Magic mushrooms II. How to survive the winter in the forest of North America?

Fun fact, magic mushrooms were widely abused in the United States during the 1960s when LSD was popular.

In the 1970s, one of the most popular shrooms was a Psilocybe cubensis because “cubes” are the easiest magic mushroom to cultivate indoors. In nature, you can find cubensis growing throughout the southern US, Mexico, Central American, South America, etc. 

So, that’s how you could survive the rave party, but… How to survive winter in the forest of North America (if you are not a hunter, fisher, or smth.)? The answer is – wild edible mushrooms.

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

These mushrooms have nothing to do with ostriches or oysters. They just get their name from their oyster-shaped cap. In the wild, you can find oyster mushrooms in the fall and winter. The best time is after the first frost of the year.

It seems, they got a room, but only one room for all of them because these mushrooms form clusters and tend to be particularly like growing on oak and beech trees in old, leafy, open forests in North America, Europe, and Asia. Maybe oyster mushrooms have the smallest "rooms" in the world.

Attention! Oyster mushrooms with red color on the cap or stem are poisonous or strongly hallucinogenic! By the way, they were first cultivated in Germany as a subsistence measure during World War I.

Now the oyster mushrooms are frequently used in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cookery as a delicacy. It is frequently served on its own, in soups, stuffed, or in stir-fry recipes with soy sauce. 

Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)

No, this strange beauty isn’t the tail of the Republic of Turkey and you can’t take a trip with Turkish Airlines if you have booked this mushroom. However, its shape and multiple colors are similar to those of a wild turkey, so that’s why it’s called so. Turkey tail is found throughout the world, including America.

This healing mushroom, known as Yun Zhi in China, is used in traditional Chinese medicine, it is supposed to boost the immune system and have anticarcinogenic properties. Also, you can prepare it as tea, put it in soup or stew.

Crab or Chicken of the woods (Laetiporus sulphureus)

Another monster of trees is the chicken of the woods. Its fruit bodies grow as striking golden-yellow shelf-like structures on tree trunks and branches in Europe and North America. A specimen weighing 4.5 kg was found in the New Forest, Hampshire, United Kingdom, on 15 October 1990. This monster hit a Guinness world record that day.

Many people think that the mushroom tastes like crab or lobster leading to the nickname lobster-of-the-woods. It tastes good sauteed in butter or prepared in a cream sauce served on toast or rice. The mushroom should not be eaten raw!

Wood ear or Jelly mushrooms (Auricularia angiospermarum)

The fungus can be found throughout the year in temperate regions worldwide, where it grows upon both dead and living wood. It grows on wood, especially elder. Its specific epithet is derived from the belief that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from an elder tree.

Although it is not widely consumed in the West, it has long been popular in China. Jelly mushroom has a soft, jelly-like texture. You can put it in ramen soup, crunchy stir-fry, or make easy and popular Korean or Chinese style salad with wood ears.

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

Finally, the most beautiful freak in the kingdom of winter mushrooms. Native to North America, Europe, and Asia, it can be identified by its long spines, occurrence on hardwoods, and tendency to grow a single clump of dangling spines. 

Alongside shiitake and oyster mushrooms, Lion's mane is used as a specialty mushroom. Its flavor may be compared to that of lobster or crab. So, you can add this gourmet mushroom into soups, sauces, and stews or slice it into steaks and cook it slowly with butter and pepper as a piece of chicken breast. 

P.S. What’s most important when heading out in the forests is to be sure of what you forage. So, take no SHIT (ake)! Download the apps with detailed information about edible winter mushrooms. 

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