Dryads saddle?

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Dryads saddle?

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Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 05 8:43 pm Post subject: Dryads saddle?
We found the following fungi growing on a freshly fallen oak log. It looks like a small dryads saddle and it smelt rather good. Any ideas what it is?

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 05 8:49 pm Post subject:
Not sure treacs, I didn't think they were that orangey. Phillips book shan't be here for 2 weeks yet so can't look it up I'm afraid

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 05 9:15 pm Post subject:
Think it is the camera turning it rather David Dickinson...it was rather more subtle if my memory is to be relied on. Which it probably isn't. Don't worry though, said oak log is far, far away, we shan't be munching it!

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 05 10:00 pm Post subject:
That'd be a dryads saddle. Good when young, very 'polypore' in flavour. Not one for frying, have it in a stew or a soup, very good with chicken.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 6:09 am Post subject:

cab wrote:

have it in a stew or a soup, very good with chicken.

A bit late now, the hens have started laying again.

This fungi looked very fresh and young, about the size of an orange.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 7:50 am Post subject:

Perfect condition then!

Sometimes you'll find whopping great big stands of them, and as often as not they'll reappear in the same place year after year. When they get all big they're most likely far too woody to eat, but when they're small like that they're rather nice. Might get away with frying them young, but they're still tough.

I've got a picture scanned of a bunch growing together somewhere...

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 8:51 am Post subject:
If eaten it, not overly keen. Isn't it supposed to be the least tasty of the edibles?

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 9:03 am Post subject:

Jonnyboy wrote:

If eaten it, not overly keen. Isn't it supposed to be the least tasty of the edibles?

Depends who you ask. Plums and custard is less tasty, common white helvella tastes of slightly moldy coconut, the false death cap is, I'm told, edible and revolting (don't try this at home, kids!), some of the edible russulas taste of nowt... 'edible but pointless' is the biggest category of mushrooms, I'd say.

Polypores like this one and the giant polypore (when really, really young) are tasty and good, but very 'polypore'. It's a distinctive flavour, and I'd describe it as a background mushroom flavour. Use it with some dried boletus or puffball (be sparing!) out of the cupboard, and if you have some Agaricus too then the combination is really, really exciting. In fact that's one of my basic adaptable recipes, using such a combination with beef or chicken in pies, stews and suchlike.

On it's own it isn't bad, at least I don't think so, it's just that isn't the best way ofusing it.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 9:11 am Post subject:

cab wrote:

Jonnyboy wrote:

If eaten it, not overly keen. Isn't it supposed to be the least tasty of the edibles?

Where do the paxils come on this continuum? I've found a patch of what I am pretty sure is inrolled paxils under the silver birch in our garden.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 9:16 am Post subject:

Judith wrote:

Where do the paxils come on this continuum? I've found a patch of what I am pretty sure is inrolled paxils under the silver birch in our garden.

I think you're referring to the brown roll rim, Paxillus involitus. While there are reports of this being eaten in Eastern Europe after prolonged boiling and discarding the water twice, that's still been known to poison people. This species is definitely poisonous and potentially lethal.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 9:30 am Post subject:

cab wrote:

Judith wrote:

Where do the paxils come on this continuum? I've found a patch of what I am pretty sure is inrolled paxils under the silver birch in our garden.

That's the one. I'm glad I asked the question. My book says "poisonous if raw or cooked when too old; edible as long as it is properly cooked when very young; can be preserved in oil or vinegar"!

This is why I still haven't plucked up courage to eat even things like ceps and parasols. Natural cowardice!

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 9:58 am Post subject:

Judith wrote:

Well, they do eat young ones in Eastern Europe after severe cooking; the idea is that the toxinss come out in the water, and you throw that away. There's some evidence that the remaining toxin is rather resilient, and will accumulate in your system over the years so you'll end up poisoning yourself anyway!

They're especially dangerous for children. The symptoms of poisoning are rather like leukaemia. Nasty.

There are lots of good, tasty shrooms out there, so I'd say leave the borderline poisonous ones alone; good practice being able to identify them though

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 10:03 am Post subject:

cab wrote:

There are lots of good, tasty shrooms out there, so I'd say leave the borderline poisonous ones alone; good practice being able to identify them though

Sound advice that I'm happy to follow!
So what about orange-peel fungus, then? We get lots of that. Is that worth the bother?

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 10:06 am Post subject:
I like it, it's nice cooked in a wee bit of olive oil and butter and tossed into pasta. I used to pick tons of it up in Mapperley in Nottingham. It's a subtle taste and it looks great. Better blended with other shrooms than on its own; adds colour to pasta dishes made with parasols, which are tasty but bland looking when sliced and cooked.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 05 10:10 am Post subject:
Mmm. Sounds good. Thanks.

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