RockySpears Posted October 12, 2020 Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 Finding more time to look into various hobbies/interests and started looking at Mycology. Can any one recommend a book or App that is not just a load of pictures or a Google image search? I have tree and plant id books that do a sort of 20 questions to guide you to an id e.g. Is the leaf single or palmate? are the veins alternate or coincident? So far everything I get book-wise means you have to look at every page to see if it looks like the one in hand. Cheers, RS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted October 12, 2020 Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 i love fungi/mushrooms...........i love doing and using them in carbonara.....hungarian goulash....and various other foods.............i would love the knowledge and skill and confidence...to harvest these treats........... but doing so would be way beyond my payscale and knowledge....so i leave it to others to harvest its all a bit of a black art to me........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobba Posted October 12, 2020 Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 I do believe that Magic Mushrooms can become an acquired taste. Although not from personal experience!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockySpears Posted October 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 8 minutes ago, ditchman said: i love fungi/mushrooms...........i love doing and using them in carbonara.....hungarian goulash....and various other foods.............i would love the knowledge and skill and confidence...to harvest these treats........... but doing so would be way beyond my payscale and knowledge....so i leave it to others to harvest its all a bit of a black art to me........ If you only learned to identify half a dozen or so that would be a great thing, Chantarelles, Ceps and Field mushrooms are great and once you are confident with those, you can learn more. Don't touch things that are not Ceps, Chantarelles and Field mushrooms. They are delicious, RS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 12, 2020 Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 Books and apps are helpful but the best way to learn is to join a fungi group, they will have an expert with the foraging group that will help you identify what is good to eat and what to avoid. Dont know if this group is near you…..https://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/mycology/recording-network/groups/north-eastern-fungus-study-group Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockySpears Posted October 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 3 minutes ago, Bobba said: I do believe that Magic Mushrooms can become an acquired taste. Although not from personal experience!! As an FAC holder, one thing I really need if to know which ones NOT to touch! RS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockySpears Posted October 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 7 minutes ago, old'un said: Books and apps are helpful but the best way to learn is to join a fungi group, they will have an expert with the foraging group that will help you identify what is good to eat and what to avoid. Dont know if this group is near you…..https://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/mycology/recording-network/groups/north-eastern-fungus-study-group Cheers for that. Not seen that sort of thing, king of got lost in looking for books/Apps, RS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted October 12, 2020 Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 Some 20 years ago I joined the Worcestershire Fungi Group, and although I have not been out with them for some time now it was great meeting up and finding fungi and having an expert on hand if I was unsure of what I had found. Like I said books and apps are ok but there are so many fungi/mushrooms that look familiar, some can make you very sick and some are deadly if eaten, you need someone who knows the difference between the two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storm in a teacup Posted October 12, 2020 Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 The book mushroom by Roger Phillips is probably the best around at the moment. I've only learnt 10 or so easily identifiable edibles and they keep my in mushrooms throughout the year. Tbh most edible mushroom aren't worth the bother. As crocodile Dundee said "you can life off them etc etc" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondoggy Posted October 12, 2020 Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 I believe the River Cottage mushroom book is supposed to be very good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted October 12, 2020 Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 Something different, if your on FB you would probably have to join the group but it should interest you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted October 12, 2020 Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 Roger Phillips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted October 12, 2020 Report Share Posted October 12, 2020 Another vote for Mr Phillips. An excellent book packed with very high quality pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 13, 2020 Report Share Posted October 13, 2020 Sounds like just the job. I only know the familiar ones, so stay safe with those, but would love to be more confident in picking such as Orange Boletta etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yod dropper Posted October 13, 2020 Report Share Posted October 13, 2020 (edited) I've got a couple about here somewhere, one divides them up by edible/ inedible/ poisonous, Identification Guide to Mushrooms .... - Josephine Bacon the other by type such as polypores Mushrooms & other Fungi - Bacon, Sterry, Merrick so the pair of them work well together. I've had several this year, the tastiest being chicken of the woods (3 off 2 trees) and a variety of oyster, then also field and wood varieties (loads of these about this year) and a few types of bolette. I'm sure I pass a lot of edibles by as I tend very much on the side of caution. If there isn't an app I'd be surprised. Edited October 13, 2020 by yod dropper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derbyduck Posted October 13, 2020 Report Share Posted October 13, 2020 4 hours ago, yod dropper said: I've got a couple about here somewhere, one divides them up by edible/ inedible/ poisonous, Identification Guide to Mushrooms .... - Josephine Bacon the other by type such as polypores Mushrooms & other Fungi - Bacon, Sterry, Merrick so the pair of them work well together. I've had several this year, the tastiest being chicken of the woods (3 off 2 trees) and a variety of oyster, then also field and wood varieties (loads of these about this year) and a few types of bolette. I'm sure I pass a lot of edibles by as I tend very much on the side of caution. If there isn't an app I'd be surprised. I to picked a Chicken of the woods three weeks ago and as say its one of the tastiest mushrooms I have tasted, I learned from my grandad,dad and uncles on both sidesof the family what to pick and if in any doubt to leave alone ! even the experts some times get it wrong ! Fearnley Fishingstools mentor John Wright finished up in hospital after getting a wrong un , unless you are certain stick to the tried an tested and remember you can eat all mushrooms but some only Once ! atb DD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockySpears Posted October 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2020 On 13/10/2020 at 09:23, yod dropper said: If there isn't an app I'd be surprised. There are apps, but they seem poor. Tried them on some simple ones and they don't get it. Sometimes the match is really preposterous. The "best" lets you show the mushroom on the screen and it captures an image almost instantly, but then gives little in the way of ways to verify its answer, such as gill attachment, flesh colour/consistency etc. If there was something useful, I don't mind paying, but most are free so not sure that they are taking my data or some such. I'd rather pay than be spied on or traded, RS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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