This fall, finding mushrooms in the woods has been fun and easy. Arletta and Ellington are no mycological experts. No way. But Ellington, of course, picks chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius), Funnel Chanterelles (Craterellus tubaeformis) and Yellow Foot (Craterellus lutescens). He also dares on penny bun (Boletus edulis), slippery jack (Suillus luteus) and orange milkcap (Lactarius deterrimus). But there is the end of it.
These are common canterelles (Cantharellus cibarius). Both Arletta and Ellington are absolutely sure so these are for the frying pan (photo Ellington)
Arletta is more skeptical and does not trust her knowledge of Swedish mushrooms. But if you can’t eat them, there’s exquisite joy in mushroom spotting. With her sharp gaze for everything beautiful, she soon finds her eye candy in mossy dikes and hidden thickets.
Is this a Funnel Chanterelle (Craterellus tubaeformis) or a Yellow Foot (Craterellus lutescens). Arletta and Ellington can not decide, but they know it’s good and edible, so it’s taken home too (photo Ellington)
Ellington and Arletta both enjoy the colors and fragrances of the forest this fall. Arletta has the ability to enjoy the pleasures of the unknown. So does Ellington, whose fact-seeking, however, sometimes takes over.
Perhaps, in Arletta and Ellington, two very different mindsets meet. Artistic pleasure and creativity meets scientific creativity and zeal for knowledge. So while Arletta sits down to enjoy the beauty of the pictures when they get home, Ellington turns up the image pages of Artportalen (the Swedish Species Observation System), trying to find out what species of fungi they have seen. Then they both enjoy preparing a mushroom stew or risotto.
An orange milkcap (Lactarius deterrimus). Ellington is sure, so he puts it in the basket (photo Ellington)
Here are some pictures from a forest trip Ellington and Arletta made this fall. You readers, who know more about fungi than they do, may gladly contribute with your knowledge if you can identify the different types of mushrooms they’ve captured in the pictures. Ellington has tried, but is unsure of some of them.
Now the difficulties begin. Red pine mushroom (Lactarius deliciosus) says Ellington, but it is left in the moss (photo Ellington)Sickener (Russula emetica)is what Ellington thinks. But it looks tasty, laughs Arletta, who, however, trusts Ellington’s judgment (photo Ellington)Is it a lilac bonnet (Mycena pura)? Whether it is or not, it appeals to both Ellington’s and Arletta’s aesthetic senses. (photo Ellington)Arletta and Ellington stood here for a long time. Mindblown. And it was not questions about the species, which made them amazed. But maybe it’s a wood blewit (Lepista nuda)? (photo Ellington)This white beauty and its two siblings in the background managed to remain anonymous (photo Ellington)Can you eat this? Then we have food for a week. Is it a giant puffball (Langermannia gigantea)? (photo Ellington)Nice haircut! Could it be a Cortinarius polymorphus? (photo Ellington)There is a mushroom species called fragile brittlegill (Russula Fragilis) (photo Ellington)The name Cortinarius collinitus – have you heard it before? Is this it? (photo Ellington)Ramaria pallida? Or Clavicorona pyxidata? (photo Ellington)Unknown mushroom (Photo Ellington)Is this really a mushroom? (photo Ellington)”We both recognized this as a fly agaric” (Amanita muscaria) (photo: Arletta)
The result was a good mushroom risotto. Arletta and Ellington will soon make new outings, won’t they?
