stem. Ring none Apricot smell |
|
Culinary Uses |
Stewed |
|
Caution |
Do not confuse with false chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) which is more orange, thin stem and lacks fruity smell |
Devils Bolete
|
Botanical Name |
Boletus satanas |
|
Other Names |
Satan’s bolete |
|
Habitat |
Chalk or limestone soils under oak or beech |
|
Description |
Chalk white or pale cream cap up to 25cm/10in with reddish pores beneath and reddish stem up to 10cm/4in diameter. No ring on stem |
|
Other Notes |
It is believed to be left by the devil during the night It is also linked to the witches sabbat and the path of the wild hunt |
|
Caution |
Poisonous |
|
Botanical Name |
Marasmius oreades |
|
Description |
Lawns and short grass often in fairy rings April – December. Smells pleasant. Cap 2-5cm/1-2in with slight bump in centre. When moist top is smooth and buffish in colour and when dry wrinkles and pale tan. Gills wide and usually free of the stipe |
|
Culinary Uses |
Stews, fried |
|
Caution |
Do not confuse with Clitocybe species which is poisonous |
Field Mushroom
|
Botanical Name |
Agaricus campestris |
|
Habitat |
Pastures, meadows, woods |
|
Description |
July – November Stem short and white Cap white dry firm and domed when young, flatter when older with pair brown scales 3-10cm/1-4in Pink gills, which darken as they mature initially, enclosed in white veil. Ring: thin |
|
Culinary Uses |
Fry, soups, pate |
|
Caution |
Avoid if they turn bright yellow or pink when sliced or if they have white gills |
|
Botanical Name |
Amanita muscaria |
|
Habitat |
Poor or sandy soil under birch or pine |
|
Description |
Domed cap up to 10cm/4in diameter – bright red with white patches that may be washed off. As it matures the cap darkens Stalk: white up to 18cm/7in tall and 2cm/ ¾ in wide. Rings |
|
Other Notes |
This features in many fairy tales |
Hedgehog Fungus
|
Botanical Name |
Hydnum repandum |
|
Description |
Woods August – November. Medium sized 3-8cm/1-3in with a short, stout whitish stem. Cap irregular shaped up to 15cm/6in across with matt buff to pink skin, smooth often cracked like fine leather. Wavy margin Gills tiny teeth paler than cap brittle unequal in length. Ring: none |
|
Other Names |
Wood hedgehog |
|
Culinary Uses |
Blanch then fry |
Honey Fungus
|
Botanical Name |
Armillariella mellea |
|
Other Names |
Bootlace fungus |
|
Description |
Tree stumps September – December. Tufts of honey – brown 5-12cm/2/5in with yellowish stems growing from black bootlace. Caps: variable colours yellow-olive brown 2-15cm/1-6in. Convex with hairy brownish scales when young flattening with age. Gills creamy white darkening with age. Ring shaggy yellow |
|
Culinary Uses |
Do not eat raw. Blach before cooking |
Horse Mushroom
|
Botanical Name |
Agaricus arvensis |
|
Description |
Pastures, lawns July – November Large up to 15cm/6in with white caps that yellow with age smells of almonds. Cap up to 20cm/8in across when mature bruises yellow/brown on handling. Ring double |
|
Culinary Uses |
Stuffed, grilled |
|
Caution |
Avoid if they turn bright yellow or pink when sliced or if they have white gills |
Jew’s Ear
|
Botanical Name |
Auricularia auricula-judae |
|
Description |
Common on elder. Ear shaped bracket fungus 2-7cm/1-3in Red/brown in clusters getatinous and soft when young. Upper surface more velvety and brown underside pink |
|
Culinary Uses |
Stew for at least 45 minutes |
Morel
|
Botanical Name |
Morchella esculenta |
|
Description |
Woodland clearings, pastures, sandy soil under broadleaf soil especially ash and elm. March – May Cap covered in deep honeycomb like pits, cap, stem form one continous chamber. Cap variable globular in shape 3-6cm/1-2in deeply pitted. Colours light brown – dark brown. Brittle. Gills cap fused to stem No ring |
|
Culinary Uses |
Stews |
|
Other Notes |
Only appear for a few days often after warm rain |
Oyster Mushroom
|
Botanical Name |
Pleurotus ostreatus |
|
Habitat |
Dead ash and beech trees |
|
Description |
Fan shaped bracket growing on tree trunks or branches up to 20cm/8in across. Cap well shaped convex at first then flat grey or slate blue in colour. Gills white and deep Flesh white, soft, rubbery |
|
Culinary Uses |
Sauces, deep fried, stewed |
Parasol Mushroom
|
Botanical Name |
Lepiota procera |
|
Description |
Woods, grassy clearings, roadsides July – November. 15-30cm/6-12in tall stem tall slender hollow and bulbous at the base Cap dry, scaly brown to grey brown 10-25cm/4-10in Domed when young flatter with age Dark centre. Gills white and detached from stem. Rings large and white double. |
|
Culinary Uses |
Fry, stuffed |
Puffball Giant
|
Botanical Name |
Langermannia gigantea |
|
Description |
Meadows, pastures, under hedges July – November. Large 10-30cm/4-12in across. Skin white smooth and leathery Little or no stalk |
|
Culinary Uses |
Fry, grill or bake |
Shaggy Cap
|
Botanical Name |
Coprinus comatus |
|
Description |
Fields, road sides, playing fields, rubbish tips June – November. Tall, shaggy, scaly 8-25cm/3-10in with smooth white stem. Cap white opens like an umbrella. Gills white then darkens to pink then to black. Ring small, white moveable |
|
Culinary Uses |
Fry |
St George’s mushroom
|
Botanical Name |
Tricholoma gambosum |
|
Description |
Grass, open pastures, roadsides, lawns April – June. Creamy white fungus fleshy cap wavy edges. Cap fleshy dense 5-12cm/2-5in. Cap gills and stem all creamy white Ring: none |
|
Culinary Uses |
Quiches |
Stinkhorn
|
Botanical Name |
Phallus impudicus |
|
Habitat |
Rotten wood |
|
Description |
Phallic shaped with egg shaped cap |