| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Aj |
Fungus IdentificationCan anyone identify this?Found it on one of my trees this afternoon |
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| nettie |
Looks a bit like chicken of the woods - what colour is it underneath? | ||
| Aj |
same as the rest - a pinky orange | ||
| wildfoodie |
What kind of tree is this? it looks a little like a very old birch, possibly dead or dying? if so, there is a cinnabar polypore in Phillip's book, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus which might be it. Phillips gives habitat as dead deciduous trees - especially cherry beech and birch - inedible but very rare apparently. | ||
| cab |
Re: Fungus Identification
Not really enough to say from that picture. We could do with a look underneath, and a closer look at the top. Some guidelines for how to get the most from the forum when posting pictures for ID's can be found here: http://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?t=7371 My first instinct was the same as Wldfood Junky, it does look like a cinnabar polypore. I've never seen it in the flesh in such profusion as that, though. |
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| Aj |
The tree is a north American Birch (I live in Nova Scotia, canada)
Heres a couple more photos of it - I thought cinnabar polypore too - (I had been doing some research, i know nothing about fungus) but it seems to be a different shape to the photos I've seen. underside photo is a bit crap - it was buzzing with mosquitos last night - little buggers are supposed to have been gone a month ago I can nip out and take more if neccessary |
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| wildfoodie |
well these photos make it look more like a chicken of the woods - cf the bright yellow undersides. But I have to say I've never found it on birch here in Europe. if you cut a young piece, it should be quite wet and probably ozing liquid where you cut it. edible and imv excellent, though not strongly flavoured, so a good slug of white wine or sherry and cream would help. Opinions seem to vary as to what stage of development the cotw should be; I personally like it when it's very young and wet, with a spongy feel, as it dries out, the flesh becomes more fibrous and dry, tho' it is still edible. I usually cut off the thinnest outside edges of the fungus at this stage, chop the remaining fungus smaller, and compensate for the dryness by making a more liquid sauce. if the fibrous grain is very obvious, and the knife resists cutting through it, it will probably be too old to use.
I made some stunning ( if I say so myself  ) pies with chicken of the woods earlier this year.
make your pastry, leave to rest in the fridge. cook up the cotw in butter with some garlic and onions or leeks, chuck in the alcohol, reduce down a bit then add, if you are a meat eater, some shredded cooked chicken meat or chunks of cooked ham and copious quantities of cream to make a thick sauce. Season the sauce ( I find you need a fair bit of salt unless you're using ham ) Put it in the bottom of a pie dish roll out your pastry and lay it over the pie, make a smallslit in thr crust for steam to escape. Then glaze with a beaten egg or a little milk and bake at 180C for around 25 minutes or until the crust is golden. Serve with peas and mash for a really warming, high comfort factor dinner. |
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| nettie |
I have to say I stand by my original suggestion! The bigger bits look just about perfect for picking too 
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