ID Help Please

[4rum]

I found lots of these large thick mushrooms yesterday. The gills are a beautiful grayish, blueish purple. I did a spore print and it is so dark that it appears black. I think the spores may be a dark purple and turned black on the paper towels overnight.

I did find two examples that are a lot like these in my field guide. I don't have it with me and can't remember the varieties.

Large light brown to brown caps.

The gills are blueish, grayish, purple.

Stems are heavy and do not stain when bruised or cut. The small specimen to the right of the large one may offer a clue as well. Seems they come up, then 'burst' out of a puffball like configuration and spread their top.

I could be wrong but it appears that the top of the bottom mushroom in this photo has been covered by spores from the top mushroom. It stained my fingers purple.

I was hoping that this is an edible variety but the fields guides are pointing toward NO!

[Dave W]

Stropharia rugosoannulata, the Wine Cap Mushroom. The cap color varies from deep burgandy to reddish to tan when faded. This species has a split season... April/May and again in mid fall. I find it more often in spring. The caps are a good edible, stalks kinda fibrous. Note the thick "cogwheel" ring on the one stalk. Ring usually persists on this type, but may fall off. Most often I find this type in wood chips, garden waste, or compost; but also occasionally on lawns.

[dualsetters]

Good find; Ive been keeping an eye out for these. Thinking about buying some for a mulch pile in the backyard, but'd like to try em first.

[4rum]

There's a big patch of 'em in an open area under huge sycamore trees. I'll have to try them. There's enough that it would be a good batch to dry if they're good that way.

[Dave W]

I don't have any recommendation on preserving Wine Caps. If you have lots to spare, then maybe try drying some caps and freezing some lightly cooked caps.

[4rum]

Thanks Dave. I think I'll be going that way today. I'll see how they are. I don't know how long they are good 'in the wild'. They may be too far along but I think there will be enough to at least try a skillet full of them. I need to fry up those oysters too!

[4rum]

There were lots of nice winecaps left. I took only about a half dozen fresh ones. Did them up with just a little salt and black pepper in butter but absolutely smothered in onions. Really, really good. I enjoyed them so much. A nice mild 'woodsy' flavor, very good when picked out of the onions and savored. I'll have more of these as long as the patch produces.

[dualsetters]

4rum, I read some where about transplanting wine caps. I dont remember the details but it involved removing so much of the mushroom bed and spreading it and covering it with hardwood mulch. Supposedly they keep coming all summer and fall. Thought maybe youd want to look into that.

[4rum]

Thanks dualsetters. I went back to the patch today, the winecaps were practically gone but rain had made a few more come up. I picked them and had them along with some oysters for dinner today. Love 'em!

Checked the Dryad's Saddle, it's coming along nicely and a couple more have popped out of the side of the old stump. I'll have to harvest them in a day or two and try them.