 Various Russlla's / Brittlegills The rain didn't stop us! We braved the elements and were rewarded with finding a plethora of wild fungi. We probably found nearly a quarter of the varieties in just the first few hundred yards. Everyone was taken a back by how much is right under our nose as we hurriedly walk by. It was a good reminder to slow down and take your time! 
We found our first hedgehog mushrooms after a bit of a trek. We had just come through a younger park of the woodland that was lacking in the right tree types and hardly found anything. This made finding them even more exciting. Some of us scrabbled about in the undergrowth on the side of the bank determined to find as many as we could for lunch. 
Here is a complete* list of what we found on our Fungi Foray in the Looe area last week. Birch polypore / Piptoporus betulinus Blusher / Amanita rubescens Oakbug milkcap / Lactarius quietus Beech milkcap / Lactarius blennius Jellybaby fungus / Leotia lubrica Beechwood sickener / Russula nobilis Terracotta hedgehog / Hydnum rufescens Wood hedgehog / Hydnum repandum Green elfcup / Chlorociboria aeruginascens Glistening inkcap / Coprinellus micaceus Brown rollrim / Paxillus involutus Wood blewitt / Lepista nuda Candlesnuff fungus / Xylaria hypoxylon Common earthball / Scleroderma citrinum Red cracked bolete / Boletus chrysenteron False death cap / Amanita citrina Sulphur tuft / Hypholoma fasciculare Ringless honey fungus / Armillaria tabescens Brittlegill / Russula Farinipes Spindleshank or Toughshank / Gymnopus fusipes Split gill / Schizophyllum commune Clouded agaric / Clitocybe nebularis *excluding any LBJs (Little Brown Jobs)
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 My aim on the day was to teach my guests how to safely identify and analyze fungi. I also sort to dispel lots of myths around the edibility of mushrooms. We looked at the features of various different types of fungi to learn how to tell them apart.  The deceiver / Laccaria laccata - Brittlegill / Russula Farinipes - Red cracked bolete / Boletus chrysenteron - Bay bolete / Imleria badia - Lactarius omphaliformis An area that would normally take 30 minutes to walk took us 3 hours! Everyone had fun scrabbling around, exploring the undergrowth, and appreciating the detail in the various habitats. The moment of delight when we found the first Chanterelle led to a pause when everyone slowed down to hunt for more.
Another key moment was finding a Death Cap and False Death Cap in close succession to compare the various important features. Know your enemy!
The walk ended with ID workshop and a cook up. We had Winter Chanterelles fried in butter and thyme on crusty bread, followed by a mushroom soup. The soup was a simple potato and leek soup made only with a stock from dried cep and cauliflower mushroom, to which we added our Chanterelles, Winter Chanterelles and Oyster mushrooms, and finished with fresh thyme.
Here is a complete* list of what we found this week on our Fungi Foray yesterday in the Bodmin area. Fly agaric / Amanita muscaria Common earthball / Scleroderma citrinum Red cracked bolete / Boletus chrysenteron Bay bolete / Imleria badia Death cap / Amanita phalloides False death cap / Amanita citrina Stink horn / Phallus impudicus Winter chanterelle / Cantherellus tubaeformis Chanterelle / Cantharellus cibarius Amethyst chanterelle / Cantharellus amethysteus Sulphur tuft / Hypholoma fasciculare Turkey tail / Trametes versicolor The deceiver / Laccaria laccata Toads ear / Otidea bufonia Common funnel / Clitocybe gibba Brittlegill / Russula Farinipes Zombie fungus / Cordyceps militaris Webcap / Cortinarius Spindleshank / Gymnopus fusipes Candlesnuff fungus / Xylaria hypoxylon Milkcap / Lactarius omphaliformis Gymnopus acervatus (Collybia acervata) *excluding any LBJs (Little Brown Jobs)
 Zombie fungus / Cordyceps militaris  Candlesnuff fungus / Xylaria hypoxylon
 Fly agaric / Amanita muscaria |
