This photo is an epic one illustrating the dark side of the force relative to shaggy manes. These things get goopy, black, inky, drippy, disgusting, and look like the dude at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark melting to their doom. And it happens shockingly fast. So the trick to foraging this mushroom is not just knowing where … Read More
Shaggy Parasol Spore Print Verdict
About 5 hrs into the wait for my ‘supposed’ shaggy parasol mushroom to leave a spore print, I hopped online to check what I might be looking for. If you trust Wikipedia, their info on these mushrooms says “The gills and spore print are both white in colour.” Perhaps more importantly, it goes on to explain the print of the … Read More
Return of the Shaggy Parasols, 2010
I’ve posted about these fantastic wild mushrooms before. They are, quite possibly, my favorite mushroom, period – and somehow I’m lucky enough that they grow in my backyard completely by chance. My mom ID’d them as shaggy parasols a few years ago when they first appeared in our back yard – she used to pick them every year out of … Read More
What Grows Together Goes Together – Shaggy Parasols
There have been a few unanticipated joys of living in our new home over the past year – and this is one of them. Shaggy parasol mushrooms, growing aside my little leeks. Is it a hint? What grows together, goes together? I posted about their appearance last year, but with all the disturbance of soils, planting, etc, I had no … Read More
Rabbit Fricassee with Shaggy Parasol, Zucchini, and Celriac Puree.
I had an opportunity to pick up some fresh rabbit from the market this week, and took it. I’d survived a recent wild mushroom consumption. My mom and D showed up with a whole celeriac root. And while we ate salami and drank wine on the back patio, I picked some baby zucchini – determined to get to them before … Read More
Shaggy Parasol Tasting Notes
I’m resolved to get educated about this one. My mom’s huge fan, and picked them from our neighbour’s lawn when I was a teen. A small crop grew under my apple tree earlier in the year – and another couple popped up this week. Look at the SIZE!?!?…I couldn’t resist. Tasting notes: far more standard ‘mushroom’ flavor profile than the … Read More
Shaggy Mane Season 2008
Much like with hunting other things, I got a phonecall. “Hey, there’s Shaggy Manes on my lawn, come by if you want them”. A quick drive into the countryside later, we were picking the season’s first mushrooms – always a happy moment. The patch had quite a variety from already past [as in the photo, already open and black with … Read More
Shaggy Mane Hunt 2007
05:30 I’m up making somewhat ridiculously strong coffee for our thermal mugs in the car. I don’t care what you’re hunting – coffee at this time of day is requisite. Good friend Yen is up from Calgary, and we’ve set aside this morning to be Shaggy Mane hunting. I was excited, and actually had a hard time sleeping during the … Read More
My 30th Birthday
My dishwasher full of dirty dishes smells fantastic. I know. Gross. But it’s true. Today is my 30th birthday. My dinner guests just left, and I’m extremely tired. I was up at 04:00 to go waterfowl hunting again this morning. Maybe not the wisest thing to do before hosting 15 dinner guests. 40 more geese and 13 ducks this morning, … Read More
Shaggy Mane & Chicken Noodle Soup
“Not another post about a bowl of soup?!?” Yeah, I know. But I had to – it’s one of the best ways I can suggest to truly appreciate the delicate texture and flavor of the shaggy mane mushroom. There are times when I have so much chicken stock I don’t know what to do with it, and there are times … Read More