Amara Posted August 24, 2016 Report Share Posted August 24, 2016 Pretty sure they are Pleurotus ostreatus. To me they seem like oysters because of the general shape as well the gills run down the stem, not centered or anything. Every second gill is short. Too small for many options though Elm Oyster is just fine for an option. Didn't kill me when I nibbled (after much research) Unfortunately it has been dry as Burning here in Ontario so this is all I've found this year after bit of rain. I found an imposter last year (bottom picture) but am considering harvesting. There's lots of trees down. I know so.e people worry about over harvesting. Does it make sense to spread the oysters to other fallen trees by placing some mushroom material under the bark of fallen and dead trees? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted August 25, 2016 Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 Amara, your find certainly looks like "oysters" . I'm figuring a dead maple as the host. The photo , of the host tree, portrays a nice harvestable selection. I commonly find (Ontario) oysters on aspen, maple, beech and on occasion elm. Elm oysters I almost always find on box elders (elm?). No kidding on the surface of the sun temps in southern Ontario; found a few morels, in May, other than that haven't even bothered. Perhaps the recent dumps of rain and evening cool downs will get something fruiting. As for your find, I find oysters have an "anise" odour and are often riddled with little beetles. I KNOW beetles aren't an i.d. however I only see these little bggers on oysters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amara Posted August 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 The licorice smell was another indicator I considered. Last year I got a lot of Oyster but not this kind in particular. I found no evidence of bugs. They'll just float to the top if I blance them anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amara Posted August 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 I went back to the spot. These specimens (same kind of mushroom as previous post) are much larger. There was a fine mist of spores wafting off of some of them. They have a different shape, but the gills attach to the stem in the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amara Posted August 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleurotus_pulmonarius Pleurotus pulmonarius I suppose is another option for what it could be but I've only seen one of the two kinds so I'm not sure how to tell the difference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted August 26, 2016 Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 Amara, after a day of baking outside. Working down in Port Credit today; the lake only amplified the humidity. I'm not ready to look up Pleurotus variants. That being said your (excellent) photos show what I'd confidently i.d. as an oyster. As always this is only an opinion and the onus is on you for one hundred percent i.d. I'd happily harvest these, brush them with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss on a hot grill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amara Posted August 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 Way ahead of you. I have two large boxes full so some are mushroom soup for winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted August 26, 2016 Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 Congrats, oysters make a nice soup. Maybe I'll see if my 13 year old lab can stand a meander through the woods this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amara Posted August 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 So far I had a pan scramble with wild leek, olive oil, pepper. Just to highlight flavor and texture in a solo dish. And burgers with grilled mushrooms (fine shred of smaller tender babies) then blanched a bunch for the freezer and am cooling 3 liters of concentrated mushroom broth. Mushroom soup and meat stuffings for winter. I will probably get more. I'm checking for chicken of the woods tomorrow and need a box of buttons for marinated mushrooms this weekend or next. I never liked mushrooms before finding ones that actually have flavors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shroomersue Posted August 29, 2016 Report Share Posted August 29, 2016 The oyster mushrooms have been the only prolific ones so far this summer season for me too, here in SW Ontario. Extremely dry north of the lake areas,but, thanks to fallen beech trees, I have harvested many. The large amounts make an excellent meat substitute after they been chopped down small and sautéed and added to your favourite tomato sauce for spaghetti. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted August 29, 2016 Report Share Posted August 29, 2016 Amara, shroomersue. I've got to to give a plug to my favourite hunter/gatherer. Hank Shaw at hunter angler gardener cook (honest-food.net) has some amazing wild mushroom recipes. As well his website includes everything from shellfish to how to eat bracken ferns (I know bracken!), with stories to accompany many of the recipes. Mainly California based, however most articles are either transferable or offer eastern subsitutes. If you check it out, go to the foraging heading. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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