02129-FG Edible Mushrooms PB final 2/23/10 2:59 PM Page 1 F i e l d G u i d e Field Guide to t o E D EDIBLE I B L MUSHROOMS E M of BRITAIN AND EUROPE U Field Guide to Edible Mushrooms of Britain and Europe is an invaluable S source of information and advice on when and where to look H for edible fungi throughout Europe. R • Features over 65 of the very best edible mushroom species and O 30 poisonous confusion species for extra safety. O • Clear at-a-glance summary information on edibility, habitat, M season, size and key identification features. • Fully illustrated with over 200 superb species photographs, shot S in situ using natural light and highlighting unique characteristics. A O N • Useful, practical advice on the storage and cooking of each DF B species, to help make the best culinary use of them. ER UI RTA • Written by one of the UK’s foremost mushroom experts. OI PN E NATURAL HISTORY/FOOD £9.99 PETER JORDAN www.newhollandpublishers.com 05133CTP-Mushrooms 001-025-4C 15/5/06 6:19 PM Page 1 01012CTP-Mushrooms 001-025-5TH 10/1/06 11:17 AM Page 1 (5th Reflex Blue plate) Field Guide to EDIBLE MUSHROOMS of BRITAIN AND EUROPE This book is dedicated to Valerie for her help and support to me that have made our many changes of direction possible. Bloomsbury Natural History An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square 1385 Broadway London New York WC1B 3DP NY 10018 UK USA www.bloomsbury.com BLOOMSBURY and the Diana logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc This electronic edition published 2015 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc First published in 2006 by New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd Copyright © 2015, 2006 in text: Peter Jordan Copyright © 2015, 2006 in artwork and photographs: Peter Jordan (except for those listed on p160) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers and copyright holders. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication data has been applied for. ISBN (print): 978-1-4729-2083-6 ISBN (ePub): 978-1-4729-2084-3 ISBN (ePDF): 987-1-4729-2085-0 Photographers: Peter Henley & Peter Jordan Artist: Peter Henley Cartoonist: Tony Hall To find out more about our authors and books visit www.bloomsbury.com. Here you will find extracts, author interviews, details of forthcoming events and the option to sign up for our newsletters. DISCLAIMER: The publishers and the author cannot accept responsibility for any identification of any mushroom made by the users of this guide, nor for any effects resulting from eating any wild mushroom. Although many species are edible for the majority of people, some species can cause allergic reactions or illness to a number of people: this is totally unpredictable. Field Guide to EDIBLE MUSHROOMS of BRITAIN AND EUROPE PETER JORDAN LONDON • NEW DELHI • NEW YORK • SYDNEY 01012CTP-Mushrooms 001-025-5TH 10/1/06 11:19 AM Page 4 (5th Reflex Blue plate) Contents From Pounds to Pints to Penny Buns (Boletus Edulis) 6 An Introduction 8 Mushrooms in History 10 The Different Parts of a Mushroom 13 Collecting Mushrooms 18 When and Where to Hunt Mushrooms 20 Mushroom Forays 22 How to Use This Book 24 Edible Species 26 Truffle Species 106 Poisonous Species 112 Storage Methods 144 Cooking with Mushrooms 147 Further Reading 152 Useful Addresses 153 Glossary 154 Index 155 Acknowledgements 160 05133CTP-Mushrooms 001-025-4C 15/5/06 6:21 PM Page 5 05133CTP-Mushrooms 001-025-4C 15/5/06 6:22 PM Page 6 01012CTP-Mushrooms 001-025-5TH 10/1/06 11:20 AM Page 6 (5th Reflex Blue plate) FROM POUNDS TO PINTS TO PENNY E C A F E BUNS (Boletus Edulis) R P The Penny Bun (Boletus edulis). I have been collecting wild mushrooms a result, there is a renewed interest in for over 60 years. I was introduced to collecting the more interesting fungi. the hunt by my grandfather, a Norfolk Although a country boy at heart, after farmer, who delighted in collecting from my schooling, I went into banking, spend- the wild. I was brought up on the farm ing 28 years travelling the country in this during the war years when everything was career, and ending up as a bank manager in in short supply, so it was no surprise that Cambridge. However, I never lost my inter- free food was often on our table. The art est in collecting wild mushrooms. I also of collecting faded in the post-war years, never forgot my grandfather’s wise advice. but these days more and more restaurants Be sure you’ve identified your mushroom are serving wild mushrooms. And so, as correctly – if in doubt leave it out. 6 05133CTP-Mushrooms 001-025-4C 15/5/06 6:25 PM Page 7 01012CTP-Mushrooms 001-025-5TH 10/1/06 11:20 AM Page 7 (5th Reflex Blue plate) By 1984, I’d had enough of banks and offices. With the support of my wife Valerie and our children, we embarked on a new venture: running a country pub in my native Norfolk. We spent 10 happy and E C very busy years in the small village of A F Burnham. As we put more and more E R mushroom dishes on our menu we soon P became known as ‘the mushroom pub’. Of course, when we weren’t serving the public, we often went on mushroom hunts in the local countryside. After the lease on ‘the mushroom pub’ expired, I began promoting the wonder of wild mushrooms by writing about them, making a video, organising and leading mushroom forays, and helping at cookery a wonderful view over the common and schools at home and abroad. golf course, and I can even collect mush- Since then, I’ve worked with Gary rooms from my front garden. This is now Rhodes, Brian Turner and Hugh Fearnley- the home of the Tasty Mushroom Whittingstall. We have also moved to Partnership, promoting the enjoyment of Southwold in Suffolk. ‘Poppy Cottage’ has mushrooms everywhere. Peter and Valerie on the fungi trail. 7 05133CTP-Mushrooms 001-025-4C 15/5/06 6:27 PM Page 8 01012CTP-Mushrooms 001-025-5TH 10/1/06 11:22 AM Page 8 (5th Reflex Blue plate) AN INTRODUCTION N The terms ‘mushroom’ and ‘toadstool’ detailed identification data. There are O I often cause people confusion. Mushrooms quite a number of good reference T C and toadstools are all fungi. Some are books available, many of which you can U edible, but others are poisonous, even find in the Further Reading section on D O deadly. In this book, we help you select page 152. There have been a number of R T the best of the edible varieties; we also species name changes in recent years, so N warn you about the lookalikes – especially check carefully. I N those that are poisonous or deadly. Fungi, which include yeasts and mould, A Many books about mushrooms have as well as mushrooms and toadstools, are been published over the years, but people fascinating. Because they don’t contain are often confused by the sheer number the green pigment chlorophyll or use the of species to be identified. And so, in this process of photosynthesis, they don’t need book, we concentrate on the ones you daylight in order to grow. As a result, most need to know for the cooking pot, while fungi develop during the hours of dark- clearly identifying the ones you must be ness, and their growth is linked to the sure to avoid. phases of the moon. However, this book is a guide that In this book we look at two main should be used in connection with a groups of fungi: the Ascomycetes and the comprehensive mycological guide with Basidiomycetes. Gastronomy vs. mycology. 8