NAME the MUSHROOMS . . .

October 1:  The Vancouver Mycological Society has had a look at my pictures so I am going to add their comments to this post.  J

Honey mushroom:  Armillaria ostoyae?

According to the VMS (Vancouver Mycological Society: The first highly clustered ones don't look to me like Armillaria ostoyae because they appear to lack scales/fibrils near the center of the cap, and the caps appear hygrophanous, i.e., changing color as they dry, which is not a characteristic of the honey mushroom group.  It may be Pholiota mutabilis, which though edible, is quite similar to some dangerous Galerina species. 

In the Skagit Valley we saw many different mushrooms --

The VMS say:  The mushroom in the photo with the shoe is probably an Agaricus, and from the size & scales on the cap looks like Agaricus augustus.

                                                         BIG ones!

Thick ones

Small ones.

The VMS say: The "small ones" look like Clitocybe dilatata, which grows in troops on the ground and has "wubbly" white caps.  Also, there appears to be a white dust-like covering on the ground nearby, which are probably the spores, so it's very likely a white-spored species.

                                                                   PRETTY ones.

like this spiky lemon yellow beauty. The VMS say: The yellow spiky one is too young to even hazard a guess.  Possibly a species of Amanita.

Ugly oozy ones.

Bryan found some books in the library and I tried to identify the mushrooms . . . without much confidence L.      

Tiny red mushroom:  Hygrocybe miniata? The VMS say: The little red one is almost certainly a Hygrocybe.  Could be H. miniata, as you suggest, or H. coccinea or a young H. punicea.

 Coral fungi (Ramaria)?  The VMS say:  The gregarious tan coral is possibly Ramaria formosa or R. concolor, but this is a notoriously difficult group to identify even with the specimen in hand and they require microscopic examination.  The pink coral is surely aRamaria, but beyond that I couldn't say.

Russula occidentalis?

Russula rosacea?  If I'm right, apparently these taste "disgusting".  The VMS say:  Russulas are another group that are exceedingly difficult to identify with certainty, in part because the color of any given species can be highly variable.  I don't even try.  If you taste a small bit & spit it out, it is usually either mild/fungal or acrid, sometimes very acrid, a key characteristic for identification, but unfortunately even the taste is a variable character.

Hydnellum peckii?  covered with "drops of bright red liquid" like jelly The VMS say:  The Hydnellum is almost certainly H. peckii.  H. diabolus also has red spots and the very acrid taste of H. peckii, but it has not been confirmed to occur in our area, is generally associated with hardwoods (whereas I see pine needles in the photo), and there is debate as to whether it is really a distinct species.

Polyozellus multiplex?  Blue chanterelle?  If so, it's rare!  and should not be picked.  The VMS say I'm wrong.  The "Polyozellus multiplex" is not that but rather another Hydnellum, most likely H. caeruleum (which has no notable smell), but possibly H. suaveolens (which has a very strong almond smell).

Sarcodon scabrosus?  The VMS say:  The "Sarcodon scabrosus" is not that but rather Sarcodon imbricatus.  There is another species reported from Scandinavia that looks the same, but AFAIK no one has investigated whether both species occur here.

Hypomyces lactifluorum?  (Edible Lobster mushroom?) The VMS say: "Hypomyces lactifluorum" -- yes.  And I've eaten it.  The first one I had was really delicious, the 2nd one awful, and the most recent OK but not remarkable.  It may be that the 2nd one was too old, but I don't know how one determines that its "fresh".  

White parasitical fungus on a mushroom? The VMS say:  The white parasitic "mold" is very likely a species of Hypomyces/Sepedonium.

???Lycoperdon “or wolf fart”!!!  Yes, that's a quote from the mushroom book!  The VMS say:  The puff balls looks like Lycoperdon pyriforme, but it would be very unusual for them to be growing on such damp ground, so ???

Thank you very much to the Kent Brothers and the Vancouver Mycological Society!

So, Wild Mushroom Ragoût, anyone?

Or maybe not!

*************

How about a nice camp sandwich instead?

PEANUT BUTTER-CHEDDAR CLUB SANDWICH

from THE ULTIMATE SANDWICH BOOK by Louis De Gouy, et al

Peanut butter

Black olives, chopped

Shredded lettuce

Cheddar cheese, sliced

Horseradish, prepared

Dill pickle, thinly sliced

* Toast rye bread. (I think next time I won't toast it; the hard toast cut the roof of my mouth.)

* Spread bottom pieces with peanut butter, chopped olives, and shredded lettuce.

* Next layer on cheese and spread with horseradish.

* Add dill pickle slices and more shredded lettuce.

* Top with toasted rye.