carlymorelhunter Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 I found this huge speciman growing at the base of a dying oak. White spore print. Any help much appreciated! Confused because it is more buff colored than salmon as many guides suggest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyflyfsh Posted September 16, 2014 Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 I'm afraid what you have there is Bondarzewia berkeleyi or Berkeley's Polypore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlymorelhunter Posted September 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Thanks Ladyflyfish! I confess I cooked up a tiny amount and tried it last night to no ill effect. It was quite delicious, but would you not recommend eating any more of it due to the possibility of poisonous look alikes? I did come across a caution about that, but only in one place. It is so hard to know on the internet, many are giving advice and one doesn't know their qualifications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Smalldridge Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 It is best to take it slow and try to find a local mentor. I always figure if I learn one new wild edible per year then I'm doing good. Any more than that is a bonus. Then there is the old saying....there are old mushroom hunters and there are bold mushroom hunters, but there are no old bold mushroom hunters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlymorelhunter Posted September 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Very good advice John. I am generally super cautious, but could not find any warnings of dangerous look alikes on the white pored chicken. I am going to take a sample of "the giant" to a local expert though before sampling any more of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 To my knowledge, none of the L. cincinnatus look-alikes are toxic. B. berkeleyi is somewhat similar, but tends to form large overlapping semi-circluar "shelves" at the base of a tree. I sampled a bit of young B. berkeleyii once, with no ill effects. Actually, I thought it was fairly good. But I do not collect it for the table, as I try to stay with types that are widely and regularly consumed. Carly, if there is a mushroom club in your area, then joining is a good way to learn some of the local edibles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladyflyfsh Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Berkeley's polypore is fine to eat if you get it when it is very young and fresh, but this specimen looks pretty old and tough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlymorelhunter Posted September 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 It is actually not tough at all, except near the stem. The little bit that I ate tasted quite a bit like a morel...but maybe that was the butter talking ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feral Boy Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 I've had Berkeley's before, fried up edges of a very young one. We thought the texture was steak-like, and it was pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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