Mushroom mystique: Sooke area

Published in MapleLine Magazine: May 5, 2010

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by Marcie Gauntlett

Know your mushrooms! The King Oyster mushroom shown in the photo (Pleurotus eryngi) is also known as the King Trumpet and French Horn mushroom. It is an edible native to the Mediterranean region of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, but is also grown commercially in Korea and other parts of Asia. They come to our produce markets from Korea and are the largest of the ‘oyster’ mushroom genus, Pleurotus, which also contains our local oyster mushroom, Pleurotos Ostreatus. They have thick, meaty stems - a bit like a Porcini - and small brownish caps with little aroma or flavour when raw. Cooking brings out the mushroomy flavour known as umami in Asian circles. The interesting name is derived from the fact that it grows in conjunction (symbiotic) with the roots of Eryngium campestre such as Sea Holly or Eryngo. I am tempted to buy some Sea Holly plants locally and see if any of these gems of the ’shroom world turn up! You never know what is “in the mulch!”

With luck in April and May (and sometimes again in late fall), if you know where the dead alders are located and if we get a decent amount of rain, then you may be in for some beautiful wild ‘oyster’ finds. These lovely white shelf-like mushrooms usually appear during April on dead alders (upright or fallen), often in wet or swampy areas. There can be several in clusters or you can find 50 or 60 hanging out nicely together. Pick them! Best to slice them off with a sharp knife, leaving the mycelium behind which will produce another batch for you next spring. But the alders can be tricky. Last year my special alder which produced twice in 2008 simply did not produce in spring 2009; at least I didn’t see any, but you never know; some other hunter might have just come by during the only week that I didn’t get a chance to go out. Checking one’s spots on a regular basis reduces the risk of losing out to poachers!

The other gems at this time of year are the morels, cleverly hiding and looking a tad like Douglas fir pinecones. Little devils these; it takes a really good mushroomer to find and identify them. They fruit in black and blonde. The local advice is to go where there has been a “burn” the previous summer. Well, we have combed many such areas around the Sooke Hills, with no luck. When indeed found, lay the morels out to dry on paper towel in a warm, dry area; tap them lightly upon drying and whatever forest duff remains will nicely fall off. Store in an air-tight container. They develop a sulphur-rich, beefy, almost smoky quality. When you are ready for delight, reconstitute the morels in warm water for about an hour. Slice them to be sautéed in butter, lemon, garlic and parsley. Add 3 tablespoons dry sherry and 1 cup light cream with a dash of pepper and salt. Serve on toast points for a lovely brunch.

Mushroom experts tend not to give out locational info; only their hairdressers know! But it’s great outdoor exercise while keeping eyes into the bush for that possible fascinating find of a real morel! MM

Marcie Gauntlett runs the French Beach Cooking School in Shirley, BC. www.frenchbeachcookingschool.ca

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This article was published on page 26 in the print edition of MapleLine Magazine (Summer 2010 issue ~ May-July 2010).