Anyone familiar w. :chicken of the woods" 'shroom?

gdenby

Hi, all,

I'm a novice shroomer. Have found nice puff-balls. Have not found any morels. Have found, I think, both chicken of the woods, and hen of the woods.

Here's a pic of one I found today:



Does this look like a chicken of the woods, aka a sulfur to anyone?

Shot of the gills:



Pores were so small I couldn't really see any.

Smelled very mushroomey. I didn't have any bag to carry it. The woods were thick, and the ground very damp, so I needed my hands free. Shame if it is a sulfur. Was over a foot wide, and three levels thick.

RRP

can I have your BGE if you eat them and you were wrong?

gdenby

Umm, if I say yes, are you going to tell me they are O.K.? :ohmy:

Seriously, I'm pretty certain they are "Laetiporus cincinnatus" having found them growing apparently right out of the ground in an area thick with old downed trees, which is the habit. But unlike puffballs and morels, I haven't had anyone point and say "Yes, those are O.K."

fishlessman

try this site, i didnt die with their help :laugh:
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=3&page=0

gdenby

I've looked at a couple of the 'shroom boards, and figure I will have to join and login in. The Shroomery site seems pretty good, but I'd not want to visit while at work. Near top stickied post "An overview on how to find Psilocybin Mushrooms. " Says me, "Gee boss, I just wanted to know what to avoid."

Anyway, I'll comb through their archive.

Gator Bait

 
Hey gdenby,

No offense to the membership here but this is the last place I would ask about a wild mushroom! Not that anyone would steer you wrong intentionally but gee whiz . . .

HERE is a very interesting link.

I would wish you good luck but under the circumstances you want a lot better than luck! :blink:

How about "Live long and prosper."

Gator

 

ranger ray

looks similar to a mushroom that is extremely popular here in NEPA..... locally.... we refer to them as "ram" heads"...( i don't see any resemblance to one.... they are almost always battered and deep fried..... i can't vouch for your shroom without better pics...was it growing at the base of an oak tree? the ones we eat here always found there.... lotsa folks pickle them and can 'em for use during the winter...rr

gdenby

The Eggheads have lots of knowledge about food, and I thought it worth asking. Admittedly, kind of fishing for some info, but I supposed there was a decent chance someone hunted wild mushrooms.

Thanks for the link, I will review.

gdenby

It was growing straight out of the ground where there were many fallen trees, among them a large just fallen oak.

Pray tell, where is NEPA?

ranger ray

from what i understand... any type of "shelf"(leafy ) style mushroom is edible even if it does not taste too good...( won't kill ya )
NEPA..... is northeast pensylvania

mushroom picking is a popular pastime here in this area due to the ethnic population mostly polish/slovak/ hungarian /eastern europeans who came here to work in the anthracite mines in the 1800/1900/"s..... want to have a good laugh?.... look up "coalspeak" the dictionary of the anthracite coal region slang...and another good chuckle? look up "heynabonics" on you tube.... it's a riot.... and do not forget to look up "boilo" it's a popular homemade alcoholic beverage.... which has many variations and henceforth, competitions exist amongst the makers here in this area.....( every family insists theirs is the best)....thanks! ray

ranger ray

oh.... i'd eat that mushroom...a lot of folks here also make a mushroom gravy and serve with steaks or pot roast... rr

gdenby

Thanks for the responses. I was pretty certain it was O.k., but am cautious. A good friend and his uncle have said that there isn't anything in the area that can't be eaten, death angels aside, and then added "You won't die , but you'll wish you had." So i'm a little hesitant.

FWIW, my wife's Lithuanian grandfather never took the girls along on mushroom hunts, so she's as clueless as me. On my Polish side, everyone was factory workers. All made their own eye-watering horseradish, but had no opportunity to get into the woods.

ranger ray

oh! the horseradish! ( we used dig it up fresh in the spring) and red beets at easter time.... grating it by hand .... before the days of electric grinders etc.... the red beets were canned in the fall.... what memories!.... i almost forgot about that..... how lazy we have become! .... thanks!

ranger ray

i'd still take a shot.... eat a small amount.... stay close to the throne.... i'd give ya a 99 percent shot of success.... isn't there a local VFW club etc where old dudes congregate..... ??? they can advise you...... look up a "Polish Eagles " club..... there's plethora of info.... put an ad on craigslist looking for someone to show me ropes for mushroom picking.... i eat about ten local varieties.... too lazy to can 'em anymore.....thanks!rr oh!.... check the local county environmental education center... they will surely lead to one the right path...the game commission might be of some help in terms of classes.... ID... etc.

ranger ray

i'd still take a shot.... eat a small amount.... stay close to the throne.... i'd give ya a 99 percent shot of success.... isn't there a local VFW club etc where old dudes congregate..... ??? they can advise you...... look up a "Polish Eagles " club..... there's plethora of info.... put an ad on craigslist looking for someone to show me ropes for mushroom picking.... i eat about ten local varieties.... too lazy to can 'em anymore.....thanks!rr oh!.... check the local county environmental education center... they will surely lead to one the right path...the game commission might be of some help in terms of classes.... ID... etc.