'Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois and Surrounding States: A Field-to-Kitchen Guide'

[July 15, 2009]  ^"Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois and Surrounding States: A Field-to-Kitchen Guide." Joe McFarland and Gregory M. Mueller, University of Illinois Press, 2009, 210 pages.

Review by
Richard Sumrall

Is this book for you? Authors Joe McFarland and Gregory Mueller write that "Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois and Surrounding States: A Field-to-Kitchen Guide" is "intended for beginners, but will also be of value to anyone interested in wild mushrooms. ... Although some mushrooms found in Illinois are tricky to identify, the mushrooms in this book should be easy for beginners."

These outdoors enthusiasts know their Illinois mushrooms -- McFarland is a writer for the state's Department of Natural Resources magazine Outdoor Illinois, and Mueller is the vice president of science and academic programs at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

In addition to important tips for beginning hunters, the book also describes the common and poisonous varieties, where mushrooms are found, the many species in Illinois, and how to cook and eat them.

Tips for beginners

The first step in mushroom hunting is to learn how to identify the different species. That can be problematic since wild mushrooms are abundant in Illinois. Always remember these important rules:

1. Never eat a wild mushroom you can't identify as edible.

2. There is no simple way to determine if a mushroom is edible or poisonous.

3. Mushrooms exist as fungi; fungi are known as "nature's recyclers," and it is this process that can determine their poisonous or nonpoisonous characteristics.

4. Different species grow in different seasons; some may be found only one time a year. Certain mushrooms grow in certain locations -- on wood, at the base of trees or in the grass.

5. Successful hunters plan their searches around rainfall; rain is crucial to the fruiting cycle of growth.

6. It is not always legal to collect mushrooms anywhere in Illinois. Public lands may require special permits or prohibit it altogether. Private property laws also apply to mushroom hunting.

Common and poisonous

Illinois is home to many different varieties of edible and poisonous mushrooms. According to the authors, mushroom poisoning is a complex reaction influenced by the different toxins within a species. It is a peculiar fact that some people can eat certain edible mushrooms and become ill while others suffer from no ill effects. In regard to deadly poisonous mushrooms, the authors remind us that no one can eat them "without suffering severe, often deadly consequences."

The poisonous mushrooms common in Illinois include the Green Spored Lepiota (sometimes mistaken for the edible Parasol); the Deadly Galerina (their ordinary look is deceiving); the Destroying Angel (its beautiful snow-white appearance can fool inexperienced hunters); the Jack O'Lantern (a highly toxic species collected for one reason only -- its eerie blue-green glowing gills); and the Thiers Amanita (invasive to Illinois since the late 1990s and colonizing rapidly across the state).

Types of mushrooms

Many edible mushrooms are found within Illinois in trees, forests or woods. They flourish in this environment due to the symbiotic relationship between fungi and trees. Hen of the Woods mushrooms are a good example. Starting in September, this large edible mushroom is found above the buried roots at the base of certain oak trees.

Morels are among the most delicious varieties found in the state, and three distinct species grow here in the spring season. Highly prized for their culinary appeal and taste, the Black Morel is an Illinois favorite. It is difficult to predict where they will grow, and their color camouflages them perfectly against the forest floor. The effort to harvest them is worth it -- their taste is described as "magnificently intense." The authors say that Chanterelles "can't possibly be as good as their reputation implies ... yet great chefs everywhere worship them." The Black Trumpet is among the most fragrant edible mushrooms in the state. Unfortunately they are not widespread in Illinois and hunters can search for years without finding them.

On the other hand, boletes are represented by hundreds of unique species. A distinctive feature identifies them -- rather than having gills, they have pores on the underside of the cap. An unusual-looking bolete is the Old Man of the Woods. It's edible -- just ignore the inky, black juice released during cooking. Puffballs are another common variety in Illinois. The Purple Spore Puffball is best harvested when it's young, fresh and pure white on the inside. In addition to cooking the white flesh, chefs like to slice them, bread them in crumbs and fry them like eggplant.

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"Edible Wild Mushrooms of Illinois and Surrounding States: A Field-to-Kitchen Guide" is an outstanding introduction to hunting for edible mushrooms in Illinois. The book contains almost 300 color photographs and important information about their caps, gills, flesh, pores, colors, stems and habitat.

According to Britt A. Bunyard of Fungi magazine, this book is "required reading for all wild mushroom hunters in the Midwest, and especially beginners." He says the authors "have come up with an entirely new format for getting the uninitiated involved in the joys of wild mushrooming."

This book is recommended to anyone interested in mushrooms and mushroom hunting in Illinois.

[Text copied from file received from Richard Sumrall, Lincoln Public Library District]