I Tried Amanita Muscaria for the First Time

...and they were delicious! Kate and I harvested some from a nearby schoolyard, and carefully prepared them by boiling twice (throwing out the water each time), and then sautéing. Surprisingly, these mushrooms still have a good texture and nutty flavor, even after all the boiling. 

To be clear -- because I know some folks will be concerned -- yes, Amanita muscaria, also known as the fly agaric, is classified as poisonous and/or hallucinogenic. The main psychoactive substances in this mushroom are the neurotoxins ibotenic acid and muscimol. However, paraboiling and draining out the water will break down the psychoactive and toxic components. It's worth mentioning that this method doesn't work for other, truly poisonous mushrooms, like Amanita phalloides (death cap mushroom), which contain deadly amatoxins that cannot be cooked out of the mushroom.

We successfully prepared these mushrooms and did not experience any ill or psychoactive effects (and from what I hear, the mind-altering effects are rather unpleasant anyway). If you do find these in the wild and want to give them a try, do your research and make sure you have a positive ID, which tends to be pretty easy with their red caps and white spots.

Autumn Is The Best Time For Wonderful, Rotting Things - Snaggy Saturdays

 From a weekend hike near Mount Rainier with Kate. Observed October 9 - 10, 2020.

Golden Pholiota on a Stump

 A handsome stump I pass on my daily neighborhood walks. Observed on October 6, 2020.

Mushrooms on a Log

Such a simple sight to warm the heart on an August afternoon hike. Observed on August 19, 2020.

Fun Friday: 6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World

It cannot be understated: mushrooms are absolutely amazing, and vital to our survival. Mycologist Paul Stamets explains why in this TED talk:

"The time to act is now. Waiting for science and society to wake up to the importance of these ancient Old Growth fungi is perilously slow and narrow in vision. The meager attempts thus far may be too little, too late. Unless we collectively pool our resources, the mushroom genome will become increasingly threatened, and therefore, our very existence may be at stake. The loss of these keystone organisms should be an ecological call-to-arms for all concerned about our children's future and the future of this planet.

"The rainforests of the Pacific Northwest may harbor mushroom species with profound medicinal properties. At the current rates of extinctions, this last refuge of the mushroom genome should be at the top of the list of priorities for mycologists, environmentalists and government. If I can help advance this knowledge, I will have done my part to protect life on this planet. And yet, if it were not for our customer's contributions, with our limited finances, this goal could not be achieved."