Are they any Mycologists out there

20mile · 09-28-2010, 05:13 PM

I came across a nice black truffle mushroom this past saturday. Honestly, I took it from a red squirrel who was holding it. It was about half the size of a tennis ball.

I hunt mushrooms and was very happy to find it. I chopped up part of it and had it on my omelette. I really didn't know how rare they were until I mentioned it to a friend of mine who is a gourmet cook.

He was astounded and said it is unheard of finding that mushroom in the US let alone NH. I gave him part of it. He said I just ate a $400.00 omelette.

Has anyone else out there come across these delicacies before?

Jonas Pilot · 09-28-2010, 05:45 PM

... what I thought was a truffle, it tasted goo arh doo dah ar da ar uauaua__________________

Jonas Pilot · 09-28-2010, 05:49 PM

When in doubt, throw it out. There are a lot of "look a likes" that are poisonous!
This is one of my favorite sites.

http://www.chesterfieldoutdoors.com/...mushrooms.html

20mile · 09-28-2010, 06:03 PM

I have several field guides for mushroom foraging. There are no poisonous truffles. There is no mistaking a black truffle. (see attached photo)

I have been searching the net and find that there are very very rare finds of truffles in the US.

Jonas Pilot · 09-28-2010, 06:20 PM

You are taking a chance with your life if you cannot positively identify the fungi you consume!

http://herbarium.usu.edu/fungi/funfacts/truffind.htm

20mile · 09-28-2010, 06:38 PM

There is a picture of my squirrel friend in that article. This is pretty exiting stuff. This is truely a rare find. I know it sounds hard to beleive. I better keep the location a secret. I will try to locate more of these this weekend.

No worries on health. I am most certain these are black truffles. Eaten it twice since saturday. tastes just like the expensive truffle butter my wife bought once. The only thing that remotely resembles a truffle would be a puff ball which to me and most is easy to distinguish since it grows above ground.

ApS · 09-29-2010, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 20mile

I came across a nice black truffle mushroom this past saturday. Honestly, I took it from a red squirrel who was holding it. It was about half the size of a tennis ball.

I hunt mushrooms and was very happy to find it. I chopped up part of it and had it on my omelette. I really didn't know how rare they were until I mentioned it to a friend of mine who is a gourmet cook.

He was astounded and said it is unheard of finding that mushroom in the US let alone NH. I gave him part of it. He said I just ate a $400.00 omelette.

Has anyone else out there come across these delicacies before?

I can see it now—hunting for $400 truffles with a pack of squirrels on leashes.

But finally

a good use for the Red Squirrel!

All summer, Red Squirrels dry their mushrooms out on sundecks, railings, and high out on tree limbs: at $400 each, I'll be looking more closely at what's been put out there!

BTW: Member Keith is a Mycologist. (And knows some stuff about fixing Wolfeboro-area computers). He may tell you not to truffle with mushrooms.

Come to think of it, I haven't seen Keith—the Mycologist—for a very long time.

20mile · 09-29-2010, 06:25 PM

You know what they say about Mycologists:

"There are bold mycologists and there are old mycologists but there are no old, bold mycologists."

Rattlesnake Gal · 09-29-2010, 06:58 PM

I hope it was the best omelette you've ever had!

Acres your are too funny - squirrels on leashes.

beagle · 09-29-2010, 07:03 PM

I thought truffles grew underground. That's why the French use trained dogs and pigs to hunt them - they can use their incredible sense of smell to find them and dig them up. I just remember reading this hilarious Peter Mayle book years ago that had a chapter about him tagging along with a Frenchman on a truffle hunt.....

Keith · 09-29-2010, 08:57 PM

While we have truffle like mushrooms around here related to boletes, I have not seen any true truffles before. If you have any, or a piece of one, I will be seeing a professional mycologist on sunday and would be happy to get a positive ID on it.

I am located in Mirror Lake, am I correct to assume you are in the 20 mile bay area? I am very interested in seeing what you have found- no I do not intend to hunt for them, but it would be an excellent find if it really is a black truffle.

You can call me any time at 651-7509, I hope you have even a tiny piece of it left!
My finds today were a 5lb maitake and a few matsutake

20mile · 09-30-2010, 05:26 PM

Keith I chopped up what was left of it and made truffle butter. I will try to dig one up this weekend and give you a call.

Nice find on the hen of the woods. I have only found one small one that had already passed. I find many oysters, black trumpets (my favorite), chantrelles, chickens, buttons, bear tooth, lobsters, hedgehogs, a few boletes, inky caps, leishi, chaga and a few others. I always stick to ones with no close look alikes.

ApS · 10-22-2010, 09:14 PM

LadyJane · 10-23-2010, 08:02 AM

Hi, that is not a fungus. It's a plant called Indian Pipe or Ghost Plant. It has no chlorophyll and is a parasitic plant, actually.....parasitic on fungus. I wouldn't eat it.

Troi · 10-23-2010, 08:42 AM

It looks pink!

GsChinadoll · 10-23-2010, 08:57 AM

This popped up this summer in our yard.

I was at least one foot across, maybe more. I had the kids stand near it for perspective. I looked it up online and I think it was edible but I didn't know anyone that would be interested. It is amazing how quickly these grow!

09-28-2010, 05:13 PM	#1
20mile Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 20 mile bay Posts: 87 Thanks: 0 Thanked 15 Times in 12 Posts	Are they any Mycologists out there I came across a nice black truffle mushroom this past saturday. Honestly, I took it from a red squirrel who was holding it. It was about half the size of a tennis ball. I hunt mushrooms and was very happy to find it. I chopped up part of it and had it on my omelette. I really didn't know how rare they were until I mentioned it to a friend of mine who is a gourmet cook. He was astounded and said it is unheard of finding that mushroom in the US let alone NH. I gave him part of it. He said I just ate a $400.00 omelette. Has anyone else out there come across these delicacies before?

09-28-2010, 05:45 PM	#2
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	I just ate... ... what I thought was a truffle, it tasted goo arh doo dah ar da ar uauaua__________________

09-28-2010, 06:03 PM	#4
20mile Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 20 mile bay Posts: 87 Thanks: 0 Thanked 15 Times in 12 Posts	No doubt I have several field guides for mushroom foraging. There are no poisonous truffles. There is no mistaking a black truffle. (see attached photo) I have been searching the net and find that there are very very rare finds of truffles in the US. Attached Images

09-28-2010, 06:38 PM	#6
20mile Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 20 mile bay Posts: 87 Thanks: 0 Thanked 15 Times in 12 Posts	black truffle There is a picture of my squirrel friend in that article. This is pretty exiting stuff. This is truely a rare find. I know it sounds hard to beleive. I better keep the location a secret. I will try to locate more of these this weekend. No worries on health. I am most certain these are black truffles. Eaten it twice since saturday. tastes just like the expensive truffle butter my wife bought once. The only thing that remotely resembles a truffle would be a puff ball which to me and most is easy to distinguish since it grows above ground.

09-29-2010, 06:25 PM	#8
20mile Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 20 mile bay Posts: 87 Thanks: 0 Thanked 15 Times in 12 Posts	Mycologists You know what they say about Mycologists: "There are bold mycologists and there are old mycologists but there are no old, bold mycologists."

09-28-2010, 05:49 PM	#3
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	When in doubt, throw it out. There are a lot of "look a likes" that are poisonous! This is one of my favorite sites. http://www.chesterfieldoutdoors.com/...mushrooms.html

The Following User Says Thank You to Jonas Pilot For This Useful Post:
Rattlesnake Gal (09-29-2010)

09-28-2010, 06:20 PM	#5
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	You are taking a chance with your life if you cannot positively identify the fungi you consume! http://herbarium.usu.edu/fungi/funfacts/truffind.htm

The Following User Says Thank You to ApS For This Useful Post:
Rattlesnake Gal (09-29-2010)

The Following User Says Thank You to 20mile For This Useful Post:
ApS (09-17-2011)

09-29-2010, 06:58 PM	#9
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,252 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,451 Thanked 1,349 Times in 475 Posts	If it's worth that much... I hope it was the best omelette you've ever had! Acres your are too funny - squirrels on leashes.

09-29-2010, 07:03 PM	#10
beagle Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wolfeboro Posts: 172 Thanks: 177 Thanked 24 Times in 20 Posts	don't they grow underground? I thought truffles grew underground. That's why the French use trained dogs and pigs to hunt them - they can use their incredible sense of smell to find them and dig them up. I just remember reading this hilarious Peter Mayle book years ago that had a chapter about him tagging along with a Frenchman on a truffle hunt.....

09-29-2010, 08:57 PM	#11
Keith Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Wolfeboro NH Posts: 23 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	truffles While we have truffle like mushrooms around here related to boletes, I have not seen any true truffles before. If you have any, or a piece of one, I will be seeing a professional mycologist on sunday and would be happy to get a positive ID on it. I am located in Mirror Lake, am I correct to assume you are in the 20 mile bay area? I am very interested in seeing what you have found- no I do not intend to hunt for them, but it would be an excellent find if it really is a black truffle. You can call me any time at 651-7509, I hope you have even a tiny piece of it left! My finds today were a 5lb maitake and a few matsutake

09-30-2010, 05:26 PM	#12
20mile Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 20 mile bay Posts: 87 Thanks: 0 Thanked 15 Times in 12 Posts	truffle Keith I chopped up what was left of it and made truffle butter. I will try to dig one up this weekend and give you a call. Nice find on the hen of the woods. I have only found one small one that had already passed. I find many oysters, black trumpets (my favorite), chantrelles, chickens, buttons, bear tooth, lobsters, hedgehogs, a few boletes, inky caps, leishi, chaga and a few others. I always stick to ones with no close look alikes.

10-22-2010, 09:14 PM	#13
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 5,788 Thanks: 2,085 Thanked 742 Times in 532 Posts	Found On My Lot, Is This "Finger-Food"?

10-23-2010, 08:02 AM	#14
LadyJane Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: northern Ct. Posts: 335 Thanks: 129 Thanked 50 Times in 33 Posts	Indian Pipe Hi, that is not a fungus. It's a plant called Indian Pipe or Ghost Plant. It has no chlorophyll and is a parasitic plant, actually.....parasitic on fungus. I wouldn't eat it.

The Following User Says Thank You to LadyJane For This Useful Post:
Troi (10-23-2010)

10-23-2010, 08:42 AM	#15
Troi Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	It looks pink!

10-23-2010, 08:57 AM	#16
GsChinadoll Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Northern MA & Moultonboro Posts: 54 Thanks: 333 Thanked 15 Times in 7 Posts	Pop up This popped up this summer in our yard. I was at least one foot across, maybe more. I had the kids stand near it for perspective. I looked it up online and I think it was edible but I didn't know anyone that would be interested. It is amazing how quickly these grow! Attached Images __________________ Don't let people drive you crazy when you know it's within walking distance.