Foraging adventures, classes, and events.
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Anyone wanna spend a fall afternoon mushroom hunting with ForagerChef and Chick of the Woods and then eating wild snacks prepared by the Forager Chef himself? See you Saturday, September 28 in a forest within 1 hour of Minneapolis.
Tickets and more info at chickofthewoods.com.
Doing some foraging with FullScale Outdoors before recording an upcoming podcast, we ran across this beauty. Maybe Amanita rhopalopus or Amanita ravenelii, but those don't appear to be in this area. Any thoughts? The warts were falling off like dandruff.
A Message from the President of MMS:
It has been a very good year for mushrooms after several years of dry conditions. If you are going to be at the State Fair, it is a good time to share with our elected representatives that foraging is important to you as an outdoor pursuit and access to public lands for foraging needs to be protected so we all can learn and enjoy this family activity. Just go to the major party locations and share this with any of the people there, especially the people campaigning for the legislature or anyone in the current Governor's administration.
Also visit the DNR building where they have people on staff who are there to listen to citizens about how they enjoy public lands. Tell them about your interest in foraging and how important it is to have public lands available for foraging.
Consider joining others to advocate for responsible and sustainable foraging.
Peter Martignacco
President
Minnesota Mycological Society (Since 1899)
125 Years of Citizen Science
Just a cute little family of Amanita chrysoblema. 😍 Otherwise known as the Fly Agaric. (The scientific name has recently changed from Amanita muscaria var guessowii to Amanita chrysoblema... Or it should soon if it hasn't officially yet.)
This is the yellow/orange variety of the more commonly known red variety of Amanita muscaria. We don't have the red variety in MN.
I did pick some of these with the intention of trying them for culinary purposes. It takes time to muster up the courage to try a new mushroom... especially one that is considered toxic and hallucinogenic (if it's not prepared correctly). I've picked and brought this mushroom home at least 5 different times with the intention of trying it, but the time didn't seem right once I was in my kitchen. Maybe this time. 🤷
My friend Hank with Hunt Gather Cook has a great article on cooking it along with lots of other fun information about this mushroom. Just Google "how to safely eat Amanita muscaria" and it should pop up.
It's apparently pretty tasty. If you've tried this mushroom (for eating), what are your thoughts? Was it worth the hassle?
Checking new mushroom spots is always a toss up. You imagine the mother lode waiting for you, but there's a better chance you spend an entire day tromping around, sweating, and hanging out with mosquitos and deer flies to come home with next to nothing. Or you could go to "your spots" and likely find a basket full of tasty morsels. I opted to put on some miles and try someplace new with a friend yesterday and we did NOT find the mother lode.
I didn't even come home with one meal's worth of mushrooms, but it was definitely worth it. We explored new territory and had a fun game of "pick the perfect mushroom habitat and don't let any deer flies in"... which we both lost. We are both experienced mushroom hunters and in theory, they should have been there... But nope. Sometimes that's the way it goes.
However, I found a couple mushrooms I've never found before, including this dark-spotted milk cap which I thought was exceptionally cool looking and the gorgeous chrome-footed bolete! We also found some nice Wapato and milkweed patches (to make the yummy fried milkweed pods recipe) and I learned about making tea from fireweed leaves.
Yesterday reminded me of a time in my teens with squinty, blood-shot eyes and big pupils 😵💫, that I had amazingly discovered the meaning of life... "Make new paths." Whoa! 😄 I talked about painting the bottom of your feet and analyzing the tracks. In short, you'd see yourself walking the exact same tracks most days and it's the days you veer off that are the most memorable and important. I thought I was genius! 😂 Corny, I know, but it's kinda true. I've been guilty of staying in the same tracks lately and it felt good to make some new paths.
This Old Man will lure you in with his rugged good looks time and time again. You've been warned about him, but he can't possibly be that bad. JUST LOOK AT HIM!! 😍 He stands there patiently and confidently, knowing you can't resist him. After slight hesitation, you take him in your hands and bring him home so proud to show him off.
But they were right. You are disappointed. He's just not good on the inside no matter what you try to do. You're exhausted. It's time to forget him and move on.
Some time goes by and there he is... standing there in the distance. Somehow looking better than ever. Walking slowly towards him, he flashes you that look only you get to see and instantly forget how bad he was. It doesn't take much to convince you it will be better this time. Maybe if you do things differently. Try harder. Butter him up more. So you give him another chance.
But you knew better. No matter how many times you try, he always ends in disappointment. It's time to forget him once and for all. Get on with your life and pick only the Kings.
Meet the newest member of my family, Tubby. I promise to fill her with love and take her on walks often. 😁
This is the smaller version of my other , which I've been eyeing up for years. She is finally home. 🥰
Newly added mushroom hunts! Check out these and other events at chickofthewoods.com.
What a gorgeous and delightful wild mushroom and plant-based lunch we had at the Chicks Only hunt last Saturday. 🤤 Jodi Gruhn with Borealle knocked it out of the park again! She veganized the amazing pate recipe in the Wild Mushroom cookbook by Modern Forager, served a refreshing salad with pickled chanterelles, and made a mouth-watering mixed mushroom shawarma pita sandwich. We were well fed for our foraging adventure! ☺️
I'll also be cooking up a light tasting of chanterelles (that will be nothing near as fancy as this, but it will be tasty and vegan!) after the upcoming hunt this Saturday if you'd like to join. Two seats are still available. Chickofthewoods.com
If your kids like Easter eggs hunts, they will LOVE mushroom hunting! Learn with your kid a fun and useful hobby that gets you both outside in nature together and away from the screen. On August 20, we will be partnering with a wonderful organization, , to give your kids an epic mushroom experience. We'll be covering safety of course, going for a scavenger hunt in the woods, making a spore print, and even cooking up and eating (optional) what we find! This event will be held about 45 minutes north of Minneapolis. Adult supervision required.
More info and tickets at chickofthewoods.com or littlewilderness.co.
In case you haven't heard me talking about mushrooms enough... 😄🤦 take a listen! I swear I don't know how to talk about anything else these days so it's nice to find people that want to chat with me. ☺️ Thanks to Jimmy and Deano of Down The Barrel podcast for having me!
Just 12 of the 264 pictures I took yesterday. I've got a problem. 🤦 If you want to fill your phone with pictures of nature on Saturday, join me at 1:30 at in St. Croix Falls, WI. They've got lots more than just fungi to take photos of. We'll also keep our eyes peeled for edible fruit and plants and flowers and maybe we'll spot some wildlife like the beautiful swans that live in the Lotus Pond. Come early and do some paddleboard yoga at 10am or a beginner paddleboard class at 11am. Or kayak. Or pet mini cows. Or rent golf carts or four wheelers. Or fish for trout. There is so much to do and so much space with 1000 acres of land! More info and tickets at bigrockcreekwi.com or chickofthewoods.com.
I JUST decided to add a last minute foraging adventure for THIS Sunday! Sometimes last minute works best and all this rain has sooooo many interesting mushrooms popping up. 🍄 I neeeeeed to be out there and it would be great to have company. Wander through the woods, make new friends, and learn a skill you can use the rest of your life. Sign up at chickofthewoods.com.
White Worm Coral aka Fairy Fingers.
Clavaria fragilis (or C. vermicularis)
Edible, but apparently tasteless. I'm gonna give it a try... And I'm guessing it will taste like butter and salt. 😁
A new mushroom down the gullet! Have you been seeing this one around lately, too? I've found it in a couple different areas just walking through town (Jordan, MN). It's very non-descript, but it can grow in big clumps on the ground and sometimes the edge of the cap will get "lobey" (kinda like a white oak leaf). The cap is very firm and has the feeling of soap when it's wet. This is the Fried Chicken Mushroom, Lyophyllum decastes. I just tried a little with my eggs this morning and it was tasty! Have you seen or tried this mushroom? Any suggestions on how to prepare it? It seems like it would be good anywhere as it's not overly powerful in flavor and had a nice solid texture. Do you know why it's called the Fried Chicken mushroom? Maybe I need to deep fry it??
I was surprised to find some pickable sized chanterelles already in the Minneapolis metro area and TONS of teeny chants to come! 😃 I'd have let them grow bigger, but most were already buggy. 😥
And you thought having a third ni**le was bad?!? These Mycena mushrooms have several ni**les AND varicose veins (cross-veins). Poor thing. Do you feel slightly uncomfortable looking at these pictures also? 🫣😳🤭
Staycation idea for the 4th of July weekend! All this rain should make for a fungi-filled day in the forest. 😊
Mushrooms and more!
Scaly Ink Cap (Coprinopsis variegata)
One of those mushrooms I haven't tried because you can get sick if alcohol is consumed a couple days before or after eating this mushroom. 🤷🍻 If you've tried it, what did you think of it?
Oh, and did you know we have gift certificates for foraging adventures? Think Father's Day, graduation gifts, anniversaries, or birthdays!! They are available at chickofthewoods.com.
Handmade antler-carved morels for sale. Father's Day gift? Statues, ornaments, magnets, and keychains. $5 shipping or pick up in Jordan, MN. (Not made with my hands) Venmo, check, or cash.
I was getting my hair done by the lovely yesterday and noticed this adorable owl checking out my new do. He seems to be a little uncertain of my new look 😄, but I was certain I could tell what kind of tree he was made from in just a glance. Can you tell? If so, how can you tell? If not, you should probably come to my tree identification class tonight to find out. 😉
Check out this event for the kiddos up in the Cambridge area!
TOTAL COST: $56 | DEPOSIT: $56 (THIS IS NON REFUNDABLE) ARE PARENTS/GUARDIANS REQUIRED TO ATTEND: YES (ALSO REQUIRED TO PAY) TRIP REGISTRATION DATE: TO BE DETERMINED
Learning about trees can be fun! I'll teach you silly ways to remember how to identify these giant creatures and which mushrooms are likely to associate with them.
This Wednesday, June 5. 6:30-8:30pm.
Bloomington, MN. Only $39.
Hunt for the trees, pick the mushrooms.
Tickets at chickofthewoods.com/events.
Meet Shark Shredder. Yes, that's her name. And she's every bit as badass as an ocean shark. We first "met" about a year and a half ago on social media. She's an artist. I wanted some new designs. I loved her stuff. So I reached out to her to see what she could do for me. We proceeded to meet on zoom four separate times to discuss the designs and we literally chatted for no less than five hours. Every. Single. Time. (The design part of the discussion was usually no more than 15 minutes long 😄) Who knew two strangers had so much to talk about? We've kept in touch over social media and this last weekend we finally met in person! She saw I was going to be in her hometown doing mushroom hunts so we decided to stay in her cabin while I was there. We feasted on crawfish and scouted for mushrooms at the fabulous Big Rock Creek. We found fawns, flowers, fungi, a ferocious black bear, and best of all... real life friendship. (The bear wasn't actually ferocious, but I needed another "f" word and I thought this was more family friendly than the other f-word.) Two nights wasn't enough so we decided last minute to stay one more night together. Sometimes you just click with someone and we did just that (at least from my perspective ☺️). She does aaaaall sorts of amazing artsy fartsy including custom drawings for your dog or family member or whatever you can dream up. Check her out and check out my swag with her designs on my website, www.chickofthewoods.com. Thanks for a fantastic weekend, Shark!
We sure did our part to help remove the invasive and non-native golden oysters yesterday! 😃 Last chances to join a springtime mushroom hunt...
-This Thursday evening, May 23, in Prior Lake, MN
-Next Sunday afternoon, May 26, near St Croix Falls, WI at
-This Saturday, May 25, at 10am in Minnetonka, MN will be a shortened foray at the event
-Memorial Day mushroom hunt SOLD OUT
Tickets at www.chickofthewoods.com/events
Another wonderful time at the fundraiser event. ❤️🍄
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I'd consider the first Forage-To-Table event at @bigrockcreekwi a success! We had a flavorful lunch, educational presentation, bountiful forage, refreshing cocktails, great company, and delicious dinner! Special thanks to Jess Silk who did all the hard work involving the food while I got to do the fun part of talking about mushrooms and foraging. 😁 Sad you missed out? There are a couple more events this fall involving food... One that I'll do on my own (Sept 15) with a light tasting of wild mushrooms in the woods, one with a homemade lunch at @arcretreatcommunity with @fourseasonforaging (Sept 18), and one (yet to be officially announced but save the date for Sept 28) with apps made by @foragerchef himself!! More info at chickofthewoods.com.
I was soooooo nervous to do my first "Fun With Fungi" kids event. Not having kids myself, I figured I'd bore them stiff and they'd just throw mushrooms at me. But oh my goodness, these kids STOLE my heart and I think they actually had fun! 😃 One of my favorite parts was when one of the boys walked up to me, handed me a mushroom and said, "Here this one is for you.... I know you really like these and I already have one." 🥹🫠 It was an indigo milk cap and he saw how excited I was to find these and had told them I had only found them once before. Ugh... My heart!! ❤️💔 It was a day I'll never forget and now I'm really looking forward to my next kids event with @littlewildernessco this coming Tuesday. We will even be adding a cooking and tasting element! There are still a few tickets available at chickofthewoods.com.
I get a feeling of bittersweet when I find my first Hen of the Woods each year. I LOOOOOOVE fall mushroom hunting but hens mark the end of summer for me 😫 and I don't love that one season that follows fall. 🥶 This mushroom is growing on one of my "early trees." I've hunted hens for 17 years now and I've found each tree produces a hen at approximately the same time every year. Even growing from the same spot on the ground. Last year I found a mushroom in this spot on August 14 which might have been my earliest find previous to this year of August 12. Last year was also the latest I'd ever found a hen, which was on October 27 (different tree). I decided to pick this mushroom because there was rain the next day and didn't want it to get all splashed and dirty from the rain. Otherwise I would have tried to leave it be and grow a few more days. Fall is the funnest time of year for mushroom hunting with the variety and abundance. If you'd like to see what it's all about, check out my schedule and see if there's an adventure that fits your schedule. Chickofthewoods.com #henofthewoods #fallmushrooms #foraging #mushroomhunting
The @wisconsin.mycological.society (WMS) sure puts on fun and action packed events! Mushroom forays, cooking demo, wild foods potluck, mushroom cultivation classes, plant walk with THEE Sam Thayer, educational presentations, table talks, catered dinners, and a great camping venue. The weekend was surrounded by wonderful people talking about mushrooms and plants and learning so incredibly much. What more could a chick want?? Thank you to the WMS planning committee for doing a phenomenal job. ❤️ The WMS has more events like this coming up if you're looking for a weekend of fungi fun.
The chanterelles are out of control this year!!
I went to my favorite forest today and ran into two different families of raccoons... What a lucky day!! 🥰🥰🥰🦝🦝🦝 Oh and I found a bunch of mushrooms, too. 😁
If you get my newsletter, there will be a better explanation and more pictures explaining the difference between toxic Jack O Lantern mushrooms and prime edible chanterelles... but this is one video I wanted to share of jacks posing as chants. If you aren't signed up to my newsletter, just go to my website, chickofthewoods.com, and one of those obnoxious pop-ups will appear and you can sign up there.
This is about 2 weeks earlier than I've ever found a Chicken of the Woods! It looks old and faded but it was very fresh. This is the Laetiporus cinncinatus variety which is paler than the more common and brightly colored L. sulfureus. It's more common to find the L. cinncinatus growing on the ground but sometimes mushrooms, like Cartman, do what they want.
Not every day in the woods is a good one. Today ended very sadly. This poor little raccoon both melted and broke my heart. As sweet as he seemed, he was obviously very sick. I looked up the symptoms after our little encounter and believe he had distemper, which is almost always fatal. Yeah sure I shouldn't have let him get that close but I did so please resist the urge to scold me. Right or wrong, I called to have him dispatched to end his suffering. RIP little buddy. 😢😢
First morels of the season! 😃 Found these in a flat, somewhat open area, in Scott County. I checked some south facing slopes in Hennepin County today also but I think the windy conditions lately dried the hills out a bit where I was looking. The temps in the south facing slopes ranged from about 50-54 degrees. There are still openings for my Sunday mushroom hunt. More info at chickofthewoods.com.
My early fiddlehead spot is going bonkers already! I taste tested them last year between tiny little furls and about 15" tall (they all had a tight furl though). I thought all stages were great and couldn't taste much of a difference, but I'm not picky and don't notice subtle differences in taste. How tall do you pick your fiddleheads? Has anyone tried them after they have begun to unfurl? I plan to test that soon but I'm curious what other people think. If you're wondering, I'm in a floodplain in Jordan, MN (Scott County) that gets plenty of sun. My other spots aren't even breaking through yet.
My first mushroom of the year and I find it in my back yard!! 😄 Shiitake mushrooms are not native to MN so I was a little confused at first since I totally forgot I had chucked my old shiitake logs over my fence. #shiitake
Thank goodness for all the rain today!!!! 😃😃 WunderMap is one simple way to quickly check rainfall totals. How much did you get? If you have a rainfall app or website you think is great, please share it below.
I found this fruit on my way to the beach and a little research told me I discovered the delicious cocoplum! I have tried an insane number of times to get subtitles showing, but I can't figure it out so you'll just have to turn up the volume to learn more. #florida #delraybeach #forager #cocoplum
One of the many invasive, but "frickin' delicious" fruits we found on the island of Maui was Banana Poka, otherwise known as Banana Passion Fruit. Such a sweet, tart, and tangy flavor with an... interesting texture. Thank you @sunnysavageofficial for the great times and especially for sharing your time and knowledge with me. ❤️🍄🌱 #maui #hawaii #foraging #eatinvasives #sunnysavage
You guys!!! I found some edible mushrooms on a freaking volcano in Hawaii!!! 🌋 And then I ate them while watching a humpback whale slapping its tail in the ocean!! 🐳 How cool is that?? 😃 Well, I had a little help finding them. 😉 Sunny Savage drove me about an hour up the side of the old volcano in her truck, in the pouring rain, on some sketchy roads, to a beautiful coniferous forest... just for me!! ☺️ We tasted flowers and plants and talked mushrooms and girl-talk along the way until we found just the right place with a bunch of slippery jack mushrooms! Honestly, normally I don't bother picking slippery jack mushrooms in Minnesota, but Hawaii doesn't have near the diversity or abundance of mushrooms, so you take what you can get. And they were actually very good! Everything tastes better in Hawaii. 😄 Of course, I just put them in my eggs, but Sunny will be doing much more fun things with them and using some in her upcoming Wild Food and Farm Tours this month. You gotta check her out next time you're in Maui. @sunnysavageofficial #maui #hawaii #foraging #sunnysavage
I stopped at the @okoafarms store on Maui to see if I could find some funky fruit to try. As I was walking in, a super friendly gal (ok, like, EVERYONE in Hawaii is super friendly!) was carrying in a box of these "things" that she had harvested from trees growing on her land (no, not native to Hawaii). It is called Rollinia, nicknamed "snot fruit" for obvious reasons, but trust me, it tastes MUCH better than it looks! A bit like lemon meringue pie is how she described it, which was pretty accurate and also had some subtle flavors of maybe banana or coconut. It was super fun to try and would highly recommend trying this if you see it somewhere on your travels. There are actually quite a few fruits that I've found foraging here that I'd say have a somewhat snotty consistency which I'll post about another day. :)
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