Frozen Hedgehogs

Is the Admirable Bolete really that Admirable?

Well, yes actually, it is a very admirable bolete. Many say it is second only to the King Bolete in our area, but I wouldn't know because I've never found a King. Jessica Wolf says she just found a Queen Bolete. Lucky girl. So far, for me, Boletus mirabilis is the best boletus I have tasted.

Mostly in the past I've seen it growing on old stumps and very well decomposed logs. Like this one:

But this year they are everywhere, on ground which I can only surmise is full of rotting logs and woody mass.

They supposedly love hemlock, so the further up-island the better, but I have found that they like older forests, generally 30 years old or older.

And they tend to pop up in strange places, usually very dense dark woods, although this year, many are on mossy ground usually spotted with Chanterelles.

The above beauty was growing out from between a tangle of roots and sticks.

This one was at the base of a stump.

My video from today showing a variety of the ones I collected today.

And this one of some nice Winter Chanterelles.

Happy hunting!

Winter Chanterelles, Elfin Saddle, Bleeding Milk Cap, Admirable Bolete.

Graham and I were out looking for rocks, for a back yard project, and we ended up driving up the Cameron Main because the rivers are all really high, so no accessible rocks. I asked him if I could have 3 minutes to look for mushrooms and the above is what I found, just off the side of the road. How cool is that???

Then I asked him if we could visit another forest where I knew there to be Admiral Boletes from time to time. There had been some pickers there before us as evidenced by cut stipes, but we still found a good number of that most impressive of boletes in our area, but unfortunately all but one was past prime or full of bugs. Gray found two, the below being the largest. Too bad it was so far mature. Jessica Wolf tells me there are still some young ones out there, so planning a short excursion later this week. 

Fluted Black Elfin Saddle, Golden Chanterelles, Hedgehog

Helvella lacunosa

 Found these Fluted Black Elfin Saddles today, along with a few Chanterelles and one lone Hedgehog. Was surprised to find the hedgehog!

Hydnum umbilicatum

Golden Chanterelles

Bleeding Milk Cap

October 19 2014

Lots of Boletes, Puffballs, and Slimmy Gomphidius

13 October 2014

Suillus brevipes

Sulfer Tuft?

 

Gomphidius glutinosus?

  

Still not sure what this is....

 

Suillus lakei

Lycoperdon perlatum

October 8, 2014

At Morrell Sanctuary

White Chanterelles

Monday 08 September 2014

Several days of rain in August and a day of light rain a week or so ago has brought out the White Chanterelles.

I filmed a little video of the find:


Cooked a bunch of them for dinner last night, and breakfast this morning. Very firm, on the verge of being too dry, but they pick up the butter really nicely, making for a very creamy smooth texture in the mouth with good tooth. This reminds me of just how nice White Chanterelles are compared to their more popular sisters the Pacific Golden Chanterelles.I think I like them better than the goldens.