Michael Kuo says of the Blackstaining Polypore
With similar mushrooms known as the "hen of the woods" and the "chicken of the woods," I think Meripilus sumstinei should be known as the "rooster of the woods," just to add to the confusion--which is already fairly rampant, to judge from the hen-chicken, chicken-hen e-mails I receive confusing the two officially named-for-fowl mushrooms
He describes its taste as mild and pleasant, and I would tend to agree. Though I would stress the need to find them young. They rapidly grow tough with age.
I've read other sources that don't recommend it as good edible, describing it as "like eating cardboard". But I've found young meripilus sumstinei are tender with a delicious mushroomy flavor.
These are just babies.
How cute is that?
The slug seems to find this specimen tender enough:P
As the name implies, they have rather an unappetizing tendency to turn black when they're handled.
On one hand it's a useful identifying characteristic.
On the other hand it's a bit disconcerting to look in your bag when you get home and see specimens that look like you forgot about them for like a week.
Considering the shape and the fact it's an edible, I don't know why anyone would think Meripilus Sumstinei was a "toadstool".
But you can't argue with the experts.
Have a toadally awesome #fungifriday everyone!
Thank you @ewKaw for hosting another fantastic #fungifriday:D
Haha the toads love the shrooms. Tons of little baby toads are always bouncing around the mushrooms looking for bugs. I hate to think of how many I've accidentally stepped on...
Yeah, considering the bugs that are attracted to them, plus the fact the both like moist, shaded spots, makes sense. But TBH I haven't seen the toads around a lot. Surprise the hell out of me when he came hopping out of the bunch.
You step on them?😐
I see the expert is enjoying it's find too :)
Happy Fungifriday!
It was so funny, I was taking shots of near by mushrooms, he comes hopping out of the middle of the mushroom, and just sits there cooperatively while I take his (or her?) picture.
I'm convinced that word's gotten out and he wanted to be part of the #fungifriday photo op:D
Haha definitely :D There is no FroggieFriday so he gotta do what he gotta do to be in the photo :D
Thanks so much. The support is greatly appreciated:)
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Very nice shots! I've heard that you can make a nice ground beef substitute with this mushroom if you catch it in time. They're always old and tough by the time I find them.
I can see that as far as the flavor goes. Not sure if you could make it hold together for patties, but crumbled and browned, like for tacos or tomato sauce might work:P
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This is cute!
I'll pass that along if I see him again. It'll make his day. Toads almost never get called cute.
Thanks for coming by and checking out my post, and for leaving your comment:)
Wow! Another very niche subject! An alien world to me!
Cheers.
I only started getting into mushrooms a couple of years ago when we had so much rain you couldn't go outside without seeing mushrooms everywhere.
It is a whole different world that you start to get to know. You start feeling it become a part of you. There's always so much to learn. I'm still learning a lot.
Thanks for the reply. Oh! I would love to see mushrooms growing in my garden! Then I could use them in my cooking!
Must try to grow mushroom!