Note: Links to Koujun Tsunoda’s paper, Allan Phipps’ paper, and Tsunematsu Tokemoto’s patent application for an ibotenic acid flavoring are listed at the end of this review. I also link to Heikki Pyysalo’s paper on Gyromitra esculenta detoxification. This brings together all of the important papers on the detoxification of mushrooms with water-soluble toxins. Basic…
Category: Wild Mushrooms
The 1993 Paper on the Detoxification of Amanita Muscaria by Koujun Tsunoda
This paper, Koujun Tsunoda, and his colleagues is the most extensive test of Amanita Muscaria detoxification through drying and boiling. “Change in Ibotenic Acid and Muscimol Contents in Amanita muscaria during Drying, Storing or Cooking” was published in 1993 by Food Hygienic Studies of Toxigenic Basidiomycotina. III. For a variety of reasons so let’s leave…
Teach Mushroom Identification Rather than Preach Abstinence
In mycological text after mycological text, in mushroom poisoning report after mushroom poisoning report we get the advice to use abstinence as the fool proof means of avoiding mushroom poisoning. Many texts, for example, advise against foraging for any Amanitas because one Amanita, Amanita phalloides, represents something like 95% of all mushroom fatalities globally. This…
Mushroom Stew by E. Smith, circa 1730
Mushrooms species appropriate for this recipe: This recipe was intended for the commercial mushroom, Agaricus bisporus. Because the mushroom is minimally cooked, this recipe is only appropriate for mushrooms that can be eaten raw in some quantity. The only other mushroom I suggest is porcini, Boletus edulis. This recipe for a basic mushroom side-dish is…
Historic Edibility Assessments for “False Morel”, Gyromitra esculenta
[Photo by Barbora Batokova] Gyromitra esculenta Fries, was originally Helvella esculenta Persoon. Up to World War II, the mushroom was considered edible, even excellent, although we note a whisp of caution creeping into the 1900 Mcllvaine assessment and again into Krieger’s assessment. Assessments now, in most countries, are negative. The internet is full of references…
Gyrometra esculenta, delicious edible
The following lovely video offers a classic preparation from Northern Europe. Based on my experience, I am guessing something in or near the Baltic Republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. For this, in addition to Gyrometra, you will need onion, potato, dill, butter, and of course, salt and pepper. Gyromitra esculenta, often referred to in…
Bulgaria. 2004.
Mountains. I was dropped off in a Roma village with this family, the first family we came to in the village. I wanted to collect mushrooms, and this village had a mushroom collecting connection. I entered the Roma community with Bulgarian friends and the mushroom book by my friend, David Arora, All the Rain Promises…